Human-Centered Design (HCD) Strategist

We are seeking a Senior Human-Centered Design (HCD) Strategist to support a high-impact Medicaid transformation initiative. This role will serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) driving a human-centered outcome-focused approach to improving Medicaid eligibility enrollment and renewal experiences.

The ideal candidate will work across policy operations and technology teams to design solutions that are accessible equitable and scalable ensuring that systems and services meet the real needs of beneficiaries and frontline staff.

• Serve as the Senior HCD Strategist on a Medicaid outcome-focused pilot team
• Lead human-centered design initiatives across eligibility enrollment and renewal lifecycle
• Conduct qualitative user research (interviews usability testing contextual inquiry)
• Identify pain points and translate insights into:
  • Journey maps
  • Service blueprints
  • Prototypes
  • Design recommendations
• Ensure solutions meet accessibility standards (Section 508 WCAG) and promote equity
• Collaborate with policy makers IT teams program staff and stakeholders
• Present findings and recommendations to executive leadership in decision-ready formats
• Support design system development and adoption across the organization
• Translate HCD insights into technical requirements user stories and acceptance criteria
• Drive cross-functional collaboration between business operations and engineering teams
• Ensure compliance with state and federal regulations
• Lead HCD capability building mentoring teams and embedding best practices
• Support implementation of service and system improvements
• Adhere to PMO security and change management processes
• Be flexible to support off-hours or weekend work if required

• Bachelors degree in Design HCI Computer Science Engineering Public Policy Public Health or related field
• 7 years of experience in:
  • Human-Centered Design
  • UX Strategy
  • Service Design or related roles
• At least 3 years in regulated environments (Government Healthcare Financial Services)
• Strong experience designing digital products and services
• Expertise in:
  • User research (interviews usability testing synthesis)
  • Service design (journey mapping blueprinting prototyping)
• Proven ability to work in cross-functional environments (policy IT operations)
• Experience translating between technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Knowledge of accessibility standards (Section 508 WCAG)
• Strong communication skills with ability to present to executives and stakeholders
• Experience working in complex multi-stakeholder environments
• Ability to deliver outcomes under regulatory and operational constraints

• Experience with Medicaid CHIP SNAP TANF or similar programs
• Prior work with:
  • State agencies
  • Health insurance marketplaces
  • Public health organizations
• Knowledge of CMS regulations and government compliance frameworks
• Experience in Agile / modernization programs
• Familiarity with design systems and component libraries
• Experience designing:
  • AI-assisted workflows
  • Conversational interfaces
  • Self-service platforms
• Experience with plain language and content design for public services
• Background in training mentoring or leading HCD practices
• Relevant certifications (e.g. NN/g IDEO LUMA CUA)