Head of UX & Research (all genders)

At Wikimedia Deutschland e.V. we help create, collect and distribute free knowledge. In 2004, volunteer Wikipedia activists founded the non-profit association Wikimedia Deutschland in Berlin, which now consists of over 110,000 members and 180 full-time staff.

Free knowledge leads to a fairer world. Wikipedia is the most important online knowledge collection of our time. The German Wikipedia alone records almost 1 billion page views per month for a total of 3 million articles. We - Wikimedia Deutschland e. V. - support the volunteers of Wikipedia and its sister projects, develop free software, such as Wikidata, and advocate for free access to knowledge, the opening of education and research, and more common good orientation in data policy.

For our UX Team, based in Berlin, we are looking for a permanent Head of UX & Research (all genders) , full-time (40 hours / week) as soon as possible.

This position is designed as a hybrid working model with regular presence in our Berlin office.

Tasks

You will be leading the diverse team of designers and researchers working to make Wikidata, Wikibase, and Wikipedia more user-driven and user-friendly.

The mission of the UX team is to deliver quality open source tools that empower users to contribute to the Wikimedia movement, regardless of their background or ability.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead a multifunctional team of 9 UX Researchers and Designers that are distributed across our 7 cross-functional product teams.
• Review existing and establish new processes to improve the team's operations internally and in their cross-functional collaboration.
• Be a trustful sparring partner for your team, providing regular 1:1 guidance and feedback to help them thrive in their work and professional development.
• Create clear development paths and facilitate advancement for each team member through their personal development plan.
• Team up and establish a strong collaboration with the Product, Engineering and Software Communication Leadership to shape how UX is better incorporated into the cross-functional work.
• Bring the UX perspective to strategic conversations within the department and organization, while advocating for user-centered practices.
• Manage design resources and coordinate budgets across teams.

Requirements

• You have comprehensive knowledge of UX design and research practice, demonstrated by several years of experience in the software industry.
• You have spent several years managing a UX team consisting of Research and Design alike. You are skilled in people management and build trust by generating mutual understanding, as well as transparent and proactive communication.
• You have empowered and guided the professional development journey of a UX team.
• You are comfortable defining and executing strategic design direction in complex product ecosystems with high interdependencies.
• You can effectively advocate for the UX team’s priorities across the organization and champion their perspective in cross-functional discussions.
• You can resolve complex situations involving many stakeholders through effective decision-making and diplomatic leadership.
• You are driven by impact orientated work and thrive in a collaborative, participative environment.
• You have proficient written and verbal communication skills in English. You have at least medium verbal communication skills in German.

Benefits

• Active collaboration guided by our values: participation, diversity, free and open access, equity, sustainability and respectful collaboration
• 30 vacation days and additional time off on Dec. 24th and New Year's Eve, public transport ticket, access to our company pension scheme allowance, continued salary in the event of sick children
• € 500 gross one-off payment for home office equipment
• € 300 gross per year (€ 25 per month) allowance for running costs in the home office
• WorkingAbroad@WMDE up to 4 weeks per year
• All overtime is recorded and converted into compensatory time off
• Hybrid work options and an office located in the center of Berlin
• In-house training and continued professional development, as well as free external life coaching (professional advice and coaching on job-related and private issues)

Interested?

Please send us your detailed application documents (Resume & Motivational Letter (yes, we read them)) via our job portal. We kindly ask you to refrain from application photos and information on date of birth, marital status and parents.

Wikimedia Germany is committed to equal opportunities and does not discriminate on the basis of, for example, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or belief, political or other convictions, gender, age, disability, or sexual identity. We would like to address you in the way which feels most comfortable for you so please share your preferred name and pronouns if you wish.