Head of Design

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Head of Design

Company: Somethings

Location: New York City, New York, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Design Leadership / Product Design

Date Posted: May 11, 2026

Experience Level: 8+ years product design experience, with at least 3 years in design leadership

Remote Status: Primarily On-site (NYC), Remote considered for exceptional candidates

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end design strategy, brand identity, and implementation across all Somethings platforms, including teen mobile experience, mentor web platform, and clinical tooling.

• Act as a player-coach, initially as a hands-on individual contributor building the design system and setting craft standards, transitioning to a leadership role managing and growing a design team.

• Define and evolve a unified design vision that translates company strategy into a clear, actionable design roadmap, establishing design as a critical input in all product and business decisions.

• Build a scalable, well-governed design system from scratch, encompassing tokens, components, patterns, and comprehensive documentation, ensuring seamless integration with engineering code.

• Uphold and elevate the quality bar for visual design and user experience across all product surfaces, ensuring emotional resonance, belonging, trust, and care are prioritized alongside usability.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as the most senior design authority within the company, reporting directly to the CEO. The "player-coach" description indicates a significant hands-on component in the initial phase, requiring a candidate who is not only a strategic leader but also a proficient practitioner capable of setting and executing design standards. The emphasis on mental health and teen wellness suggests a need for high emotional intelligence and empathy in design execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and execute a comprehensive design vision and strategy that aligns with Somethings' mission to build a social wellness platform for teens.

• Translate business objectives and user needs into a clear, prioritized design roadmap for product, brand, and internal tooling.

• Develop and meticulously govern a scalable design system, including defining visual language (typography, color, motion, iconography) and establishing component libraries and documentation.

• Ensure brand consistency and high aesthetic quality across all touchpoints, from user-facing applications to investor presentations and marketing materials.

• Provide direct, constructive feedback and mentorship to a growing team of 3-5 designers, fostering a culture of high craft, innovation, and continuous learning.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, Clinical Operations, and Growth teams to ensure design is integrated seamlessly into the product development lifecycle.

• Partner with the CEO on brand strategy, investor communications, and company narrative, representing design in executive-level discussions.

• Conduct user research and leverage insights to inform design decisions, ensuring the platform meets the unique needs of teens and mentors.

• Oversee the implementation of design within code, working hand-in-hand with engineers to ensure design fidelity and system integrity.

• Lead the hiring process for new design talent, identifying and attracting individuals who align with Somethings' values and craft standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on strategic leadership and hands-on execution. The emphasis on building a design system "from scratch" and ensuring it "lives in code" points to a need for a candidate with deep practical experience in system design and cross-functional collaboration with engineering. The mention of "clinical tooling" suggests a requirement for designing user interfaces for potentially complex or sensitive internal applications.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong educational foundation in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is highly beneficial. Equivalent practical experience will be considered.

Experience: 8+ years of progressive experience in product design, with a minimum of 3 years in a formal design leadership or management role.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Expertise: Comprehensive understanding of user-centered design principles, interaction design, and user experience (UX) methodologies.

• Design Systems: Proven ability to build, scale, and govern robust design systems, including proficiency with design tokens, component libraries, and documentation standards.

• Visual Design Craft: Exceptional skills in typography, color theory, layout, hierarchy, and motion design, with a strong portfolio showcasing aesthetic excellence.

• Team Leadership & Management: Demonstrated experience in managing, mentoring, and growing design teams, including hiring, performance management, and fostering a positive team culture.

• Platform Fluency: Deep understanding and hands-on experience designing natively for both mobile (iOS/Android) and web platforms.

• Brand Strategy & Implementation: Ability to define and translate brand identity across digital products and marketing collateral.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Proven success working effectively with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders in a fast-paced, agile environment.

• Prototyping & Design Tools: Proficiency with industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma.

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate ambiguous problems into elegant design solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in consumer, social, or mission-driven products where emotional resonance is paramount.

• Familiarity with health, wellness, or mental health technology sectors.

• Experience designing for complex internal tools or clinical environments.

• Understanding of front-end development principles to facilitate effective collaboration with engineers.

• Experience working in a high-growth startup environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "8+ years of product design experience, with at least 3 years in a design leadership role" indicates a mid-to-senior level leadership position. The emphasis on building a design system "from scratch" and the "player-coach" dynamic suggest a preference for candidates who have a strong hands-on track record and are comfortable operating independently while also leading a team.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design projects, demonstrating the candidate's ability to tackle ambiguous problems and deliver shipped solutions.

