Principal Product Design Leader

About The Role

You will make an impact by defining and leading enterprise product design strategies that transform complex business processes into intuitive, scalable, and user-centered digital experiences. You will be a valued member of the Product Experience team and work collaboratively with executive stakeholders, product managers, engineers, business leaders, researchers, and cross-functional technology teams to drive innovation, accessibility, customer satisfaction, and business outcomes across strategic digital platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end product design strategy for enterprise platforms and customer-facing digital products, translating complex business and regulatory requirements into intuitive user experiences.
• Drive the design and delivery of AI-enabled products and digital transformation initiatives that improve operational efficiency, automate workflows, and enhance customer and employee experiences.
• Partner with executive stakeholders, product management, engineering, and business teams to define product vision, influence strategic decisions, and ensure alignment between customer needs and organizational objectives.
• Establish and evolve enterprise design systems, accessibility standards, and UX governance practices that enable consistency, scalability, and ADA-compliant experiences across platforms.
• Leverage user research, analytics, design thinking, and data-driven insights to identify opportunities, prioritize innovation, and deliver measurable business impact.

Requirements

• 15+ years of experience leading Product Design, User Experience (UX), Digital Experience, or Human-Centered Design initiatives for enterprise organizations.
• Proven experience developing product strategies and delivering digital solutions for large-scale, complex business environments.
• Strong expertise in UX design, interaction design, service design, information architecture, and customer experience strategy.
• Experience leading AI-enabled product design initiatives and identifying opportunities to leverage emerging technologies to improve user experiences and operational outcomes.
• Expert-level proficiency with Figma and modern design tools for wireframing, prototyping, design systems, and stakeholder communication.
• Demonstrated success partnering with executive leadership and cross-functional teams to influence product vision, priorities, and strategic roadmaps.
• Experience designing and modernizing enterprise applications, legacy platforms, and digital transformation programs.
• Strong understanding of user research methodologies, usability testing, customer journey mapping, and data-driven design decision-making.
• Experience building, managing, and scaling enterprise design systems that support consistency and efficiency across multiple products and channels.
• Deep knowledge of accessibility standards, inclusive design principles, and ADA/WCAG compliance requirements.
• Experience working in Agile product development environments and collaborating closely with Product Management and Engineering teams.
• Strong communication, presentation, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all organizational levels.

Qualifications

• Experience leading design initiatives within Financial Services, Banking, FinTech, Internal Audit, Risk, Compliance, or other highly regulated industries.
• Experience designing digital experiences that support regulatory compliance, audit operations, and operational transformation programs.
• Proven success delivering measurable business outcomes through customer experience improvements, conversion optimization, and process simplification initiatives.
• Experience implementing omnichannel customer journeys across digital and assisted service channels.
• Expertise in enterprise UX governance, design operations, and design maturity transformation initiatives.
• Experience identifying and implementing AI-driven capabilities that improve productivity, reporting accuracy, workflow automation, and customer engagement.
• Experience mentoring design teams, leading UX organizations, and driving best practices across large enterprises.
• Familiarity with accessibility frameworks including ADA 2.2, WCAG, and inclusive design methodologies.
• Experience presenting design strategy, research findings, and product recommendations to executive leadership and senior stakeholders.
• Background working with Fortune 500 organizations on large-scale digital transformation, modernization, and customer experience initiatives.

Skills

• Strong expertise in UX design, interaction design, service design, information architecture, and customer experience strategy.
• Expert-level proficiency with Figma and modern design tools for wireframing, prototyping, design systems, and stakeholder communication.
• Strong understanding of user research methodologies, usability testing, customer journey mapping, and data-driven design decision-making.
• Experience building, managing, and scaling enterprise design systems that support consistency and efficiency across multiple products and channels.
• Deep knowledge of accessibility standards, inclusive design principles, and ADA/WCAG compliance requirements.
• Experience working in Agile product development environments and collaborating closely with Product Management and Engineering teams.
• Strong communication, presentation, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all organizational levels.

Benefits

• Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance
• Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan and contributions
• Long-term/Short-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Pay

The annual salary for this position is between $63,000 - $140,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

Schedule

This is a hybrid position requiring 3 days a week in a client or Cognizant office in Charlotte, NC. Based on the project you’re engaged in, as well as business and client requirements, the working arrangements for this role may change. However, we will always be clear about role expectations.