THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITIONCITY OF BALTIMORE, MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE AND INNOVATIONLEAD CIVIC DESIGNEROPENING DATE: June 20, 2024 CLOSING DATE: July 12, 2024 POSITION PURPOSE:Lead Civic Designer, Innovation Team. What we’re looking for:The Baltimore Innovation Team (i-team), within the Mayor’s Office of Performance and Innovation seeks a candidate with human-centered or service design expertise, an understanding of racial and social equity, and a systems-thinking approach, to ser... more details
THIS IS A NON-CIVIL SERVICE POSITION
CITY OF BALTIMORE, MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE AND INNOVATION
LEAD CIVIC DESIGNER
OPENING DATE: June 20, 2024
CLOSING DATE: July 12, 2024
POSITION PURPOSE:
Lead Civic Designer, Innovation Team
What we’re looking for:
The Baltimore Innovation Team (i-team), within the Mayor’s Office of Performance and Innovation seeks a candidate with human-centered or service design expertise, an understanding of racial and social equity, and a systems-thinking approach, to serve as the team’s Lead Civic Designer.
The i-team uses data and design to create sustainable change and improve city services for the residents of Baltimore. We are looking for a creative, mission driven, and resourceful Lead Civic Designer to bring resident and city worker insights and behaviors to the forefront.
The Lead Civic Designer reports to the Deputy Director for Innovation.
What you would be doing:
- Design and plan qualitative “design” research, including research plans, interview guides, coding structures, etc.
- Integrate equity practices into the design process
- Plan and facilitate co-design workshops with residents and city stakeholders
- Lead the team through the synthesis of research to uncover actionable insights
- Make research findings relevant and impactful for design through a variety of formats such as insights, decks, stories, videos, experiences, exhibits, and design artifacts like journey maps, service blueprints, and personas
- Communicate and tell stories using writing, visuals, and verbal communication
- Lead the team through the prototyping process to test solutions, document learnings from testing, and iterate
- Understand users' needs, motivations, and pain points, and align them with the goals of the city to deliver innovative, positive, and high-impact user experiences – for both citizens and service delivery workers
- Provide project management support during project delivery as needed
- Spend occasional nights and weekends attending or facilitating community events
Qualifications & Mindset:
- 3 - 5 years of human-centered design or service design experience
- Degree in Social Design, User Experience Design, Psychology, or related field. Relevant experience may be substituted
- Exceptional verbal and visual communication skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Experience facilitating co-design workshops with diverse stakeholder groups virtually and in person
- Proven ability to scope research, lead fieldwork, conduct in-context interviews and observation, and gather insights from secondary research
- The capacity to explain the design process to individuals who may not know how it works
- An understanding of a trauma-informed approach to interviewing
- Experience synthesizing research findings to find actionable insights
- Experience conducting usability tests for physical and digital prototypes
- Ability to pivot and adapt while managing projects
- Deep empathy and a commitment to social equity
- Openness to constructive feedback from other disciplines and curiosity to learn from a spectrum of perspectives
- Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop, Miro, Microsoft Office, and Google docs
- Experience working in government is a plus
- A passion for improving people's lives with thoughtful design
- A love for Baltimore
How To Apply
If you think this is a good fit, we would love to hear from you!
Applications will be accepted until July 12.
Apply online at www.baltimorecity.gov:
- Resume (please include a link to an online portfolio if you have one)
- Cover letter
- A pdf containing 3 examples of projects you’ve worked on in a design capacity. In your description of 3 example projects, include details on:
- The challenge you were trying to solve
- Your role on the project
- The research approach and methods you used
- Some of your key findings, or insights
- What ideas took shape from these insights
- How you approached prototyping and later delivery
- The desired and actual impact of your solution
BALTIMORE CITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER