User Experience Program Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL

Senior UX Designer

Chicago / NYC + Full Time

Fifty Thousand Feet is an independent global design consultancy that builds timeless brands for discerning audiences. Our work spans brand strategy and identity, marketing communications, digital experiences, and integrated campaigns—bringing together strategy, design, and technology to help organizations connect more deeply with their customers.

We are seeking a Senior UX Designer to lead the strategy, vision, and execution of innovative digital and AI-enabled products and experiences for our clients. This role sits at the intersection of user experience, business strategy, and emerging technology, helping organizations uncover new opportunities and design meaningful, user-centered solutions that drive impact.

As a Senior UX practitioner, you will partner closely with cross-functional teams, including design, technology, product, and client stakeholders, to shape and deliver next-generation digital experiences. You bring a strong foundation in UX strategy, interaction design, and systems thinking, along with a forward-looking perspective on AI-driven experiences and evolving user behaviors. You are equally comfortable leading discovery and defining product direction as you are translating complex challenges into intuitive, scalable experiences grounded in user needs and business goals. While this role includes strategic collaboration and client engagement, it remains deeply rooted in hands-on UX craft, interaction design, and experience execution.

The ideal candidate thrives in collaborative environments, inspires cross-disciplinary teams, and is equally energized by shaping bold ideas and delivering them to market.

Our UX designers create intuitive, scalable digital experiences—from early concept development through production-ready delivery.

Key responsibilities include:

• Designing intuitive interactions across responsive digital experiences for mobile and desktop platforms.

• Championing human-centered design principles across all project phases.

  • Ideating, validating, and iterating on design concepts by synthesizing client input, user research, and established UX best practices.

• Partnering with cross-functional client teams—including marketing, creative, and project management—to navigate complex business and technical requirements.

  • Contribute to experience strategy by helping define priorities, user value, and interaction approaches across digital products and platforms

  • Identify opportunities to improve user experience, simplify complexity, and create more effective digital interactions.

  • Visualizing product vision through storyboards, sitemaps, and process flows, followed by high-fidelity UI mockups and functional prototypes.

  • Help align clients and cross-functional teams around experience goals, user needs, and interaction approaches.

• Developing detailed design specifications and prototypes in close coordination with product leads.

  • Communicate strategic design decisions clearly and effectively to clients and cross-functional teams.

  • Present and articulate design decisions to clients with clarity, strategic thinking, and strong attention to detail.

  • Partner with project, product, and engineering teams to support implementation quality and experience consistency through launch.

• Facilitate collaborative working sessions with clients and internal teams to clarify goals, gather input, and advance experience design solutions.

• Advocate for accessibility, usability, and inclusive design standards across all digital experiences.

• Contribute to and evolve scalable design systems and interaction frameworks.

• Maintain awareness of emerging UX patterns, technologies, and digital trends to inform thoughtful experience design decisions.

• Unwavering commitment to maintaining the confidentiality of client and agency data.

• Expertise in industry-standard design tools, specifically Figma, for high-fidelity prototyping.

• Exceptional collaborative skills, with the ability to lead and contribute within both virtual and in-person teams.

• Proactive self-starter capable of managing complex workstreams with minimal oversight.

• A strategic problem-solver who approaches design challenges with research-backed solutions and critical thinking.

• Proven ability to prioritize multiple projects in fast-moving environments to meet deadlines while maintaining focus on quality and detail.

• Organized, analytical, and adept at mastering new technologies and methodologies.

• Collaborative mindset with a strong point of view and a commitment to thoughtful iteration and refinement.

Experience: A minimum of 5+ years of professional experience leading UX initiatives across complex digital products and experiences.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in a design-related discipline or significant industry experience.

• Prolonged use of digital equipment in a stationary environment.

• Ability to work effectively both independently and within shared physical or virtual workspaces.

Our Commitment

At Fifty Thousand Feet, we believe that building and sustaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture is essential to creating meaningful work. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected status.