Lead UI/UX Graphic Designer

Description HOPE Overview HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope Credit Union and Hope Policy Institute ) provides financial services; leverages resources; and engages in advocacy that strengthens the financial health of people in under-resourced Deep South communities. Since 1994, these efforts have benefited more than three million people in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, and influenced billions in persistent poverty communities across the nation. Learn more at . Title: Lead UI/UX & Graphic Designer Department: Information Technology Reports To: VP, Product Management Supervises: N/A Job Classification: Full-time, Exempt The Lead UI/UX and Graphic Designer blends deep design expertise with strategic thinking and leadership. The Designer will be a hands-on leader responsible for elevating the quality of our digital experiences while mentoring other designers and contributing to the broader product vision. The Designer will own major design initiatives, user research, and play a critical role in cross-functional collaboration with other product team members, technology, and business stakeholders. Key Responsibilities Design Leadership & Execution Own the end-to-end design process for high-impact initiatives— from discovery and concept through to detailed design and delivery. Design elegant, scalable, and user-centered interfaces for web and mobile platforms, with attention to usability, accessibility, and performance. Create and maintain user flows, wireframes, prototypes, mockups, and production-ready UI assets. Evolve and enforce the design system to ensure consistency across products while enabling rapid iteration. Drive improvements in design process, tools, and workflows to increase team velocity and quality. Mentorship & Team Development Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and support to junior and mid-level designers through design critiques, 1:1s, and collaborative sessions. Help define career growth paths, training opportunities, and development plans for the design team. Foster a culture of continuous improvement and design excellence. Cross-Functional Collaboration Partner with Lead Digital Product Managers to define user problems, shape requirements, and prioritize features that drive value. Collaborate closely with engineers to ensure smooth handoff of designs and alignment on technical constraints and feasibility. Facilitate design workshops and co-creation sessions with stakeholders to gather input and align on direction. User Research & Insights Work with internal and external resources to identify knowledge gaps, define learning objectives, and plan studies. Drive usability testing, interviews, and surveys; synthesize findings into actionable design recommendations. Champion a user-centered design approach across the organization. Product & Business Alignment Influence product strategy by contributing a design perspective to roadmap planning and decision-making. Use data (quantitative and qualitative) to evaluate the performance of design solutions and iterate for impact. Advocate for user needs while balancing technical and business constraints. Communication & Influence Clearly articulate design decisions, rationale, and trade-offs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Present concepts and final designs to executive leadership, cross-functional teams, and external partners as needed. Advocate for design thinking, inclusive design, and accessibility in product and strategy discussions. Create documentation and storytelling assets that align teams and build shared understanding. Qualifications: Required: Minimum of 5+ years of professional experience in UI/UX or product design, with a strong portfolio demonstrating design thinking, systems-level design, and shipped digital products across web and/or mobile. Experience leading design initiatives or managing/mentoring junior team members. Ability to set a high design bar while supporting team growth. Demonstrated experience developing, scaling, or maintaining design systems in complex product ecosystems. Hands-on experience or active collaboration with research functions; familiarity with qualitative and quantitative methods. Bachelor’s or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, Visual Design, or related field (or equivalent practical experience) Preferred: Experience in mission-driven organizations or with underserved user groups Familiarity with WCAG and accessibility best practices Working knowledge of front-end development principles (HTML/CSS/JS) is a plus Key Competencies & Skills: Expertise in UI/UX and Graphic design with a user-centered, inclusive, and accessible design mindset Experience creating and maintaining design systems and component libraries Ability to connect user needs with business goals to influence product direction Strong problem-solving skills and comfort with ambiguity in fast-paced environments Proven success working in cross-functional teams (product, engineering, marketing, research, etc.) Experience mentoring designers, facilitating critiques, and fostering growth Ability to balance individual contributions with team empowerment Comfortable planning, conducting, or applying insights from user research Ability to interpret data (quantitative & qualitative) and apply findings to design decisions Deep empathy for end users and a commitment to continuous learning Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills Ability to present work clearly and persuasively to both peers and executive audiences Design Tools & Process Proficiency with modern design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Suite , InVision, Miro, Wordpress, or similar Familiarity with agile/scrum methodologies and working in iterative design sprints Work Environment: Standard office environment with regular use of a computer, phone, and video conferencing tools. Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions Comprehensive Benefits Package: Paid Vacation and Sick Time 11 Paid Holidays 401(k) with Company Match Medical, Dental, and Vision Benefits Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Disability Benefits Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Accident Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Tuition Reimbursement, Professional Development Hope Enterprise Corporation does not participate in or engage in any form of visa sponsorship, including employment-based visa applications or extensions (e.g., H-1B, TN, O-1, OPT, STEM OPT, etc.). Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment. We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.