Guardian Life is seeking a forward-thinking enterprise leader for our Experience Design, UI, and Guardian Design System. This leader will set the vision for our digital ecosystem, champion user-centered design, and harness the power of AI including Generative AI, Agentic AI, and Conversational AI to deliver innovative, human-centric experiences for our customers, partners, and colleagues.
You Will (Key Responsibilities):
Strategic Leadership
- Define and communicate a bold vision for digital product and experience design across Guardian’s platforms.
- Lead the development and evolution of the Guardian Design System, ensuring consistency, scalability, and innovation.
- Integrate AI-driven design methodologies, including Generative and Agentic AI, to accelerate ideation, prototyping, and personalization.
- Champion Conversational AI to create intuitive, human-centric digital interactions.
Innovation & Transformation
- Drive adoption of AI-powered design tools and workflows, fostering a culture of experimentation and rapid learning.
- Collaborate with engineering, product, and data science teams to embed intelligent agents and conversational interfaces into Guardian’s products.
- Identify and implement emerging technologies that enhance user experience, accessibility, and inclusion.
Team & Culture Building
- Lead, mentor, and grow a diverse, high-performing team of designers, researchers, and UI developers.
- Foster a collaborative, transparent, and psychologically safe environment that encourages creativity and continuous improvement.
- Build a pipeline of future design leaders, emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Enterprise Influence
- Infuse design thinking and AI-driven practices throughout Guardian’s business units.
- Define and evolve enterprise-wide user experience best practices, standards, and governance.
- Advocate for the value of design and AI innovation at all levels of the organization.
You Have (Qualifications):
- 12+ years of progressive experience in experience design, UI, and design systems leadership, including managing multidisciplinary teams in a matrixed environment.
- Demonstrated expertise in AI-driven design, including hands-on experience with Generative AI, Agentic AI, and Conversational AI platforms.
- Proven track record of delivering innovative, scalable design solutions for complex digital ecosystems.
- Deep understanding of design system architecture, governance, and enterprise adoption.
- Strong commitment to digital accessibility, inclusive design, and ethical AI practices.
- Experience building and nurturing diverse teams, with a focus on talent development and culture.
- Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to evangelize design and AI innovation across the enterprise.
- Experience working with geographically distributed teams and stakeholders.
Preferred Skills
- Advanced knowledge of AI/ML concepts, tools, and their application in design.
- Familiarity with modern design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD, AI-powered platforms).
- Experience in regulated industries (insurance, financial services, healthcare) is a plus.
Location:
- Hybrid: 3 Days a week at our Guardian offices in New York, NY or Holmdel, NJ.
Salary Range:
$148,940.00 - $244,685.00The salary range reflected above is a good faith estimate of base pay for the primary location of the position. The salary for this position ultimately will be determined based on the education, experience, knowledge, and abilities of the successful candidate. In addition to salary, this role may also be eligible for annual, sales, or other incentive compensation.
Our Promise
At Guardian, you’ll have the support and flexibility to achieve your professional and personal goals. Through skill-building, leadership development and philanthropic opportunities, we provide opportunities to build communities and grow your career, surrounded by diverse colleagues with high ethical standards.
Inspire Well-Being
As part of Guardian’s Purpose – to inspire well-being – we are committed to offering contemporary, supportive, flexible, and inclusive benefits and resources to our colleagues. Explore our company benefits at www.guardianlife.com/careers/corporate/benefits. Benefits apply to full-time eligible employees. Interns are not eligible for most Company benefits.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Guardian is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military or veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law.
Accommodations
Guardian is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. Guardian also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants (and employees) to accommodate the individual's known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless doing so would create an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [email protected].
Current Guardian Colleagues: Please apply through the internal Jobs Hub in Workday.
Top Skills
What We Do
Who we are
Guardian makes a difference in the lives of people when they need us most. With over 160 years of stability and fiscal integrity, we are a trusted resource to generations of families and business owners, inspiring well-being and helping build financial confidence.
Today, we stand behind 29 million consumers, helping them prepare and plan for a bright future for themselves and their families. We help business owners care for their employees. And we help people recover and thrive in times of unexpected loss.
As a modern mutual insurance company, we believe in driving value beyond dividends. We invest in our colleagues and are building a progressive, innovative and inclusive culture. We uplift individuals and communities through thoughtful social and environmental programs.
What we stand for
In 1860, a community of immigrants joined together to insure and protect their businesses and families. They were guided by powerful ideals that we’ve continued to stand behind and evolved throughout the years: we do the right thing, we believe people count, we courageously shape the future together, and we go above and beyond for the people we serve.
Guardian employees embrace and live by these values every day. They remind us to put people at the heart of all we do so that we can help protect what matters most to you. Want to help bring these values to life? Join us for a rewarding career and the opportunity to shape the future.
Disclosures:
Financial information concerning Guardian as of December 31, 2022, on a statutory basis: Admitted assets = $76.0 billion; liabilities = $67.2 billion (including $55.0 billion of reserves); and surplus = $8.8 billion. Dividends are not guaranteed. They are declared annually by Guardian’s Board of Directors.
Guardian® is a registered trademark of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. © Copyright 2023 The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America 2023-156184 Exp. 5/25
