About W.K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports children, families, and communities as they strengthen and create conditions so all children can achieve success as individuals and as contributors to the larger community and society. Upon establishing the foundation in 1930, breakfast cereal innovator W.K. Kellogg instructed future trustees and staff to “Use the money as you please so long as it promotes the health, happiness and well-being of children.” To this day, the foundation envisions, and works toward, a nation that marshals its resource to assure that all children have an equitable and promising future – a nation in which all children thrive.
To advance this mission, the foundation implements an array of change-making tools – grantmaking, impact investing, communications, contracting, networking, and convenings – and uses an innovative matrixed organizational design to prioritize investment decisions and maximize effectiveness toward achieving the desired ends and improvements for children and their families. A commitment to racial equity, community engagement and leadership development is woven into each endeavor as essential to the creation of a social context in which all children can thrive. Their grant-making focuses on education and learning; food, health, and well-being; and family economic security.
The overall work of the foundation is guided by the following values:
- We believe in helping people help themselves through the practical application of knowledge and resources to improve their quality of life and that of future generations.
- We believe all people have the inherent capacity to effect change in their lives, in their organization, and in their communities. We respect individuals and value their collective interests, strengths, and cultures.
- We believe stewardship requires fidelity to the spirit and to the intent of the founder and the wide use of resources. We believe in being responsible, prudent, selfless, and exercising good judgment.
- We believe innovation of thought and action leads to enduring and positive change in both formal and informal systems.
- We value integrity of purpose and action, and believe it is essential to all of our affairs.
This is a powerful time to be on the front lines of innovative philanthropy and we hope you’ll consider joining us! To learn more about the foundation, please visit www.wkkf.org and everychildthrives.com.
The Opportunity
Under the leadership of the Vice President for Technology and Integrated Experiences (TIE), the User Experience Officer (UXO) is responsible for the usability, accessibility, and satisfaction of our technology and data solutions. This position focuses on understanding user needs and translating insights into strategic design solutions that enhance the effectiveness and ease of use of the foundation's technology and data platforms. The UXO will work collaboratively across teams to drive user-centered improvements, guide the selection of technology and data solutions, and establish usability standards that evolve over time to support accessibility, governance, and racial equity. This role is a key driver of the foundation’s transformational roadmap, ensuring that human-centered design, user experience (UX), behavioral adoption, and enterprise-wide accessibility are deeply embedded into all aspects of technology and data.
Specifically, a User Experience Officer has the following responsibilities:
Strategy & Ecosystem Alignment
- Provide strategic oversight for technology and data user experiences, ensuring that selected solutions integrate seamlessly within the foundation’s broader technology and data user experiences.
- Collaborate with TIE Core Team Leadership and across the foundation to develop and maintain user personas that reflect key roles across the foundation, including staff, board members, grantees, and external audiences.
- Ensure that UX strategy aligns with enterprise architecture, component architecture, and data democratization principles.
- Influence cross-functional collaboration efforts between the TIE core team and the overall foundation.
User Research & Analysis
- Conduct qualitative and quantitative user research, including interviews, surveys, usability testing, and analytics.
- Develop user personas, journey maps, and service blueprints to guide design decisions and optimize workflows.
- Lead behavioral data analysis, identifying patterns that inform user adoption, engagement, and system usability.
- Work closely with stakeholders, including staff, board members, community partners, and grantees, to refine experiences and enhance mission-aligned engagement.
- Apply advanced research methodologies, such as AI-assisted user behavior tracking and sentiment analysis, to continuously refine technology and data interactions.
UX Strategy & Design
- Lead end-to-end UX design processes from discovery to implementation.
- Develop wireframes, prototypes, and interaction models to illustrate and refine user experiences.
- Ensure all designs align with accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and best practices, ensuring inclusivity across all technology and data interactions.
- Advocate for Human-Centered Design (HCD) principles, focusing on co-creation, iterative prototyping, and systems thinking.
- Influence product management and agile development cycles, ensuring that UX is deeply embedded into all phases of technology and data transformation initiatives.
Usability Governance & Accessibility Compliance
- Establish usability standards and guidelines to inform technology and design decisions across all technology and data platforms.
- Ensure accessibility, governance, and racial equity are embedded in all technology and data solutions.
- Lead cross-functional governance initiatives focused on continuous improvement in usability, accessibility, and inclusivity.
- Coordinate training and advocacy efforts to support best practices in usability, accessibility, and behavioral adoption.
Project Management & Roadmap Development
- Develop UX enhancement roadmaps, supporting continuous improvement of user experiences.
- Prioritize usability improvements that have the greatest impact on overall user experience and system efficiency.
- Oversee cross-functional UX initiatives, ensuring alignment with enterprise-wide technology, security, and data strategies.
- Coordinate with external consultants to deliver UX-related staff training when needed.
Metrics & Success Criteria
- Define and establish baseline usability metrics, including engagement, efficiency, and effectiveness.
- Develop KPIs within the first year, focused on task efficiency (clicks, steps), usability scores, and user satisfaction.
- Implement UX surveys to track the experience of different personas and make data-driven iterative improvements.
- Apply predictive analytics and AI-driven insights to assess technology and data friction points and continuously optimize UX strategies.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will have the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
Education/ Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), UX Design, Information Technology, or a related field.
- Master’s degree or UX certification (e.g., NN/g Certified UX Practitioner, Design Thinking Certification) is a plus.
- 8+ years of experience in UX design, user research, technology and data transformation, or product development.
- Experience leading UX efforts in complex, mission-driven organizations with multiple stakeholders.
- Strong project management skills, with the ability to lead design initiatives, influence stakeholders, and manage competing priorities.
- Experience in behavioral adoption strategies, guiding organizations through large-scale technology and UX transformations.
- Expertise in teaching UX methodologies and human-centered design practices is a plus.
- Experience working with diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds in a global or multicultural environment.
Core Capabilities
- Human-Centered Design (HCD) – Expertise in designing solutions that prioritize user needs, iterative feedback, and behavioral adoption.
- Research & Analytics – Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including usability testing, journey mapping, and behavioral analytics.
- Prototyping & Design Tools – Experience with Sketch, Figma, Adobe XD, or similar UX design platforms.
- Enterprise Technology & Architecture Collaboration – Ability to work closely with enterprise architects, data architects, and product teams to ensure UX alignment with system design.
- Accessibility & Inclusive Design – Expertise in WCAG compliance, assistive technologies, and technology and data inclusion strategies.
- Project Management & Agile UX – Strong ability to manage multiple UX projects, prioritize high-impact improvements, and integrate UX within agile workflows.
- AI & UX Automation – Experience leveraging AI-driven UX enhancements, such as personalized experiences and automated usability testing.
- Strategic Influence & Cross-Functional Leadership – Ability to drive UX strategy across multiple teams, influencing governance and adoption.
Desired Qualities and Characteristics
- Outside-In Thinking – Centers all decisions around stakeholder and mission-driven needs to ensure technology and data solutions serve people first.
- Execution & Results-Oriented – Focuses on measurable impact, ensuring UX strategies drive transformation success.
- Active Listening & Communication – Engages stakeholders through transparent, responsive, and strategic dialogue.
- Collaboration & Influence – Builds cross-functional relationships that drive accessibility and seamless user experiences.
- Change Leadership & Innovation – Guides organizations through behavioral change management and large-scale UX adoption.
- Resilience & Adaptability – Continuously evolves UX strategies to align with emerging technology trends and evolving user expectations.
- Talent Development & UX Advocacy – Invests in coaching, mentoring, and elevating UX best practices across the organization.
Compensation and Benefits
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $145,000 - $180,000 with a generous benefits package. The exact salary that will be offered to the User Experience Officer will be determined based on a consideration of the successful candidate’s skills, experience, and geography and aligned with the foundation’s compensation policies.
Contact
DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Erin Reedy and Christy Farrell. Submit a compelling cover letter and resume by filling out our Talent Profile. All inquiries are strictly confidential.