Research & Design Team Lead

Job Description

How will this role impact First Command? Our goal is to effectively communicate what makes First Command unique to the market we serve so that prospective clients will make First Command the first place they turn in order to plan for their financial security. The User Experience Researcher & Designer will be a key a member of the Experience Design and broader XTO team.

In this role, you will create understanding and empathy around user needs, stated and unstated, for First Command, including designers, product managers, developers, and management. You will do so by conducting primary research, exploring the behaviors and motivations of our users through methods like field visits, surveys, usability testing, user interviews, card sorting, ethnography, and data analysis. Additionally, you will build designs and convey them along with research to stakeholders.

A key metric for success in this role will be the ability to influence stakeholders.

The financial services industry is highly competitive, but we believe that First Command provides a unique value proposition for our nation’s military families and therefore must sharpen our insights so that how we approach and communicate with clients and prospects makes our value proposition relevant.

• Lead the end-to-end design of user-centered experiences across web, mobile, and emerging digital platforms.
• Create user flows, journey maps, information architecture, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs using Figma and other industry-standard design tools.
• Partner closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, Data Scientists, and cross-functional stakeholders to define requirements and deliver impactful design solutions.
• Leverage AI-powered design, research, and prototyping tools to accelerate ideation, improve workflows, generate insights, and enhance product experiences.
• Utilize generative AI capabilities to support user research synthesis, content creation, concept development, and design exploration while maintaining a strong human-centered design approach.
• Conduct and apply user research, usability testing, behavioral analytics, and customer feedback to inform design decisions and validate solutions.
• Present design concepts, strategy, and rationale to stakeholders and leadership, building alignment and driving informed product decisions.
• Translate complex business requirements and technical constraints into intuitive, accessible, and scalable user experiences.
• Contribute to and evolve design systems, component libraries, and interaction standards within Figma to ensure consistency and efficiency across products.
• Advocate for accessibility, inclusive design, usability, and best practices throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Lead design reviews, workshops, and collaborative working sessions to drive alignment and innovation across teams.
• Mentor junior designers and foster a culture of design excellence, continuous learning, and experimentation with emerging technologies, including AI.
• Influence product vision, UX strategy, and roadmap planning to deliver meaningful customer and business outcomes.

• A Degree in related studies (Human Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Data Science, Interaction Design, Cognitive Science, Psychology, etc.), or equivalent real-world experience

• 5-8 years in UX related role doing research and design
• 1-2 years leading UX researchers/designers

• Expertise in Figma, including advanced prototyping, design systems, component management, and developer handoff.
• Experience using AI-powered design and research tools such as Microsoft Copilot, User Testing AI, Figma Make or similar solutions to improve design effectiveness and team productivity.
• Strong understanding of human-centered design, interaction design, visual design, accessibility, and design thinking methodologies.
• Experience leading large-scale or complex product initiatives within cross-functional environments.
• Excellent communication, storytelling, stakeholder management, and facilitation skills.

• Financial Services experience
• Military experience

LI-NC1

LI-Hybrid