Design Director, Digital/UX (Contract, Remote)

Our client, a global technology consultancy/provider, is looking to bring on a Design Director, Digital Experience/UX to work on their large pharmaceutical client. This role is remote (EST time zone), will be around 40 hours per week, and 12 months in duration, with potential to extend:

Overview:

We’re looking for a Design Director or Associate Design Director to support on high-impact digital initiatives across healthcare, clinical, and enterprise platforms. This role is ideal for a senior design leader who thrives at the intersection of hands-on creative work, design leadership, and delivery excellence.

This is not a Design Lead or purely executional role. While prototyping and execution are part of the work, the primary focus is leading design efforts end-to-end, setting creative direction, mentoring designers, and partnering closely with stakeholders to elevate the overall design portfolio.

Reports to Digital Practice Area Manager – User Experience. Works closely with leadership and collaborates with product managers, developers, researchers, and business stakeholders.

Primary Responsibilities:
• Lead design strategy and execution across complex digital initiatives, ensuring high standards for usability, accessibility, and visual quality.
• Provide hands-on creative direction across concepts, flows, interaction models, and visual systems.
• Act as the design authority on projects, balancing business goals, scientific complexity, and user needs.
• Actively contribute to hands-on design work, including experience and interaction design, visual design, design systems, and prototyping.
• Step in to execute when needed, particularly on high-visibility or high-complexity work.
• Guide and mentor junior and senior designers, providing constructive feedback, coaching, and design critiques.
• Elevate team output through design reviews, shared best practices, and a culture of craft and collaboration.
• Partner with leadership to advance the design portfolio and raise the bar on quality and impact.

Competency:
• Strong design leadership skills with the ability to balance strategy, execution, and mentorship.
• Expertise in experience design, interaction design, visual design, and design systems.
• Proven ability to lead design in complex, regulated, or enterprise environments.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with comfort influencing senior stakeholders.
• Ability to navigate scientific or technical complexity and translate it into clear, user-centered solutions.

Required Experience and Education:
• Bachelor’s degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8+ years of experience in product, UX, or digital design, with demonstrated leadership responsibility.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating hands-on design execution and creative leadership.
• Experience leading design efforts within healthcare, life sciences, or other regulated or enterprise environments preferred.

Qualifications:
• Hands-on design leader with ownership over creative quality and outcomes.
• Proven player/coach mindset, balancing execution with direction and mentorship.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and design, not just manage.
• Experience mentoring designers and elevating team performance.
• Comfortable partnering closely with stakeholders to deliver high-impact digital experiences.

Language Skills:
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design decisions and rationale to diverse audiences.

If you are interested in and qualified for this opportunity, please forward your resume and portfolio today! MUST HAVE 3-5 case studies to showcase.