Manager UX​/UI Research and Strategy

UT Southwestern Medical Center is a world-renowned academic medical and research institution based in Dallas, Texas, with over 75 years of history in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Ranked No. 1 hospital in the region by U.S. News & World Report, it combines patient care, research, and education at scale, and operates a broad digital presence managed through its Department of Communications, Marketing, and Public Affairs.

The

role

The Manager, UX/UI Research and Strategy reports to the Director of Digital Strategy and Engagement and leads user experience research and strategy within the Digital team. The role oversees the Sr. UX/UI Strategist and manages cross-functional dependencies across digital projects. It balances strategic direction with hands-on project involvement, covering usability, accessibility, engagement, technical feasibility, and institutional brand standards.

What you would do

• Lead UX research and strategy for complex digital projects, setting research methods, experience strategies, usability approaches, mockups, deliverables, schedules, and quality standards in coordination with leadership and stakeholders.
• Manage, mentor, and develop the UX/UI team, providing strategic direction, coaching, feedback, workload guidance, and professional development.
• Plan and conduct qualitative and quantitative research activities, including interviews, surveys, contextual inquiry, usability testing, card sorting, and tree testing; synthesize findings into actionable recommendations.
• Develop and communicate UX deliverables such as research plans, personas, journey maps, task flows, experience maps, site maps, information architectures, prototypes, and wireframes.
• Attend discovery sessions and research workshops to identify user needs, business objectives, content requirements, and technical constraints, and facilitate alignment among multidisciplinary teams.
• Partner with digital strategists, developers, project managers, content professionals, designers, and institutional stakeholders to translate research into accessible, technically feasible digital experiences.
• Review designs, prototypes, websites, applications, and development builds throughout the project lifecycle to ensure UX requirements, research findings, and accessibility standards are implemented correctly.
• Contribute to UX research standards, methodologies, documentation, and reusable practices, including design systems and component patterns.
• Monitor digital analytics, user behavior, emerging UX practices, and digital trends to identify opportunities for improvement; evaluate tools, methodologies, and technologies to keep UTSW's digital experiences current and user-centered.
• Serve as a trusted internal consultant and subject matter expert, advocating for user-centered and inclusive design and communicating research findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Coordinate UX research and strategy across concurrent initiatives, scoping efforts, estimating resources, establishing priorities, managing dependencies and timelines, and communicating risks to leadership.

What they are looking for

• Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Information Architecture, Psychology, Human Factors, Design, Visual Communications, Digital Media, or a related field (additional years of experience may be considered in lieu of degree).
• 5 years of experience managing UX/UI research and design teams, with 5 years of progressively responsible experience in UX research, UX strategy, user experience design, information architecture, usability, or related digital work.
• Demonstrated experience leading UX initiatives and mentoring, managing, or directing UX/UI professionals or multidisciplinary teams.
• Preferred: experience in higher education, healthcare, academic medicine, government, agency, or consulting environments.
• Preferred: experience contributing to UX research practices, usability programs, experience standards, or design systems.
• Preferred: familiarity with Agile, Scrum, Kanban, or similar methodologies.

Working arrangements

The role is based on-site in an office setting at 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75390. Standard day-shift hours apply.

Pay and benefits

Salary is commensurate with education, skills, and relevant experience.

• Benefits include a PPO medical plan available from day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage, 100% coverage for preventive healthcare with no copay, paid time off from day one, retirement programs through the Teacher Retirement System…