Art Direction | UI/UX
Delaware North Careers Website
2024 CandE (Candidate Experience) Award
Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and food service, set out to transform its online recruitment experience with a complete careers site redesign. Partnering with the company’s Human Resources and Digital teams, I led Art Direction and UI/UX Design, focusing on streamlined navigation, modern visuals, and a more human-centered user experience.
The result was a clean, intuitive platform that reflects Delaware North’s brand values and improves accessibility for job seekers. The site earned a 2024 CandE (Candidate Experience) Award, recognizing its excellence in candidate engagement and onboarding experience.
Problem
The previous Delaware North Careers website did not align with the company’s modern, people-first brand. The interface was dated and difficult to navigate, creating friction for users seeking career opportunities. Candidates often struggled to find clear information about job openings, benefits, and company culture. The overall experience felt disconnected from Delaware North’s visual identity and failed to reflect the warmth, professionalism, and scale of a global hospitality leader.
The challenge was to redesign the site into a user-friendly, visually cohesive platform that made discovering and applying for roles intuitive and engaging—while staying consistent with Delaware North’s brand.
Process
The project began with an in-depth audit of the existing site and user feedback from candidates and internal HR teams. Working closely with Delaware North’s Human Resources department and the iCIMS development team, I helped define the site’s new structure and visual direction.
Through wireframes and design prototypes, we reimagined the user journey to prioritize clarity, accessibility, and brand consistency. The new design system featured a brighter, more welcoming color palette, streamlined typography, and clearly defined content hierarchies.
Collaboration with iCIMS, who handled the site’s development, was central to ensuring that the UX and UI designs were both visually refined and technically feasible. Regular design reviews and user-testing checkpoints helped align the user interface with candidate needs and company goals.
Solution
The redesigned Delaware North Careers website introduced a clean, modern layout that emphasizes simplicity and clarity. Key improvements included:
A streamlined navigation system that allows users to easily find open roles, benefits, and company culture information.
A bright, approachable visual identity that reflects Delaware North’s brand ethos and global presence.
Responsive design ensuring a seamless experience across desktop and mobile.
Integration with iCIMS’ recruitment platform for a smoother application process.
The new site provides an inviting and intuitive experience that aligns with Delaware North’s reputation for quality, innovation, and hospitality.
Impact
Following the redesign, Delaware North received a 2024 CandE (Candidate Experience) Award, recognizing the careers site for its exceptional candidate and onboarding experience. The site’s improved UX and visual clarity enhanced user engagement, reduced drop-off rates during the application process, and strengthened the company’s employer brand globally.
Internally, HR teams reported more efficient candidate interactions, aided by the site’s consistent structure and integrated tools developed in partnership with iCIMS. The project stands as a model of collaboration between design, HR, and technology — transforming a dated platform into a modern, human-centered digital experience.