Design Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Director

Company: Dorsia

Location: New York City, NY

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Design Leadership / Creative Direction

Date Posted: March 3, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years (Implied from 8+ years design + 3+ years agency)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and scale the design function for a hospitality-tech innovator, redefining access to exclusive restaurants and experiences.

• Shape and evolve Dorsia’s comprehensive design language across web, mobile, and internal tools, ensuring brand consistency and premium consumer experiences.

• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing design team through a culture of collaboration, experimentation, and rapid iteration.

• Drive creative direction and strategic execution for product surfaces, collaborating closely with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Operations to align design with overarching business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Design Director," the responsibilities and required experience (8+ years design, 3+ in agency) suggest a senior leadership role focused on both strategic direction and team management, rather than a purely managerial position. The emphasis on "systems thinking," "taste-driven creative direction," and "client-oriented delivery discipline" points to a hands-on leader with a strong agency background, capable of shaping both the aesthetic and the operational aspects of design. The role's focus on "shaping the future of luxury consumer experiences" and "building a design team and practice" indicates a strategic growth mandate.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design Leadership & Strategy: Own and continuously evolve Dorsia's overarching design language, visual identity, and interaction standards across all digital platforms, including consumer-facing applications (web and mobile) and internal operational tools.

• Team Building & Management: Recruit, onboard, mentor, and foster the growth of a high-caliber design team, cultivating an environment that encourages experimentation, rapid iteration, and a strong sense of ownership.

• Creative Direction & Execution: Provide clear creative direction and oversight for all design initiatives, ensuring a consistent, polished, and brand-aligned aesthetic and user experience across consumer, concierge, and partner-facing product surfaces.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner effectively with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, Operations, and other key stakeholders to ensure design strategies are aligned with business goals, user needs, and technical feasibility, driving holistic customer journeys.

• Process Optimization: Define, implement, and refine design processes that balance agility with high-quality output, leading design critiques, reviews, and workshops to elevate design outcomes and foster best practices.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication: Translate complex business requirements and user insights into compelling design strategies, effectively communicating design vision, rationale, and impact to leadership, stakeholders, and the broader organization.

• Brand Stewardship: Ensure the Dorsia brand is consistently and powerfully represented through all design touchpoints, contributing to brand development, identity systems, and the overall narrative.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities heavily emphasize both strategic design leadership and hands-on team management, reflecting a common need in fast-growing startups where leaders are expected to both set direction and actively contribute to execution. The mention of "internal tools" alongside consumer-facing products indicates a broad scope, requiring an understanding of operational workflows and back-end user experiences.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for such a senior role. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience:

• A minimum of 8 years of professional design experience, with a significant portion (3+ years) gained within an agency environment, ideally working with high-end or luxury brands.

• Proven experience leading design for consumer-facing mobile or web products, preferably within high-growth startup environments or established, reputable brands.

Required Skills:

• Design Leadership: Proven ability to set design vision, strategy, and standards for a product or brand.

• Systems Thinking: Capacity to understand and design for complex, interconnected systems.

• Creative Direction: Strong aesthetic sensibility and the ability to guide visual and interaction design.

• Team Building & Mentorship: Experience in hiring, developing, and managing design talent.

• Visual Design: Deep expertise in creating compelling visual interfaces and brand aesthetics.

• Interaction Design: Proficiency in designing intuitive and engaging user flows and experiences.

• Tool Proficiency: Fluency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma and FigJam.

• Agility & Iteration: Ability to work effectively in agile environments and drive rapid design cycles.

• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and vision to diverse audiences, including senior leadership.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing within the hospitality, travel, dining, or premium lifestyle industries.

• Familiarity with brand development, including the creation and management of identity systems.

• Expertise in storytelling and narrative development through design.

• Experience building and maintaining design systems.

• Proficiency in motion design principles and application.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Winning Recipe" section clearly outlines the core requirements. The implied experience level of "10+" years is derived by combining the 8+ years of general design experience with the specific requirement of 3+ years in an agency setting, suggesting a candidate who has progressed through various levels of design responsibility.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a strong depth in both visual design and interaction design across responsive platforms (web and mobile).

• Demonstration of experience leading design for consumer-facing products, ideally from concept to launch.

• Examples of work with high-end, luxury, or premium lifestyle brands.

