Head of Design, Wealth Services, Vice President

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Head of Design, Wealth Services, Vice President
Company: State Street
Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: Design Leadership / Product Design Operations
Date Posted: February 13, 2026
Experience Level: 10+ years
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic design vision and execution for State Street's expanding wealth services offering, focusing on consumer-grade applications for institutional clients.
• Drive the development of innovative, AI-enabled user experiences and scalable design systems for retirement planning and wealth management.
• Manage and mentor a team of designers, fostering a culture of craft, execution, and user-centered design within a regulated financial environment.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Business, Engineering, and external partners to translate complex problems into intuitive and impactful product solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Head of Design," the responsibilities heavily lean into Product Design Operations and GTM enablement by focusing on product development, user experience, and cross-functional collaboration to bring new wealth services to market. The "Vice President" title indicates a senior leadership position with significant strategic influence.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the end-to-end design of multiple new retirement planning applications, from initial concept ideation through successful launch and iterative improvement cycles.
• Define and refine user journeys for both core task completion and essential support experiences, ensuring a seamless and intuitive customer interaction.
• Architect and design AI-enabled querying experiences, encompassing natural language input, intelligent guided prompts, effective product support, and the delivery of contextual educational content.
• Establish interaction patterns and design principles for dynamic dashboards that personalize and adapt to diverse user roles, individual preferences, and evolving behaviors.
• Develop forward-thinking experiences catering to a broad audience, including both adult clients and potentially younger demographics or dependents.
• Act as a strategic partner to the Business unit, facilitating problem framing, defining Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), and achieving a delicate balance between user value and overarching business objectives.
• Collaborate closely with internal Engineering teams and external partners to ensure the technical feasibility, data accuracy, and efficient implementation of design solutions.
• Provide strong mentorship and guidance to the design team, offering clear direction, constructive critique, and active support, while remaining hands-on in the execution of key design elements.
• Champion user-centered design principles and advocate for user needs within the context of a highly regulated, risk-aware banking and financial services environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership and hands-on execution, typical of senior design roles in product-focused organizations. Key areas include AI integration, adaptive interfaces, and user experience for complex financial products, requiring a deep understanding of both enterprise and consumer design paradigms.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A degree in Design (Interaction Design, Graphic Design, Product Design), Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a closely related field is a strong plus.
• Additional certifications or continuing education in UX research, design thinking, or financial technology are beneficial.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in product design, with a proven track record of leading complex, data-rich product initiatives from conception to successful market launch.
• Demonstrated experience in designing for enterprise-level tools and sophisticated consumer-facing products, with a particular emphasis on financial services, fintech, or similarly regulated environments.
• A portfolio showcasing a deep understanding of interaction design principles, user-centered methodologies, and the ability to translate ambiguous problem spaces into clear, actionable product direction and visually compelling solutions.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Leadership: Ability to set design vision, manage design teams, and drive execution for complex product portfolios.
• Interaction Design: Expertise in crafting intuitive and efficient user flows, interaction patterns, and information architecture for digital products.
• User-Centered Design (UCD): Profound understanding and application of UCD principles, including user research, persona development, and usability testing.
• Design Systems: Experience developing and maintaining scalable design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency across multiple products.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong ability to partner effectively with Business, Product Management, Engineering, and other stakeholders.
• Problem Framing & Solutioning: Capacity to translate ambiguous business challenges into clear design problems and innovative solutions.
• Prototyping & Tools Proficiency: Mastery of modern design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, and prototyping libraries.

Preferred Skills:

• Fintech/Wealth Management Design: Specific experience designing applications within the wealth management, retirement planning, or broader fintech landscape.
• AI/ML Integration: Experience collaborating with AI/ML teams to design and implement AI-enabled features and natural language interfaces.
• Regulated Environment Design: Proven ability to design within the constraints of regulatory requirements and risk-aware financial institutions.
• Accessibility Standards: Knowledge of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) for interfaces and data visualization.
• Data Visualization: Skill in designing effective and insightful data visualizations for complex financial data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "10+ years" experience level, coupled with leading "complex, data-rich products" and a "zero-to-one portfolio," strongly suggests this role is for a senior leader capable of strategic direction and execution. The emphasis on fintech and regulated environments indicates a need for domain-specific knowledge and a robust portfolio demonstrating these capabilities.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: A comprehensive portfolio is mandatory, featuring detailed case studies that illustrate your design process from problem identification through to solution implementation and impact.
• Process Documentation: Showcase a clear and repeatable design process, demonstrating how you approach user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.
• System Design: Include examples of contribution to or leadership of design systems, illustrating their application and impact on product consistency and development efficiency.
• AI/Complex System Design: Highlight projects that involved designing for complex data sets, AI-driven features, or intricate user flows within regulated or enterprise contexts.
• Impact & Metrics: Demonstrate how your design decisions led to measurable business or user outcomes, supported by relevant metrics and ROI where possible.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Provide examples of how you have designed and optimized user workflows to enhance efficiency, reduce friction, and improve task completion rates.
• System Implementation: Detail your experience in implementing design solutions, including collaboration with engineering for pixel-perfect execution and maintaining design integrity.
• Measurement & Analysis: Showcase your approach to defining key performance indicators (KPIs) for design, gathering user feedback, and analyzing data to inform design iterations and strategic decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior design role like this, especially in a regulated industry, the portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond just showcasing visual design and demonstrate strategic thinking, leadership, process maturity, and the ability to drive tangible business outcomes through design. The emphasis on "zero-to-one" products and AI integration suggests a need for examples of innovation and tackling novel design challenges.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $120,000 - $217,500 Annual

• This range is provided for the Boston, Massachusetts location. Actual compensation may vary based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and the final role requirements. State Street's compensation philosophy aims to be competitive within the financial services industry and the specific geographic market.

Benefits:

• Retirement Savings: Comprehensive 401(k) plan with a company match, supporting long-term financial planning.
• Health & Wellness: Robust insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, and long-term disability. Optional additional coverages are also available.
• Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous PTO package encompassing vacation days, sick leave, short-term disability, and provisions for family care responsibilities.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Access to confidential support services for personal and professional well-being.
• Performance-Based Incentives: Eligibility for annual performance-based awards, reflecting contributions to company success (note: sales roles may have separate incentive plans).
• Tax-Advantaged Savings: Opportunities for tax-advantaged savings plans to further enhance financial security.
• Professional Development: Inclusive development opportunities designed to foster skill enhancement and career growth.
• Work-Life Support: Flexible work-life support initiatives to promote a healthy balance.
• Community Engagement: Paid volunteer days to encourage and support community involvement.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, typically from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST.

• While a standard schedule is outlined, the role, being a leadership position, may require flexibility to accommodate project deadlines and urgent business needs, common in high-impact design roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a Vice President-level Design role in a major financial hub like Boston. The extensive list of benefits underscores State Street's commitment to employee well-being and professional growth, which are key considerations for senior operations and leadership roles. The 40-hour work week is standard, but leadership roles often imply a need for flexibility.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services / Banking / Wealth Management. State Street is a global leader in institutional financial services, providing investment management, investment research, and investment data to clients worldwide. The Wealth Services division is focused on expanding offerings in custody, clearing, and developing new consumer-grade applications for individual investors. Company Size: Large Enterprise (Likely 10,000+ employees globally, based on typical financial institutions of this stature). This size offers stability, extensive resources, and opportunities for broad impact but may also involve more structured processes and a need for strong navigation skills. Founded: 1792. With a long history, State Street has a deep-rooted corporate culture, emphasizing stability, trust, and long-term client relationships, balanced with a drive for innovation in its newer divisions.

Team Structure:

