Lead UX Designer

Who we are
At CarGurus (NASDAQ: CARG), our mission is to give people the power to reach their destination. We started as a small team of developers determined to bring trust and transparency to car shopping. Since then, our history of innovation and go-to-market acceleration has driven industry-leading growth. In fact, we're the largest and fastest-growing automotive marketplace, and we've been profitable for over 15 years.
What we do
The market is evolving, and we are too, moving the entire automotive journey online and guiding our customers through every step. That includes everything from the sale of an old car to the financing, purchase, and delivery of a new one. Today, tens of millions of consumers visit CarGurus.com each month, and ~30,000 dealerships use our products. But they're not the only ones who love CarGurus-our employees do, too. We have a people-first culture that fosters kindness, collaboration, and innovation, and empowers our Gurus with tools to fuel their career growth. Disrupting a trillion-dollar industry requires fresh and diverse perspectives. Come join us for the ride!
Role overview
CarGurus is seeking a Lead User Experience Designer to drive the quality and consistency of user experiences across our consumer marketplace website and mobile app. This high-level individual contributor role will focus on elevating the UX design for multiple product areas and will play a crucial role in shaping the overall design direction for some areas of our mobile and web platforms. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in design systems, both as a contributor and user, and be capable of guiding fellow designers, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and championing user-centered design throughout the organization.
What you'll do

• Contribute as a hands-on designer for key projects, responsible for all end-to-end design work
• Serve as the primary design authority for specific UI areas, ensuring consistency and quality across multiple designers' work through effective use of the design system
• Ideate and develop early-stage concepts for new features and products, creating a foundation for further design exploration and validation
• As a design leader, help contribute to the development, implementation, and evolution of our design system, ensuring it meets the needs of all product areas and promotes consistency across the platform
• Collaborate with product leaders, product managers, engineers, and other designers to define and prioritize design initiatives that drive business value
• Develop and communicate UX design guidelines and best practices for CarGurus' experiences, aligning with business goals and user needs
• Create and review user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs for complex features and new product offerings, leveraging the design system effectively
• Assist in driving user research initiatives and usability testing programs, synthesizing insights to inform design decisions and product strategy
• Present design concepts, research findings, and design system updates to stakeholders at various levels of the organization
• Drive innovation in UX/UI design, keeping the team updated on industry trends and emerging technologies, particularly in the realm of design systems
• Balance technical constraints, business requirements, and user needs while maintaining a user-centric approach
• Provide mentorship and guidance to other designers, fostering a culture of design excellence and effective use of the design system
• Oversee and align the work of other more junior aligners, ensuring quality, consistency, and overall seamlessness in experience
• Work closely with other Leads to create a delightful end-to-end experience for the CarGurus platform

What you'll bring

• 8+ years of UX design experience, with a proven track record of working on complex, large-scale projects
• Experience in design systems, including experience in creating, implementing, and assisting in maintaining them in large-scale applications
• Strong conceptual thinking skills with the ability to generate innovative ideas and translate them into viable design solutions
• Experience in ideation techniques and early-stage concept development
• Strong visual design skills with an exceptional eye for detail and aesthetics
• Expert knowledge of UX/UI design principles, methodologies, and best practices across web and mobile platforms
• Impressive portfolio demonstrating your ability to solve complex design challenges, influence design direction, showcase early-stage ideation work, and contribute to/utilize design systems effectively
• Advanced skills in design tools such as Figma, with the ability to create high-fidelity prototypes and design specs that align with and contribute to the design system
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions, early concepts, and the value of design systems to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong understanding of user research methodologies and data-driven design practices
• Experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies and collaborating closely with product and engineering teams
• Familiarity with front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and understanding of technical constraints in design implementation, particularly as they relate to design systems
• Knowledge of accessibility standards and commitment to creating inclusive design solutions
• Formal training in Design, HCI, or a related field is highly desirable
• Deep commensurate experience can substitute for formal education
• Experience in the automotive or e-commerce industry is a plus
• Knowledge of A/B testing and experimentation frameworks
• Familiarity with data visualization and analytics tools
• Experience with service design or customer journey mapping
• Published articles or conference presentations on UX topics, particularly related to design systems, are valued

Working at CarGurus
We reward our Gurus' curiosity and passion with best-in-class benefits and compensation, including equity for all employees, both when they start and as they continue to grow with us. Our career development and corporate giving programs, as well as our employee resource groups (ERGs) and communities, help people build connections while making an impact in personally meaningful ways. A flexible hybrid model and robust time off policies encourage work-life balance and individual well-being. Thoughtful perks like daily free lunch, a new car discount, meditation and fitness apps, commuting cost coverage, and more help our people create space for what matters most in their personal and professional lives.
We welcome all
CarGurus strives to be a place to which people can bring the ultimate expression of themselves and their potential-starting with our hiring process. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, or sexual orientation. We foster an inclusive environment that values people for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. That's why we hope you'll apply even if you don't check every box listed in the job description. We also encourage you to tell your recruiter if you require accommodations to participate in our hiring process due to a disability so we can provide the appropriate support. We want to know what only you can bring to CarGurus. #LI-Hybrid