M+E Technology Job Board
Research and Design Strategy Director
SoftServe
About Company:
SoftServe is actively seeking a Research and Design Strategy Director who is an expert in design thinking methodologies and tools, has a vast amount of professional and project experience within the design, innovation and consulting space, has managed teams or served as a high level individual contributor, has attracted, mentored, coached and managed individuals and is looking to make an impact within a rapidly growing, global team across 12 studios in 6 countries.
The Research and Design Strategy Director is a master in architecting the vision for the Research and Design Strategy practice at SoftServe, building and managing a discipline, and leading engagements that blur the lines of business strategy, service design and design thinking. Day-to-day, they shape client engagements by inspiring and guiding clients through the research, design and strategy process, facilitating and leading collaborative strategy sessions and design thinking workshops.
The ideal candidate will have proven work experience applying design thinking methodologies and tools, as well as a passion for leading and growing teams, helping organizations solve their most innovative growth questions, and bringing new offerings to market. He/She will share in our drive and aspiration to make an impact in the world through design while working collaboratively with designers, researchers, strategists, engineers, developers, and architects.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Serve as clients’ strategic partner and guide alongside our sales and client success teams by inspiring and guiding clients through the research, design and experience process, facilitating and leading collaborative strategy sessions and design thinking workshops
Managing research and strategy account relationships, including drafting research and strategic components of new business proposals and collaborating with teams to manage and extend client relationships to grow new business
Leading the research and strategy development process across projects through work with clients and colleagues including analysis of secondary research, identifying key user, business and design trends, and framing opportunities and research plans
Planning, recruiting and conducting user research, leading and collaborating in the synthesis process to develop key insights, researching summaries, design and business strategies, creative concepts, roadmaps, and long term plans
Design and build the Research and Design Strategy competency model and team across all of our global design locations
Participate in setting engagement objectives and scope; develop work plans for components of engagements, coordinate activities between work streams and identify changes in scope
Lead the human-centered research and strategy process including analysis of secondary research, identifying key users and business and design trends, and framing opportunities and research plans
Act as a trusted client advisor, applying user-centered design across projects from initial approach development to concept development to executive strategy recommendations
Provide leadership for the growth and vision of the team’s process and capabilities, including identifying new offerings
Apply a strategic lens to understand our client’s business challenges with a goal of developing and creating sustainable and distinctive business value through our partnership
Lead the development and best practices for creating strong client relationships; lead and advise others in applying new approaches to client experiences
Plan, initiate and manage growing client relationships within and beyond projects
Identify and frame new client engagements, including leading new business outreach, directing others in proposal creation, and creating strategies, activities, and methods for new project approaches
Initiate and own external ambassadorship opportunities on behalf of SoftServe, including industry events, college/university events and workshop facilitation, and other thought leadership engagements
Aid in development and management of the discipline’s team members, including recruiting and hiring, resourcing, and day-to-day coaching and mentorship, recognition, as well as leading and providing oversight to the team on projects
Requirements:
Education and degree:
Advanced degree in Design, Research, Design Strategy or related fields preferred
Bachelor degree in Design or research related field
Business education (desirable) or professional equivalent
Specialized knowledge:
Knowledge of competency model development
Proficiency in using major Research and UX/UI tools and best practices
Proficiency in data analysis and uncovering insights
Hands-on experience in managing research and strategy practices, consultants and projects
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills. Strong facilitation skills and presence
Confident and compelling storyteller by nature
Ability to clearly articulate a personal perspective on the value of design and the role of design and its impact on business
Champion for the integration of experience design practices (user research, visual design, interaction design, extended reality, etc.) into overall design solutions
Skills & abilities:
Expert and leader within user-driven Research and Strategy and broader Service Design and Design Thinking methodologies
Ability to integrate design and strategic business thinking
Ability to effectively lead across multiple projects and platforms, providing guidance to research, strategy, and design teams as needed
Analytical and creative problem-solving skills
Client and expectations management skills
Negotiation skills and organizational change management skills
Relationship building skills
Ability to multi-task and set workload priorities in a fast-paced environment
Ability to work with managers/staff and win their confidence and respect
Exhibit assertiveness and is an extrovert
Strong business development skills
People motivation skills
Planning and budgeting skills
Human resource management
Readiness for extensive global travel
Professional certification:
Industry recognized speaker or publisher
Industry recognized thought leader
Industry recognized Certifications (desirable)
Experience:
10+ years of experience leading large-scale projects and programs, as well as three years managing direct reports, and experience working with global teams
Willingness to travel (both domestically and internationally)
Portfolio filled with a breadth of complex and systemic work that demonstrates the use of immersive and behavior-based design research methodologies and prototyping, strategic framing of insights and a passion for design-minded solutions
Experience conducting research internationally preferred
Understanding of US and European business practices
Experience of working with US/European agencies and clients
Experience of communicating with clients at C level
Proven success in team building /management
Proven success as a team player in previous position(s)
Proven communicator/presenter/public speaker
Technology background (desirable)
SoftServe
About Company:
SoftServe is actively seeking a Research and Design Strategy Director who is an expert in design thinking methodologies and tools, has a vast amount of professional and project experience within the design, innovation and consulting space, has managed teams or served as a high level individual contributor, has attracted, mentored, coached and managed individuals and is looking to make an impact within a rapidly growing, global team across 12 studios in 6 countries.
