Design Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Director

Company: Metalab

Location: Remote (PST to BRT time zones)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Design Leadership & Strategy

Date Posted: May 19, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and mentor design teams to deliver exceptional, high-impact product and brand solutions, balancing hands-on execution with strategic oversight.

• Serve as a key design advisor to clients, guiding them through complex design processes and fostering strong, trusted relationships.

• Drive project success by integrating service design and change management principles to achieve both business goals and user value.

• Cultivate a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance design culture within Metalab, contributing to overall company growth and talent development.

• Actively participate in business development efforts, partnering with sales teams to scope new projects and identify strategic opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior leadership position within a design consultancy. The focus on "Leading by Doing" indicates a hands-on approach, common in agencies and consultancies where leaders remain close to client work while also managing teams. The specified time zone range (PST to BRT) suggests a global client base and a need for asynchronous collaboration skills.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Oversee and guide multiple design teams, ensuring the quality and strategic alignment of all delivered design work.

• Contribute directly to client engagements by applying expertise in product design, design systems, and human-centered design methodologies.

• Develop and present compelling design strategies and solutions to clients, effectively managing feedback and building consensus.

• Collaborate with cross-functional partners (e.g., product, engineering, business development) to drive integrated project success and client satisfaction.

• Mentor and develop design team members, fostering their growth, providing constructive critique, and ensuring a high standard of individual and team performance.

• Support business development activities by contributing to project scoping, proposals, and client relationship building.

• Champion inclusive design practices and a culture of continuous learning and innovation within the design team.

• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices to ensure Metalab remains at the forefront of digital innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a dual focus on client-facing design leadership and internal team management/mentorship. This implies a need for strong client relationship management skills alongside robust people leadership capabilities. The mention of "Service design and change management principles" suggests a strategic focus beyond traditional UX/UI.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio and demonstrable experience in design leadership are paramount. A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, HCI, or a related field can be beneficial but is secondary to practical expertise.

Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in design, with a significant portion in leadership roles managing design teams and client projects.

Required Skills:

• UX Design Leadership: Proven ability to define UX quality standards, drive innovation, and implement best practices across research, strategy, and execution.

• Visual Design Expertise: Strong command over high-quality visual execution, with an awareness of current trends, emerging technologies, and design tooling.

• Product Strategy Acumen: Ability to align design initiatives with overarching product roadmaps, release strategies, and market positioning.

• Critique & Collaboration: Skill in guiding teams to foster a culture of constructive critique, both internally and with external clients.

• Research Proficiency: Experience leveraging qualitative and quantitative data to inform and validate design decisions.

• Content Design Advocacy: Ability to champion clear, compelling communication that aligns with brand strategy and user experience goals.

• Client Engagement & Selling Design: Expertise in acting as a trusted design advisor, presenting work effectively, managing feedback, and crafting compelling narratives to secure client buy-in.

• Creative Direction: Capacity to ensure the strategic and creative impact of all projects, guiding teams through execution and client presentations.

• Systems Design Thinking: Experience defining scalable design systems that enhance usability, adoption, and long-term maintainability.

• Brand Strategy Leadership: Confidence in leading brand workshops and strategy sessions to guide clients toward compelling creative directions.

• Mentorship & Team Development: Demonstrated experience in hiring, mentoring, and developing design team members.

• Communication & Presentation: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence and align diverse stakeholders.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Experience working effectively with product, engineering, and business development teams.

• Community Engagement: Active participation and thought leadership within the design community (e.g., articles, panels).

• Inclusive Design Practices: Commitment to and knowledge of inclusive design principles.

• Change Management & Service Design: Knowledge of change management and service design principles.

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to contribute to business development and client relationship building.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with global client bases and diverse cultural contexts.

• Familiarity with various project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, etc.).

• A proven track record of contributing to business development and client acquisition.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "What we're looking for" section details the core competencies for this role. The emphasis on "Selling Design," "Vision," "Creative Direction," "Systems Design," and "Brand Strategy" highlights the strategic and leadership aspects of the role. The "Requirements" section solidifies these with specific experience needs, particularly in team management and stakeholder influence.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: A curated selection of 3-5 comprehensive case studies demonstrating leadership in product design, brand strategy, and digital innovation. Each case study should highlight:

  • The client's challenge and business objectives.
  • Your specific role and leadership approach.
  • The design process employed (research, strategy, ideation, execution, iteration).
  • Key design decisions and rationale.
  • The impact of the design solution (quantifiable metrics preferred).
  • Collaboration with cross-functional teams and client stakeholders.

• Leadership Examples: Evidence of how you have mentored, managed, and grown design talent, ideally with examples of team development programs or initiatives you've led.

• Strategic Thinking: Demonstrations of how you've aligned design with business goals, developed product roadmaps, or influenced client strategy.

• Systems & Brand: Examples showcasing your approach to design systems, brand strategy development, or complex visual design challenges.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates should be prepared to discuss their methodologies for:

  • Defining and implementing design quality standards.

  • Conducting user research and leveraging data for design validation.

  • Facilitating design critiques and feedback sessions.

  • Developing and scaling design systems.

  • Leading brand strategy and experience concept development.

  • Integrating change management and service design principles into project workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Director role, the portfolio is crucial. It needs to showcase not only design craft but also strategic thinking, leadership, client management, and process. The emphasis is on demonstrating impact and the ability to lead complex, multi-faceted projects from conception to successful delivery, often in a client-facing consultancy environment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the seniority (10+ years experience), leadership responsibilities, and fully remote nature across multiple time zones (PST to BRT), a competitive salary range is expected. For senior Design Directors in North America and similar markets, this typically falls between $180,000 - $250,000 USD annually, depending on specific experience, location within the broader supported time zones, and negotiation. For candidates in regions within the BRT timezone, local market rates would apply, potentially adjusting the upper end of this range.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and company holidays.

• Retirement savings plan (e.g., 401k) with company match.

• Professional development budget for conferences, training, and certifications relevant to design leadership and innovation.

• Home office stipend to ensure a productive remote work environment.

• Opportunities for performance-based bonuses or profit sharing.

• Paid parental leave.

• Potential for stock options or equity in a growing company.

Working Hours: While a standard 40-hour work week is typical, flexibility is expected given the remote nature and client-facing responsibilities across extensive time zones (PST to BRT). This role will require availability for key client meetings, team syncs, and project deadlines, which may occasionally fall outside of standard business hours in the candidate's immediate location.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on industry benchmarks for senior design leadership roles in tech/consulting, considering the remote aspect and broad time zone support. Benefits are standard for full-time roles in similar companies, with an emphasis on professional development and remote work support.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Product Development & Design Consultancy. Metalab partners with companies to create impactful digital products that drive market change and improve lives. They operate at the intersection of technology, design, and business strategy.

Company Size: Likely mid-sized to large for a consultancy, given the need for structured leadership roles like a Design Director and a global presence implied by the time zone range. This size allows for cross-functional collaboration while maintaining agility.

Founded: Metalab was founded in 2006. This long history suggests a stable, experienced organization with a refined approach to client service and design methodology.

Team Structure:

• The Design Director will likely lead a significant portion of the design team, potentially overseeing multiple project teams or a specific discipline (e.g., Product Design, Brand Design).

• This role involves close collaboration with other Directors (e.g., Engineering, Product, Strategy) and the executive leadership team.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: A core philosophy, ensuring all work is grounded in user needs and research.

• Agile & Iterative Development: Projects likely follow agile principles, with a focus on rapid prototyping, testing, and iteration.

• Strategic Partnerships: Metalab positions itself as a true partner to clients, not just a vendor, implying a deep involvement in client strategy and business goals.

• Design Thinking: Principles of design thinking are integral to problem-solving and innovation.

• Data-Informed Decisions: While driven by user needs, design decisions are also informed by qualitative and quantitative data.

Company Website: [Metalab Website URL - Assuming this would be provided by the user if available, otherwise placeholder]

📝 Enhancement Note: Metalab's established history and focus on "changing the world" through products suggest a culture that values innovation, high-quality output, and strong client partnerships. The size and structure support a leadership role with significant influence.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role, typically considered Principal or Director level within a design organization. It requires a blend of deep technical design expertise, strategic business acumen, and proven people leadership. The scope includes overseeing significant design output, client relationships, and team development.

Reporting Structure: The Design Director would likely report to a Chief Design Officer, VP of Design, or a senior executive responsible for client services or operations. They will manage a team of Design Leads, Senior Designers, and individual contributors.

Operations Impact: The Design Director's impact is multifaceted:

• Client Success: Directly influences the quality and strategic success of client product and brand initiatives, driving client satisfaction and repeat business.

• Revenue Generation: Contributes to business development, scoping, and client retention, thereby impacting the company's revenue.

• Talent Development: Shapes the skills and career paths of the design team, building internal capacity and retaining top talent.

• Brand Reputation: Upholds and elevates Metalab's reputation for design excellence in the market.

• Innovation: Drives the adoption of new design methodologies, technologies, and creative approaches.

Growth Opportunities:

• Executive Leadership: Potential to move into VP or Chief Design Officer roles, overseeing larger design organizations or multiple disciplines.

• Practice Leadership: Specializing in leading a specific design practice (e.g., Product Design, Brand Strategy) at a higher level.

• Business Development Focus: Transitioning into a more client-acquisition-focused role, leveraging design expertise to drive sales.

• Thought Leadership: Becoming a recognized expert and spokesperson for Metalab in the broader design and tech community.

• Strategic Consulting: Deepening involvement in high-level client business strategy and digital transformation initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a significant career milestone, offering leadership across multiple dimensions: client work, team management, and company strategy. Growth opportunities are geared towards broader organizational leadership or specialized strategic consulting.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This implies a distributed workforce with a strong emphasis on asynchronous communication and collaboration tools.

Office Location(s): Candidates are expected to be located within the PST to BRT time zones. This broad geographic spread necessitates robust remote work infrastructure and practices.

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration Hub: Reliance on tools like Slack, Zoom, Figma, Notion, and project management software for communication, design collaboration, and workflow management.

• Asynchronous Workflows: Processes designed to accommodate team members working across different schedules and locations, with clear documentation and communication protocols.

• Virtual Team Building: Initiatives to foster connection and camaraderie among a distributed team, compensating for the lack of a physical office.

• Focus on Autonomy: A work environment that trusts individuals to manage their time and tasks effectively, with clear objectives and deliverables.

Work Schedule: While the core work week is likely 40 hours, the remote and global nature requires flexibility. Some meetings may be scheduled to accommodate different time zones, and employees are expected to be responsive within reasonable working hours. The role demands proactive time management to balance client demands, team needs, and personal work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature is a defining characteristic. Success in this role hinges on strong self-management, excellent digital communication skills, and the ability to foster team cohesion and client engagement without physical proximity.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio by a recruiter or hiring manager to assess alignment with the core requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Interview: A session where you present a selection of your work, focusing on leadership, strategy, and impact. This will be followed by in-depth questions about your experience, leadership style, and approach to design challenges.

• Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with other design leaders, directors, or senior team members to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and technical depth.

• Executive Interview: A final conversation with senior leadership (e.g., CEO, Head of Design) to discuss strategic vision, company alignment, and overall fit for the organization.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select case studies that best showcase your leadership, strategic thinking, and impact on business outcomes, not just aesthetic execution.

• Tell a Story: Frame each case study as a narrative: the problem, your approach, the solution, and the results. Clearly articulate your role and decision-making process.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your design solutions.

• Highlight Leadership: Include examples of how you've mentored teams, improved processes, or influenced stakeholders.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design philosophy, how you handle difficult clients or team dynamics, and your vision for design at Metalab.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a hypothetical design challenge or a deep dive into a past project where you had to solve a complex problem under pressure.

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, especially when faced with ambiguity.

• Demonstrate your ability to think strategically and consider business objectives alongside user needs.

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach building and scaling a design team or practice.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Design Director is rigorous, focusing on strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and proven impact. The portfolio review is central, requiring candidates to effectively communicate their value proposition and leadership approach.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (primary), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects).

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Microsoft Teams.

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, Monday.com.

• Documentation & Knowledge Sharing: Notion, Confluence, Google Drive.

• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Maze, Hotjar, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Salesforce, HubSpot (for understanding client engagement and sales pipeline context).

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with industry-standard design tools like Figma is essential. The role also requires mastery of collaborative and project management software to facilitate remote work and cross-functional team coordination. Familiarity with analytics tools is beneficial for data-informed design.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence: A commitment to delivering outstanding, high-quality design solutions that exceed client expectations.

• Collaboration: Fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and contribute to better outcomes.

• Innovation: Encouraging creative thinking, experimentation, and the adoption of new technologies and methodologies.

• Impact: Focusing on creating designs that not only look good but also drive tangible business results and improve user lives.

• Client Partnership: Building deep, trusted relationships with clients, acting as strategic advisors.

• Continuous Learning: Promoting a culture of growth, skill development, and staying ahead of industry trends.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Teamwork: Seamless integration with product managers, engineers, strategists, and business development teams.

• Constructive Critique: A culture of open, honest, and respectful feedback to elevate the quality of work.

• Shared Ownership: Encouraging a sense of collective responsibility for project success and team growth.

• Transparent Communication: Open channels for sharing information, ideas, and challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Metalab's ethos suggests a culture that values high performance, collaborative problem-solving, and a genuine desire to make a significant impact for clients. The emphasis on inclusivity and continuous learning is key for attracting and retaining top talent.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Leadership and Execution: Effectively managing time to provide strategic direction, mentor teams, and still contribute hands-on to critical design work.

• Managing Remote Teams: Ensuring strong team cohesion, communication, and productivity across dispersed locations and time zones.

• Navigating Client Ambiguity: Guiding clients through complex challenges where objectives may be unclear or evolving, requiring strong strategic and communication skills.

• Maintaining Design Quality at Scale: Ensuring consistent high standards across multiple projects and a growing team.

• Staying Ahead of Industry Trends: Continuously adapting to new technologies, design paradigms, and user expectations.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Training: Access to resources or programs focused on executive leadership, business strategy, and client management.

• Industry Conferences & Events: Opportunities to attend leading design and technology conferences to gain insights and network.

• Mentorship from Senior Leadership: Guidance from Metalab's executive team on career progression and strategic decision-making.

• Specialized Skill Development: Support for deepening expertise in areas like AI in design, advanced service design, or digital transformation strategy.

• Building and Scaling Design Practices: Opportunities to shape and grow Metalab's design offerings and capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to senior leadership roles in a dynamic, client-facing consultancy. The growth opportunities are geared towards further executive advancement and specialized strategic leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance hands-on design execution with team leadership on a critical project. How did you manage your time and priorities?"

• "How do you define and uphold design quality standards within a team, especially when working remotely?"

• "Walk us through a complex client engagement where you acted as a strategic design advisor. What were the key challenges, and how did you ensure project success and client satisfaction?"

• "How would you approach building a design culture of constructive critique and continuous learning within a distributed team?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What attracts you to Metalab's mission and approach to partnering with clients?"

• "How do you foster inclusivity and a sense of belonging within a remote design team?"

• "What is your philosophy on mentorship, and how do you support the growth of designers on your team?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Leadership Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate your role as a leader, the strategic decisions you influenced, and the outcomes achieved.

• Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Show how your designs aligned with business goals, addressed market opportunities, or solved complex user problems.

• Explain Your Process: Be ready to detail your methodology, including research, ideation, iteration, and collaboration, and why you chose those approaches.

• Use Visual Aids: Ensure your presentation is visually compelling, using mockups, journey maps, or other relevant artifacts effectively.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design rationale, handling of challenges, and future vision for design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, client management, and team development capabilities. Preparing specific examples from past experience will be critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Director position:

• Submit your application through the Metalab careers portal via the provided Greenhouse link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies showcasing leadership, strategic impact, and client engagement. Tailor your presentation to highlight experience relevant to Metalab's mission and the specified PST to BRT time zones.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your years of experience, leadership responsibilities, key achievements in design direction, team management, and client relations. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice presenting your portfolio and articulating your approach to design challenges, client management, and team leadership. Be ready to discuss your design philosophy and how it aligns with Metalab's values.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Metalab's recent work, client portfolio, and company culture. Understand their approach to design and client partnerships.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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