Associate Director of Web Design, Development & Optimization (Job 9609)
Case Western Reserve University

Job Info

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POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Associate Director of Web Design, Development and Optimization advances Case Western Reserve University's mission by presenting the institution online in compelling, visually appealing, user-friendly and effective ways. The individual will apply industry-leading practices in UX design, search engine optimization and accessibility to create dynamic and engaging websites that comply with the university's brand standards. This individual will help design the information architecture and assist in building some of the university's most prominent websites. They will also collaborate with colleagues on high-profile online projects (annual reports, special announcements, etc.). This individual also will support the university's efforts to ensure that Case Western Reserve's online presence reflects the stature and excellence of the teaching, learning and research that takes place on its campus.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Work collaboratively as part of a cross-functional team to plan, design and develop websites, within the web content management system that showcases Case Western Reserve University's distinctive strengths in a dynamic and compelling way. Contribute constructively to office and team brainstorming, planning and implementation discussions. Facilitate interaction with colleagues, direct reports, supervisor, university constituents outside UMC and vendors supporting the university's digital presence. In collaboration with colleagues and supervisor, ensure that CWRU sites within the Drupal content management conform to university brand standards (including responsive design), federal law regarding accessibility, and UMC protocols for functionality and usability. Help to oversee and maintain existing web architectural standards and patterns. Engage productively in the web team's development process, effectively estimating time-to-completion for project tasks and working efficiently to produce tangible deliverables. (25%)
2. Coordinate with schools and units regarding their existing web presence and opportunities for improvement, such as usability testing, and information architecture testing. Manage site and content audits of existing pages, including reviewing and analyzing existing website content, assessing existing site traffic and navigation, developing website maps and information architectures, and making recommendations regarding content, organization, and layout. Combine research, best practices and a strong attention to detail to ensure visitors to our websites have a consistent, positive online experience. (25%)
3. Present draft designs to clients and articulate clear rationale for design choices and how they support design, content, functionality, usability and web accessibility standards. Listen to and consider ways to integrate feedback in an iterative fashion, and then consult with the sr. executive director regarding next steps. Adjust and adapt websites/webpages to respond to data provided through analytics, user feedback and other information regarding user experiences. (20%)
4. Oversee the creation of and update training processes and documentation for the Drupal Content Management System and Siteimprove. The individual also will manage staff to provide weekly trainings, a bi-weekly training/support drop-in session as well as individual trainings as needed for both the Content Management System and Siteimprove. (10%)
5. Oversee the developer assignments and site launch schedules. Responsible for facilitating various project-related meetings to discover requirements and goals of sites. Coordinate with the various schools and departments to create a schedule that accommodates all parties' responsibilities and workloads, and also balances other office priorities and needs. Conduct regular check-ins with clients and the internal teams to ensure that all parties meet their deadlines. Work with University Technology to ensure that site launches are scheduled and occur as planned. Review sites prior to launch and once live to check for errors (10%)
6. Oversee UMC's responsibilities with the help desk and assign staffing to assist with clients placing help desk tickets relating to the CMS, ensuring that they are responding in a timely manner and providing information or directing them to services that address the issue. (10%)

NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Perform other duties as assigned. (1%)

CONTACTS

Department: Contact with vice president, directors and all department staff.

University: Contact with faculty and staff in colleges and management centers.

External: Contact with alumni and outside vendors and consultants.

Students: Some contact with students.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

Direct supervisory responsibility for the web and content manager, and development team as indirect reports.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: 5-7 or more years of related experience. Require at least three years' experience with designing interfaces for large-scale sites.

Education/Licensing: Bachelor's degree in graphic or interactive design, BA/BS degree in Psychology, Journalism, Marketing, User Experience Design or related field.

REQUIRED SKILLS

1. Superior organizational skills.
2. Excellent written and oral communications skills and the ability to interact effectively with staff, faculty, vendors and students.
3. Experiences with requirements gathering and project definition for research, usability, strategy and web development projects.
4. Ability to understand and organize specialized web content and provide client recommendations based on research.
5. Ability to lead and manage staff to assist with trainings; experience as an instructor or trainer preferred.
6. Ability to work independently and as a team member in a dynamic environment and on a variety of simultaneous projects.
7. Understanding of Drupal 8 CMS and a multisite environment
8. Fundamental Knowledge of Gulp, Git or other version control software.
9. Knowledge of theming and development for Drupal.
10. Thorough knowledge of web browsers, operating systems, and the latest web technologies-as well as the differences among them
11. Familiarity with technical issues that can emerge in web development and ability to work constructively with various development teams.
12. Demonstrated ability to work with a Content Management System (e.g, Drupal or Wordpress).
13. Cross-platform web development experience.
14. Exceptional design sense for websites, including understanding of best practices to ensure visually appealing pages across different devices.
15. Demonstrable user experience design skills (provide at least four URLs) and designing interfaces for large-scale sites.
16. Demonstrated ability to produce user-centered design systems as evidenced by a portfolio or samples of work.
17. Knowledge of interface design standards, information architecture, user experience and web accessibility as it relates to design. Understanding of UX practices and methodologies.
18. Excellent project management, time management, and organizational skills (plan and implement projects according to specifications, report project statuses, identify delays or resource shortages).
19. Ability to collaborate constructively with others to solve problems and share knowledge.
20. Ability to meet tight deadlines and work with minimal supervision.
21. Ability to communicate effectively verbally in one-on-one, in small groups and in public speaking contexts. Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers face to face.
22. Ability to write precise, well-organized emails, letters and proposals using appropriate vocabulary and grammar.
23. Ability to recognize and implement primary responsibilities of adhering to federal regulations for accessibility and university brand standards.
24. Willingness and ability to explore and evaluate alternatives to existing products and services; identifies opportunities to improve procedures and practices; shows imagination.
25. Ability to apply logic, rationality and objectivity to decisions and interactions.
26. Ability to plan, organize and schedule work in an efficient, productive manner and also anticipate contingencies.
27. Ability to prioritize key tasks when confronted with limited time and/or resources.
28. Ability to meet consistent attendance.

WORKING CONDITIONS

General office environment. Will perform repetitive motion using computer mouse and keyboard. On rare, emergency situations, evening or weekend hours required.

This job has expired.