Job description

Head of Design: This Head of Design role is ideal for a dynamic leader who is both a player and a coach, capable of crafting a compelling design vision across various products while actively engaging in hands-on support. The Head of Design will foster a collaborative environment, mentor and grow a team of talented designers, and drive the strategic direction of the design function. This role requires a deep commitment to design excellence, team growth, and creating streamlined design processes to produce exceptional, user-centered products quickly. What you'll do: • Design Vision & Strategy: Shape and execute a unified design vision across products, aligning with Product Management and Engineering to create cohesive and impactful user experiences. • Team Leadership & Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 3-5 Product Designers, focusing on skill development and design quality, fostering a culture of ownership, helpfulness, and appreciation for quality. • Process Optimization: Establish and refine design processes, methodologies, and best practices for efficient and high-quality product development, including design systems and frameworks for scalable design. • Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner with Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success teams to ensure design aligns with go-to-market strategies and customer needs. • Talent Management: Recruit and manage talent, driving hiring and professional development efforts within the design department, and championing inclusive practices. • Strategic Alignment: Work with executive stakeholders to align design strategies with company objectives, balancing ambition with technical constraints to meet both business goals and user needs. What you'll bring: • Proven experience in building and leading design teams, ideally with a background in SaaS or metric-driven products. • Expertise in shaping product strategy at an executive level and aligning stakeholders on design vision. • Strong mentorship skills, with a track record of developing design leaders and creating clear growth paths for team members. • Comprehensive understanding of design trends and a strong portfolio showcasing a broad range of design skills. • Skilled in cross-functional collaboration and user-centered design methodologies, with experience conducting and applying user research insights. • Proficient in Figma and other design tools, with excellent communication skills for presenting solutions and collaborating effectively. • Bonus: Experience in Fintech. • Located in the NYC metro area or able to relocate to the NYC metro area (relocation assistance may be provided to the right candidates). This role's expected annual base salary is $210,000 - $250,000. Base salary is only part of your total compensation. In addition to base salary, you will receive an equity option grant, and are eligible for performance-based cash and equity bonuses. Compensation included in an offer will be commensurate with the candidate’s skills, experience and geographic location. Compensation ranges for candidates located outside of New York City may differ. You will also receive a full benefits package.

Requirements

Must-haves

Design Vision & Strategy: Shape and execute a unified design vision across products, aligning with Product Management and Engineering to create cohesive and impactful user experiences.
Team Leadership & Mentorship: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 3-5 Product Designers, focusing on skill development and design quality, fostering a culture of ownership, helpfulness, and appreciation for quality.
Process Optimization: Establish and refine design processes, methodologies, and best practices for efficient and high-quality product development, including design systems and frameworks for scalable design.
Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner with Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success teams to ensure design aligns with go-to-market strategies and customer needs.
Talent Management: Recruit and manage talent, driving hiring and professional development efforts within the design department, and championing inclusive practices.
Strategic Alignment: Work with executive stakeholders to align design strategies with company objectives, balancing ambition with technical constraints to meet both business goals and user needs.
Proven experience in building and leading design teams, ideally with a background in SaaS or metric-driven products.
Expertise in shaping product strategy at an executive level and aligning stakeholders on design vision.
Strong mentorship skills, with a track record of developing design leaders and creating clear growth paths for team members.
Comprehensive understanding of design trends and a strong portfolio showcasing a broad range of design skills.
Skilled in cross-functional collaboration and user-centered design methodologies, with experience conducting and applying user research insights.
Proficient in Figma and other design tools, with excellent communication skills for presenting solutions and collaborating effectively.
Located in the NYC metro area or able to relocate to the NYC metro area (relocation assistance may be provided to the right candidates).

Nice-to-haves

Bonus: Experience in Fintech.

Application prep

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Keywords to mirror

design systemsgofigma

Platform: gem
Effort: medium

Benefits

Benefits detected in the listing.

Vision

Professional Development