VP of Design and User Experience

We believe in the power and joy of learningAt Cengage, our employees have a direct impact in helping students around the world discover the power and joy of learning. We are bonded by our shared purpose – driving innovation that helps millions of learners improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.  Cengage's portfolio of businesses supports student choice by providing a range of pathways that help learners achieve their goals and lead a choice-filled life.  Our culture values inclusion, engagement, and discoveryOur business is driven by our strong culture, and we know that creating an inclusive workplace is absolutely essential to the success of our company and our learners, as well as our individual well-being. We recognize the value of diverse perspectives in everything we do, and strive to ensure employees of all levels and backgrounds feel empowered to voice their ideas and bring their authentic selves to work. We achieve these priorities through programs, benefits, and initiatives that are integrated into the fabric of how we work every day. To learn more, please see https://www.cengagegroup.com/about/inclusion-and-belonging/. OverviewWe seek an innovative design leader to reshape and redefine the future of educational technology experiences. As VP of Design and User Experience, you will craft the vision and creative direction for how learners, educators, and institutions experience our platforms. You will design intuitive, inspiring, and impactful experiences to improve measurable learning outcomes. This position goes beyond creating products; it involves building ecosystems that empower learner success. It also promotes equity and accessibility. The role integrates new technologies, including AI-enhanced user experience solutions and automation, to personalize education broadly. You will define the vision for a world-class Design and User Experience organization, advancing EdTech and rethinking teaching and learning resources relevant today. You will encourage seamless collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, and Learning Science teams to deliver experiences that advance our mission: unlocking potential through outstanding learning experiences.Key ResponsibilitiesDevelop and articulate a compelling design vision, creative direction, rooted in design thinking principles — emphasizing empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing.Empower teams to imagine what’s possible, unlocking new approaches to innovation and invention in education technology.Build and mentor a high-performing UX team, encouraging creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.Establish design quality and craft standards and conduct executive-level design reviews.Work within the Product Operating Model to incorporate UX principles at each phase of product development, ensuring consistency with product roadmaps and delivery timelines.Establish scalable build systems and governance models, incorporating AI-as...