• Design Team: Likely part of a broader Product or Technology organization, this team will be specialized in UX/UI design, interaction design, and potentially research. The Head of Design will lead this team.
• Reporting Structure: The Head of Design will report to a senior executive within the Wealth Services division (e.g., Head of Product, Head of Wealth Services, or potentially a Chief Design Officer if one exists at the enterprise level). They will manage a team of individual contributors and potentially other design leads.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role requires intense collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, Business Strategy, Risk Management, Compliance, and Marketing teams to bring new products to market. This collaborative environment is critical for navigating the complexities of financial services.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using data analytics, user research, and A/B testing to inform design decisions and measure product success.
• Agile Development: Likely operating within agile frameworks to facilitate rapid iteration and responsiveness to market changes.
• Risk-Aware Innovation: A core aspect of the methodology will be balancing innovative, user-centric design with the stringent regulatory and risk management requirements inherent in the financial services industry.
• Scalable Design Systems: Commitment to building and leveraging robust design systems to ensure consistency, efficiency, and quality across a growing product suite.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: State Street's long history in financial services implies a culture that values stability and trust, but the specific mention of expanding "wealth service offering" and "developing new consumer-grade applications" indicates a significant push for innovation. This dual focus is crucial for candidates to understand: they need to be innovative yet compliant and risk-aware. The "zero-to-one" aspect suggests a startup-like environment within a large enterprise, offering unique challenges and opportunities.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Vice President, Head of Design. This is a senior leadership role responsible for defining and executing the design strategy for a significant product portfolio within Wealth Services. It requires a blend of strategic vision, team leadership, and hands-on design expertise. Reporting Structure: The role reports to a senior executive within the Wealth Services division, indicating direct influence on product strategy and execution. This provides high visibility and potential for further advancement within the organization or the broader financial services industry. Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on State Street's ability to compete and innovate in the rapidly evolving wealth management and retirement planning space. Successful design execution will drive client acquisition, engagement, and retention for institutional clients, ultimately contributing to revenue growth and market share. The focus on AI-enabled experiences and consumer-grade applications positions this role at the forefront of digital transformation within the company.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership: Opportunity to shape the future of wealth services design at a major financial institution, potentially leading to broader design leadership roles across State Street.
• Innovation & New Product Development: Direct involvement in building "zero-to-one" products, offering a unique opportunity to innovate and make a significant mark.
• Skill Expansion: Deepen expertise in AI-driven design, complex financial product design, and navigating regulated enterprise environments.
• Mentorship & Team Building: Develop leadership skills by building and mentoring a high-performing design team.
• Industry Influence: Potential to become a thought leader in design for fintech and institutional wealth management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The VP title and "Head of Design" designation signify a strategic leadership role. Growth here likely involves expanding the scope of responsibility, potentially leading larger design organizations, or moving into broader product leadership roles within State Street or the financial services industry. The "zero-to-one" nature of the products offers a chance for significant career impact and visibility.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Primarily an on-site role in Boston, Massachusetts, indicating a traditional corporate office environment. This setting is typical for large financial institutions, promoting in-person collaboration and adherence to established corporate practices. Office Location(s): Boston, Massachusetts. This is a major financial hub, offering access to talent, industry events, and a vibrant professional community. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role necessitates close collaboration with cross-functional teams (Business, Engineering, Product Management). The office environment is expected to support this through shared workspaces, meeting rooms, and informal interaction areas.
• Tools & Technology: Access to State Street's standard suite of design, collaboration, and productivity tools will be provided. This includes modern design software (like Figma) and potentially specialized financial data platforms.
• Team Interaction: Regular team meetings, design critiques, and strategic planning sessions will be part of the daily routine, fostering a connected and communicative design team.

