Manager, Digital Services; Design - Remote From

User Experience Design Manager

The Colorado Digital Service is seeking an experienced User Experience Design Manager to strengthen our ability to deliver human-centered digital services. The role combines building sustainable processes for a human-centered design practice with leading UX design across key state initiatives, focusing on creating accessible, intuitive experiences that improve how Coloradans interact with government services.

• Partner with the larger CDS leadership team to drive digital transformation across the State of Colorado services through strategic design leadership.
• Manage a cross‑functional team including full‑time CDS digital service experts, short‑term contractors, and vendor partners.
• Build a sustainable design practice at CDS, including design principles and processes, establishing standards, templates, and best practices.
• Conduct managerial activities such as budget tracking, hiring, performance management, team capacity management, and culture building.
• Prioritize, scope, resource, and staff design activities across multiple state initiatives, including user research, design workshops, journey mapping, and prototyping and testing solutions with residents.
• Partner with product managers, engineers, and agency stakeholders to ensure user needs drive technology decisions and implementation strategies.
• Develop reusable resources for educating and evangelizing design across audiences and stakeholders, building design literacy throughout state government.
• Support and advocate for the creation of compelling design artifacts such as service blueprints, user journeys, wireframes, and prototypes that drive alignment and translate user insights into actionable recommendations.
• Build design capacity within the State through mentoring, knowledge sharing, and helping partners understand the value of user‑centered design through communities of practice.
• Champion accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1 AA) and inclusive design principles across all design activities, ensuring services work for users with diverse needs and abilities.
• Follow and conduct Office of Information Technology administrative processes as required by managers.

• At least 5 years of experience as a technical leader or technology solution consultant; extensive experience with software service design and delivery; relevant experience in an IT applications/solutions delivery role.
• Experience with modern software development practices such as Agile, Human Centered Design, or Product Management.
• Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year‑for‑year basis, but cannot completely substitute for these qualifications.
• Training or certification related to the work assigned to the position will be credited toward substitution for experience and/or education, but cannot completely substitute for these qualifications.

• Strong foundation in user research methods and human-centered design practices with experience leading design teams.
• Experience creating compelling design artifacts and documentation, with ability to establish design standards across organizations.
• Proven ability to facilitate collaborative design activities and workshops while managing team capacity and priorities.
• Background in modern software development practices (agile, iterative approaches) and cross-functional team leadership.
• Track record of improving government or enterprise digital services through user-centered design with measurable outcomes.
• Experience with accessibility standards (WCAG, Section 508) and inclusive design methodologies.
• Background in government, enterprise, or complex service design with an understanding of organizational constraints and compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of design systems, component libraries, and design standards for large organizations.
• Experience with team management, budget oversight, and design practice development.
• Familiarity with government service delivery challenges and public sector design considerations.

This is a term-limited position with an anticipated end date of approximately three years from the…