Head of Design

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Head of Design

Company: Blackboard

Location: Remote - United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Design Leadership / Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-11-03T00:00:00

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and strategically evolve Blackboard's global User Experience and Design (UXD) organization, shaping the vision and strategy for all product experiences.

• Drive product design decisions from early discovery through delivery by deeply embedding design within Product Management and Product Development.

• Champion the adoption and responsible use of generative AI and LLM-based technologies within the design practice to enhance exploration, prototyping, and testing.

• Foster an agile, inclusive, and high-performing design culture that prioritizes rapid iteration, continuous learning, and measurable outcomes for customers and the business.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role of Head of Design at Blackboard is positioned as a critical executive leadership function, deeply integrated with product strategy and technology innovation. This is not solely a management role but requires hands-on engagement with emerging AI technologies, strategic vision for user experience across a diverse product suite (LMS, Ally, Institutional Effectiveness), and the ability to lead a globally distributed team. The emphasis on AI-first design and responsible use of LLMs indicates a forward-thinking approach to product development.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Refine and evolve the overall design vision and strategy for Blackboard's product portfolio, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy, product roadmaps, and desired business outcomes.

• Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing, diverse, and geographically distributed UXD organization, comprising Product Design, Research, Documentation, and Accessibility specialists.

• Establish and foster strong partnerships with Product Management and Product Development leadership to ensure design is a core, integral component of product planning, prioritization, and execution processes.

• Act as a primary advocate for the user throughout the entire product lifecycle, leveraging user research, customer feedback, and usability testing to inform decisions and validate proposed solutions.

• Spearhead the integration of generative AI into the daily design practice, utilizing tools like Figma Make, Claude Design, and other LLM-based technologies, and establishing clear guidelines for their responsible and ethical application.

• Oversee and optimize design operations, including the management of design systems, tooling, workflows, and quality standards to ensure the delivery of consistent, accessible, and scalable user experiences.

• Champion accessibility and inclusive design principles as the non-negotiable standard for all product experiences shipped by the company.

• Cultivate an agile and iterative design culture that embraces rapid experimentation, learning from data, user insights, and cross-functional collaboration to refine solutions.

• Clearly define and implement robust roles, responsibilities, and collaborative working models between design, product management, and development teams.

• Present design strategy, research findings, and proposed solutions to executive teams, customers, and industry forums, effectively articulating the value and impact of design.

• Manage the design department's budget, resources, and priorities to ensure timely delivery of projects aligned with organizational and product objectives.

• Demonstrate flexibility by adjusting working hours as necessary to effectively support business needs and collaborate with colleagues across global time zones.

• Undertake travel up to 20% of the time to support teams, engage with customers, and represent the company at industry events.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic leadership role that extends beyond traditional design management. The emphasis on "design operations," "AI-first era," and "responsible use" of LLMs suggests a need for a leader who can navigate complex technological shifts and operationalize design at scale. The requirement to "flex working hours" and manage a globally distributed team underscores the importance of strong cross-cultural leadership and adaptability.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.

Experience: A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in user experience, product design, or a closely related field, with a substantial portion dedicated to leading design leaders and individual contributors within a growing organization.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in building, scaling, and managing design organizations of 10+ professionals, encompassing diverse disciplines such as Product Design, UX Research, Technical Documentation, and Accessibility.

• Demonstrated success in leading and nurturing diverse, geographically distributed teams across multiple countries, regions, and time zones, fostering a cohesive and productive environment.

• A strong track record of defining, refining, and executing design strategy at an executive level, with a clear ability to link design initiatives directly to measurable user and business outcomes.

• Hands-on, daily fluency and practical application experience with generative AI design technologies, including but not limited to Figma Make, Claude Design, Claude Code, and other LLM-based tools, coupled with a well-articulated perspective on AI's impact on design.

• Deep expertise in contemporary design tools and methodologies, including Figma, advanced prototyping techniques, and comprehensive design systems, alongside a solid understanding of web standards (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and principles of usability and accessibility.

• Exceptional ability to engage effectively with customers and users through robust design research, iterative testing, and feedback loops to drive product improvements.

• A history of delivering elegant, simple, and effective solutions to complex problems within highly agile and dynamic product development environments.

• Exceptional leadership acumen, with a proven ability to cultivate a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing team culture that drives innovation and excellence.

• Demonstrated flexibility and willingness to work outside standard hours to facilitate collaboration with global colleagues, partners, and customers across different time zones.

• Outstanding communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, with the capability to translate complex design concepts into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences, including executives.

• Proficiency and practical experience with accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), ensuring products meet high standards of inclusivity.

