Experience Design Operations Lead

The Experience Design (XD) Operations role is a key part of the Marketing Operations team, responsible for driving operational excellence and serving as a Scrum Master for two Experience Design teams: Client Experience and User Experience. This position blends agile methodologies (Scrum and Kanban) with traditional project management (Waterfall), ensuring process efficiency, continuous improvement, and effective collaboration across teams. The ideal candidate will have a passion for process optimization, documentation, and fostering a collaborative team environment.

How will this role impact First Command?

At First Command, we aim to create exceptional experiences for our clients and prospects through effective marketing and design operations. As the Experience Design Operations lead, you will enhance the performance of our Experience Design teams by streamlining processes, optimizing workflows, and ensuring alignment across agile and Waterfall methodologies. Your role will ensure operational excellence while enabling our teams to deliver high-quality outcomes efficiently.

You will serve as a key facilitator for both Client Experience and User Experience teams, guiding them through daily activities and agile ceremonies, while ensuring Waterfall milestones are seamlessly integrated. Through your leadership, you will foster a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and innovation, ultimately improving team performance and project outcomes.

What will you be doing? 

Operational Excellence:

• Develop, document, and implement processes that integrate both agile and Waterfall methodologies to enhance efficiency within the Experience Design group
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to ensure team productivity and the quality of project deliverables
• Identify areas for improvement and lead initiatives that optimize workflows and team performance across various project types
• Ensure alignment of processes with business goals and marketing objectives

Scrum Master Responsibilities:

• Facilitate agile ceremonies, including daily stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives, and backlog grooming, while incorporating Waterfall milestones where appropriate
• Coach and mentor the Experience Design teams in agile principles and practices, promoting a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability
• Identify and remove impediments and blockers to ensure the teams stay focused on delivering high-quality outcomes
• Lead by example in promoting agile best practices and collaboration

Collaboration and Communication:

• Work closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to align on project goals, timelines, and deliverables, ensuring effective communication and execution of both agile and Waterfall processes
• Partner with the Workfront administrator to refine and define team workflows and ensure process consistency across teams
• Act as a key point of contact for stakeholders, providing regular updates on team progress, project milestones, and addressing any concerns or roadblocks
• Foster a collaborative and supportive team environment that encourages innovation and open communication
• Working closely with UX and data teams and using research methodologies to discover, learn and validate needs within various market opportunities
• Creating & validating new designs through ad-hoc or formalized user feedback sessions with internal users or clients

What skills/qualifications do you need?

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Work Experience

• Proven experience in operational excellence or process improvement roles, with a focus on Experience Design or similar groups
• Experience working with agile methodologies (especially Kanban) and traditional project management (Waterfall)
• Experience within an ad agency or similar fast-paced environment is a plus
• Familiarity with Azure DevOps and project management tools such as Workfront and Mural

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong understanding of agile methodologies, including Scrum and Kanban, combined with a working knowledge of Waterfall project management practices
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to develop, document, and implement processes
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with a focus on fostering collaboration and open communication across teams
• Ability to analyze data and metrics to make informed decisions and drive process improvements

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