Work Schedule: 4 days per week, 9 AM to 5 PM. Adherence to this schedule is expected, with the understanding that leadership roles and project demands may occasionally require flexibility and extended hours. The 4-day week structure is unusual and may be a specific pilot program or a company-wide initiative, offering a unique work-life balance component.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" status and specific 4-day work week are key differentiators. While on-site in a major financial center, the 4-day week is a significant perk and a potential consideration for work-life balance. This structure implies a focus on efficiency and output within those four days.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Talent Acquisition will review applications and portfolios for basic qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager (likely a senior leader in Wealth Services) to assess strategic thinking, leadership experience, and fit with the team's goals.
• Design Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with other designers, design leads, and potentially key cross-functional partners (e.g., Product Managers, Engineering Leads) to evaluate design craft, collaboration skills, and technical understanding.
• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their portfolio, detailing specific case studies, their design process, and how they've driven impact in previous roles. This is a crucial stage for demonstrating leadership and strategic thinking.
• Executive Interview: A final interview with a senior executive (e.g., Head of Wealth Services) to assess executive presence, strategic alignment, and overall cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your most impactful projects that best showcase your leadership, strategic thinking, and experience in complex/regulated/AI-driven design. Prioritize "zero-to-one" product examples if possible.
• Storytelling Structure: For each case study, clearly articulate:
  • The Problem: What was the business or user challenge?
  • Your Role: What specific responsibilities did you have as a leader and/or individual contributor?
  • The Process: How did you approach the problem (research, ideation, iteration)?
  • The Solution: What was the final design, and what were the key design decisions?
  • The Impact: What were the measurable results (KPIs, business outcomes, user feedback)?
• Highlight Leadership: For this VP role, emphasize strategic contributions, team management, cross-functional influence, and how you've mentored designers.
• Address Constraints: If projects were in regulated environments, explain how you navigated those constraints effectively.
• Prepare for Q&A: Be ready to discuss your design philosophy, your approach to difficult design challenges, and how you handle team dynamics and stakeholder management.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise (Potential): Be prepared for a take-home or live design exercise, likely focused on a business problem relevant to wealth management or AI-driven financial services. Focus on demonstrating your strategic approach, user empathy, and ability to articulate your rationale.
• Business Acumen: Demonstrate an understanding of State Street's business, the wealth management industry, and the competitive landscape.
• Leadership Scenarios: Be ready to discuss how you would handle team conflicts, motivate designers, and align design strategy with business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio presentation will be a critical component. Candidates should tailor their examples to highlight experience with complex financial products, AI integration, and leadership in regulated environments. The "zero-to-one" product focus means demonstrating innovation and strategic product direction will be key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expected to be the primary tool for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration, given its industry prevalence.
• Prototyping Libraries/Tools: Proficiency with tools that allow for advanced prototyping and potentially interactive simulations (e.g., InVision, ProtoPie, or Figma's advanced prototyping features).
• Design System Management Tools: Experience with platforms or methodologies for managing and scaling design systems.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar, for understanding user behavior and product performance.
• Data Visualization Tools: Experience with tools that can connect to data sources and create insightful dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Looker) for design performance review.
• User Feedback Platforms: Tools for collecting, analyzing, and acting on user feedback (e.g., survey tools, in-app feedback widgets, UsabilityHub).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not directly a CRM role, understanding how design integrates with customer data managed in systems like Salesforce or internal State Street platforms is beneficial.
• Project Management & Collaboration Tools: Proficiency with tools such as Jira, Confluence, Asana, or Trello for managing design projects and workflows.
• AI/ML Platforms (Conceptual Understanding): Familiarity with how AI/ML models are integrated into user-facing applications and the design considerations thereof.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and prototyping methods points to a modern design workflow. For a Head of Design role, understanding the broader technology ecosystem, including analytics and project management tools, is crucial for effective collaboration and impact measurement. Familiarity with AI integration tools or concepts is a significant plus given the role's focus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User Obsession: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the end-user, ensuring their needs are at the forefront of all design decisions.
• Craftsmanship & Excellence: A dedication to high-quality design execution, attention to detail, and a pursuit of elegant solutions.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an open environment where ideas are shared freely, feedback is constructive, and teams work together seamlessly.
• Innovation & Adaptability: Embracing new technologies and methodologies, particularly AI, and adapting designs to evolving user needs and market trends.
• Integrity & Responsibility: Operating with a strong sense of ethical responsibility, especially within the regulated financial services context, ensuring designs are trustworthy and compliant.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: Working closely with Product Management and Engineering as true partners in product development, not just as service providers.
• Empathetic Communication: Employing active listening and clear communication to build trust and understanding across diverse teams and disciplines.
• Data-Informed Decision Making: Encouraging the use of data and research to validate design hypotheses and drive consensus.
