Head of Design

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Head of Design

Company: Class 3 Technologies

Location: New York, NY / San Francisco, CA

Job Type: Full-Time, Salaried

Category: Design Leadership / Product & Brand Strategy

Date Posted: September 14, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the comprehensive design strategy and execution for both product and brand, ensuring a unified customer experience.

• Translate complex, data-intensive climate risk information into understandable, trustworthy, and actionable insights for diverse executive and operational stakeholders.

• Develop and architect the user experience for Class 3's climate risk platform, Iris, focusing on role-specific flows, data interpretation, and decision enablement.

• Establish and evolve the company's brand identity, encompassing visual language, voice, and collateral across all customer touchpoints, from digital to physical events.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as the inaugural design leader, indicating a foundational impact on the company's design ethos and operational execution. The emphasis on translating complex technical data for non-expert audiences suggests a strong need for strategic communication and user-centric design principles. The integration of product and brand design under one leader highlights a GTM strategy that relies on cohesive messaging and user journeys.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and drive the overall design vision and strategy, ensuring coherence between the product experience and the company's brand identity.

• Architect user journeys and experience flows for the Iris platform, focusing on progressive disclosure of complex risk data, confidence levels, and actionable recommendations.

• Lead the design of how trust, provenance, and uncertainty are visually and narratively communicated within the product.

• Develop and document a comprehensive brand identity, including visual language, voice, tone, and templates for all marketing collateral, website, case studies, and event materials.

• Equip the go-to-market (GTM) team with compelling design assets that enhance customer conversations and drive adoption.

• Collaborate closely with the founding team, product management, engineering, and marketing to ensure design is integrated into strategic decision-making processes.

• Champion and implement AI-enabled design and prototyping workflows to accelerate iteration and enhance design efficiency.

• Conduct user research and customer feedback initiatives to inform design decisions and validate product and brand strategies.

• Build and mentor a design function, either directly or through managing external partners, ensuring high-quality execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility to "Use AI-enabled design and prototyping workflows as everyday instruments" suggests a forward-thinking approach to design operations, prioritizing speed and scalability. The direct collaboration with the founding team and marketing emphasizes the strategic importance of this role in shaping the company's GTM strategy and customer perception.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, HCI, Graphic Design, or a related field is preferred, but equivalent practical experience will be strongly considered.

Experience: A minimum of 8+ years of progressive design experience, with a significant portion demonstrating leadership scope in user experience, interaction, and visual design.

Required Skills:

• Proven track record in design leadership, with experience managing design projects from conception to launch.

• Expertise in User Experience (UX) design, Interaction Design (IxD), and Visual Design, with a strong portfolio showcasing shipped products.

• Experience designing complex, data-heavy products that translate technical material into actionable insights for non-expert decision-makers.

• Proficiency in modern design tooling, particularly Figma, and experience building and maintaining component-based design systems.

• Strong narrative and microcopy writing skills, understanding their role in the overall design system.

• Experience directing other designers or external creative partners.

• Familiarity with AI-assisted design workflows and a proactive approach to exploring new design technologies.

• Ability to work closely with engineering, data science, and product teams. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in climate tech, risk management, science, finance, or adjacent data-intensive domains.

• Experience developing and managing brand identity systems across digital and physical touchpoints.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct user research and translate findings into impactful design solutions.

• Experience with templating systems for marketing collateral and customer-facing materials.

• Familiarity with AI-enabled design tools and workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "8+ years in design with real leadership scope" and experience in "complex, data-heavy products" positions this as a senior leadership role, crucial for establishing design operations and strategy from the ground up. The emphasis on a portfolio showcasing both "shipped product and identity systems" indicates a dual focus on functional product design and robust brand development, critical for a GTM strategy.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating a strong command of user experience, interaction, and visual design principles.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your design process, the solutions implemented, and the measurable impact on users and business objectives.

• Examples of complex, data-heavy product designs that successfully translate technical information into actionable insights for non-expert audiences.

• Demonstrations of established and documented brand identity systems, including visual language, voice, tone, and collateral development.

• Evidence of system thinking, such as the creation or management of component libraries and design systems.

• Examples of how you've directed the work of other designers or managed external creative partners. Process Documentation:

• Articulate your approach to design strategy development, user research methodologies, and iterative design processes.

