Lead UX Designer

Lead UX Designer

Date: Aug 14, 2026

Location: CHICAGO, IL, US, 60654-4203 LAKE FOREST, IL, US, 60045-5202

Company: Grainger Businesses

Work Location Type: Hybrid

Req Number 332827

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc. is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America and Japan. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.6 million customers worldwide with maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and value-added solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer expertise. Known for its commitment to service and purpose-driven culture, the Company reported 2025 revenue of $17.9 billion. For more information, visit www.grainger.com.

Compensation

The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $123,000.00 – $205,100.00. This role is eligible for an incentive target of up to 15 % or $ , based on the achievement of individual and company performance objectives in accordance with the current terms of the incentive program which are subject to change.

Rewards and Benefits

With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:

Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.

18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.

6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.

Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.

Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.

For additional information and details regarding Grainger’s benefits, please click on the link below:

https://experience100.ehr.com/grainger/Home/Tools-Resources/Key-Resources/New-Hire

Grainger Benefits

The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.

The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.

Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.

Position Details:

At Grainger, we are the destination for “the ones that get it done.” We are looking for a Lead User Experience Designer to shape the future of Search and Guidance across Grainger.com. This highly visible role is responsible for leading experience strategy and design for one of the most critical parts of our digital customer journey - helping customers discover products, navigate a complex assortment, and make confident purchasing decisions.

The ideal candidate will combine human-centered analytical skills, exceptional UX, UI, visual design expertise and strategic systems thinking to translate complex business and customer needs into simple, intuitive experiences. This role will be aligned to Search and Guidance for Grainger.com.

You will report to the Director, UX Design.

This is a hybrid position that is based in Lake Forest or Chicago 2 days a week.

You Will:

Lead comprehensive UX strategy and design execution for Search and Guidance experiences on Grainger.com, working across teams to design elegant, intuitive customer journeys that improve discoverability, decision-making, and job completion

Work with cross-functional partners in Product Management, Engineering, ML, Analytics, and Merchandising to align on experience objectives and deliver solutions

Translate complex customer, business, and technical requirements into elegant, scalable user experiences

Apply systems thinking to design connected experiences that span search, guidance, and an array of customer touchpoints

Conduct and incorporate customer research, behavioral analytics, session replay insights, and usability testing into design decisions and iterative improvements where appropriate

Deliver high-fidelity designs, prototypes, user flows, and detailed design specifications that enable efficient implementation and high-quality execution

Balance customer needs with technical and business constraints, designing solutions that support continuous delivery while maintaining a high-quality user experience

Contribute to and evolve Grainger’s design system while ensuring experiences delight user expectations and remain scalable, accessible, and predictable

Clearly communicate design rationale, influence stakeholders, and facilitate productive design discussions and critiques

You Have:

Formal education in User Experience Design, Human Centered Design, Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Product Design, or a related discipline

5+ years of UX experience working with an agile product team; corporate B2B and search-focused experience preferred

Experience leading complex, ambiguous product initiatives from discovery through delivery

A deep understanding of UX design, interaction design, information architecture, usability, and product design best practices

Advanced proficiency in Figma, including prototyping, components, variables, design systems, and developer handoff

Demonstrated systems thinking with the ability to design cohesive experiences across multiple products, features, and customer journeys

Experience working in fast-paced, lean product environments with continuous delivery practices

Experience creating responsive web designs

Experience contributing to and working within an established design system

Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) and inclusive design principles

Passion for learning and adopting emerging AI tools to improve both design workflows and customer experiences

Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and storytelling skills with the ability to influence cross-functional partners

Strong facilitation, collaboration, and relationship-building skills

A proactive mindset with the ability to independently identify opportunities, prioritize work, and drive initiatives forward

A portfolio demonstrating exceptional craft, strategic thinking, and the ability to simplify complex customer problems while balancing user, business, and technical needs

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

• Formal education in UX Design, HCI, or related field with 5+ years UX experience in agile product teams, preferably B2B and search-focused
• Advanced proficiency in Figma, systems thinking, responsive web design, and familiarity with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards
• Proven ability to lead complex product initiatives, communicate design rationale, and deliver high-fidelity designs and prototypes