Digital Design Lead (Chicago)

This job is with Morningstar, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.

About the   r ole:  

Morningstar's Creative Services team is   looking for   an experienced   Lead   Digital Designer   with a genuine commitment to building   exceptional, user-centered digital experiences.   In this role,   you'll   lead design work across our digital platforms, collaborating with Creative Services peers, the Corporate Digital Web team, and cross-functional partners in marketing, product, and technology. Through thoughtful, high-impact design,   you'll   help shape Morningstar's global web presence - taking complex ideas and making them clear, useful experiences that serve both investors and clients.  

The ideal candidate is AI‑fluent- play ing   a key role in advancing how AI is thoughtfully applied within the design practice-helping explore, pilot, and lead the adoption of AI‑enabled tools and workflows that augment design thinking, accelerate iteration, and improve clarity-while upholding Morningstar's standards for quality, ethics, brand integrity, and human‑centered design.  

This position is based in our Chicago office and follows a hybrid model with a minimum of four days onsite. We intentionally prioritize in‑person collaboration, as   we've   found it strengthens creative quality, alignment, and team momentum.  

Our   c reative   c ulture:  

Morningstar is a collaborative   environment   where   creative roles   work across disciplines and regions with a strong commitment to craft. Our design heritage is rooted in helping people around the world make confident investing decisions. We work as integrated teams - sharing feedback, solving problems together, and supporting each other's growth.   We look for   team members   who bring good judgment, empathy, and a collaborative mindset to every project, and who can navigate business trade-offs and competing priorities   while   maintaining   Morningstar's standard of design excellence.   The Creative Services team   embraces   brand consistency   and   increased   efficiency by building   design sy s tems   and leaning into AI for scale and innovation .  

Job   responsibilities :  

• Design a wide range of digital content - web experiences, design systems, data visualizations, and interactive experiences.  

• Take an active role in the design process from discovery through delivery, helping shape B2B solutions that engage and inform.  

• Apply strong core design skills - especially in typography, composition, information hierarchy, and data visualization -  to create delightful, engaging experiences that reinforce the Morningstar brand.  

• Proven fluency with AI - enabled content workflows, including experience evaluating, piloting, or operationalizing AI tools that improve content quality, efficiency, or governance.  

• Solve challenging information and communication design problems and be able to present multiple concepts for consideration, with sound rationale.  

• Contribute to competitive assessments and gather inputs that inform strategy and creative direction.  

• Present and defend design solutions to cross-functional teams, be open to feedback and know how and when to defend design choices   that balance business goals .  

• Incorporate Morningstar design systems, brand standards, and   digital best practices   while educating both stakeholders and engineers.  

• Connect and communicate with other design teams within Morningstar.  

Qualifications :  

Design  

• 7+ years of experience designing digital products, interactions, large-scale websites, or applications.  

• Experience contributing to   and managing   design systems, with the ability to educate stakeholders and partners on standards and best practices.  

• Bachelor's or master's degree in digital/visual design,   a related   field, or equivalent experience.  

• Strong skills in information hierarchy, typography, and data visualization.  

• Ability to present design solutions clearly to project teams and stakeholders.  

Communication & Collaboration  

• Experience leading cross-functional projects that balance innovation and usability, with the ability to listen and   anticipate   needs from multiple teams.  

• Comfortable presenting and defending design decisions to senior   stakeholders and   translating design rationale into business and user impact.  

• Proven ability to build alignment across disciplines - including marketing, product, and engineering - while navigating competing priorities and feedback.  

Work Style & Leadership  

• Flexible and able to manage multiple projects and   shifting   priorities in a fast-moving environment.  

• Self-directed and comfortable working independently,   leveraging   modern tools-including AI- to improve focus, efficiency, and the quality of design output.  

• Experience mentoring or   l eading peers; interest in   people   leadership is a plus.  

T ools & T echnology  

• Advanced   proficiency   in Figma and other design and prototyping tools.  

• F amiliarity with CMS platforms ( Contentstack   is a plus ), HTML, and CSS.  

• A working knowledge of AI-assisted design and productivity tools, and a sense of how to use them   responsibly to augment creativity, efficiency, and decision‑making.

How to apply:  

Please include a portfolio of work   you're   most proud of, so you can tell stories about your experience and impact.   We're   interested in your designs and want to understand how you work with a team to solve problems. <]]>