• Detail your experience in developing and documenting design systems and brand guidelines.

• Showcase your methods for collaborating with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Marketing) to ensure design alignment and successful product launches.

• Provide examples of how you have leveraged AI-enabled design tools or workflows to improve efficiency and accelerate design outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirement emphasizes a blend of strategic thinking, craft execution, and leadership. Candidates are expected to demonstrate not just design output, but the process and impact behind it, particularly in translating complex data and building cohesive brand and product experiences. This aligns with the need for a leader who can establish and scale design operations effectively.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Head of Design role in New York City or San Francisco with 10+ years of experience in a competitive tech market, the estimated base salary range is typically between $180,000 and $250,000 annually. This estimate is based on market data for senior design leadership roles in major tech hubs and considers the company's stage and the foundational nature of this hire. Equity compensation is also expected to be a significant component.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and equity package.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan.

• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy.

• Flexible, remote-first work environment, with requirements for regular in-office presence in NYC or SF.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week) are expected, with flexibility inherent in a remote-first environment, though regular collaboration and presence in either NYC or SF offices will be required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on industry benchmarks for senior leadership roles in high-cost-of-living tech hubs like NYC and SF, and the competitive nature of the climate tech industry. The inclusion of equity is a standard practice for leadership positions in startups. The remote-first nature with hybrid requirements is also typical for such roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically Climate Tech, focusing on climate risk modeling and adaptation/resilience solutions. The company operates at the intersection of data science, engineering, and business decision-making.

Company Size: As Class 3 Technologies is hiring its first design leader, it is likely a Series A or B stage startup, with a team size typically ranging from 20-75 employees. This implies a fast-paced, agile environment where individuals can have a significant impact.

Founded: The founding date is not explicitly stated, but the need for a foundational design leader suggests a company that has moved past the initial ideation phase and is focused on scaling its product and market presence.

Team Structure:

• The design function will be nascent, with this role serving as the initial leader.

• Close collaboration with the founding team, product management, engineering, and marketing is expected, indicating a flat or matrixed organizational structure common in startups.

• The design team will likely grow under this leader's direction, potentially including UX/UI designers, visual designers, and content designers. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is paramount, given the nature of the product and industry.

• Agile development methodologies are likely employed, requiring rapid iteration and close cross-functional teamwork.

• A strong emphasis on translating complex technical data into user-friendly and actionable insights.

• A focus on building trust and credibility through design and clear communication.

Company Website: class3tech.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on climate risk and its position as a startup indicate a mission-driven culture with a strong emphasis on innovation and impact. The "first design leader" aspect means the culture will be significantly shaped by this hire, requiring someone comfortable with ambiguity and establishing processes.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior leadership position, equivalent to a Director or VP of Design, responsible for establishing and scaling the design function within the organization. It is a critical GTM and product development role, directly influencing customer perception and product adoption.

Reporting Structure: The Head of Design will likely report directly to a C-level executive, such as the CEO or CTO, given their foundational role in the company. They will be part of the core leadership team, contributing to strategic business decisions.

Operations Impact: The design leader will have a profound impact on Class 3 Technologies' ability to convert complex data into understandable and actionable insights. This directly influences customer acquisition, retention, and the overall success of the Iris platform, thereby driving revenue and market penetration.

Growth Opportunities:

• Build and lead a high-performing design team from the ground up, shaping its culture and processes.

• Establish and evolve the company's design language and brand identity, setting the visual and experiential foundation for future growth.

• Play a pivotal role in shaping the company's product roadmap and GTM strategy through design leadership.

• Opportunity to become a key member of the executive leadership team and influence the company's strategic direction.

• Potential for significant career advancement as the company scales, moving into VP or Chief Design Officer roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: As the inaugural design leader, this role offers a unique opportunity to shape the company's design DNA and build a team from scratch. The direct impact on product success and GTM strategy, coupled with executive-level collaboration, provides substantial growth potential and strategic influence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company operates with a "remote-first" philosophy, but requires regular presence in either their New York City or San Francisco offices, indicating a hybrid work model. This suggests a need for a balance between independent work and collaborative in-person sessions.

