Director of User Experience and Web Strategy

The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiring staff "for fit" makes significant contributions to Howard University's overall mission. At Howard University, we prioritize well-being and professional growth. Here is what we offer: Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support Work-Life Balance: PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements Financial Wellness: Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match Professional Development: Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths Additional Perks: Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant company culture Join Howard University and thrive with us! JOB PURPOSE: The Director of UXWS & Web Strategy provides leadership and guidance on the strategic direction, design, development, and maintenance of the University's website and digital presence in support of the University's strategic goals and priorities. This position focuses on utilizing resources, including web technologies and infrastructure, user experience design principles, digital marketing strategies, and assessment tools to optimize the user experience for the University's external and digital platforms, as well as the University's intranet. The position will also contribute to strategies that support digital story-telling, marketing, and branding via the University's flagship website howard.edu. This is a management position within the Office of University Communications that reports to the Assistant Vice President of Web Innovation and Strategy. SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY: The Director of UXWS & Web Strategy manages staff within the User Experience & Web Strategy team within the Office of University Communications, as well as external vendor partners that support web and digital services. NATURE AND SCOPE: Internal contacts include executives, decanal leadership, cabinet, administrators, faculty, staff, students, vendors, University web developer(s), technical support, and information technology personnel throughout the University. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES: Provide leadership and guidance for building, enhancing, and maintaining the University's public web presence. Maintain a strategy that prioritizes supporting the entire Enterprise as efficiently as possible with a centralized and integrated web hardware and application infrastructure. Related principles, such as content COPE (Create Once, Publish Everywhere), should be identified and guide this strategy. Conduct audits, analyze web platforms, enhance user experience, maintain content calendar, and make data-driven decisions. Conduct research and analysis of industry trends in web and higher education technology, UX and general best practices, and emerging technologies, in order to build these into the UXWS web strategy. Manage UX and user access for the University's intranet, which is built from Microsoft Viva Connections and other Office365 applications, as well as provide consultations for the OUC's Strategic Communications team and other University units, as it relates to the intranet. Serve as an internal and external thought leader and subject matter expert for enterprise digital and UX strategy. Share key insights with University stakeholders. Work with Office of University Communications leadership to improve the University's overall online presence, including web, social media, intranet, and other digital channels, as well as integrate strategy to align with and support digital story-telling, marketing, and branding. Coordinate with the Director of Digital and Marketing to improve SEO, social media integration, and other digital marketing techniques, as well as monitor KPIs and analytics to measure the effectiveness of digital marketing efforts, making data-driven recommendations for improvement. Help lead the strategic direction of the OUC, generally, in conjunction with OUC leadership. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including designers, developers, content creators, and marketers, to implement user-focused design solutions. Collaborate with key stakeholders to define and execute the university's web strategy, aligning it with institutional goals and brand guidelines. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to gather requirements. Develop project plans, allocate resources, track progress, and communicate updates to stakeholders. Gather requirements from University leadership and stakeholders about their general web-related needs, and use this discovery process to define project objectives, manage expectations, inform the Enterprise's web and UX strategy. Drive the user-centered design process, ensuring that user experience is at the forefront of all web-related projects. Create wireframes, prototypes, and design mock-ups to articulate the user journey and gather feedback from stakeholders. Manage the development and maintenance of the University's websites, ensuring technical excellence and adherence to industry standards and accessibility guidelines. Provide guidance to the web development team, setting priorities, and coordinating resources to deliver high-quality web solutions. Work closely with the marketing team to support digital marketing strategies that align with the university's goals and target audiences. Manage the budget and resources (UXWS team, vendors, etc.) allocated to digital communications strategy and innovation initiatives. Foster a culture of efficiency via utilization of digital property tools that support digital communication across the University. Integrate AI-based and other technical tools to enhance productivity of related work. CORE COMPETENCIES: Proven track record of developing and implementing successful user experience and web strategies that drive positive business results. Proven track record of leading multiple web-related projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery within budget and scope. Strong analytical skills and experience using data to drive decision-making. Excellent communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex ideas to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Experience managing cross-functional teams and building effective working relationships. Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines. Working knowledge and understanding of, as well as experience with, the underlying technologies that support web-based communications (web hosting and development and infrastructure, application architecture, APM, dev-ops, etc.). Experience working in a higher education setting is strongly preferred. Experience with Drupal is strongly preferred. Passion for innovation and technology, with a keen interest in staying up-to-date on emerging trends and best practices. Experience managing intranet for medium and large organizations. Experience managing intranets at the enterprise-level organizations is preferred. Experience managing and/or developing AI-based web applications is preferred. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: Demonstrated knowledge and experience in UX design, website content development and management, technical management, and enterprise strategy. Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, , computer science, or a related field; Master's-level degree or higher preferred. Minimum of 5-7 years of leadership experience in website management, digital strategy, digital marketing, web technology, or related fields. Minimum of 12-15 years of overall experience in web-site management, digital strategy, digital marketing, web technology, or related fields. Work Schedule: This role is primarily in-person, with the option for a hybrid schedule allowing up to 2 days per week to be worked remotely. Compliance Salary Range Disclosure Expected Pay Range: $109,090 - $120,000

Created: 2024-11-05