Lead Innovation Designer

Department:

Innovation

Our Company Promise

We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.

Job Description:

Job Summary

All of Southwest's People come together to deliver on our Purpose; Connecting People to what's important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel. The Lead Innovation Designerdelivers on our Purpose by providing Leadership to the Innovation Team who specialize in modernizing our airport experience for both Employees and Customers. This role will bring human-centered approaches to research, ideation, concept development, and prototyping to help our business partners see what's possible so that they are always prepared with a pipeline of good solutions to their toughest challenges. The Lead Innovation Designer is an organized collaborator who looks forward to driving the future of Southwest.

Additional details:

• This role is offered as a regional workplace position and Employees must work in the region they support. This could require working from a mix of on-site Company facilities and remote based offices to perform the job function in a regional location determined by business need. Each Department will provide Employees with guidance on when and where presence is required with as much notice as reasonably possible. Please note, while this is a regional position, there is limited group of states or localities ineligible for Employees to regularly perform their work off-site. Those ineligible locations are: Alaska,Delaware, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

• U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. required and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available.

Southwest Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer.We continue to look for opportunities to reflect the communities we serve, and welcome applicants with diverse thoughts, backgrounds, and experiences.

Responsibilities

• Discover the "why's" behind problems through field research using ethnographic methods such as observation and find pertinent insights to identify opportunity areas for designing new solutions

• Translate research and design insights into visual models and frameworks

• Envision and sketch new ideas across a wide range of experience types: digital and physical tools, programs and services, spaces and environments, events, campaigns, roles, policies, processes, etc.

• Create concept communication tools such as storyboards, user experience journeys, and system maps for use in research, synthesis, workshops and prototype testing

• Create prototypes and gather feedback on design concepts from a wide range of audiences

• Lead and / or design concept workshops

• Collaborate in a team-based environment with leads from multi-disciplinary units such as operations, technology, facilities, and marketing

• Lead multi-disciplinary project teams through modes of design

• Teach and coach others on human-centered design methods

• Identifies and understands the dependencies and impacts of projects to the greater Company business or operation

• May perform other job duties as directed by Employee's Leaders

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Expert knowledge of Human Centered Design and Innovation mindsets, tools and techniques

• Skilled in behavioral research practices

• Skilled in strategic thinking, problem solving and connecting disparate dots

• Skilled in using 2D and 3D Design Tools to create concepts

• Skilled in communication practices and crafting compelling stories

• Ability to translate user research into needs, design principles and criteria

• Ability to communicate effectively (both written and verbal) with all levels of Employees up to and including Executive levels

• Ability to bring ideas to life through model making / rapid prototyping

• Ability to use Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft Office Suite

Education

• Required: High School Diploma or GED
• Required: Undergraduate or Graduate level degree in a research driven field such as social sciences or related design field such as Industrial, Visual, Experience or Service designs

Experience

• Expert level experience, expansive and far reaching knowledge in:
  • Business consulting / Strategy
  • User Research
  • Prototyping
  • Communications
• Preferred: Experience in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft Office Products

Licensing/ Certifications

• N/A

Physical Abilities

• Ability to perform work duties from (limited space work station/desk/office area) for extended periods of time
• Ability to communicate and interact with others in the English language to meet the demands of the job
• Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed and accuracy to meet the demands of the job

*

Other Qualifications

• Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines
• Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines

Pay & Benefits:

Competitive market salary from $125,000 per year to $138,500 per year* depending on qualifications and experience. For eligible Leadership and individual contributor roles, additional bonus opportunities are available and awarded at the discretion of the company.

Benefits you'll love:

* Fly for free, as a privilege, on any open seat on all Southwest flights (your eligible dependents too)

* Southwest will help fund your 401(k) retirement savings with Company contributions up to 9.3% of your eligible earnings**

* Potential for annual ProfitSharing contribution in the Southwest Retirement Savings Plan- when Southwest profits, you profit***

* Competitive health insurance for you and your eligible dependents (including pets)

* Southwest offers health plan coverage options that start from the very first day of employment. You will have 30 days to select and enroll in your health plan with coverage retroactively available to your first day of employment.

* Explore more Benefits you'll love:

*Pay amount does not guarantee employment for any particular period of time. **401(k) match contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and applicable IRS limits

***ProfitSharing contributions are subject to Retirement Savings Plan vesting schedule and are made at the discretion of the Company.

Southwest Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Please print/save this job description because it won't be available after you apply.