• Fluency in written and spoken English is essential for effective communication within the global team and organization. Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the education technology (EdTech) sector or in developing Enterprise Software as a Service (SaaS) products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of strategic leadership, deep technical design expertise, and experience with cutting-edge technologies like generative AI. The "10+ years" combined with "leading design leaders" clearly indicates a senior executive-level role. The emphasis on global team management and AI fluency are key differentiators.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a portfolio showcasing a strategic approach to evolving design vision and strategy, with examples of how you've connected design to measurable business and user outcomes.

• Include case studies that illustrate your experience in building and scaling design organizations, highlighting team growth, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and leadership development.

• Showcase examples of how you've integrated AI-driven design tools (e.g., Figma Make, Claude Design) into your workflow to accelerate discovery, prototyping, and iteration, with an emphasis on responsible AI usage.

• Present evidence of your ability to manage design operations, including contributions to or leadership of design systems, tooling standardization, workflow optimization, and quality assurance processes that enable scalable, consistent experiences.

• Provide examples of your commitment to accessibility and inclusive design, demonstrating how these principles were embedded into product development and user experiences. Process Documentation:

• Detailed documentation or case studies on how you've established and refined design processes within agile environments, emphasizing rapid iteration, data-driven decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Examples of how you've defined clear roles, responsibilities, and collaborative frameworks between design, product management, and development teams to optimize workflow efficiency and product delivery.

• Evidence of your ability to conduct and leverage user research, customer feedback sessions, and usability testing to drive product decisions and validate solutions, with clear documentation of methodologies and outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the strategic and leadership nature of this role, a portfolio demonstrating not just design output but also strategic leadership, organizational development, and operational excellence in design is critical. The emphasis on AI and accessibility suggests specific areas to highlight.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $186,300 - $200,000 USD per year.

• This range represents the base salary and does not include additional compensation such as company bonuses or other benefits.

• Final placement within this range will be determined by factors including, but not limited to, candidate experience, acquired skills, internal pay equity considerations, and geographic location. Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

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

• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Opportunities for professional development, training, and conference attendance.

• Flexible work arrangements to support work-life balance for remote employees.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week.

• Flexibility is expected to accommodate collaboration with a globally distributed team and support business priorities across different time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range for this senior leadership role in the US is competitive for a Head of Design position, particularly in a remote capacity. The note about placement within the range and factors influencing it is standard for executive compensation. The mention of flexibility in working hours is crucial for a role managing international teams.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education Technology (EdTech) and Software as a Service (SaaS). Blackboard is a leading provider of digital environments for teaching and learning, offering an AI-advanced Learning Management System (LMS), accessibility solutions (Ally), and institutional effectiveness tools.

Company Size: Large (specific employee count not provided, but likely hundreds to thousands given global presence and product suite scope). This size implies a structured environment with established processes, but also potential for significant impact and cross-functional influence.

Founded: Information not explicitly provided, but implied to be a well-established company in the EdTech space.

Team Structure:

• The UXD organization is multidisciplinary, encompassing Product Design, Research, Documentation, and Accessibility.

• It is globally distributed, with team members located in the UK, US, Colombia, and other parts of Europe.

• The Head of Design will act as a peer to leaders in Product Management and Product Development, indicating a collaborative, cross-functional leadership structure. Methodology:

• Emphasis on an "AI-first" approach, with a commitment to integrating generative AI and LLM-based technologies into product development and design processes.

• Focus on agile methodologies, encouraging rapid iteration, continuous learning, and data-driven decision-making.

• Strong emphasis on user-centricity, customer feedback, and research to inform product design and strategy.

• Commitment to accessibility and inclusive design as foundational principles.

Company Website: blackboard.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Blackboard's position as a leader in EdTech, coupled with its focus on AI and global reach, suggests an environment that values innovation, scalability, and impact. The company culture likely balances established practices with a forward-looking approach to technology.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is an executive-level leadership role (Head of Design), responsible for a significant global function. It sits at the top of the design hierarchy within the organization, with direct responsibility for strategy, team growth, and product impact.

Reporting Structure: The Head of Design will likely report to a senior executive, such as a Chief Product Officer (CPO), Chief Technology Officer (CTO), or similar, given the strategic nature of the role and its peer relationship with Product Management and Development leaders.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and profound impact on the user experience of Blackboard's core products, which are central to the teaching and learning process for thousands of institutions. Success in this role directly influences customer satisfaction, product adoption, competitive positioning, and ultimately, business revenue through enhanced product value and innovation.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the future of design and user experience in the EdTech industry, particularly in the context of AI integration, by setting the vision for a major player in the market.

• Organizational Development: Lead the growth and maturation of a global, multidisciplinary design organization, developing talent and building robust design operations.

• Technological Advancement: Be at the forefront of adopting and implementing AI-driven design tools and methodologies, potentially setting new industry standards for how design is executed in an AI-first world.

