Digital Experience Strategist

The Digital Experience Strategist plays a key role in shaping the City of Vancouver's digital presence by designing and delivering cohesive and inclusive user experiences across digital channels. This position requires a strong understanding of user-centered design principles and the ability to apply them to complex user and business challenges.

The Strategist will work independently to research, recommend, design, and deliver on user experiences that support user needs, business objectives, and the City's digital strategy. This position exercises independent judgment in technical aspects of the role.

The Strategist is a member of Digital Channels within Technology Services – an inclusive, collaborative team of digital technology professionals that efficiently designs, develops, and operates high-quality digital products and services for the people of Vancouver that are user-focused, effective, and innovative.

• Apply user-centered design processes and industry best practices to guide optimal user experiences that holistically solve complex user and business challenges, both online and offline
• Identify, define and prioritize user needs, business requirements, and success metrics to determine strategic value, in coordination with product owners, project managers, and digital performance specialists
• Design, document, debug, and test new and existing user interface modules to have an optimal user experience
• Create and effectively communicate UX design assets such as user stories, concept maps, user journeys, task flows, storyboards, information architectures, wireframes, prototypes, and visual designs to project stakeholders and developers
• Define, evolve, and apply content, design, interaction, and accessibility policies, guidelines, and systems, in consultation with digital strategists and developers
• Define and design user tests and conduct rapid user testing internally, and consult with the vendors to support larger scale user testing.
• Provide recommendations for improvements which may include third-party solutions
• Assess and optimize the performance of new and existing features by actively supporting secondary research activities, user research and usability testing.
• Interpret results of usability testing, user research and web analytics data to uncover insights and identify gaps.
• Conduct accessibility reviews using automated and manual testing with assistive technologies to identify and prioritize issues, and recommend opportunities to improve.
• Provide subject matter expertise on UX and digital accessibility by monitoring industry best practices
• Coach, mentor, and train team members and other staff on UX and digital accessibility best practices and how to address issues
• Initiate and facilitate collaborative sessions to help drive strategic discussions and decisions that advocate for users while addressing business challenges
• Support the Implementation/UX lead to foster an inclusive design culture and promote the value of user-centered design and digital accessibility within the organization
• Other duties/responsibilities as assigned

Education and Experience:

• Certification or degree in Information Technology or related field such as User Experience Design, Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction design, Graphic Design, Digital Marketing, or Computer Science) and sound relevant work experience applying UX and inclusive design methodologies or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Considerable knowledge of UX methodologies and design thinking
• Sound knowledge of Web accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.1), best practices, and legislation
• Sound knowledge of Front-end web development (HTML, CSS, JS, ARIA)
• Responsive web design
• Sound knowledge of Agile software development methodology
• UX activities and deliverables (such as interviews, user stories, usability testing, concept maps, user journeys, task flows, storyboards, competitive analyses, information architectures, copywriting, wireframes, prototypes, visual designs, pattern libraries, expert/heuristic reviews, and design systems)
• UX design tools (such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Invision, or Frontify)
• Accessible technology and testing tools (such as JAWS, NVDA, ZoomText, VoiceOver, Dragon Naturally Speaking, WAVE, and aXe)
• Web analytics tools (such as Google Analytics and Hotjar)
• Project, task, and bug-tracking tools (such as Microsoft Azure DevOps, Basecamp, and ServiceNow)
• Documentation tools (such as Dropbox Paper and SharePoint)
• Content management systems (such as OpenText CMS, Wordpress, or Drupal)
• Graphic design tools (such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator)
• Collaboration tools (such as Outlook, Cisco WebEx and Jabber)
• Communicate effectively across boundaries to understand context and build trust; Make complex and technical information and language simple and accessible for non-technical audiences; Advocate and communicate the value of UX and accessibility.
• Stays current on UX methodologies and tools; Make informed decisions based on user needs, available technology, and value for money; Understands how the digital economy is changing user behaviour and the public service landscape.
• Ability to Visualize, articulate, and solve complex problems and make evidence-based decisions; Apply technical knowledge and experience to create or design workable prototypes.
• Ability to understand and work within given constraints (such as technology, regulatory, and social user constraints); Challenge constraints that can be changed; Ensures product and service compliance; Adapt to changing situations and problems.
• Ability to understand users and their needs based on evidence; Translate user stories and propose design approaches or services to meet these needs; Engage with users; Put users first; Manage competing priorities.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with project managers, business analysts, developers, and quality assurance specialists; Give and receive constructive feedback; Provide guidance to others.
• Ability to identify opportunities to improve UX and related business process and to define strategies and policies; Ensure business requirements are met.
• Ability to supervise junior staff and train small groups of people.

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work remotely 1 – 4 days a week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite. At this time this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.

Business Unit/Department: IT, Digital Strategy & 311 (1070)

Affiliation: CUPE 15 Non Pks

Employment Type: Temporary Full Time

Position Start Date: December, 2024

Position End Date: May, 2026

Salary Information: Pay Grade GR-027: $47.62 to $56.27 per hour

Application Close: October 27, 2024

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve. Indigenous peoples, people of colour, 2SLGBTQ+ persons including all genders and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process.Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

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In addition to uploading your cover letter and resume, part of the application process may include answering application questions related to the preferred requirements of the role which may take approx. 5-10 minutes. Cover letters should express interest and highlight additional information relevant to the position and resumes should include a summary of skills and experience related to the position.