Director of Product Design

Our client is seeking a visionary Director of Product Design to lead and elevate our design strategy, empowering millions of employees to navigate their health and wealth journeys. This role demands a strategic leader who can not only drive design execution but also shape the overall product design vision. You will lead a talented team of designers in a player-coach role, fostering a culture of innovation, user-centricity, and excellence. We're looking for someone who excels at transforming complex problems into intuitive, impactful solutions, leveraging user research and data to inform strategic design decisions. This leader will be pivotal in driving collaboration across Product, Engineering, and Growth, ensuring a cohesive and compelling user experience across our entire ecosystem.
Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership:
• Define and evolve the product design vision and strategy in alignment with our client's mission and business goals.
• Lead the design team, providing mentorship, guidance, and fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.
• Oversee the entire user journey-from first interaction to referral and advocacy.
• Drive strategic design initiatives that impact the entire product ecosystem, identifying opportunities for innovation and growth.
• Establish clear design KPIs tied to business outcomes (e.g., engagement, retention, NPS).

Design Execution:

Player-coach mentality and actively able to contribute to design when required.

Oversee the design of intuitive, user-centered features and products that address complex health and wealth challenges.

Ensure design consistency and quality across all platforms by developing and maintaining scalable design systems.

Champion user research and data-driven design, ensuring that design decisions are grounded in user needs and business objectives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Influence:

Partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Growth leadership to shape product strategy and execution.

Facilitate effective communication and collaboration across teams to ensure seamless product development.

Present and communicate design concepts, strategies, and rationale effectively to stakeholders at all levels.

Team Development:

Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing product design team.

Regularly leads and participates in design critiques with hands-on feedback.

Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the design team.

Provide design guidance and support to team members and cross-functional partners to ensure alignment and consistency. Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional experience in product design, 4-5 years in management roles with a proven track record of leading design teams and influencing product strategy.
• Strong portfolio showcasing strategic design thinking, user-centered design solutions, and successful product launches.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor design teams, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.
• Proven experience in conducting user research, usability testing, and data-driven design validation.
• Active engagement with and curiosity about the AI landscape.
• Excellent strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate business goals into design solutions.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate design vision and strategy to diverse audiences.
• Expert-level proficiency with Figma and modern design tools
• SDK design experience is a plus.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in tech startups within healthcare, finance, benefits, or related industries.
• Strong skills in balancing user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.
• Experience building and maintaining design systems across large product suites.
• Demonstrated ability to influence product roadmap through strategic design thinking.
• Openness to adopting new tools, processes, and ways of working to improve outcomes.