• Must include significant examples of building and scaling design systems, detailing the process from initial concept to implementation and governance.

• Showcase visual design excellence with examples of typography, color application, motion, and iconography.

• Highlight experience in leading design initiatives, demonstrating strategic thinking, roadmap development, and cross-functional collaboration.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of establishing and documenting design processes, including user research methodologies, design critiques, and collaboration workflows.

• Documentation demonstrating the creation and maintenance of design system guidelines, component libraries, and best practices for use.

• Examples of how design has been integrated into agile development cycles, including handoff procedures and ongoing iteration based on feedback.

• Clear articulation of how design strategy is developed, communicated, and executed to align with broader business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role, serving as the primary evidence of both strategic leadership capability and hands-on design craft. Candidates should be prepared to deeply discuss the design systems they've built, the rationale behind their design decisions, and their leadership approach in driving design quality and team growth.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $225,000 - $250,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Significant equity compensation, reflecting the foundational role and potential impact within the company.

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage.

• Unlimited days off, promoting work-life balance and employee well-being.

• Full ownership and strategic influence over design strategy, brand, and team building.

Working Hours: While the role is described as output-driven with flexibility, the core expectation is 5 days per week in the NYC office. The standard work week is assumed to be 40 hours, with potential for extended hours during critical project phases.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a senior design leadership role in a high-growth startup in New York City. The inclusion of significant equity is a strong indicator of the company's commitment to rewarding foundational employees. The "unlimited days off" policy, while offering flexibility, should be viewed within the context of a high-performance culture.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (Social Wellness / Mental Health Platform)

Company Size: Growing rapidly, with a recent 1100% growth in 2025 and a $15M Series A funding round, indicating a stage of significant expansion and development.

Founded: The company was founded with a mission to address the mental health crisis among teens, aiming to create a supportive social platform.

Team Structure:

• The Head of Design reports directly to the CEO, signifying high-level visibility and influence.

• The initial design team will consist of 3-5 designers, including leads for mobile and web, with expectations for future growth.

Methodology:

• High Performance & High Agency: Emphasis on achieving outcomes, moving quickly, and empowering individuals to take ownership.

• Radical Clarity & Direct Communication: Encouraging truth-telling, protecting focus, and clear articulation of strategy and feedback.

• High Craft & Quality: A strong commitment to excellence in design execution and product quality.

• Mission-Driven: A core focus on positively impacting the lives of millions of teens through mental health support.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Somethings operates in the critical and rapidly growing mental health tech sector, specifically targeting adolescents. The company culture is characterized by a blend of intense startup energy, a strong mission, and a commitment to high standards in both performance and craft. The direct reporting line to the CEO underscores the strategic importance of the design function.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Principal/Director-level Design Leadership role, representing the most senior design position within the company. It demands strategic vision, significant hands-on craft, and the ability to build and scale a function.

Reporting Structure: Direct report to the CEO, indicating a high degree of strategic input and executive visibility.

Operations Impact: The Head of Design will have a profound impact on the company's success by shaping the user experience, brand identity, and overall perception of the platform, directly influencing user engagement, trust, and growth. The design's quality will also be crucial for investor confidence and partnerships.

Growth Opportunities:

• Team Scaling: Opportunity to build and lead a world-class design team from its early stages, defining its structure, processes, and culture.

• Strategic Influence: Direct involvement in executive decision-making, shaping product strategy, brand direction, and company vision.

• System Building: The chance to create and own a foundational design system that will be used across all company products, leaving a lasting legacy.

• Industry Impact: Contribute to a mission-driven company at the forefront of addressing teen mental health, with the potential for significant societal impact.

• Career Advancement: Potential for advancement to VP-level roles as the company scales, or to become a key leader in the broader mental health tech industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a rare opportunity for a designer to establish and own the entire design function at a rapidly growing, mission-driven startup. The combination of strategic leadership, hands-on execution, and the potential to build a team and systems from the ground up presents a significant career growth trajectory.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The primary work environment is an on-site, in-person setup within the company's NYC office located in Williamsburg. This is a requirement for 5 days per week.

Office Location(s): Williamsburg, New York City, NY.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office serves as a central point for intensive collaboration, team meetings, design critiques, and cross-functional alignment.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma), collaboration tools, and the necessary infrastructure to support design system development and implementation.

