Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.
Job Description
VP of UX/UI Engineering
Data Analytics & Reporting
Overview
We are seeking an exceptional VP of UX/UI Engineering to lead the user experience strategy for our data analytics and reporting platform. This leadership role combines deep expertise in data visualization, interactive design, and modern web application development. You will oversee the creation of elegant, high-fidelity dashboards and applications that transform complex data into actionable insights for executives, and decision-makers across the firm. From Power BI solutions to custom React/Angular executive dashboards, you will ensure all interfaces are intuitive, mobile-friendly, and deliver exceptional user experiences that drive adoption and business impact. Your mandate is to bridge the Data & AI department and the business — translating unified data into actionable analytics, executive-grade dashboards, and institutional-quality visualizations that inform investment decisions and serve our LP relationships.
You will work directly with senior stakeholders across the firm's vertical businesses and corporate functions — including Real Estate, Private Credit, Investment Ops, Legal & Compliance — designing both firmwide views and business-specific reports. The ideal candidate is a forward thinker who constantly asks how data can be presented more clearly and more powerfully, combining the analytical rigor of an investment professional with the design sensibility of a UI/UX engineer.
Key Responsibilities
UX/UI Strategy & Leadership
- Define and execute comprehensive UX/UI strategy for data analytics and reporting platform
- Establish and evangelize a set of UX patterns and visualization best practices across all tools — Power BI, Sigma, and custom builds — ensuring consistency in layout conventions, color systems, typography, iconography, interaction patterns, and data labeling so that every dashboard and report feels like it came from a single, intentional design system regardless of the underlying tool.
- Establish design systems, component libraries, and patterns that enable consistent, scalable dashboard creation
- Champion user-centric design principles and advocate for usability across all platform interfaces
Data Visualization & Design Excellence
- Design and deliver executive-level dashboards that provide senior leadership with firmwide visibility: fund raising intelligence, cross-fund performance, AUM trends, portfolio company health, liquidity, and pipeline — presented in a format that drives decisions, not just awareness.
- Develop interactive analytical applications for deal rooms, scenario modeling, and portfolio deep-dives using Streamlit, Dash, or React-based front ends connected to the Databricks Lakehouse.
- Design compelling, intuitive data visualizations that communicate complex insights clearly and effectively
- Apply data visualization best practices: appropriate chart types, color theory, typography, and visual hierarchy
- Create interactive visualizations with drill-down capabilities, filtering, and exploration features
- Design mobile-friendly visualizations that maintain clarity and interactivity on smaller screens
Power BI Dashboard Development & Governance
- Lead Power BI dashboard design and development for enterprise-scale reporting
- Build reusable Power BI templates and patterns for common reporting scenarios
- Implement Power BI best practices: DAX optimization, performance tuning, row-level security
- Design governance framework: naming conventions, data model standards, and dashboard review processes
- Create Power BI Center of Excellence: documentation, training materials, and support for dashboard creators
- Partner with data engineering to optimize data models for analytics and reporting
Custom Executive Dashboards & Web Applications
- Design and develop custom executive dashboards using React or Angular with TypeScript
- Build high-fidelity, pixel-perfect interfaces that meet premium design standards
- Implement responsive design: seamless experiences across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices
- Create interactive charts and visualizations using D3.js, ECharts, or similar libraries
- Implement real-time data updates and WebSocket integration for live dashboards
- Build custom UI components and design system documentation
- Ensure performance optimization: lazy loading, code splitting, and efficient rendering
Performance & Optimization
- Optimize dashboard loading times and render performance
- Implement client-side caching strategies and data pagination
- Monitor frontend performance metrics and identify optimization opportunities
- Partner with backend teams to optimize APIs for analytics queries
Security, Compliance & Data Governance
- Implement role-based access control for dashboards and data visibility
- Ensure data security in transit and at rest for sensitive analytics
- Comply with firm information security guidelines and data classification standards
- Implement audit logging for dashboard access and data exports
- Partner with Infosec and Compliance on security assessments and requirements
User Enablement & Documentation
- Create comprehensive documentation and help content for dashboards and tools
- Develop training materials and conduct user onboarding sessions
- Establish feedback channels and gather user requests for continuous improvement
- Support analytics and reporting teams with technical guidance and best practices
Team Leadership & Collaboration
- Stay ahead of the curve on data visualization trends, BI tooling, and analytical best practices — bringing forward-thinking ideas on how to present firmwide and business-specific information more effectively.
- Partner with Data Products team on data access and integration requirements
- Work with business stakeholders to understand reporting needs and prioritize development
- Lead design reviews and establish quality standards across all dashboards and applications
Required Qualifications
- 7+ years of UX/UI design and development experience, with 3+ years in leadership roles
- 5+ years of hands-on experience with data visualization and analytics dashboards
- Expert-level proficiency in Power BI: dashboard design, DAX, performance optimization, and governance
- Strong proficiency in React or Angular with TypeScript for building custom web applications
- Expert knowledge of data visualization libraries: D3.js, ECharts, Plotly, or similar
- Experience building responsive, mobile-friendly interfaces (CSS/SCSS, media queries, progressive enhancement)
- Proficiency with design tools: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar prototyping platforms
- Strong understanding of UX/UI principles, information architecture, and usability best practices
- Experience creating design systems and maintaining component libraries
- Knowledge of HTML5, CSS3, and modern JavaScript ES6+
- Experience with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1) and inclusive design
- Demonstrated ability to manage projects, mentor team members, and communicate across disciplines
- Portfolio demonstrating high-fidelity dashboard designs and custom web applications
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in financial services, private equity, or alternative assets
- Experience with Sigma Computing, Superset, or similar self-service BI tools
- Knowledge of data visualization for specific domains (financial analysis, portfolio management, risk analytics)
- Experience with REST APIs and integrating frontend with backend services
- Experience with front-end build tools: Webpack, Vite, or similar
- Knowledge of component libraries: Material UI, Bootstrap, or Ant Design
- Experience with testing frameworks: Jest, Cypress, or similar for UI testing
- Understanding of backend technologies and SQL for writing data-driven queries
- Experience with agile development and sprint planning
Reporting Relationships
Compensation
The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role.