Lead Designer - Design Systems
Lead the evolution of a scalable design system that integrates brand expression with accessible, user-centered product experiences. The role partners with executive, product, engineering, and design stakeholders and requires extensive senior-level design-system experience plus strong cross-functional leadership and communication.
About the job
Responsibilities
- Partner with executive and design leadership to integrate brand values and vision into the design system.
- Translate brand concepts such as tone, character, and purpose into reusable design components.
- Lead the transformation of brand values into scalable color, typography, motion, iconography, and interaction systems.
- Refine visual language while maintaining usability and accessibility.
- Bridge brand and product teams, balancing storytelling with usability, performance, technical feasibility, business goals, and user needs.
- Develop and maintain design tokens, Figma libraries, documentation, and governance models.
- Lead design-system evolution, adoption, and process improvement across products and platforms.
- Coordinate design, engineering, and product teams on system implementation.
- Communicate design decisions and strategies to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Establish best practices and ensure components are documented, usable, and adaptable.
- Mentor junior designers and promote design excellence and continuous learning.
Requirements
- Extensive senior-level experience designing, developing, and maintaining scalable design systems, with a focus on brand integration.
- Deep knowledge of design theory, systems thinking, and brand expression.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex projects from inception through execution.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Experience mentoring and guiding junior designers.
Compensation
- Annual base salary: $200,000-$250,000.
- Additional bonus or sales incentives, equity, and benefits may apply based on experience, skills, education, training, geographic location, and role.
- Benefits include medical, dental, vision, HSA/FSA accounts, commuter benefits, life and disability insurance, 401(k) match, parental leave, paid time off, holidays, wellness and childcare discounts, learning and development benefits, and other employee programs.
Skills
Design Systems, Brand Design, Systems Thinking, Design Tokens, Figma, Typography, Motion Design, Iconography, Interaction Design, Accessibility, Usability, Design Documentation
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