UI/UX Manager

The UI/UX Manager is the owner of the Summit K12 design system and user experience execution across the platform. This is an ownership role responsible for ensuring that design standards, interaction patterns, accessibility requirements, and user experience principles are consistently applied across all products. This role translates platform experience strategy into scalable, enforceable design systems and ensures high-quality execution from discovery through delivery. The UI/UX Manager enables speed, consistency, and clarity for Product and Engineering teams by providing clear UX guardrails and reusable components. Key Responsibilities Core Responsibilities 1. Design System Ownership Own and maintain the Summit K12 design system, including components, patterns, typography, color, accessibility standards, and interaction behaviors Ensure the design system is documented, versioned, and actively used across all products Partner with Engineering to ensure design system components are technically feasible and consistently implemented Actively reduce UX fragmentation and design drift across teams 2. Platform UX Execution Translate platform-level experience strategy into concrete UX standards and design solutions Ensure consistent navigation, workflows, and interaction patterns across all user types Review and approve UX designs to ensure alignment with platform standards Serve as the final design authority within defined platform guardrails 3. User-Centered Design & Research Lead and conduct usability testing, heuristic reviews, and user feedback synthesis Ensure user research insights are incorporated into design decisions Partner with Product Managers to inform discovery and validate solutions early Advocate for accessibility, clarity, and simplicity in all user experiences Integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles into the design system and product roadmap, ensuring instructional scaffolds and interaction patterns are accessible and effective for the full range of learner abilities 4. Cross-Functional Partnership Work closely with the Platform Product Manager to align UX decisions with platform business rules and system behavior Collaborate with Product Managers to ensure feature designs comply with platform UX standards Partner with Engineering throughout delivery to preserve design intent and quality Support Customer Success and Implementation teams by improving usability and reducing friction 5. Design Operations & Delivery Establish lean design workflows that support fast iteration and predictable delivery Ensure clear design documentation and handoff artifacts Balance hands-on design work with design review and governance Prioritize work based on platform impact and user value 6. Team Leadership & Growth Lead, mentor, and develop UI/UX designers Set clear expectations for quality, ownership, and accountability Build design capability and UX maturity across the organization Foster a culture of user empathy, experimentation, and continuous improvement Skills, Knowledge and Expertise Required 6+ years of experience in UI/UX design, with experience owning design systems Proven experience leading or managing designers Strong understanding of user-centered design, design thinking, , Universal Design for Learning and interaction design Experience with WCAG accessibility standards, including interpreting ACRs and remediation Successfully cultivated design cohesion by partnering with cross-functional teams to implement shared design patterns Strong operational mindset with the ability to define, implement, and maintain scalable design workflows Proficiency in Figma or equivalent design tools Preferred Experience designing SaaS or platform-based products Desire to leverage AI tools (e.g., Claude Design, V0) to accelerate design and development workflows Experience collaborating with distributed, cross-cultural, or global product teams across multiple time zones Experience working in lean or scaling organizations EdTech or complex workflow product experience Understanding of the specific workflows, daily challenges, and strategic priorities of teachers, school administrators, and district leaders Success Indicators A single, consistently applied design system across all products Reduced UX inconsistency and rework during development Faster delivery due to reusable patterns and clear standards Positive usability feedback from teachers, students, and administrators Product and Engineering teams report clarity and confidence in UX expectations Benefits Summit K12 offers a comprehensive benefits package. Highlights include: Medical, dental, and vision insurance with multiple plan options Company-paid short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance 401(k) retirement plan Paid Time Off (PTO) program 10 paid holidays plus 1 floating holiday annually Wellness resources and support programs Summit K12 is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.