Office Location(s): New York, NY and San Francisco, CA. These locations are major hubs for technology and design talent, offering access to industry events and networking opportunities.

Workspace Context:

• A dynamic startup environment that values collaboration, innovation, and impact.

• Expectation of close-knit interaction with engineering, product, and marketing teams, facilitated by both remote collaboration tools and in-person meetings.

• Access to modern design tools and technologies, with an emphasis on leveraging AI for efficiency.

• A culture that encourages autonomy and ownership, with designers sitting at the strategic table.

Work Schedule: While a full-time commitment is expected, the remote-first and hybrid nature allows for a degree of flexibility in managing work hours, with the understanding that peak collaboration times and project deadlines will necessitate focused effort.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "remote-first" with hybrid requirements suggests a need for self-motivated individuals who can manage their time effectively and leverage collaboration tools, while also valuing in-person interaction for strategic alignment and team building.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with HR or a recruiter to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the CEO or CTO to delve into your leadership experience, strategic vision, and understanding of Class 3's mission and market.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A deep dive into your portfolio, focusing on specific case studies that demonstrate your ability to handle complex data, build cohesive product/brand systems, and lead design initiatives. You may be asked to present a hypothetical design strategy or a solution to a specific problem relevant to Class 3's domain.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Product, Engineering, and Marketing to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate design into GTM and product development processes.

• Final Interview/Executive Review: A final conversation with the executive team to confirm alignment on vision, strategy, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate your portfolio to highlight projects that directly align with Class 3's needs: complex data translation, product-brand integration, and leadership.

• For each case study, clearly articulate the business problem, your specific role, the design process you followed (including research and iteration), the design solutions, and the quantifiable impact.

• Be prepared to discuss your approach to building design systems, brand identity, and leveraging AI in design workflows.

• Showcase your ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely, both visually and verbally.

• Emphasize how your design leadership can contribute to the company's GTM strategy and overall business objectives. Challenge Preparation:

• Research Class 3 Technologies, its product (Iris), the climate risk industry, and its target audience thoroughly.

• Prepare to discuss your philosophy on design leadership, team building, and establishing design operations in a startup environment.

• Think about how you would approach creating a unified design system for a company that spans both a complex data product and a corporate brand.

• Consider how you would measure the success of design initiatives and their contribution to business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potential design challenge suggests that demonstrating practical application of skills and strategic thinking is crucial. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their process and impact in a way that resonates with a data-driven, mission-focused startup.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency in building and maintaining component-based design systems within Figma is critical.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's capabilities, familiarity with tools like ProtoPie, Adobe XD, or similar for advanced prototyping may be beneficial.

• AI-Assisted Design Tools: Curiosity and experience with emerging AI tools for design ideation, content generation, or workflow automation are highly valued.

• Design System Management Platforms: While Figma can manage systems, experience with dedicated platforms or methodologies for scaling design systems could be advantageous.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: Familiarity with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics to understand user behavior within the Iris platform and inform design iterations.

• User Feedback Platforms: Experience with tools for collecting and analyzing user feedback, such as UserTesting, Hotjar, or survey platforms.

• Data Visualization Libraries/Tools: While not directly designing the models, an understanding of how data is visualized and how to effectively present complex data will be key.

CRM & Automation:

• Marketing Automation Platforms: Understanding how design assets integrate with platforms like HubSpot, Marketo, or Pardot for GTM campaigns.

• Content Management Systems (CMS): Experience designing for web platforms (e.g., WordPress, Webflow) to ensure brand consistency online.

• Collaboration & Project Management Tools: Proficiency in tools like Jira, Asana, Trello, Slack, and Notion for cross-functional collaboration and project tracking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and AI-assisted design workflows highlights the expected technical proficiencies. The role requires a designer who is not only skilled in traditional design tools but also forward-thinking in adopting new technologies to enhance efficiency and impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven: A commitment to creating design solutions that have a tangible impact on customer decisions and company mission (protecting communities from climate risk).

• Data-Informed: Utilizing data and user insights to guide design decisions, rather than relying solely on intuition.

• Collaboration: Working closely and transparently with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales) to achieve shared goals.

• Excellence & Craftsmanship: A dedication to high-quality design execution, attention to detail, and continuous improvement.