• Executive Leadership: Further develop executive leadership skills by collaborating with C-suite peers and presenting to executive stakeholders, customers, and industry audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant opportunities for strategic impact and professional growth at an executive level. The focus on AI and global team leadership provides a unique platform for developing advanced leadership competencies.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Remote (United States). This indicates a distributed workforce model, emphasizing asynchronous communication and digital collaboration tools.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote within the US, the design team is globally distributed, including locations in the UK, US, Colombia, and Europe.

Workspace Context:

• The work environment is inherently global and requires proficiency in digital collaboration tools and practices to bridge geographical and time zone differences.

• Access to modern design tools, including those for AI-driven design, prototyping, and design systems, is expected.

• Opportunities for interaction will primarily be through virtual meetings, collaborative platforms, and potentially occasional travel for key meetings or events.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week is the baseline, but significant flexibility is required to accommodate collaboration with international teams and support business priorities across various time zones. This suggests a focus on outcomes and availability rather than strict adherence to a 9-to-5 schedule.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of the role, combined with a globally distributed team, necessitates a strong emphasis on asynchronous communication, digital collaboration tools, and self-management. The requirement for flexibility indicates that the company values global connectivity and responsiveness over rigid schedules.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Deep dive into leadership philosophy, strategic thinking, experience with global teams, and AI/design integration.

• Cross-functional Leadership Interviews: Meetings with peers in Product Management and Product Development to assess collaboration style, strategic alignment, and ability to influence product direction.

• Executive Presentation/Interview: A crucial stage likely involving a presentation of design strategy and vision, followed by Q&A with senior leadership to evaluate executive presence and strategic impact.

• Team/Culture Fit Interviews: Discussions with potential direct reports or other team members to assess leadership style and cultural alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Strategic Vision: Clearly articulate your design philosophy and how you translate it into actionable strategies that drive measurable business and user outcomes.

• Leadership & Growth: Showcase examples of how you've built, scaled, and led diverse, global design teams. Highlight your approach to developing design leaders and fostering an inclusive culture.

• AI Integration: Present specific case studies or examples demonstrating your hands-on experience with generative AI tools in design, your point of view on their impact, and how you've guided teams in their responsible adoption.

• Operational Excellence: Illustrate your experience with design operations, including contributions to design systems, workflow optimization, and quality standards that enable efficient, scalable design delivery.

• Accessibility & Inclusivity: Dedicate a section to demonstrating your commitment and practical application of accessibility (WCAG) and inclusive design principles in your work.

• Problem-Solving: Use examples to show how you've tackled complex design challenges, iterating rapidly and leveraging user insights and data to arrive at elegant solutions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a strategic case study or presentation that requires you to outline a design vision and strategy for a hypothetical Blackboard product or challenge, incorporating AI and accessibility considerations.

• Practice articulating your leadership approach, particularly in managing distributed and diverse teams, and how you foster collaboration and innovation.

• Be ready to discuss your experience with cross-functional partnerships and how you influence product roadmaps and development priorities.

• Prepare to answer questions about your philosophy on design operations, design systems, and how you ensure consistent, high-quality, and accessible experiences at scale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Head of Design role at this level will be rigorous, focusing heavily on strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and the ability to integrate emerging technologies like AI into design practice. A well-curated portfolio that directly addresses these areas will be essential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (including Figma Make), Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), Sketch, InVision, Axure RP.

• Generative AI & LLM Tools: Figma Make, Claude Design, Claude Code, and other Large Language Model (LLM)-based technologies for idea exploration, content generation, and prototyping.

• Design Systems: Experience with creating, maintaining, and scaling design systems (e.g., using tools like Storybook, Zeroheight).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Slack, Microsoft Teams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics: Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, Pendo.

• Reporting Tools: Tableau, Power BI, Looker for data visualization and dashboard creation.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot (understanding how design impacts CRM-driven processes).

• User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Dovetail.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on generative AI tools like Figma Make and Claude is a specific requirement. Proficiency in modern design tools like Figma, design systems, and user research platforms is also critical. Familiarity with analytics tools helps in understanding product performance and user behavior.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of educators and learners, ensuring their experience is at the forefront of all design decisions.

• Innovation & AI Adoption: Embracing new technologies, particularly AI, to drive innovation, improve efficiency, and enhance product capabilities, with a focus on responsible implementation.

• Collaboration & Inclusion: Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, ideas are shared openly, and cross-functional teams work together cohesively across global boundaries.

• Agility & Continuous Learning: Cultivating a culture of rapid iteration, learning from data and feedback, and continuously seeking to improve processes, skills, and product outcomes.

• Excellence & Accountability: Upholding high standards for design quality, accessibility, and execution, with a commitment to delivering impactful results and owning outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: A highly collaborative approach, working closely with Product Management and Product Development as peers to shape product strategy and execution.

• Data-Informed Decision-Making: Utilizing data, user research, and analytics to guide design choices and validate solutions, fostering a culture of evidence-based decision-making.