• Evidence of ability to translate complex systems into elegant and delightful user experiences.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you have defined and implemented design processes that balance agility with excellence.

• Demonstrations of your leadership in design critiques, reviews, and workshops.

• Evidence of cross-functional collaboration with Product, Engineering, and Marketing to align design with business goals.

• Portfolio pieces that illustrate the application of design thinking to complex operational challenges or internal tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Director role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing aesthetics; it must demonstrate strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, process ownership, and the ability to deliver impactful design solutions for both consumers and internal operations. The emphasis on agency background means showcasing client-facing project management and delivery discipline.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $200,000 - $250,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary package.

• Equity package, indicating ownership and a stake in the company's success.

• Premium access to the Dorsia platform, offering exclusive benefits related to their core service.

• Opportunity to work with a passionate, highly collaborative cross-functional team.

• Contribution to a mission-driven company redefining luxury technology.

Working Hours: While the explicit number of hours is not stated, Dorsia's "Workplace Philosophy" emphasizes "Lifestyle Hours" and states, "We’re not a 9-to-5 company. Our lifestyle mirrors our members. Early flights, after-work events, and late-night sprints when the work demands it." This implies a flexible but demanding work schedule that can extend beyond traditional hours, aligned with the pace of the hospitality and luxury sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is explicit. The "Lifestyle Hours" note from the company's philosophy is crucial for setting expectations regarding work schedule flexibility and potential intensity, which is common in high-growth startups and the luxury/hospitality sector.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Hospitality-Tech, Luxury Experiences, Software. Dorsia operates at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and high-end hospitality, aiming to disrupt traditional access models for exclusive restaurants and events.

Company Size: Described as a "fast-growing startup," indicating a dynamic, evolving environment with a focus on rapid scaling and innovation. Backed by significant investor funding, suggesting a trajectory for significant growth and expansion.

Founded: Not explicitly stated, but the context of being a "fast-growing startup" implies a relatively recent founding.

Team Structure:

• The design team is being built and scaled, implying an opportunity to shape its structure and processes.

• The Director will lead a "high-performing design team" and collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Operations, suggesting a matrixed or highly integrated cross-functional structure.

Methodology:

• Design Focus: Emphasis on "systems thinking," "taste-driven creative direction," and "client-oriented delivery discipline."

• Product Development: Driven by "cutting-edge technology," "rapid iteration," and "experimentation."

• Culture: "People-first organization," "In-Person Matters," "High Performance Culture," "builders, not passengers."

Company Website: dorsia.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description highlights a strong emphasis on innovation, luxury, and a demanding, collaborative work environment. The "people-first" philosophy, coupled with the "in-person matters" and "high performance culture" statements, paints a picture of a company that values strong team chemistry, dedicated effort, and a shared vision, particularly within a high-stakes industry.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a senior leadership position, overseeing the entire design function. It represents a significant step up from individual contributor or junior management roles, requiring strategic vision, team-building capabilities, and executive-level communication.

Reporting Structure: The Design Director will likely report to a C-level executive, such as the CTO, CPO, or CEO, given the strategic importance of design to a consumer-facing luxury brand. They will, in turn, manage a team of designers.

Operations Impact: The Design Director's impact is critical to Dorsia's success. They will:

• Shape the core consumer-facing brand identity and user experience, directly influencing customer acquisition, retention, and satisfaction.

• Develop internal tools that optimize operational efficiency for concierges and partners, impacting revenue optimization and service delivery.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow the design team significantly, build out specialized design functions (e.g., UX Research, Content Design, Motion Design), and potentially expand into related creative leadership roles.

• Strategic Influence: Play a key role in shaping the company's product strategy and brand direction, contributing to major business decisions.

• Industry Expertise: Deepen expertise in the luxury hospitality and tech sectors, becoming a recognized leader in designing for premium consumer experiences.

• System Building: Opportunity to establish and refine design systems and processes from the ground up in a high-growth environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential, not just within the design function but also in terms of strategic influence and industry specialization. The emphasis on building a team and practice from a strong agency foundation positions the candidate for substantial impact and career advancement within a rapidly scaling company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company strongly emphasizes an "In-Person Matters" philosophy, indicating a requirement for on-site work. This suggests a collaborative office environment designed to foster "collisions," "sparks across a desk," and "kitchen-side conversations."