• Team Interaction: Daily opportunities for direct interaction with the founding team, design colleagues, product managers, engineers, and other key stakeholders, fostering a cohesive and agile work environment.

Work Schedule: A full-time role expected to be 5 days per week in the NYC office. While the culture emphasizes output and offers flexibility, the core requirement is in-person presence. Remote work may be considered for "truly exceptional candidates," suggesting a high bar for exceptions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The strong emphasis on a 5-day in-office requirement in Williamsburg, NYC, indicates a preference for a highly collaborative and integrated team environment. While flexibility is mentioned, the primary expectation is for on-site presence, which is crucial for the hands-on, player-coach nature of the role and the early-stage company dynamics.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess alignment with core requirements, particularly design leadership experience, system-building capabilities, and visual craft.

• Portfolio Presentation & Deep Dive: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their portfolio, discussing key projects, design systems created, leadership challenges, and strategic thinking. This will involve detailed discussions on their approach to mobile, web, and brand design.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Product, Engineering, and potentially Clinical Operations to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to integrate design into the product lifecycle.

• CEO Interview: A final discussion with the CEO to evaluate strategic alignment, cultural fit, leadership philosophy, and overall vision for design at Somethings.

• Design Challenge (Potential): May include a take-home assignment or a live design exercise to assess problem-solving skills, design thinking, and execution under specific constraints.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best highlight your experience in building design systems from scratch, leading design initiatives, and demonstrating exceptional visual craft across mobile and web.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions, challenges faced, and the measurable impact of your work.

• Showcase Systems: Dedicate a significant portion of your portfolio to your design system work, detailing its architecture, components, governance, and adoption.

• Highlight Leadership: Include examples of how you've mentored designers, managed teams, influenced product strategy, and collaborated cross-functionally.

• Emphasize Craft: Ensure your visual design examples are polished and demonstrate a deep understanding of aesthetics, typography, color, and motion.

• Address Mission Alignment: Briefly touch upon why you are drawn to Somethings' mission and how your design philosophy aligns with creating a supportive and empathetic platform.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss your approach to defining and implementing a design system in a fast-paced startup environment.

• Practice articulating your design strategy and how it translates into a product roadmap.

• Anticipate questions about how you foster collaboration between design, product, and engineering.

• Think about how you would approach designing for sensitive topics like teen mental health, focusing on empathy and trust.

• Prepare to discuss your leadership style and how you motivate and develop design teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to thoroughly assess both the candidate's hands-on design capabilities and their strategic leadership potential. A strong portfolio that clearly articulates design system development and leadership experience will be paramount. The inclusion of a potential design challenge suggests a need for candidates to be prepared for practical application of their skills.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design and prototyping tool for all interface design, design system creation, and collaboration. Expect to be an expert user and evangelist for Figma.

• Design System Libraries: Proficiency in creating, documenting, and maintaining scalable design systems within Figma, likely involving auto layout, components, variants, and style systems.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other advanced prototyping tools or methods for creating interactive and high-fidelity prototypes.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or similar for understanding user behavior, tracking feature adoption, and measuring the impact of design decisions.

• Data Visualization Tools: Ability to interpret and leverage data from dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Looker) to inform design strategy and measure success.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Tools: Experience with tools such as Asana, Jira, or Monday.com for managing design projects, tracking tasks, and coordinating with engineering and product teams.

• Collaboration Suites: Proficiency with tools like Slack and Google Workspace for daily communication, documentation, and team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly mentioned as a core tool. The role will require not only proficiency but also the ability to lead the creation and implementation of a comprehensive design system within Figma. Familiarity with product analytics tools is crucial for demonstrating the impact of design on user behavior and business outcomes.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• High Performance & Outcomes: A results-oriented environment where focus is protected, and impact is prioritized over process for its own sake.

• Radical Clarity & Truth: Encouraging open, honest, and direct communication, speaking truth early to foster trust and efficiency.

• High Craft & Quality: A deep commitment to excellence in all aspects of design and product development, with a strong emphasis on aesthetic appeal and user experience.

• Belonging & Care: A core value stemming from the company's mission, emphasizing empathy, trust, and creating a supportive environment for both users and team members.

• Continuous Learning: A dynamic startup environment that necessitates constant learning, adaptation, and iteration.

