Digital Strategy & User Experience (UX) Lead

Multiple, MD
Full Time
Experienced
Our Mission:
At Dobbs Defense, we deliver mission-centric IT, Cyber, and data analytics solutions for our government and commercial clients through the convergence of automation, innovation, training, and education. Delivering high-quality IT, cybersecurity, and data analytics solutions through proven and innovative methods is our vision.

Job Description:
Dobbs Defense Solutions is looking for a Digital Strategy & User Experience (UX) Lead to add to our team. The Digital Strategy & UX Lead serves as the principal authority for aligning user needs, business objectives, and platform capabilities during Phase 1 – Strategy & Scoping. This role is accountable for ensuring that all scoping, roadmap, and pilot recommendations are grounded in evidence-based user insights, constrained by the Maryland Drupal Platform and Maryland Web Design System (MDWDS), and optimized for speed to delivery.

Unlike exploratory UX research roles, this position is intentionally execution-oriented, focusing on rapid synthesis of existing research, targeted validation activities, and structured stakeholder facilitation. The Digital Strategy & UX Lead ensures that MDH exits Phase 1 with a clear, defensible redesign scope, defined success metrics, and a migration approach that minimizes rework in downstream phases.

Duties:  
Strategic Leadership & Direction:
  • Serve as the UX and digital strategy authority for Phase 1, advising MDH stakeholders on redesign scope decisions, content prioritization, and user experience trade-offs.
  • Translate MDH’s mission, policy drivers, and public-facing service objectives into measurable digital goals and KPIs (e.g., task completion, self-service adoption, user satisfaction).
  • Ensure alignment between business outcomes, user experience priorities, and technical feasibility.
Research Review & Rapid Insight Synthesis:
  • Review and synthesize all existing DoIT- and MDH-provided research, analytics, and prior findings without duplicative discovery.
  • Identify gaps where targeted, evaluative validation (not exploratory research) is required to support key decisions.
  • Apply pragmatic UX judgment to avoid over-research while maintaining decision quality.
Scoping Workshops & Stakeholder Facilitation:
  • Plan and lead structured scoping workshops with executive sponsors, business owners, content teams, and technical stakeholders.
  • Facilitate decision-making related to:
  • Full vs. partial website redesign
  • Single vs. multi-domain strategies
  • Priority audiences and top user tasks
  • Content consolidation and retirement thresholds
  • Capture decisions, assumptions, risks, and dependencies in a format suitable for executive review and approval.
User-Centered Content & Experience Strategy:
  • Define high-level content strategy principles that support footprint reduction (50–75%) while preserving mission-critical information.
  • Ensure content approaches adhere to plain-language best practices, accessibility standards, and public-sector usability expectations.
  • Advise on experience patterns using MDWDS components, ensuring consistency and scalability across MDH sites.
Roadmap & Pilot Definition Support:
  • Collaborate with the Solution Architect to ensure UX strategy is technically executable on the Maryland Drupal Platform.
  • Contribute to the phased migration roadmap, ensuring user value is delivered early and incrementally.
  • Support development of a pilot (proof-of-concept) recommendation that places a usable product in front of users quickly.
Documentation & Deliverable Development:
  • Lead or contribute to the development of Phase 1 deliverables, including:
  • Business Goals & KPI Definition
  • UX-driven scoping rationale
  • Inputs to the Project Roadmap & Pilot Recommendation
  • Ensure documentation is clear, defensible, and aligned with State acceptance criteria.
Qualifications 
Required Education and Experience:
  • Bachelor’s degree in human-Computer Interaction, UX Design, Digital Strategy, Information Science, Public Policy, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
  • 8+ years of progressive experience leading digital transformation, UX strategy, or large-scale public-facing web redesigns.
  • Demonstrated experience working with government or public-sector organizations, including complex stakeholder environments.
  • Proven success delivering time-boxed, strategy-driven engagements under aggressive timelines.
  • Certified Usability Analyst (CUA) or Certified User Experience Professional (CUXP)
  • Human-Centered Design (HCD) or Design Thinking Certification (e.g., IDEO, NN/g, HFI, or equivalent)
  • Accessibility Certification (e.g., IAAP CPACC or WAS) demonstrating working knowledge of WCAG 2.1 AA
  • Agile Certification (CSM, SAFe Agilist, or equivalent)
Working Environment:
Hybrid; As on-site attendance will be required on an as-needed basis. MD residency is preferred.

Required Clearance:
None

Our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy:
Dobbs Defense Solutions is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), sexual orientation, gender or gender identity (except where gender is a bona fide occupational qualification), gender expression and transgender status, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, military or veteran status, marital or domestic partner status, genetic information, citizenship, low-income status or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to equal employment opportunity in all decisions related to employment, promotion, wages, benefits, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment. 

Salary Range:
Pay range information will be disclosed consistent with applicable state and local pay transparency laws once available. For this position, the anticipated salary range will be dependent on experience, qualifications, and overall fit for the role. 
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