Experience Design Director (New York, NY)

ZS is a professional services firm that works side by side with companies to help develop and deliver products that drive customer value and company results. From R&D to portfolio strategy, customer insights, marketing and sales strategy, operations and technology, we leverage our deep industry expertise and leading-edge analytics to create solutions that work in the real world. Our most valuable asset is our people-a fact that's reflected in our values-driven organization in which new perspectives are integral and new ideas are celebrated. ZSers are passionately committed to helping companies and their customers thrive in industries ranging from healthcare and life sciences, to high-tech, financial services, travel and transportation, and beyond.

ZS's Business Consulting group partners with clients to design and deliver solutions to help them tackle a broad range of business challenges. Our teams work on multiple projects simultaneously, leveraging advanced data analytics,problem - solving techniques.We have started for 5 years to integrate also design thinking in projects that can benefit from a human centered approach.Our recommendations and solutions are based on rigorous research, and analysis underpinned by deep expertise and thought leadership.

EXPERIENCE DESIGN DIRECTOR

The Experience Design (XD) Director will lead a growing team (5 on the XD team in 2020, doubling in 2021) and our clients in applying design thinking (DT) and customer experience strategy to business challenges requiring deep customer (patients, physicians, payers, consumer, employees) understanding to design solutions (e.g. service ecosystems, organizational designs, innovation/new venture strategies, solution concepts, learning designs) that truly solve the right problem.

The ideal candidate would also collaborate with other leaders within Creative & Design (C&D) to shape the vision of the group and ensure design thinking is integrated within the offerings. This includes collaborating with the Creative Director on ensuring that the brand idea and the customer experience are deeply aligned (customer do experience the brand, the experience is consistent across the touch points and reflects the brand).

Responsibilites:

•Practice development

o Lead and develop a team of experience designers in the C&D practice, including attracting,recruiting, managing, motivating, and coaching the team on a day-to-day basis

o Provide thought leadership in the design thinking and customer experience domain, be recognized as a leader in that area, and raise awareness of ZS work in that space internally and externally

o Serve as an active leader in Creative & Design practice and at ZS

•Business development

o Drive business development with clients and in close collaboration with other ZSers, as well as planning and scoping projects

o Evangelize and communicate experience design methodologies and approaches internally to other ZSers and externally to clients, including the ROI and value of XD to key client business issues

•Offering development

o Identify and shepherd opportunities for the commercialization and productization of XD offerings at scale

o Lead the creation of best-in-class experience design deliverables (including experience maps,customer or employee journeys, service blueprints, and solution concepts) that add demonstrable value to our clients, articulate research insights, and forge new innovative strategies and ventures

o Present design solutions to a variety of business stakeholders, clients, and internal colleagues

o Convey strategy and direction through a masterful mix of visual and verbal communications

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required ( MS/MA/MBA/MPH/PhD preferred) in design, design thinking, psychology, anthropology, social science, or a related discipline focused in social science and communication, with a demonstrated record of academic success.

• At least 15+ years of experience applying Design Thinking / Human- Centered Design methods and approaches to reach successful business outcomes for clients

Additional Skills:

•Significant interest and experience working with healthcare and pharmaceutical industry clients and partners

• Entrepreneurial drive to build a young practice and small team

• A passion for innovation and learning

•This is not an advertising or UX role. We are seeking an individual with deep knowledge and experience in experience design, design strategy, service design, and customer experience design strategy beyond interfaces and technology design.

• Strong interpersonal skills

• Executive - level presence and communication

• Prior leadership experience in developing, leading, and coaching experience design teams

• Ability to work collaboratively and build relationships with external clients and internal colleagues across the organization

• Demonstrated success in business development, particularly in a professional services or consulting organization

ZS is a global consulting firm; fluency in English is required, additional fluency in at least one European or Asian language is desirable.
Candidates must possess work authorization for their intended country of employment. An on-line application, including a cover letter expressing interest and a full set of transcripts (official or unofficial), is required to be considered.
ZS offers a competitive compensation package with salary and bonus incentives, complete medical/dental/life insurance programs and retirement savings benefits. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
NO AGENCY CALLS, PLEASE.

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