Salary:
$105,000 - $115,000
How to Apply:
Applications are submitted online until the position is filled and/or the posting is closed. After reviewing this job announcement, please click on the link at the bottom of the page to apply online. A resume is required with the application. Further instructions on submission of documents are available in the online application. A resume may not be substituted for an application.
Minimum Requirements:
- High School Diploma or equivalent AND three (3) years of professional experience in digital product design, for example visual, interaction, and systems design.
- An equivalent of combination of education, training or experience is acceptable.
Applicants applying to this position will be expected to present their portfolio before an offer of employment can be made.
It is the policy of Allegheny County that in order to receive a final offer of employment, candidates must successfully pass a background check, which includes verification of Allegheny County Real Estate Tax status.
Position Summary:
Allegheny County, Department of Information Technology seeks a Senior Product Designer to support and drive digital tools and services refreshes and updates for both Allegheny County residents and the staff who serve them. The incumbent in this position will spearhead the product design process for a select number of internal and external tools, partnering closely with product and vendor teams to bring a new paradigm of simplicity, efficiency, and clarity to composite and legacy systems. The incumbent in this role will report to the CIO of Allegheny County and work closely with the Director of Design for the Department of Human Services. The Senior Product Designer will work on meaningful products that impact real lives at scale—while shaping the design culture within Government Technology (GovTech).
Overview:
Duties:
- Leads discovery, research, and design across multiple digital products, from early concepts through polished, production-ready interfaces.
- Collaborates cross-functionally with business stakeholders, product managers, fellow designers, and engineers to deliver cohesive end-to-end experiences.
- Maintains and expands the Allegheny County software design system to drive consistency, accessibility, and efficiency across tools and services.
- Advocates for design quality throughout the product development lifecycle and across many different systems and delivery vehicles.
- Prototypes and tests interface designs to gather feedback and iterate quickly.
- Contributes to product strategy by infusing design thinking into early discovery and 0?1 product efforts.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of:
- Principles and practices of digital product design, including user-centered design, interaction design, and visual design.
- Design systems development and maintenance, including methods for ensuring consistency, accessibility, and UI patterns across applications.
- Accessibility standards, including WCAG and inclusive design frameworks applicable to public-sector digital services.
- User research and discovery methods, including interviewing, usability testing, prototyping, and iterative design.
- Modern design and prototyping tools, including Figma or similar platforms used for collaborative interface design.
- Agile and cross-functional product development processes, including collaboration with product managers, engineers, and vendors.
- Industry best practices for public-sector digital service delivery, including clarity, transparency, and equitable user experience.
Skill in:
- Leading end to end product design processes, from concept through production-ready interface design.
- Creating, documenting, and applying design system components, patterns, and guidelines.
- Experience designing digital interfaces in partnership with internal development teams and external vendor teams.
- Using modern design and prototyping tools such as Figma or similar platforms.
- Conducting and synthesizing user research to inform design decisions.
- Producing high-fidelity prototypes for internal review, stakeholder presentations, and user testing.
- Presenting design decisions and advocating for design quality.
- Communicating complex design concepts clearly to non-design stakeholders, leadership, and vendor teams.
- Managing multiple design streams across several products and balancing tradeoffs in a complex government ecosystem.
- Applying visual design skills such as layout, hierarchy, typography, color theory, and interaction patterns.
Ability to:
- Work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders, including county program staff, product managers, engineers, and external vendors.
- Lead and manage the full product design lifecycle from discovery and research through production-ready interface design.
- Translate business and policy requirements into simple, intuitive user experiences for both public-facing and internal tools.
- Advocate for design quality and accessibility throughout the product lifecycle.
- Operate effectively within public-sector constraints, making pragmatic decisions while maintaining design integrity.
- Build, maintain, and expand a shared design culture across county departments.
- Evaluate and iterate on interface designs based on user feedback and data.
- Manage work independently, prioritize tasks, and deliver high quality outputs in a fast-paced, multi-project environment.
Residency:
Allegheny County within 1 year.
Veterans' Preference:
Will be awarded to eligible candidates.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER - M/F/V/D