Head of Design

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Head of Design

Company: Elation Health

Location: US - Remote

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Design Leadership / Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-09-18T00:43:30

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the overarching design strategy and vision for Elation Health's AI-native product suite, focusing on enhancing the clinician and practice team experience.

• Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of product designers and design partners, establishing robust talent development and retention programs.

• Collaborate closely with Product and Engineering leadership to translate company strategy into a cohesive, high-quality product experience roadmap and operational model.

• Champion AI-native ways of working within the design function, integrating emerging technologies to accelerate the creation of intuitive, trusted, and impactful user experiences.

• Elevate the end-to-end user experience, encompassing research, service design, interaction design, visual design, content, and accessibility, ensuring a consistent and superior product offering.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior leadership opportunity within a growing health technology company, emphasizing the strategic importance of design in shaping AI-native products for primary care. The "Head of Design" title suggests significant autonomy and responsibility for building and scaling the design function, with a strong emphasis on integrating AI into design processes and product experiences.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and articulate a clear, clinical-first design vision for Elation’s product experience, ensuring it aligns with the realities and needs of primary care practices.

• Establish and refine an AI-native Design organization's operating model, clarifying how designers, AI agents, and cross-functional teams collaborate for faster, higher-quality experience delivery.

• Build a high-performing Design function by clarifying roles, establishing effective operating rhythms, creating career growth paths, and attracting/retaining top design talent.

• Partner with executive leadership (CPO, Engineering leads) to translate company strategy into a focused product experience strategy and roadmap.

• Elevate the quality and coherence of the entire user experience, from initial research to customer enablement, with a keen eye on usability, consistency, and accessibility.

• Strengthen design scaling systems, including design principles, reusable patterns, comprehensive documentation, and robust design systems, connecting design artifacts to shipped product.

• Implement a practical design-review culture that drives better decisions early, establishes shared standards, protects team velocity, and fosters a shared sense of quality ownership.

• Foster deep user empathy by embedding rigorous user research practices, including co-design, workflow observation, and qualitative/quantitative insights from clinical and billing experts.

• Guide teams to solve the right problems by creating clarity in ambiguous spaces and making strategic tradeoffs explicit.

• Collaborate closely with Engineering to ensure design intent is accurately implemented, resulting in reliable, coherent, accessible, and delightful user experiences.

• Develop designers into leaders and active contributors to product direction, moving beyond screen ownership to strategic influence.

• Represent the customer and design perspective in senior leadership discussions, product prioritization, and company-wide quality conversations.

• Cultivate a candid, collaborative, intellectually curious, and impact-accountable environment where designers can perform at their best.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on strategic leadership (vision, operating model, organizational health) and hands-on execution (raising quality bar, strengthening systems, fostering empathy). The emphasis on "AI-native ways of working" suggests a forward-thinking approach to design processes, potentially involving AI-assisted design tools and workflows.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong educational foundation in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field is often expected for leadership roles in this domain.

Experience: Significant experience leading product design within complex, multi-surface, or highly regulated environments. Experience in healthcare, health technology, enterprise SaaS, or similar domains where trust and workflow quality are paramount is highly valued. Proven track record of building, scaling, or materially strengthening a design organization, including hiring, coaching, organizational design, and talent development.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Leadership

• Design Strategy Development

• AI-native Design Principles and Application

• UX Research Methodologies (Qualitative & Quantitative)

• Service Design and Workflow Analysis

• Interaction Design (IxD) Expertise

• Visual Design and UI Principles

• Design Systems Development and Management

• Information Architecture (IA)

• Stakeholder Management and Executive Communication

• Cross-functional Collaboration (Product, Engineering)

• Product Strategy and Roadmapping

• Healthcare Technology or Enterprise SaaS Domain Knowledge

• Design Operations and Process Optimization

• Talent Acquisition, Coaching, and Development Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI-assisted design tools and workflows.

• Deep understanding of primary care workflows and Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems.

• Expertise in accessibility standards (WCAG).

• Strong background in content strategy and UX writing.

• Experience with service design and journey mapping in complex systems.

• Demonstrated ability to foster a strong design culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements are substantial, indicating a need for a seasoned leader capable of navigating complex product ecosystems and a highly regulated industry. The emphasis on AI-native design suggests a strong preference for candidates who can innovate in this emerging space.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrations of leading design strategy and vision for complex products or product suites.

• Case studies showcasing the development and scaling of design organizations, including team growth, hiring, and process improvements.

• Examples of significant impact on product quality, user experience, and business outcomes through design leadership.

• Evidence of strong collaboration with Product and Engineering leadership, illustrating influence on product strategy and roadmap.

• Comprehensive work on design systems, principles, patterns, and documentation that enabled scaling and consistency.

• Projects highlighting deep user empathy, rigorous user research, and translating insights into actionable design solutions.

• Examples of navigating ambiguity, creating structure, and making strategic tradeoffs in product development. Process Documentation:

• Documented examples of establishing and refining design operating models, particularly those incorporating AI-native approaches.

• Case studies detailing the implementation of design review cultures that improved decision-making and quality.

• Evidence of creating and maintaining robust design systems, principles, and reusable patterns.

• Workflow observations and co-design sessions with clinical or practice staff, demonstrating user-centered design processes.

• Examples of connecting design artifacts to shipped product and measuring their impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: A portfolio for this role must extend beyond individual design contributions to showcase strategic leadership, organizational development, and the ability to drive systemic improvements in design processes and product quality, especially within an AI-driven context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $200,000 - $260,000 per year + variable compensation.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and holidays.

• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.

• Professional development and learning opportunities.

• Potential for equity or stock options (common in tech roles, though not explicitly stated).

• Opportunities for professional growth and advancement within a growing company.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected for a leadership role. The remote nature allows for adaptable scheduling within reasonable operational hours for collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a Head of Design role in a US-based tech company, especially for a remote position. The "variable" component suggests a performance-based bonus or incentive structure, common for leadership roles. Benefits are standard for a full-time position in the tech industry.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Health Technology / Software as a Service (SaaS) - specifically focused on Electronic Health Records (EHR) and practice management for independent primary care.

Company Size: Elation Health is a growing company, likely in the mid-size range (e.g., 100-500 employees), indicated by the need for a Head of Design and the mention of scaling. This size offers a balance of established processes and opportunities for significant impact.

Founded: Founded in 2012, Elation Health has a decade of experience in the health tech space, suggesting a mature understanding of the market and a stable foundation.

Team Structure:

• The Head of Design will report to the Chief Product Officer (CPO), indicating a close alignment between design, product management, and overall product strategy.

• The Design team will likely consist of product designers and design partners, potentially working across various product surfaces and feature areas.

• Close collaboration is expected with Engineering leadership and individual engineering teams to ensure design intent translates into high-quality implementations.

• Cross-functional collaboration will extend to Product Marketing, Customer Success, and potentially other departments to ensure a holistic customer experience. Methodology:

• Data Analysis and Insights: Emphasis on customer impact, product quality, organizational health, and operating leverage. This suggests a data-driven approach to design decision-making and performance measurement.

• Workflow Planning and Optimization: Core to the company's mission is improving clinician workflows through technology, so design will play a key role in identifying and optimizing these processes.

• Automation and Efficiency: The mention of "AI-native ways of working" and "intelligent automation" points to a strong focus on leveraging technology to improve efficiency for both internal teams and end-users (clinicians).

Company Website: https://www.elationhealth.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Elation Health's mission to improve primary care through technology is central to its culture. The emphasis on "clinical-first" and "AI-native" suggests a company that values innovation, user-centricity, and operational efficiency. The reporting structure to the CPO highlights the strategic importance of design.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role, equivalent to a VP or Director level in many organizations, focusing on building and scaling a critical function. It requires a blend of strategic vision, operational execution, and people management within the design discipline.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Chief Product Officer (CPO), placing the Head of Design at a high level within the product development organization. This provides direct access to executive decision-making.

Operations Impact: The Head of Design will have a profound impact on the company's success by directly influencing the quality, usability, and adoption of its core technology platform. This impact translates to improved clinician satisfaction, practice sustainability, and ultimately, better patient care – key drivers of Elation Health's mission and business growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to lead the evolution of design practices, particularly in integrating AI and scaling operations within a growing tech company.

• Industry Specialization: Deepen expertise in health technology, EHR systems, and the unique design challenges of the healthcare industry.