The Research and Design Strategy Director is a master in architecting the vision for the Research and Design Strategy practice at SoftServe, building and managing a discipline, and leading engagements that blur the lines of business strategy, service design and design thinking. Day-to-day, they shape client engagements by inspiring and guiding clients through the research, design and strategy process, facilitating and leading collaborative strategy sessions and design thinking workshops.
The ideal candidate will have proven work experience applying design thinking methodologies and tools, as well as a passion for leading and growing teams, helping organizations solve their most innovative growth questions, and bringing new offerings to market. He/She will share in our drive and aspiration to make an impact in the world through design while working collaboratively with designers, researchers, strategists, engineers, developers, and architects.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Serve as clients’ strategic partner and guide alongside our sales and client success teams by inspiring and guiding clients through the research, design and experience process, facilitating and leading collaborative strategy sessions and design thinking workshops
Managing research and strategy account relationships, including drafting research and strategic components of new business proposals and collaborating with teams to manage and extend client relationships to grow new business
Leading the research and strategy development process across projects through work with clients and colleagues including analysis of secondary research, identifying key user, business and design trends, and framing opportunities and research plans
Planning, recruiting and conducting user research, leading and collaborating in the synthesis process to develop key insights, researching summaries, design and business strategies, creative concepts, roadmaps, and long term plans
Design and build the Research and Design Strategy competency model and team across all of our global design locations
Participate in setting engagement objectives and scope; develop work plans for components of engagements, coordinate activities between work streams and identify changes in scope
Lead the human-centered research and strategy process including analysis of secondary research, identifying key users and business and design trends, and framing opportunities and research plans
Act as a trusted client advisor, applying user-centered design across projects from initial approach development to concept development to executive strategy recommendations
Provide leadership for the growth and vision of the team’s process and capabilities, including identifying new offerings
Apply a strategic lens to understand our client’s business challenges with a goal of developing and creating sustainable and distinctive business value through our partnership
Lead the development and best practices for creating strong client relationships; lead and advise others in applying new approaches to client experiences
Plan, initiate and manage growing client relationships within and beyond projects
Identify and frame new client engagements, including leading new business outreach, directing others in proposal creation, and creating strategies, activities, and methods for new project approaches
Initiate and own external ambassadorship opportunities on behalf of SoftServe, including industry events, college/university events and workshop facilitation, and other thought leadership engagements
Aid in development and management of the discipline’s team members, including recruiting and hiring, resourcing, and day-to-day coaching and mentorship, recognition, as well as leading and providing oversight to the team on projects
Requirements:
Education and degree:
Advanced degree in Design, Research, Design Strategy or related fields preferred
Bachelor degree in Design or research related field
Business education (desirable) or professional equivalent
Specialized knowledge:
Knowledge of competency model development
Proficiency in using major Research and UX/UI tools and best practices
Proficiency in data analysis and uncovering insights
Hands-on experience in managing research and strategy practices, consultants and projects
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills. Strong facilitation skills and presence
Confident and compelling storyteller by nature
Ability to clearly articulate a personal perspective on the value of design and the role of design and its impact on business
Champion for the integration of experience design practices (user research, visual design, interaction design, extended reality, etc.) into overall design solutions
Skills & abilities:
Expert and leader within user-driven Research and Strategy and broader Service Design and Design Thinking methodologies
Ability to integrate design and strategic business thinking
Ability to effectively lead across multiple projects and platforms, providing guidance to research, strategy, and design teams as needed
Analytical and creative problem-solving skills
Client and expectations management skills
Negotiation skills and organizational change management skills
Relationship building skills
Ability to multi-task and set workload priorities in a fast-paced environment
Ability to work with managers/staff and win their confidence and respect
Exhibit assertiveness and is an extrovert
Strong business development skills
People motivation skills
Planning and budgeting skills
Human resource management
Readiness for extensive global travel
Professional certification:
Industry recognized speaker or publisher
Industry recognized thought leader
Industry recognized Certifications (desirable)
Experience:
10+ years of experience leading large-scale projects and programs, as well as three years managing direct reports, and experience working with global teams
Willingness to travel (both domestically and internationally)
Portfolio filled with a breadth of complex and systemic work that demonstrates the use of immersive and behavior-based design research methodologies and prototyping, strategic framing of insights and a passion for design-minded solutions
Experience conducting research internationally preferred
Understanding of US and European business practices
Experience of working with US/European agencies and clients
Experience of communicating with clients at C level
Proven success in team building /management
Proven success as a team player in previous position(s)
Proven communicator/presenter/public speaker
Technology background (desirable)