• Open Feedback Loops: Encouraging a culture of constructive feedback, both within the design team and across departments, to drive continuous improvement and innovation.

• Global Team Cohesion: Proactive efforts to build connection and ensure equitable access and support for team members across multiple geographies and time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values highlight a blend of traditional user advocacy with a modern, forward-looking approach to technology and collaboration, particularly concerning AI and global team dynamics.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Leading a Global, Distributed Team: Effectively managing and unifying a diverse team spread across multiple countries and time zones, ensuring consistent performance, strong communication, and a cohesive culture.

• Integrating AI Responsibly: Navigating the rapid evolution of AI in design, driving adoption while establishing clear ethical guidelines and ensuring responsible use that benefits users and the business without compromising quality or accessibility.

• Balancing Innovation with Scale: Driving cutting-edge design and AI integration while ensuring the scalability, consistency, and accessibility of products used by thousands of institutions.

• Influencing Executive Stakeholders: Effectively communicating the value of design and AI-driven design initiatives to executive leadership and securing buy-in for strategic investments.

• Navigating EdTech Complexity: Understanding and addressing the unique challenges and user needs within the education technology sector, balancing the requirements of diverse stakeholders (students, educators, administrators).

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Design Leadership: Deepen expertise in leveraging generative AI and LLMs for strategic design leadership and organizational efficiency.

• Global Team Management: Enhance skills in leading and developing highly diverse, remote, and international teams.

• EdTech Industry Impact: Gain significant experience and influence within the rapidly evolving EdTech landscape.

• Executive Communication & Strategy: Refine executive presence and strategic articulation through high-level interactions and presentations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a senior leadership role in a global, technology-forward company. The growth opportunities are substantial, particularly for someone looking to make a significant impact in the EdTech sector and lead the charge in AI-driven design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your vision for the future of design in education technology, particularly in an AI-first era. How would you operationalize this vision at Blackboard?" (Preparation: Articulate a forward-thinking perspective on AI's role in EdTech UX, focusing on practical application and Blackboard's specific product suite.)

• "How would you foster a culture of continuous learning and rapid iteration within a globally distributed design team? Provide specific examples of processes or initiatives you would implement." (Preparation: Focus on communication strategies, feedback mechanisms, and tools for asynchronous collaboration and knowledge sharing.)

• "Walk us through a complex product design challenge you faced, detailing your strategic approach, the role of user research and data, how you managed cross-functional collaboration, and the ultimate impact on user and business outcomes. How would you have leveraged generative AI in this scenario?" (Preparation: Select a strong case study, structure it using STAR method, and integrate hypothetical AI applications.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Blackboard's products (LMS, Ally, etc.) and the challenges within the EdTech market? How would your design leadership address these?" (Preparation: Research Blackboard's offerings, competitors, and key trends in EdTech. Align your experience with their strategic goals.)

• "How do you build trust and drive alignment with Product Management and Engineering leaders who may have different priorities or approaches?" (Preparation: Discuss your experience in peer relationships, negotiation, and finding common ground based on shared goals.)

• "Describe your philosophy on design operations and design systems. How do you ensure consistency, quality, and accessibility across a large product portfolio managed by a distributed team?" (Preparation: Detail your approach to standardization, toolchain management, and governance.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation around your leadership journey and strategic impact, not just individual projects.

• AI Showcase: Dedicate a segment to demonstrating your hands-on experience with generative AI tools and your strategic thinking around their application in design.

• Global Team Leadership: Highlight examples of how you've successfully led and developed diverse, geographically dispersed design teams.

• Metrics & Outcomes: Clearly quantify the impact of your work using user and business metrics. For AI-driven initiatives, focus on efficiency gains, speed of iteration, or novel solution development.

• Accessibility Commitment: Ensure your presentation explicitly addresses your commitment to accessibility and inclusive design, with concrete examples.

• Interactive Elements: Consider incorporating interactive elements or live demos if appropriate to showcase your process or AI tool usage.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic vision, leadership in a global and technologically advanced context, and practical application of AI in design. A strong, well-rehearsed presentation of your portfolio will be critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on Jobvite.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to prominently feature your experience in leading global design teams, your strategic approach to UX vision, and your hands-on expertise with generative AI tools (Figma Make, Claude Design, etc.).

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly highlights your 10+ years of experience, leadership of design leaders, experience scaling design organizations, and proficiency in modern design tools and accessibility standards. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your leadership philosophy, strategic thinking, and approach to managing distributed teams. Prepare detailed case studies demonstrating your impact, especially those involving AI integration and complex problem-solving.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Blackboard's products, mission, and current initiatives, particularly their focus on AI in education. Understand the EdTech landscape and prepare to discuss how your design leadership can contribute to their strategic goals.

⚠️ 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.