Office Location(s): New York City, NY. This location likely provides access to a vibrant talent pool and aligns with the luxury and hospitality industry focus.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis is on in-person interaction, suggesting an office space designed for spontaneous collaboration, team workshops, and cross-functional "collisions."

• Tools & Technology: The role requires fluency in Figma, FigJam, and prototyping tools, indicating that the company's design stack is modern and focused on collaborative digital workflows.

• Team Interaction: Expect frequent interaction with product managers, engineers, marketers, operations teams, and leadership, fostering a dynamic and integrated work experience.

Work Schedule: Described as "Lifestyle Hours," not a strict 9-to-5. The expectation is for flexibility and dedication, with potential for late-night sprints or work outside traditional hours to meet ambitious goals and mirror the lifestyle of their discerning clientele.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "In-Person Matters" philosophy is a key differentiator. Candidates should expect a vibrant, collaborative office environment where physical presence and spontaneous interaction are highly valued. This is a departure from remote-first or hybrid models and is core to Dorsia's operational and cultural approach.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: Candidates will likely present their portfolio to a panel including design leadership, product, and potentially engineering. This will focus on showcasing strategic thinking, execution quality, and team leadership experience.

• Design Challenge/Workshop: A practical exercise or workshop to assess problem-solving skills, design process, and ability to collaborate under pressure. This might involve refining an existing concept or tackling a new design problem relevant to Dorsia's business.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Operations to assess collaboration style and understanding of business objectives.

• Executive Interviews: Final interviews with senior leadership (e.g., CPO, CTO, CEO) to evaluate strategic alignment, leadership potential, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your capabilities in visual design, interaction design, leadership, and working with luxury brands.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the challenges you overcame, the solutions you designed, and the measurable impact or outcomes achieved. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Leadership: Showcase instances where you led teams, mentored designers, influenced strategy, or drove process improvements.

• Demonstrate Agency Discipline: If applicable, highlight experience managing client relationships, delivering under tight deadlines, and translating complex client needs into design solutions.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify results wherever possible (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores, operational efficiency gains).

• Prepare for Figma/Prototyping: Be ready to discuss your approach to using these tools and potentially walk through interactive prototypes.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Dorsia's Business: Research Dorsia's mission, target audience, competitors, and recent news. Understand their value proposition in the hospitality-tech space.

• Think Systemically: Prepare to tackle challenges that require understanding interconnected systems, not just isolated UI elements. Consider both consumer and operational aspects.

• Embrace Ambiguity: Be comfortable working with incomplete information and making reasoned assumptions. Demonstrate your process for navigating uncertainty.

• Communicate Your Process: Clearly articulate your thought process, decision-making rationale, and any assumptions made during the challenge.

• Focus on User & Business: Balance user-centric design with business objectives, especially regarding revenue optimization and brand positioning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is likely to be rigorous, reflecting the company's "high performance culture." A strong portfolio that showcases strategic leadership, agency discipline, and impact is crucial. The emphasis on "In-Person Matters" might also translate to some interview stages being conducted in person.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for UI/UX design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration. Expect advanced proficiency.

• FigJam: Used for ideation, workshops, whiteboarding, and collaborative brainstorming.

• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in tools integrated with Figma or standalone prototyping software (e.g., Principle, ProtoPie) for creating interactive and animated mockups.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed for design, familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) to understand user behavior and product performance metrics will be beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct design tool, understanding how design integrates with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and marketing automation platforms is advantageous for a holistic customer experience perspective, especially for internal tools.

• Familiarity with how design impacts lead generation, customer onboarding, and partner management workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and FigJam indicates these are critical tools. The role requires a hands-on approach, meaning deep expertise in these platforms is non-negotiable. Understanding how design integrates with broader business systems is a plus for a Director-level role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• People-First: A core value emphasizing the importance of human connection, collaboration, and team well-being.

• In-Person Matters: A commitment to physical presence and face-to-face interaction for fostering creativity, collaboration, and strong team chemistry.

• High Performance: A drive for excellence, setting ambitious standards, and expecting individuals to rise to challenges. This is a culture for "builders, not passengers."

• Merit and Mindset: Hiring based on talent and attitude, valuing diverse backgrounds united by a shared vision.

• Lifestyle Hours: A recognition that work can extend beyond traditional hours, driven by passion and the demands of building something significant.

