Lead UX Designer

The Global Creative Team at EF Education First is looking for a Lead UX Designer to join our Zurich based team. In this role, you'll lead the UX strategy and governance of our design system, which powers digital experiences across EF's global businesses.

You'll be at the center of ensuring our Figma libraries and Site Builder tool deliver exceptional, accessible, and consistent user experiences worldwide — while exploring how emerging technologies and AI can shape the future of our design workflows and digital products.

About The Global Creative Team
The Global Creative Team owns EF's brand world-wide. Practically this means that we conceive, design and implement every conceivable medium and ensure it is deployed in every conceivable media all around the globe. We are innovators, designers, and craftsmen. We are a team full of ideas living in the center of a global business that both needs and wants what we make. We have it all — UX, Art Direction, Motion Design, Videography, Sound Design, Copywriting, and Engineering of all types. No day is ever the same and everything we do contributes to helping to Open the World Through Education.

Role: Lead UX Designer

Design System & UX Strategy

— Lead design system efforts in conjunction with the Product Owner, Digital Creative Director and Technology Director to ensure UX excellence across EF's businesses

— Define and drive the UX strategy for the design system, establishing standards, patterns, and best practices

— Enforce accessibility and usability standards (WCAG compliance) across all components

UX Design & Component Leadership

— Engage in hands-on work (all members of the Global Creative Team share this responsibility): wireframes, user flows, and interaction patterns for new components and features

— Lead the design of complex, production-ready components meeting high usability and accessibility standards

— Collaborate with Designers and Engineers on Figma architecture, design tokens, and technical implementation, including for our Site Builder

— Create and maintain UX documentation (usage guidelines, pattern libraries, interaction standards)

Innovation & Future-Forward Thinking

— Think strategically about the future of websites, digital experiences, and how AI is transforming our industry

— Explore and integrate AI tools to optimize and merge design and development workflows

— Champion process optimization and efficiency improvements

Research, Data & Stakeholder Management

— Conduct interviews and research with teams using the design system to understand needs and pain points

— Lead usability testing initiatives and analyze data to measure impact and identify improvements

— Navigate complex stakeholder landscapes across multiple EF businesses

— Advocate for and defend UX decisions with data-driven arguments and research insights

— Engage stakeholders through workshops and co-creation sessions

— Proven track record in complex, multi-stakeholder design system environments

— Expert-level Figma proficiency including design tokens, variables, and component architecture

— Strong understanding of front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, React)

— Extensive accessibility knowledge (WCAG 2.1 AA minimum) and inclusive design practices

— Advanced wireframing and interaction design skills with systematic thinking

— Proven ability in user research, usability testing, and working with data to inform decisions

— Exceptional stakeholder management and ability to articulate and defend UX decisions

— Curiosity and experience with AI tools and emerging technologies

— Passionate with process optimization and the future of digital experiences

What we offer

— This is a full-time, on-site role based in our Zürich office (Selnau)

— We value in-person collaboration, and our office is designed to support both focused work and team interaction

— You'll be part of a vibrant, international community where face-to-face connection is part of the culture, not just the job

— A clear conscience — that here, in contrast to most opportunities out there, your creative work is making the world a better place

— The chance to work on global-scale problems

— High-end equipment (MacBook Pro etc.)

— Annual tuition reimbursement for career development

— Discounts on a wide range of local restaurants, shops, hotel stays and EF products

— Regular social activities with a provided budget

— Discounted passes to local destinations and tourist hot spots such as Mt. Titlis or Kunsthaus Zurich

— On-site subsidized crèche/day-care

About EF Education First
At EF we believe that the world is better when people try to understand one another. Since 1965, we have helped millions of people see new places, experience new cultures, and learn new things about the world and about themselves. Our culturally immersive education programs - focused on language, travel, cultural exchange, and academics - turn dreams into international opportunities. When you join EF, you join a multicultural and diverse community working across more than 600 schools and offices in 50 countries, all with one shared mission of opening the world through education. Whoever you are, whatever you are passionate about, we welcome you and want you to bring that to work every day. EF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to inclusion and belonging across race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, caste, parental status, identity, experience and everything else that makes you unique. Founded in Sweden in 1965, EF has schools and offices around the world, including hubs in Boston, London, Mexico City, São Paulo, Shanghai, Stockholm, and Zürich.
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