Hello, I am

Jay Whitley Jr.

I’m a seasoned product designer with over 12 years of experience crafting intuitive, high-impact digital experiences. Specializing in design strategy, leadership, and multi-disciplinary team management, I’ve driven UX/UI success for Fortune 500 companies, agencies, and startups alike. With expertise in design leadership, UX content, research strategy, and human-computer interaction (HCI), I thrive in building cohesive teams and fostering professional growth. I’ve led teams of 20+ direct and indirect reports (max 12 direct, at once) while managing team budget allocation and delivering results on time, with exceptional attention to detail.

As a Senior Product Designer or Design Manager

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My goal is to add value to your organization

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As a Senior Product Designer or Design Manager 〰️ My goal is to add value to your organization 〰️

Case Studies

These 2 projects were chosen because of their overall complexity with XFN Partners, not their beauty.

Testimony from colleagues & clients

Brands that I am proud to have designed for


Design Shots :)

Additional Skills

UX Research

This involves understanding user needs, behaviors, and preferences through research methods like interviews, observations, and usability testing.

UX Design

A usable product is one that is easy to learn, efficient to use, and error-tolerant. I advocate for usability testing throughout the design process to identify and address usability issues.

Product Design

I blend creativity with strategic thinking to create compelling visuals for various mediums, including print, digital, and multimedia.

Pitch Deck Design

I help entrepreneurs present their ideas to investors with beautifully designed presentation decks that help them land serious funding.

2-d / 3-d animation

I create micro-interactions, transitional, illustrative, and feedback animations to guide users, provide context, and add delight to the overall product experience.

Branding

Crafting a unique identity for your company, encompassing its values, personality, and visual elements like logos, color schemes, and typography. It shapes perceptions, builds trust, and distinguishes the brand in the market.

Content & Media

With the right resources, I can produce viral content in various formats like images, videos, and audio. This helps us to communicate your brand’s message and capture your audience’s attention.

Rapid-Prototyping

I quickly create interactive representations of digital products to test usability and gather feedback. I can use prototyping tools to build low-fidelity or high-fidelity prototypes, simulating user interactions and workflows.

Growth & Performance Design

I craft meticulously designed web pages tailored to prompt specific user actions, such as sign-ups or purchases. They feature persuasive copywriting, clear call-to-action buttons, compelling visuals, and concise forms.

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"Great design is about solving problems with empathy, creativity, and precision. As a team, we bring ideas to life by blending diverse perspectives, pushing boundaries, and always staying curious."

〰️ "Great design is about solving problems with empathy, creativity, and precision. As a team, we bring ideas to life by blending diverse perspectives, pushing boundaries, and always staying curious."

 FAQs

  • Yes! I may require 1 - 2 weeks notice, but my current stakeholders have been made aware, and are respectful of the process.

  • I am an American, with residence in both Los Angeles, California and Grand Rapids, Michigan.

    Currently, I am living in South France.

  • Yes. I am seeking a remote-first orientation, but I love to come back to the United States whenever I can.

    Hybrid is also an alternative, with options such as Onsite for 1 full week per month.

  • Indefinitely.

  • I have been freelancing as a product design manager for the past 5 years. It's been amazing, but it is much different than working for a company, as I did prior to my current role.

    I am confident that my learnings over the past 5 years will provide an immediate boost of moral, excitement, and execution to any design team seeking a design manager, or individual contributor.

  • Empathy starts by working to understand who you're designing for. This includes end-users, stakeholders, builders, marketers, and those yet to be uncovered.

    Only with a better understanding of their needs, barriers, influences, habits, and desires, can we begin to imagine what a better-improved quality of life experience looks like for them.

    This approach pays dividends for both with relationships internally, and your customers.

  • One of the greatest assets I can provide to your team today outside of execution, management and delivery is learning strategy.

    It's less about what you learn, and more about how you learn it. The way you go about learning, will increase the intake of knowledge, and improve the application. This allows all members of a team to equally raise their intelligence and skill level, better preparing them for life outside of their current role, should they decide to further pursue growth.

    As a professional Epee fencer, these are strategies that I live by after every practice, match, and tournament!

Let’s discuss my

work experience