Collaboration Style:

• Intense & Collaborative: Expect frequent, dynamic interactions across product, engineering, marketing, and operations.

• Relationship-Driven: Emphasis on "collisions" and "sparks across a desk," suggesting that relationships and informal communication are key to innovation.

• Feedback-Oriented: The role involves leading critiques and workshops, implying a culture where constructive feedback is integral to the design process.

• Shared Vision Focused: Team members are united by a common goal to "build the social operating system for the cultural vanguard."

📝 Enhancement Note: Dorsia's culture is clearly defined as demanding, collaborative, and people-centric, with a strong emphasis on in-person interaction. Candidates must align with this philosophy to thrive.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building from Scratch: Establishing and scaling a design team and practice in a high-growth startup environment requires setting standards, processes, and culture from an early stage.

• Balancing Luxury & Tech: Translating the essence of luxury hospitality into a digital, tech-driven experience requires a delicate balance of sophistication, exclusivity, and user-friendliness.

• Ambiguity & Pace: Navigating a fast-paced, evolving startup environment with potential ambiguity in direction requires adaptability and strong problem-solving skills.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring design vision is consistently aligned with the diverse goals of Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Operations can be complex.

• Maintaining Brand Integrity: As the company scales, maintaining the high-end brand aesthetic and user experience across all touchpoints will be an ongoing challenge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership: Opportunity to shape the design future of a rapidly growing company and influence its overall product and brand strategy.

• Team Development: Experience in building and mentoring a design team, developing leadership skills.

• Industry Specialization: Deepen expertise in the lucrative and dynamic hospitality-tech and luxury lifestyle sectors.

• Process Innovation: Opportunity to define and implement cutting-edge design processes and potentially establish a robust design system.

• Executive Exposure: Direct interaction with founders and investors, offering insights into startup growth and business strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a senior leadership role in a fast-growing startup. The growth opportunities are significant, offering a chance to make a substantial impact and accelerate career progression.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to building and scaling a design team from the ground up." (Focus on hiring, onboarding, culture, and process development.)

• "How would you define and maintain Dorsia's design language across web, mobile, and internal tools, ensuring consistency while allowing for functional differentiation?" (Discuss systems, brand guidelines, and collaboration.)

• "Walk us through a complex project where you had to balance sophisticated aesthetics with functional requirements for a high-end brand. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Prepare a detailed case study from your portfolio.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Dorsia's mission and our position in the hospitality-tech industry?" (Research Dorsia thoroughly and articulate your vision.)

• "How do you see your leadership style fitting into a 'people-first,' 'in-person matters,' and 'high-performance' culture?" (Provide examples of how you embody these values.)

• "Describe a time you had to navigate ambiguity or rapid change within a team. How did you lead your team through it?" (Showcase adaptability and resilience.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Impactful Projects: Choose 3-5 projects that best represent your leadership, strategic thinking, visual/interaction design skills, and experience with luxury brands.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, key decisions, challenges, solutions, and measurable outcomes. Use compelling visuals.

• Highlight Leadership & Process: Emphasize your contributions to team building, strategy, and process improvement. Be ready to discuss your design methodologies.

• Demonstrate Tool Fluency: Be prepared to discuss your use of Figma, FigJam, and prototyping tools, and potentially share interactive elements.

• Connect to Dorsia: Tailor your presentation to highlight how your experience and skills directly address Dorsia's needs and challenges. Show you understand their market and vision.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic leadership, a deep understanding of design for luxury markets, team-building capabilities, and cultural alignment with Dorsia's unique philosophy.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Director position at Dorsia:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your experience in luxury branding, consumer-facing mobile/web products, agency environments, and team leadership. Select projects that best showcase your ability to design for high-end experiences and complex systems.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your 8+ years of design experience, specifying your 3+ years in agency settings and any leadership roles. Quantify achievements with metrics where possible, focusing on impact related to user experience, brand elevation, and operational efficiency.

• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly research Dorsia's mission, product, and company culture. Prepare to discuss your leadership philosophy, design process, and how you would contribute to their "people-first," "in-person matters" environment. Practice presenting your portfolio and articulating your strategic vision.

• Company Culture Alignment: Be prepared to discuss your understanding of and alignment with Dorsia's "high-performance culture," "lifestyle hours," and emphasis on in-person collaboration. Be ready to articulate why you are a "builder, not a passenger."

⚠️ 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.