• Leadership Development: Grow as a leader by building and managing a high-performing design team, contributing to executive-level strategy, and shaping company culture.

• Strategic Influence: Play a pivotal role in shaping the company's product direction and market positioning through design excellence.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential, not just within the design function but also in terms of strategic influence and leadership within the health tech industry. The focus on AI integration presents a unique opportunity to shape the future of design in this domain.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This offers maximum flexibility and access to talent across the United States.

Office Location(s): United States (Remote). This implies candidates must be authorized to work in the US and may need to adhere to specific state employment laws.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: While remote, the culture emphasizes strong collaboration through digital tools and effective communication practices. Expect frequent virtual meetings, shared document platforms, and asynchronous communication.

• Operations Tools and Technology: Access to standard professional tools for communication (e.g., Slack, Zoom), project management (e.g., Asana, Jira), and design/prototyping (e.g., Figma, Sketch). The company is also on a journey to integrate AI-native tools.

• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with Product Management, Engineering, and other design team members through scheduled meetings, design reviews, and informal digital channels.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week is the baseline, but leadership roles often require flexibility to attend meetings across different time zones, respond to urgent issues, and dedicate time to strategic planning. The remote setup allows for personal schedule optimization as long as team collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature of this role requires strong self-discipline, excellent digital communication skills, and the ability to build rapport and drive outcomes without in-person proximity.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and salary expectations.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Conversation with the CPO to discuss vision, leadership approach, and strategic alignment.

• Design Team & Peer Interviews: Meetings with direct reports (designers) and cross-functional peers (Product Managers, Engineering Leads) to evaluate collaboration style, technical depth, and leadership capabilities.

• Portfolio Presentation: A key stage where candidates present their work, focusing on strategic impact, leadership examples, and their approach to building design organizations and integrating AI.

• Executive/Final Interview: Potentially with the CEO or other senior leaders to discuss company vision and long-term strategy.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Strategic Narrative: Structure your portfolio around strategic challenges and the impact of your design leadership, not just individual projects.

• AI Integration Focus: Highlight any experience or perspective on integrating AI into design workflows, team structures, or product experiences.

• Organizational Building: Showcase examples of how you've built, scaled, or improved design teams and processes.

• Cross-functional Partnership: Demonstrate how you've effectively partnered with Product and Engineering to achieve shared goals.

• Data-Driven Rationale: Clearly articulate the "why" behind your design decisions, supported by user research, business goals, and measurable outcomes.

• Presentation Clarity: Be prepared to present concisely and engagingly, tailoring your narrative to the specific requirements of Elation Health's mission and AI-native approach.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach building or evolving the design function at Elation Health.

• Prepare to articulate your vision for AI-native design and its practical application in healthcare technology.

• Think through how you would foster a culture of design quality, collaboration, and continuous improvement in a remote environment.

• Consider how you would measure the success and impact of the design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio presentation is critical for this role, likely focusing on strategic leadership and organizational development rather than purely visual design execution. Demonstrating an understanding of AI's role in design will be a significant advantage.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable as an industry standard), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite.

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

• Project Management & Development: Jira, Asana, Trello, Confluence.

• User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, or similar for remote usability testing and feedback.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) for understanding user behavior.

• BI tools (e.g., Tableau, Looker) for data visualization and reporting on key metrics.

• Performance monitoring tools for understanding system reliability and user experience. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can be beneficial for understanding the broader customer lifecycle and business context.

• Elation Health likely uses internal systems for practice management, which designers will need to understand.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core tools will be those that facilitate collaborative design and research in a remote setting. The emphasis on "AI-native" suggests the company may be exploring or implementing AI tools for design assistance (e.g., AI-powered wireframing, content generation, design system checks).

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Clinical-First: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of clinicians and primary care practices above all else.

• User-Centricity: Designing with empathy and a rigorous focus on user needs, workflows, and outcomes.

• Quality & Trust: Prioritizing the delivery of reliable, secure, and high-quality products, especially critical in healthcare.

• Innovation & AI-Native: Embracing new technologies and methodologies, particularly AI, to drive efficiency and create better experiences.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an open, communicative, and team-oriented environment where ideas are shared and decisions are made collectively.