Collaboration Style:

• Player-Coach Mentality: A blend of individual contribution and leadership, where strategy is set and then executed by the leader alongside the team.

• Cross-functional Integration: Seamless collaboration with Product, Engineering, Clinical Operations, and Growth teams, ensuring design is a core partner in all decision-making.

• Direct Feedback Culture: An environment where constructive feedback is given and received openly to drive improvement and maintain high standards.

• Mission-Driven Synergy: Team members are united by a shared passion for the company's mission, fostering a sense of collective purpose and dedication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes a potent combination of intense startup drive, a strong ethical mission, and a high bar for execution. The "player-coach" dynamic is central to how the team operates, requiring leaders who are both strategic visionaries and hands-on contributors.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building from Scratch: Establishing a comprehensive design system and a cohesive brand identity for a rapidly growing platform requires significant foundational work and strategic foresight.

• Balancing IC vs. Leadership: Effectively transitioning from a heavily hands-on individual contributor role to a leadership position while maintaining high craft standards for oneself and the team.

• Designing for Teen Mental Health: Navigating the complexities and sensitivities of designing for a vulnerable user base, requiring a deep understanding of ethical considerations, user psychology, and the nuances of mental well-being.

• Rapid Growth Environment: Adapting to and driving design best practices within a fast-paced, high-growth startup where priorities can shift quickly.

• Scaling the Design Function: Hiring, onboarding, and developing a high-performing design team while ensuring alignment with company culture and strategic goals.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Foundational System Design: Opportunity to architect and implement a critical design system that will scale with the company, providing invaluable experience in system thinking.

• Leadership Development: Direct mentorship from the CEO and experience in shaping the strategic direction of a mission-critical function within a venture-backed company.

• Industry Expertise: Deep dive into the mental health tech sector, understanding its unique challenges, ethical considerations, and user needs.

• Cross-functional Mastery: Gaining extensive experience collaborating with diverse teams (product, engineering, clinical) to drive product innovation.

• Brand Building: Leading the visual and experiential identity of a company aiming to be a "generationally defining company in mental health."

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of a senior leadership role in a scaling startup, particularly in a sensitive domain like mental health. The growth opportunities are significant, offering a chance to build a lasting impact and advance one's career in a high-visibility capacity.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach building a design system from scratch for a rapidly scaling social wellness platform targeting teens?" (Focus on phases, governance, component strategy, and collaboration with engineering.)

• "Describe a time you had to balance being a hands-on contributor with leading a design team. How did you prioritize your efforts and ensure both individual and team success?" (Highlight player-coach experience, time management, and delegation.)

• "What is your philosophy on designing for emotional resonance, particularly for a platform focused on mental health and belonging for teens?" (Emphasize empathy, ethical design, user research, and creating safe digital spaces.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Somethings' mission, and how does your design approach align with it?" (Research the company's mission, values, and target audience.)

• "How would you foster a culture of high craft and continuous learning within the design team, given our emphasis on performance and radical clarity?" (Discuss mentorship, feedback mechanisms, and team development strategies.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: Begin with an overview of your leadership philosophy and your approach to building design systems.

• Deep Dive into Systems: Dedicate a significant portion of your presentation to your design system work. Show the process, the components, the documentation, and the impact.

• Showcase Craft & Impact: For product projects, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, and the measurable outcomes. Highlight visual execution and user experience improvements.

• Demonstrate Leadership: Use case studies to illustrate how you've managed teams, mentored designers, and collaborated cross-functionally.

• Tailor to Somethings: Explain why your experience is relevant to Somethings' mission, its product (teen mobile, mentor web), and its culture. Be prepared to discuss how you'd approach their specific challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of strategic vision, hands-on design expertise (especially in design systems), and strong leadership potential. Candidates should be ready to articulate their thinking process, provide concrete examples, and show genuine enthusiasm for Somethings' mission.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Head of Design position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience in design leadership, building design systems from scratch, and working across mobile and web platforms. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features your strongest work in design systems, visual craft, and end-to-end product thinking. Prepare to present and discuss your work in detail.

• Prepare for Strategic Discussions: Be ready to articulate your design vision, leadership philosophy, and how you would approach building Somethings' design function.

• Research Somethings: Understand their mission, target audience (teens and mentors), recent growth (Series A, 1100% growth), and company values to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural fit.

⚠️ 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.