Lead UI​/UX Graphic Designer

HOPE OverviewTitle: Lead UI/UX & Graphic DesignerDepartment: Information TechnologyReports To: VP, Product ManagementJob Classification: Full-time, ExemptHOPE (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 .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 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 DevelopmentProvide 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 CollaborationPartner 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 & InsightsWork 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 AlignmentInfluence 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 & InfluenceClearly 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.