• Feedback-Rich Environment: Cultivating a culture where constructive feedback is welcomed and seen as essential for continuous improvement of both products and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given State Street's long history, the values likely emphasize trust, integrity, and long-term vision, overlaid with a modern emphasis on user-centricity, innovation (especially with AI), and agile collaboration critical for new product development. The "4 days/week" structure might also hint at a company valuing efficiency and employee well-being.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Regulation: Designing innovative, user-friendly experiences within the strict regulatory framework of the financial services industry requires careful balance and deep understanding.
• AI Integration Complexity: Translating the potential of AI into intuitive, reliable, and ethical user experiences for wealth management is a significant technical and design challenge.
• "Zero-to-One" Product Development: Building new products from scratch in a large, established enterprise presents challenges related to alignment, resource allocation, and adoption.
• Balancing Enterprise & Consumer Needs: Designing applications that serve institutional clients while offering a consumer-grade experience requires a nuanced approach to user understanding and design execution.
• Team Leadership in a Matrixed Environment: Leading a design team effectively while working across multiple functional groups and reporting lines within a large corporation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into FinTech & AI: Gain unparalleled experience in the intersection of financial technology, AI, and consumer/institutional product design.
• Leadership Development: Hone leadership skills by managing a team, influencing strategy, and driving product vision at a VP level.
• Industry Knowledge: Expand expertise in wealth management, retirement planning, and the broader institutional investment landscape.
• Cross-Functional Acumen: Develop a sophisticated understanding of business strategy, engineering constraints, and regulatory compliance within a global financial institution.
• Mentorship: Opportunities to be mentored by senior leaders within State Street and to mentor emerging design talent.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to the role's context: innovation within regulation, leveraging new tech like AI, and leading within a large organization. The growth opportunities are substantial, focusing on leadership, specialized domain expertise, and shaping the future of financial services design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to leading design for a 'zero-to-one' product initiative within a large, regulated enterprise. How do you balance innovation with compliance and scalability?"
  • Preparation Advice: Focus on your process for problem framing, user research in regulated spaces, iterative development, and stakeholder management. Use examples of past projects.
• "How would you design an AI-powered natural language interface for retirement planning? What are the key considerations for user trust, data accuracy, and ethical AI implementation?"
  • Preparation Advice: Discuss your understanding of LLMs, NLP, user feedback loops for AI, and how to design for transparency and control. Reference any relevant AI design experience.
• "Walk me through a complex design challenge you faced, involving multiple stakeholders and technical constraints. How did you navigate it, and what was the outcome?"
  • Preparation Advice: Choose a robust case study from your portfolio that demonstrates problem-solving, negotiation, and impact. Quantify results where possible.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about State Street's Wealth Services division and our expansion into consumer-grade applications?"
  • Preparation Advice: Research State Street's recent initiatives, financial news related to their wealth management services, and the broader fintech trends. Connect your passion and skills to their strategic goals.
• "How do you foster a collaborative and high-performing design team, particularly in a hybrid or on-site environment with a 4-day work week?"
  • Preparation Advice: Discuss your leadership style, team-building strategies, methods for driving accountability, and how you manage team dynamics to maximize output and well-being.
• "How do you measure the success of design initiatives, especially in a financial services context where ROI can be complex to define?"
  • Preparation Advice: Discuss your experience with KPIs, user metrics, business impact analysis, and how you align design objectives with broader business goals.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation with a clear beginning (problem), middle (process/solution), and end (impact).
• Focus on Leadership: For each case study, emphasize your strategic contributions, decision-making rationale, and how you guided the team or project.
• Demonstrate Process Maturity: Clearly articulate your design methodology, user research techniques, and iterative approach.
• Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the tangible results of your design work.
• Address Constraints: Be prepared to discuss how you navigated technical, regulatory, or business constraints effectively.
• Engage Your Audience: Make it a conversation, not a monologue. Be prepared to answer questions thoughtfully and demonstrate your passion and expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic leadership, a deep understanding of financial services design challenges (especially AI and regulation), and the ability to articulate impact. The portfolio presentation is key, so candidates should practice presenting their most relevant work with a strong narrative and data-backed results.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Head of Design, Wealth Services, Vice President position:

• Submit Your Application: Navigate to the State Street careers portal via the provided URL and complete the online application.
• Portfolio Customization: Curate your design portfolio to prominently feature 3-5 compelling case studies that highlight your experience in leading complex product design, working with AI/complex data, navigating regulated environments, and driving measurable impact. Ensure it clearly articulates your strategic approach and leadership capabilities.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your 10+ years of leadership experience in product design, your expertise in interaction design, user-centered methodologies, and any relevant financial services or fintech background. Use keywords from the job description.
• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly research State Street, its Wealth Services division, and current trends in fintech and AI-driven financial services. Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail and articulate your strategic vision for design. Practice answering common interview questions for senior leadership roles.
• Company Research: Understand State Street's mission, values, and recent strategic initiatives. Prepare thoughtful questions about the team, the company culture, and the future direction of Wealth Services.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details, especially regarding specific interview processes, team structures, and exact tool requirements, should be verified directly with the hiring organization or during the interview process before making application decisions.