Sr. Officer, Digital Optimization & User Experience

About the IRC

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps refugees and displaced people survive and rebuild their lives. At work today in over 50 countries and 28 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure.

The IRC’s External Relations team comprises colleagues and teams delivering marketing, fundraising, brand stewardship and communications to support this work. As part of External Relations, the Mass Markets department is an international team responsible for generating brand awareness and financial support for the IRC through mass marketing. Focusing primarily on individuals giving contributions of under $20K, the team strives to acquire, cultivate, and develop a large, diverse base of supporters from which donors can be upgraded to major and planned gift donors.

Job Overview

The Senior Officer, Digital Optimization & UX is the lead on user-centered research and strategy in coordination with digital fundraising and digital engagement teams. They will ensure the design of our digital products and technical solutions represent and meet the needs of our users by gaining a deep understanding and appreciation for their needs and by putting them at the center of our decision-making processes. Incorporated in the implementation of UX strategies should be a strong emphasis to detail with digital properties being user-friendly, accessible, and optimized for both new and returning users. Reporting to the Associate Director of Digital Optimization & CRO, they will work closely with all colleagues in the International Digital team as well as with colleagues in Creative Studio, Marketing Technology and Analytics. This role is crucial to ensuring digital properties advance towards a more user-centered conversion engine to support the IRC mission and sustainer-first fundraising programs.

Major Responsibilities:

Lead the development of the IRC’s UX strategy across global digital properties including the website and key digital platforms to support fundraising programs.

• Create a user research roadmap that will outline the gaps in our current understanding of user behavior and how we will develop an ongoing user research program.
• Develop UX strategy to include multi-year plans, online user journeys and personas, connecting the IRC brand with desired user experience and driving users to desired engagement and financial outcomes.
• Lead user research activities to include usability testing, user interviews, and surveys to gather insights and help inform design solutions.
• Provide direct management and oversight for UX tools and external consulting partners to ensure resources are allocated appropriately to support the UX project team, including user research, tooling and creative development.
• Lead projects to ensure research and testing initiatives are performed successfully, findings are implemented, and relevant teams are informed of progress.
• Laisse and support Mass Markets teams as needed to ensure digital optimization strategies align with standard methodology for user experience and organizational priorities.
• Approach all projects and research with an accessibility-first lens.

Serve as CRO & UX project lead, working cross-functionally in close partnership with colleagues in Marketing Tech and Creative Studio.

• Produce project management documents; concept briefs; digital scope and detailed requirements; project schedules; and resource plans.
• Set up project tasks and timelines in our project management platform and traffic timelines and assets.
• Works in close collaboration with cross-functional teams including UX designers in Creative Studio to ensure digital experiences reflect UX strategy and support desired business outcomes to include lead capture, donor acquisition and revenue generation.
• Ensure that the visual design of landing pages, donation forms and other conversion tools supports project goals and is consistent with organizational brand guidelines.
• Work in close collaboration with our implementation partners in Marketing Technology, such as the Digital Fundraising Product Manager, Website Product Manager and developers to ensure development projects are delivered on time and with high quality.
• Work closely with Associate Director, Digital Optimization & CRO to support marketing tech-related projects including new web tools and/or landing pages.
• Assist the Associate Director, Digital Optimization & CRO in other related projects if the need arises.

Job Qualifications:

Education:

Minimum: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent 5-6 years relevant experience. Coursework in computer/information science or equivalent work experience is preferable.

Work Experience:

Minimum:

• Experience using a range of research methodologies and design approaches, such as leading focus groups, persona development and prototyping.
• Comfortable with data analysis using tools such as Google Analytics, PowerBI or Excel.
• Experience with wireframing tools such as Figma, Lucidchart or InVision.
• 3-4 years of consistent record running user research projects and using findings to make recommendation for optimizations.
• Solid understanding of project coordination tools and processes: e.g. Asana, Monday.com, JIRA, PowerPoint, Excel.
• Experience working with design and development teams on projects for the full project cycle, from planning and launch to analysis.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Developed organization and problem-solving abilities.
• In-depth knowledge of WCAG 2.0 Guidelines and working with development and design teams to ensure all products (surveys, design assets, etc.) meet AA guidelines.

Preferred:

• Proficiency in web analytics and tracking web critical metrics using Google Analytics or similar.
• Agency
• experience preferred.
• Experience coordinating Web QA and cross-browser testing.
• Experience with Salesforce or other CRMs.
• Familiar with web content management systems like Drupal.

Language Skills: None

Working Environment:

• Standard office working environment
• Full time remote: East-Coast U.S. hours
• Hybrid in-person and remote working environment, where individual is responsible for at-home workspace and may be required to share office workspace.
• Some domestic or international travel

Compensation:

Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

US Benefits:

We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.