• Impact & Accountability: Focusing on measurable outcomes and taking ownership of delivering significant value to customers and the business.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Design is positioned as a strategic partner, deeply integrated with Product and Engineering from ideation through execution.

• Process Review & Feedback: A culture that encourages constructive feedback, iterative improvements, and continuous learning through design reviews and retrospectives.

• Knowledge Sharing: Practices that promote the sharing of user insights, design best practices, and learnings across the team and organization.

• Empirical Decision-Making: Relying on data, research, and evidence to inform design decisions and validate solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to value user impact, technological innovation (especially AI), and collaborative problem-solving. For a Head of Design, demonstrating alignment with these values and the ability to foster them within the design team will be crucial.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Design in a Growing Company: Establishing robust processes, systems, and team structures to support rapid growth without sacrificing quality or speed.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Navigating the complexities of AI in design, from ethical considerations to practical implementation, and ensuring it genuinely enhances user experience rather than complicating it.

• Balancing Strategic Vision with Execution: Ensuring that high-level design strategy is translated into tangible, high-quality product experiences across multiple surfaces.

• Driving Design Impact in a Remote Environment: Maintaining strong team cohesion, collaboration, and a high design bar across a distributed team.

• Navigating Healthcare Complexity: Designing for a highly regulated and complex industry with diverse user needs and stringent requirements for reliability and trust.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Design Specialization: Becoming a leader in the application of AI to product design and development processes within the health tech sector.

• Executive Leadership Growth: Developing strategic leadership skills, influencing company-wide decisions, and contributing to business strategy at the highest level.

• Health Tech Domain Expertise: Deepening understanding of clinical workflows, regulatory environments, and the unique challenges of healthcare technology.

• Organizational Design & Management: Gaining experience in structuring, hiring for, and managing a high-performing design organization at scale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant opportunities to tackle complex challenges at the intersection of AI, design, and healthcare technology, offering substantial professional development for an ambitious leader.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your vision for an AI-native design organization and how you would implement it at Elation Health, considering our primary care focus."

• "How would you establish and measure the impact of design quality and product coherence across a complex SaaS platform?"

• "Walk me through your process for building and scaling a design team, including hiring, coaching, and fostering a strong design culture."

• "How do you ensure user empathy and rigorous user research are embedded in product development, especially in a remote setting?"

• "Describe a time you had to make difficult tradeoffs between design quality, feature scope, and development timelines. How did you approach it?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Elation Health's mission and our approach to primary care technology?"

• "How would you foster a 'clinical-first' mindset within the design team?"

• "How do you see design contributing to Elation Health's long-term business strategy and market position?"

• "What is your experience with building and maintaining strong collaborative relationships with Product and Engineering leaders?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation around the challenges you faced, the strategic decisions you made, and the measurable outcomes achieved.

• Leadership Focus: Emphasize your role in leading teams, shaping strategy, and driving organizational change, not just individual design contributions.

• AI Integration Examples: If possible, showcase any work or thought leadership related to AI in design, even if conceptual.

• Metrics and Impact: Quantify your impact wherever possible (e.g., improved user satisfaction, reduced rework, increased velocity).

• Tailor to Elation: Connect your experience and insights directly to Elation Health's mission, products, and stated goals (e.g., AI-native, clinical-first).

• Q&A Readiness: Be prepared for in-depth questions about your approach, decisions, and philosophy.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and a clear understanding of how design can drive business and user value, particularly within the context of AI and healthcare technology.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Head of Design position:

• Submit your application through the Elation Health careers portal via the provided URL.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to specifically highlight leadership in product design strategy, organizational scaling, and experience in complex/regulated environments. Include case studies demonstrating your impact on product quality and user experience, with a strong emphasis on how you foster collaboration and drive outcomes.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience in leading design teams, developing design vision, and partnering with executive stakeholders. Quantify achievements and tailor keywords to match the job description, especially "AI-native design," "healthcare technology," and "design operations."

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio with a focus on strategic impact and leadership. Prepare detailed answers to anticipated questions about your design philosophy, team-building approach, and vision for AI in design.

• Company Research: Deeply understand Elation Health's mission, product offering, and target market. Research their existing design approach (if publicly visible) and consider how your leadership can enhance their AI-native strategy and clinical-first principles.

⚠️ 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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