Digital Design Lead

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.   Compensation and Benefits At Morningstar we believe people are at their best when they are at their healthiest. That’s why we champion your wellness through a wide range of programs that support all stages of your personal and professional life. Here are some examples of the offerings we provide: Financial Health 100% 401k match up to 6% of salary Stock Ownership Potential Company provided life insurance - 1x salary + commission Physical Health  Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision) including potential premi