Lead UX Architect

Job Title - SME- Human Centered Design Strategist

Work Location-Baltimore, MD

Duration-24 months

Hybrid Position

Minimum Qualifications:

• A minimum of seven (7) years of demonstrated professional experience as a Human-Centered Designer, Service Designer, UX Strategist, or equivalent role, with at least three (3) of those years delivering outcomes in complex, regulated, or large-scale environments such as government, healthcare, financial services, or other regulated industries.
• Demonstrated experience designing digital or technology products or solutions using human-centered design principles, working closely with engineers, product managers, and program staff to translate design into delivered systems.
• Demonstrated ability to work in cross-functional teams and to bridge gaps between policy, operations, and technology, including experience translating between technical and non-technical audiences. Demonstrated expertise in qualitative user research methods, including planning and conducting user interviews, contextual inquiry, usability testing, and synthesis of qualitative insights into actionable findings.
• Demonstrated expertise in service design methods, including service blueprinting, journey mapping, ecosystem mapping, and prototyping at varying levels of fidelity. Demonstrated experience designing for equity, accessibility, and diverse populations, including familiarity with Section 508 and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards and inclusive design practices.
• Familiarity with government service delivery contexts or large-scale public-facing systems, sufficient to operate effectively within compliance, procurement, and policy constraints.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage executives, frontline staff, technical teams, and beneficiary communities and to present complex findings and recommendations in clear, decision-ready formats.
• Proven ability to deliver outcomes in environments with complex processes, multiple stakeholders, or regulatory constraints.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with IT staff, project managers, and program/business stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications:

The additional Experience/Knowledge/Skills listed below are preferred by the MHBE.

• Knowledge of Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), SNAP, TANF, or other federal/state government benefits programs, including familiarity with eligibility determination workflows, redetermination/renewal cycles, and ex parte renewal processes.
• Prior experience working in or with similar organizations such as state Medicaid agencies, health insurance marketplaces, ACA-related programs, federally qualified health centers, public health agencies, or mission-driven nonprofits serving comparable populations.
• Familiarity with federal and state policy, compliance, and procurement constraints relevant to public benefits administration, including CMS guidance, federal Medicaid regulations, and state procurement practices.
• Background in agile service delivery, discovery-to-delivery cycles, or modernization projects in a regulated or government context.
• Experience contributing to or maintaining an enterprise design system, including documentation, component libraries, and adoption support.
• Experience designing AI-assisted workflows, conversational interfaces, or self-service experiences in a regulated context, with attention to responsible AI principles and equity considerations.
• Experience leading or participating in plain language, readability, and content design initiatives for public-facing benefits communications.
• Experience training, mentoring, or coaching internal teams in human-centered design methods, including running design sprints, research playbacks, and capacity-building workshops.
• Ability to conduct user interviews, facilitate workshops, and synthesize qualitative insights directly from participants.
• Professional certifications relevant to the role, such as Nielsen Norman Group UX certifications, IDEO/LUMA Institute certifications, Certified Usability Analyst (CUA), or equivalent credentials.