• Systems Thinking: Designing scalable and coherent systems for both product experiences and brand identity.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Design: Design is not an afterthought but a core component of product development and GTM strategy, sitting at the strategic table.

• Open Communication: Encouraging direct and honest feedback across teams to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Actively engaging with engineers, product managers, marketers, and sales to ensure alignment and shared understanding.

• Iterative Approach: Embracing a cycle of design, feedback, iteration, and refinement to achieve optimal outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "design at Class 3 sits at the table, not downstream of it" indicates a culture where design is highly valued and integrated into strategic decision-making, requiring a leader who can advocate for design and influence across departments.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Complexity: The primary challenge is translating highly technical, data-intensive climate risk information into understandable, trustworthy, and actionable insights for non-expert audiences.

• Building from Scratch: As the first design leader, establishing the design function, processes, and culture from the ground up presents a significant undertaking.

• Balancing Product and Brand: Simultaneously owning and unifying product design and brand identity requires a strategic and holistic approach to design operations.

• AI Integration: Effectively leveraging AI-assisted design workflows to enhance speed and efficiency without compromising quality or originality.

• Remote/Hybrid Management: Leading a potentially distributed or hybrid team while fostering strong collaboration and a cohesive design culture.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Foundational Leadership: Opportunity to build and scale a design department, developing leadership and strategic planning skills.

• Domain Expertise: Deep dive into the complex and critical field of climate risk, becoming an expert in a rapidly growing sector.

• Innovation in Design: Pioneer the use of AI in design workflows within a mission-driven company.

• Strategic Impact: Directly influence the success of a climate tech startup by shaping its product experience and brand perception.

• Executive Exposure: Work closely with the founding team and contribute to high-level business strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the role's foundational nature and the complexity of the company's domain. Overcoming these challenges offers significant opportunities for professional growth and impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach establishing a unified design system that spans both a complex data product and a corporate brand identity for a company like Class 3?"

• "Describe your process for translating highly technical, data-intensive information into an intuitive and actionable user experience for non-expert decision-makers."

• "What is your philosophy on leading and growing a design team in a startup environment, and how would you foster a culture of innovation and collaboration?"

• "How do you see AI-assisted design tools impacting the future of product and brand design, and how would you integrate them into Class 3's workflows?"

• "What are your key strategies for ensuring design is integrated into the GTM strategy and product development lifecycle from the outset?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you drawn to Class 3 Technologies' mission of addressing climate risk, and how does this align with your career aspirations?"

• "How would you assess and contribute to our company culture as the first design leader?"

• "Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders who were resistant to design recommendations. What was your approach and the outcome?"

• "How do you foster a sense of trust and confidence within a product that deals with complex data and potential uncertainty?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation with a clear narrative for each case study: problem, your role, process, solution, and impact.

• Quantifiable Results: Whenever possible, present metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved user engagement, conversion rates, task completion times, brand recall).

• Process Transparency: Clearly articulate your design process, including user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.

• Systemic Thinking: Highlight examples of your work on design systems, component libraries, and brand guidelines to showcase your ability to create scalable solutions.

• Concise and Focused: Tailor your presentation to the specific requirements of the Head of Design role at Class 3, emphasizing leadership and strategic thinking.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions will likely probe your strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and ability to navigate complexity. Preparing specific examples from your portfolio that demonstrate these skills is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Head of Design position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Class 3 Technologies careers page.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Tailor your portfolio to showcase projects that best represent your experience in leading design for complex, data-heavy products and developing cohesive brand identities. Focus on case studies that demonstrate strategic impact and leadership.

• Optimize Your Resume: Highlight your 8+ years of experience, leadership scope, and specific achievements in UX, UI, visual design, and brand strategy. Use keywords from the job description such as "design leadership," "complex data products," "brand identity," and "Figma."

• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to articulate your design philosophy, your approach to building design systems and brand consistency, and how you leverage data and AI in your workflow. Practice presenting your portfolio with a focus on impact and strategic contribution.

• Research Class 3 Technologies: Deeply understand the company's mission, its product (Iris), the climate risk industry, and its target audience. Prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate your engagement and strategic thinking about the role and the company's future.

⚠️ 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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