Deputy Director of UX Research and Design, Transit Technology

At the MBTA, we envision a thriving region enabled by a best-in-class transit system. Our mission is to serve the public by providing safe, reliable, and accessible transportation. MBTA’s Core Values are built around safety, service, equity, sustainability, and culture. Each employee that works for the MBTA performs their roles based on our vision, mission, and values. This includes attendance, participation, and contribution in local safety committee meetings as needed.

Job Summary

The Technology Innovation Department (TID) at the MBTA is a design-led technology team focused on making our transit system easy for all riders to use. The Deputy Director UX Research and Design manages team operations, focuses on staffing, performance reviews, and hiring processes, and supports designers in achieving program outcomes. They are involved in the day-to-day delivery of work that supports program outcomes. They ensure the team operates efficiently and align design work with strategic goals. This role is integrated into the Transit Technology Program and spends the majority of their time working in the define and deliver space of Transit Technology program outcomes.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day operations of five (5) cross-functional (i.e., combined design, engineering, product) teams in Transit Technology to help them efficiently deliver value to MBTA riders and front-line staff.
• Help teams implement best practices and quality standards for content, design, research, and provide input into establishing those standards based on modern principles.
  • Review work for quality and ensure relevant UX Principles & Design Standards are followed or identify when they are not for strategic reasons.
  • Contribute to UX Principles & Design Standards.
  • Scope complex design work.
  • Support designers on high priority workstreams.
  • Meet and collaborate regularly with other design leaders.
• Directly manage research and design staff (including contracted staff) on those teams, including performance management, position descriptions, hiring, and growth as applicable.
  • Identify staffing gaps or needs for the outcomes owned by your team.
  • Onboard new design team members.
  • Administer performance review processes.
  • Coach team members on ideal team behavior.
  • Investigate performance concerns and recommend actions.
  • Screen resumes and candidates for open positions.
  • Choose interview panel.
  • Lead hiring within designed processes.
• Build strong relationships within the department, with stakeholders across the MBTA, and in industry to ensure that our work is aligned with the agency’s mission and best practices.
• Implement and manage strategic plans, including by establishing and monitoring ongoing metrics, tracking roadmap milestones, and ensuring execution and alignment.
  • Collaborate with Program Managers to help define and clarify Program Outcomes.
  • Support designers and cross-functional teams on the delivery of outcomes and goals.
  • Identify unrealistic or non-user-focused goals and elevate those risks accordingly.
  • Help designers think and act strategically towards program outcomes.
• Provide input and support on major procurements. Manage vendors and hold them accountable.
• Coordinate the execution of capital projects that improve areas of operational responsibility by working closely with project managers and administrative staff. Monitor capital financial reports, including by conducting basic financial forecasting. Occasionally manage small capital rollouts directly.
  • Observe operations of product teams and attend team rituals.
  • Identify and make plans to address team-level challenges and process issues.
  • Facilitate better communication and coordination among design and engineering teams.
  • Facilitate better coordination on cross-team UX initiatives.
  • Identify the right mode of operations (alignment, delivery, etc.) for UX based on phase of work.
• Respond to and manage support requests, inquiries, and other administrative information requests in a professional and timely manner.
  • Escalate all risks in a clear and timely manner.
  • Propose means to address risk as necessary.
  • Communicate operational or organizational challenges preventing successful outcomes on the design and product team level.
  • Recognize when team staffing doesn’t meet department needs and priorities.

• Communicate operational or organizational challenges preventing successful outcomes on the design and product team level
  • The Deputy Director of UX Research and Design is responsible for practicing and upholding working agreements, which are essential to the department’s success.
  • Define and articulate standards for how technology is developed and used to serve the public effectively.
  • Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned.

Additional responsibilities may include focus on one or more departments or locations. See applicable addendum for department or location specific functions.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Available to work any and all shifts and/or locations as assigned or directed.
• Available to work as per assignment by the MBTA twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week as directed by supervisory staff for severe weather conditions, emergencies or any other circumstances that may potentially impact service or the safety of service.

Supervision

Minimum Requirements & Qualifications

• Five (5) years of experience as a designer working in a cross-functional design-led software development team.
• Two (2) years of experience as a UX Design Manager or Leader in a technically and/or operationally complex problem space.
• Experience working on cross-functional teams, including program, product, and engineering in multiple settings.
• Demonstrated ability to assess when to follow or deviate from UX standards based on broader organizational and user needs.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience applying UX best practices, service design, usability heuristics, accessibility standards (WCAG), and human-computer interaction.
• Ability to assess when to follow or deviate from UX standards based on broader organizational and user needs.
• Ability to provide understanding and examples of how individual design decisions fit into the larger ecosystem of the product, business, and user journey.
• Effective organizational, analytical, confidentiality, multi-tasking and time management skills.
• Previous experience designing workflows and procedures.

• Experience in public sector, transportation agency, and/or civic technology team.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a design-related field.

Substitutions Include

• A High School Diploma or GED with an additional seven (7) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor's degree requirement.
• An associate degree from an accredited institution and additional three (3) years of directly related experience substitutes for the bachelor's degree requirement.
• A master's degree in a related subject may substitute for two (2) years of general experience.
• A nationally recognized certification, or statewide/professional certification in a related field substitutes for one year of experience

• Adhere to rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements (if applicable) and policies of the MBTA including the EEO, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and anti-retaliation policies.
• Ability to pass a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, background screening, and the MBTA’s medical requirements, including a physical examination and drug and alcohol screening.
• Have a satisfactory work record for the two (2) years immediately prior to the closing date of this posting, including overall employment, job performance, discipline, and safety records (infractions and/or offenses occurring after the closing of the posting and before the filling of a vacancy may preclude a candidate from consideration for selection).

Job Conditions:

• Ability to effectively read, comprehend, communicate, and respond to instructions, orders, signs, notices, inquiries, etc. in English.
• Be at least eighteen (18) years of age, except if participating in an approved high school internship / co-op program.
• Ability to commute to assigned work locations in the Boston, MA metro area, as required by the role.
• Ability to provide internal and external customers with courteous and professional experiences.
• Ability to work effectively, independently, and as part of a diverse workforce team (or supervise, if required).
• Ability to uphold the rights and interests of the MBTA while building and maintaining effective relationships with employees and co-workers.
• Ability to adhere to rules, regulations, collective bargaining agreements (if applicable), and policies of the MBTA, including the EEO, anti-discrimination, anti-harassment, and anti-retaliation policies.
• Have a satisfactory work record for the two (2) years immediately prior to the closing date of this posting (unless if current student or recent graduate), including overall employment, job performance, discipline, and safety records (infractions and/or offenses occurring after the closing of the posting and before the filling of a vacancy may preclude a candidate from consideration for selection).
• Ability to pass a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check, comprehensive background screening, and / or medical Clinic screening, potentially including physical examination and drug and alcohol screenings.
• Ability to work all shifts and / or locations assigned, directed, or necessary for this position, including (for some transit / operations roles) up to twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week as necessary to accommodate severe weather conditions, emergencies, or any other circumstances that may potentially impact service or the safety of service.
• Intern / co-op staff must be enrolled full or part-time in an accredited educational program and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 for the entire duration of the internship / co-op. Additionally, interns / co-ops must have valid work authorization and U.S. Social Security Number prior to starting their positions and throughout the duration of their program.

Disclaimers and Definitions: