Experience Design Director, Agentic UI

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Experience Design Director, Agentic UI

Company: APPLY

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Hybrid/Remote Friendly, ET or PT work hours required)

Job Type: Full-Time Permanent

Category: Experience Design / UI/UX Leadership (with a focus on AI-native workflows)

Date Posted: June 02, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years (Senior Leadership)

Remote Status: Remote OK (within Canada, aligning with ET or PT time zones)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic execution and hands-on design of next-generation AI-driven User Interfaces (UI) and agentic workflows for leading consumer and entertainment brands.

• Act as a senior technical practitioner, spending at least 50% of time actively designing with AI agents and advanced tooling to drive craft and efficiency.

• Own and evolve APPLY's agentic UI design processes, standards, and best practices, ensuring high-quality, scalable, and developer-ready design systems.

• Serve as a trusted, deeply technical design partner to clients and internal teams, driving both high-level strategy and meticulous technical execution.

• Champion the integration of AI tooling, such as Claude Design, into the core design process to automate tasks, manage tokens, and enhance creative output.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is highly specialized, focusing on the emerging field of "Agentic UI" and AI-native design workflows. Candidates must demonstrate not only traditional UI/UX leadership but also a strong aptitude and hands-on experience with AI design tools and systems-level thinking. The emphasis on being a "doer with AI" and spending 50% of time actively designing with agents is a critical differentiator.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design Leadership & Quality Assurance:

  • Set and rigorously uphold the highest standards for UI design quality across all client engagements, from foundational token architecture to production-ready screen designs.
  • Lead the creation and governance of comprehensive design systems, including token architecture, component libraries, theming strategies, and documentation, ensuring scalability and maintainability.
  • Actively design and prototype complex, multi-product, and multi-platform user interfaces, leveraging atomic design methodology.
  • Champion and embed design frameworks, UX principles, and visual consistency practices throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Drive a robust design critique culture, fostering structured feedback loops to elevate the quality and integrity of design deliverables.

• AI & Agentic Workflow Integration:

  • Champion and integrate agentic design workflows and AI-powered tooling (e.g., Claude Design, BMAD) to accelerate design system production and automate token management.
  • Explore and implement innovative ways AI can unlock new levels of craft, efficiency, and predictive design capabilities.
  • Define best practices for collaborating with AI agents in the design process, ensuring seamless human-AI synergy.

• Client & Stakeholder Partnership:

  • Serve as a senior design authority in client relationships, confidently presenting design concepts, strategic rationale, and technical recommendations to executive stakeholders.
  • Lead discovery, alignment, and design review sessions with key client personnel.
  • Build and maintain trusted, strategic relationships with clients, positioning APPLY as a leading partner in CX vision and execution.
  • Foster seamless cross-functional collaboration with product management, engineering, strategy, and delivery teams to ensure integrated project execution.

• Practice & Strategic Growth:

  • Define, evolve, and document APPLY's UI and experience design practice, including tooling, processes, and emerging standards.

  • Contribute to business development by supporting proposals, pitches, and demonstrating design capabilities.

  • Represent APPLY's design expertise externally through thought leadership, community engagement, and industry participation.

  • Stay abreast of emerging design trends, AI tools, and shifts in the digital landscape, particularly within the Canadian market.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus: hands-on execution with AI tools and strategic leadership in defining design practices. The role requires a practitioner who can "do the work" alongside AI while also guiding the broader team and client on the future of AI-driven design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is highly valued. Equivalent practical experience and demonstrated expertise will be considered. Experience:

• 8+ years of progressive experience in UI/UX design, with a significant portion focused on complex digital products and platforms.

• Minimum of 3 years in a senior leadership or director-level role, managing design teams and leading large-scale client engagements.

• Proven track record of successfully leading UI Design and managing teams of UI designers on substantial client projects.

• Direct experience working with AI-powered design workflows and tools, specifically Claude Design and/or agentic workflow platforms like BMAD.

• Extensive experience in building and governing comprehensive design systems, from foundational token architecture to component libraries and multi-platform scalability. Required Skills:

• Agentic UI & AI Design: Expert proficiency and hands-on experience with AI-driven design tools (e.g., Claude Design, Figma Make) and agentic workflows.

• Design Systems Expertise: Deep understanding of token architecture, component governance, atomic design principles, theming strategies, and practical implementation across multi-platform environments.

• UI/UX Craftsmanship: Exceptional skill in screen design, interaction design, prototyping, and visual design, with a keen eye for detail and user-centered principles.

• Figma Proficiency: Expert-level command of Figma, including advanced features for design systems, collaboration, and potentially automation via plugins or scripting.

• Client Relationship Management: Proven ability to build and sustain strong senior client relationships, present complex ideas effectively, and act as a trusted strategic advisor.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Demonstrated success working effectively with product managers, engineers, strategists, and other stakeholders in a consultancy or agency setting.

• Communication & Storytelling: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale, strategy, and technical details compellingly.

• Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Comfort navigating ambiguity, managing competing priorities, and thriving in the fast-paced environment of a growing consultancy.

• Canadian Work Eligibility: Must be eligible to work in Canada and able to work within Eastern Time (ET) or Pacific Time (PT) business hours.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Headless CMS design and integration.

• Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1/2.2, AODA compliance).

• Background in graphic design, product design, or brand design.

• Knowledge of front-end development principles (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and their impact on design implementation.

• Active participation in Canadian design communities, conferences, or industry networks.

• Bilingualism (English/French).

• Experience working with Canadian public sector, financial services, retail, or healthcare clients.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must Haves" strongly emphasize hands-on experience with AI design tools and design systems. The role is not just about managing designers but about being a principal practitioner in this new domain. The "Nice to Haves" suggest potential areas for growth and specific industry value.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• AI-Native Design Case Studies: Showcase at least one significant project where AI tools were instrumental in the design process, highlighting efficiency gains, novel solutions, or accelerated output. Detail the specific AI tools used and the role they played.

• Design System Leadership: Provide comprehensive examples of design systems you have architected, governed, and implemented. This should include documentation of token architecture, component libraries, governance models, and examples of their application across multiple products or platforms.

• Complex Multi-Platform Projects: Demonstrate experience leading UI design for intricate projects spanning multiple products, devices, or channels, showcasing your ability to maintain consistency and coherence across diverse user experiences.

• Headless CMS Integration (Preferred): If applicable, include case studies that highlight experience designing for or integrating with headless content management systems, demonstrating an understanding of content modeling and flexible UI delivery.

• Client-Facing Deliverables: Include examples of client presentations, design strategies, and final screen designs that illustrate your ability to influence stakeholders and deliver high-quality, impactful creative work.

Process Documentation:

• AI Workflow Design: Document your approach to defining and optimizing AI-assisted design workflows, including steps for prompt engineering, agent interaction, and quality control.

• Design System Governance: Outline your methodology for establishing and maintaining design system governance, including processes for contribution, versioning, and adoption.

• Agile Design Integration: Demonstrate how you integrate design processes within agile development methodologies, ensuring continuous collaboration and iterative delivery.

• Metrics & Performance Measurement: Provide examples of how you measure the success and impact of your design work, particularly related to efficiency, user satisfaction, and business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are heavily geared towards demonstrating practical application of AI in design and robust design system expertise. Candidates should prepare to walk through specific projects, detailing their individual contributions and the strategic decisions made, especially concerning AI integration and system design.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on current market data for Director-level Experience Design roles in Toronto, Canada, with specialized AI and Design Systems expertise, the estimated annual salary range is CAD $150,000 - $210,000. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, qualifications, and the final scope of responsibilities. Benefits:

• Agentic Delivery: Opportunity to work with cutting-edge AI tools and modern delivery methodologies on impactful projects for international brands.

• AI & Strategic Upskilling: Generous training budgets and mentorship focused on developing expertise in Agentic AI and critical future-of-work skills.

• Generous Vacation Policy: Flexible Personal Time Off (PTO) to promote work-life balance and overall well-being.

• Customizable Benefits: Extended health and dental plan that can be tailored to individual needs and priorities.

• Flexible Work Arrangements: Options for remote, in-office, or hybrid work, supporting diverse working styles.

• Inclusive and Safe Environment: Commitment to fostering a welcoming and safe community where differences are celebrated.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, estimated at 40 hours per week.

• Candidates must be able to work in hours that align with Eastern Time (ET) or Pacific Time (PT) in Canada to facilitate client and team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on industry benchmarks for senior design leadership roles in a major Canadian city, adjusted for the specialized AI and agentic workflow requirements. The benefits package emphasizes professional development, flexibility, and well-being, which are attractive to senior talent.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Consulting, Specialized in Agentic Customer Experience (ACx) for Retail, CPG, Sports, and Media.

Company Size: Estimated 50-200 employees (based on typical consultancy growth phases and typical Lever.co company profiles). This size suggests a dynamic, agile environment with opportunities for significant individual impact.

Founded: APPLY was founded to address the growing need for AI-native CX solutions. The company's founding principles likely revolve around innovation, client-centricity, and leveraging emerging technologies.

Team Structure:

• Experience Design Team: This role reports to the Head of Experience Design. The team likely comprises senior and mid-level UI/UX designers, interaction designers, and potentially researchers. The Director will be a key leader within this practice.

• Agentic Delivery Focus: The company emphasizes an "AI-native delivery model," suggesting that teams are structured and operate with a deep integration of AI tools and methodologies.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: APPLY likely operates with project-based, cross-functional teams, bringing together design, strategy, product, and engineering expertise to deliver client solutions. Collaboration is key to their consultancy model.

Methodology:

• AI-Native Delivery: Core to APPLY's approach is the integration of AI across all facets of client work, from strategy and design to execution.

• Design Systems as Foundation: A strong emphasis on design systems ensures consistency, scalability, and efficiency across client projects.

• Client-Centric Problem Solving: The company partners with ambitious brands, indicating a focus on understanding client business challenges and delivering tangible commercial results through CX innovation.

• Agile & Iterative: As a consultancy, agile and iterative methodologies are likely employed to adapt to client needs and project complexities.

Company Website: http://applydigital.com

📝 Enhancement Note: APPLY positions itself as a forward-thinking consultancy at the intersection of AI and customer experience. The culture likely values innovation, technical excellence, client partnership, and a proactive approach to adopting new technologies. The "Agentic" aspect is central to their identity and operations.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level:

• This role represents a senior leadership position within the Experience Design function. It's a Director-level role at a specialized consultancy, indicating significant responsibility for setting practice standards, leading client engagements, and mentoring a team of designers. It's a blend of individual contributor (50% hands-on AI design) and strategic practice leader. Reporting Structure:

• The Experience Design Director, Agentic UI will report directly to the Head of Experience Design. They will likely lead a team of UI designers and work closely with other design leaders, project managers, strategists, and engineering leads. Operations Impact:

• This role has a direct impact on APPLY's ability to deliver cutting-edge AI-driven CX solutions to its high-profile clients. By leading the charge in agentic UI design and design systems, the Director will:

  • Enhance the quality and efficiency of client deliverables, directly contributing to client satisfaction and retention.

  • Drive innovation in APPLY's service offerings, positioning the company as a leader in AI-native CX.

  • Influence the commercial success of client brands by enabling superior digital experiences.

  • Shape the future of design practice within APPLY and potentially the broader industry. Growth Opportunities:

• Practice Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into a more senior leadership role, overseeing larger design practices or expanding the scope of agentic design services.

• AI Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI applications for design, becoming a recognized thought leader in agentic workflows and AI-native CX.

• Client Strategy Influence: Take on more strategic client-facing roles, influencing overall CX vision and digital transformation roadmaps for major brands.

• Mentorship & Team Development: Lead and mentor a team of talented designers, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous learning.

• Business Development Contribution: Play a key role in shaping and selling new service offerings related to AI and advanced design.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of AI in design. Growth is tied to both advancing the company's capabilities in agentic design and expanding one's own leadership and technical expertise in this rapidly evolving field.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid/Remote Friendly. APPLY emphasizes flexibility, allowing individuals to work remotely or from an office environment, or a blend of both. The company likely maintains office spaces for collaboration, client meetings, and team gatherings.

Office Location(s): While the primary requirement is eligibility to work in Canada and alignment with ET/PT time zones, specific office locations are not detailed. However, given the Toronto mention, it's likely that Toronto is a key hub, and other Canadian locations may be supported.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative & Innovative: The environment is expected to be dynamic, fostering collaboration among dispersed teams using modern communication and collaboration tools. The focus on AI and cutting-edge CX suggests an innovative and results-oriented atmosphere.

• Technology-Rich: Access to advanced design tools, AI platforms, and robust IT infrastructure is a given, supporting the "hands-on doer with AI" aspect of the role.

• Client-Focused: As a consultancy, the work environment is inherently client-focused, with a strong emphasis on delivering value and building strong client relationships.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time commitment (approx. 40 hours/week).

• Flexibility is offered, but adherence to ET or PT business hours is crucial for effective collaboration with clients and internal teams across different time zones. This means core working hours will be aligned with North American business days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid/remote aspect combined with specific time zone requirements indicates a focus on asynchronous work where possible, but with critical synchronous touchpoints for team and client interaction. This requires strong self-management and communication skills.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and portfolios for alignment with core requirements, particularly experience with AI design tools and design systems.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the Head of Experience Design or another senior design leader to assess leadership style, strategic thinking, hands-on capabilities, and understanding of agentic workflows.

3. Portfolio & Craft Review: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio with a panel of senior designers and/or engineers. This session will focus on specific case studies, design decisions, AI integration, design system architecture, and problem-solving approaches. Expect detailed questions on your process and impact.

4. Cross-functional Interview: Meeting with key stakeholders from product, engineering, or strategy to evaluate collaboration skills, technical understanding, and ability to integrate design into broader project lifecycles.

5. Final Round/Executive Interview: Potentially a meeting with a company principal or senior executive to discuss overall vision, cultural fit, and strategic contribution to APPLY.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight AI Integration: Clearly articulate how you used AI tools in your projects. What was the problem? What AI solution did you implement? What was the outcome (efficiency, quality, innovation)? Quantify where possible.

• Showcase Design System Mastery: Detail your approach to token architecture, component libraries, and governance. Use diagrams or clear examples to illustrate your system's structure and scalability.

• Demonstrate Leadership & "Doer" Capability: Balance examples of leading teams and strategic decision-making with clear evidence of your hands-on design work, especially with AI.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, frame it as a narrative: the challenge, your approach (especially AI and system aspects), the solution, and the measurable impact.

• Tailor to APPLY: Research APPLY's work and client list. If possible, subtly tailor your presentation to align with their known projects or industries (Retail, CPG, Sports, Media).

Challenge Preparation:

• AI Workflow Design Challenge: Be prepared for a hypothetical or actual challenge to design an AI-assisted workflow for a specific task (e.g., generating design variations, automating token updates).

• Design System Audit/Improvement: You might be asked to critique an existing design system or propose improvements for a given scenario.

• Client Presentation Simulation: Practice presenting a design strategy or a set of UI concepts with a focus on AI integration and system coherence. Be ready to defend your design decisions and explain the "why" behind them.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to rigorously assess both leadership and hands-on technical skills, with a strong emphasis on the novel aspects of AI-driven design and robust design systems. Candidates must be ready to demonstrate practical application and strategic thinking.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expert proficiency required for UI design, prototyping, and design system management. Specific mention of "Figma Make" suggests familiarity with AI-assisted features within Figma or related plugins.

• Claude Design: Explicitly required, indicating a need for direct experience with this AI design tool or similar agentic AI platforms.

• Agentic Workflow Tools (e.g., BMAD): Experience with platforms designed to orchestrate AI agents for design tasks is highly valued.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other advanced prototyping tools may be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as a requirement for this role, a Director of Experience Design should be comfortable interpreting analytics to inform design decisions and measure impact. Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, or similar platforms could be advantageous. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the design function, but understanding how design integrates with CRM and marketing automation platforms could be a plus in client engagements. Design System Management Tools:

• Beyond Figma, candidates might leverage tools for design token management, component documentation (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook), and version control.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily weighted towards modern design tools with a strong emphasis on AI integration (Claude Design, Figma Make) and robust design system capabilities. Candidates must be proficient in these tools and demonstrate an understanding of how they form a cohesive workflow.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: A commitment to exploring and integrating emerging technologies like AI to redefine customer experiences.

• Craftsmanship & Quality: A dedication to delivering exceptionally high-quality design work, with meticulous attention to detail and system integrity.

• Client Partnership: A value placed on building strong, trusted relationships with clients, acting as strategic advisors to drive business outcomes.

• Efficiency & Scalability: Embracing methodologies and tools that enable efficient delivery and scalable design solutions through robust design systems.

• Collaboration & Inclusivity: Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are welcomed, and teams work together effectively to achieve common goals.

Collaboration Style:

• AI-Augmented: Collaboration will increasingly involve working alongside AI agents as integrated team members.

• Cross-functional Synergy: Strong emphasis on seamless collaboration between design, product, engineering, strategy, and client teams.

• Open Feedback Culture: Encouraging constructive critique and feedback to continuously improve the quality of work and team dynamics.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing best practices, learnings, and new insights, particularly around AI and design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at APPLY appears to be a blend of a modern, tech-forward consultancy focused on AI innovation and a people-centric organization that values collaboration, well-being, and professional growth. The "Agentic" aspect implies a forward-thinking, almost experimental approach to how work gets done.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Pioneering Agentic Design: Being at the forefront of a new field means navigating ambiguity, defining best practices, and educating clients and internal teams on the potential and limitations of AI in design.

• Balancing Hands-on Craft with Leadership: Effectively dedicating 50% of time to direct design execution while also fulfilling senior leadership responsibilities for practice, team, and client management.

• Rapid Technological Evolution: Keeping pace with the incredibly fast advancements in AI and design tools, and continuously adapting the team's skillset and methodologies.

• Client Adoption of AI: Guiding clients who may be hesitant or unfamiliar with AI-driven design processes, demonstrating value and building trust.

• Scalability of AI Workflows: Ensuring that AI-assisted design processes can be reliably scaled across multiple complex client projects.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep AI Specialization: Unparalleled opportunity to become an expert in AI-driven design, a highly sought-after skill set.

• Thought Leadership: Chance to shape the narrative and establish APPLY as a leader in Agentic CX and AI-native design through external speaking, writing, and community engagement.

• Cross-Industry Exposure: Working with a diverse portfolio of clients across Retail, CPG, Sports, and Media provides broad industry experience.

• Advanced Design System Development: Opportunity to work on and evolve sophisticated design systems for major brands, pushing the boundaries of system architecture and governance.

• Mentorship and Team Building: Developing leadership skills by mentoring and growing a team of talented designers in a cutting-edge field.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant challenges due to its pioneering nature, but these are directly tied to substantial growth opportunities for individuals looking to shape the future of design and AI.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you define and implement an 'agentic UI design workflow' for a new client project, considering both AI agents and human designers?"

• "Describe your philosophy on design systems. How do you ensure a system is both robust in its architecture (tokens, components) and adaptable for different client needs and platforms?"

• "Walk us through a complex multi-platform design challenge you led. How did you ensure consistency and a cohesive user experience?"

• "How do you balance hands-on design work with leadership responsibilities, especially when you're expected to be a 'doer with AI' for 50% of your time?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about APPLY's focus on 'Agentic Customer Experience' and AI-native delivery?"

• "How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning within a design team, particularly around emerging technologies like AI?"

• "Describe a time you had to build trust with a senior client stakeholder who was initially skeptical of your design approach or recommendations."

• "How do you approach cross-functional collaboration with engineering and product teams to ensure design is effectively integrated into the development lifecycle?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with your most relevant AI-driven design case studies. Clearly state the problem, your role (especially your AI contributions), the solution, and the quantifiable outcomes (efficiency, quality, business impact).

• Deep Dive on AI Integration: For AI-related projects, be ready to explain the specific AI tools used, the prompts or strategies employed, and the benefits derived. Don't just show the output; explain the process.

• Design System Walkthrough: Dedicate time to showcase your design system expertise. Use visuals to explain token hierarchies, component libraries, governance, and how the system supports scalability and consistency.

• Leadership Narrative: Weave in examples of your leadership, team management, and client engagement throughout your presentation. Show how you elevate the work of others and influence stakeholders.

• Prepare for Technical Questions: Be ready for in-depth questions about Figma capabilities, design system architecture, and potentially front-end development implications.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on articulating your unique value proposition at the intersection of AI, design systems, and leadership. Be ready to demonstrate practical application and strategic thinking with concrete examples.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Experience Design Director position:

• Submit your application through the provided Lever.co link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies demonstrating your hands-on experience with AI design tools (like Claude Design) and your leadership in building and governing sophisticated design systems.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 8+ years of UI/UX experience, leadership roles, specific AI design tool proficiency, and any experience with Headless CMS, accessibility standards, or relevant industries. Use keywords like "Agentic UI," "AI-native," "Design Systems," "Token Architecture," and "Figma."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your experience with AI workflows, design system strategy, and client leadership. Prepare to walk through your portfolio with confidence, focusing on your direct contributions and the impact of your work.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with APPLY's mission, client base (Retail, CPG, Sports, Media), and their emphasis on Agentic Customer Experience. Understand their culture of innovation and client partnership.

⚠️ 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.