Product Design Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Design Director

Company: AKQA

Location: Berlin, Germany

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / User Experience Design

Date Posted: April 2, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the conceptualization, design, and delivery of cutting-edge digital products and connected experiences that establish new benchmarks for creativity and usability.

• Spearhead the integration of AI-native interfaces and generative UI systems by partnering closely with UX, Creative Technology, and AI Engineering teams.

• Develop and evolve comprehensive, brand-led design systems that perform seamlessly across diverse platforms including screen, voice, gesture, and spatial interfaces.

• Translate abstract brand platforms into tangible, functional, and measurable product experiences that resonate with target audiences.

• Champion accessibility and inclusivity as core design principles, ensuring WCAG compliance and optimal usability for all users.

• Drive rapid prototyping and experimentation, with a particular focus on AI, generative systems, and novel interaction models.

• Mentor, develop, and inspire a diverse team of designers, fostering a culture of craftsmanship, critical thinking, and continuous innovation.

• Collaborate strategically with strategists, client partners, and creative teams to translate brand purpose into impactful digital products.

• Represent AKQA in new business initiatives, effectively articulating the strategic value of design in solving complex business and human-centered challenges.

• Play a pivotal role in client leadership and business growth, identifying opportunities and clearly communicating the commercial value of design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role of Product Design Director at AKQA Berlin is positioned at a senior leadership level, focusing on strategic product vision and team management within a dynamic agency environment. The emphasis on AI, generative UI, and adaptive design systems indicates a forward-thinking approach to product development, requiring a candidate with a strong grasp of emerging technologies and their application to brand strategy and user experience.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, design, and oversee the end-to-end delivery of world-class digital products and connected experiences, setting new industry standards for creativity and usability.

• Collaborate with UX, Creative Technology, and AI Engineering teams to shape and implement AI-native interfaces, generative UI systems, and adaptive design components.

• Establish, maintain, and evolve brand-led design systems that ensure cohesive and high-performing experiences across screen, voice, gesture, and spatial interfaces.

• Translate high-level brand platforms and strategies into practical, user-friendly, and measurable product experiences that align with business objectives.

• Integrate accessibility and inclusivity from the initial design stages, ensuring adherence to WCAG standards and broad usability for diverse user groups.

• Lead rapid prototyping and experimentation initiatives, focusing on emerging technologies such as AI, generative systems, and novel interaction paradigms.

• Mentor, guide, and inspire a multidisciplinary team of designers, cultivating a high-performance culture that emphasizes craftsmanship, critical thinking, and innovative problem-solving.

• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with strategists, client partners, and other creative teams to effectively translate brand purpose into impactful digital products.

• Act as a key representative for AKQA in new business pitches and opportunities, articulating the strategic and commercial value of design in addressing complex client challenges.

• Drive client leadership and identify growth opportunities within existing accounts, demonstrating the commercial impact and strategic importance of design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on design direction, and team management. Emphasis is placed on translating brand into product, leading with emerging technologies like AI, and ensuring commercial viability alongside user experience excellence. This requires a candidate who can operate at both a strategic and tactical level, with a strong focus on client delivery and team development.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio and extensive experience in product design, interaction design, or a related creative field are essential. A formal education in design, human-computer interaction, or a related discipline is often beneficial.

Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in product design or interaction design, preferably within leading digital studios, innovative agencies, or forward-thinking in-house teams. Proven track record of delivering end-to-end product ecosystems, not merely isolated features or screens.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in leading concept, design, and delivery of complex digital products and connected experiences.

• Mastery of Figma and contemporary design-system workflows, including tokens, auto-layout, and component libraries.

• Strong understanding of human-centered design principles, accessibility standards (WCAG), motion design, and micro-interaction design.

• Experience in translating brand platforms into functional, usable, and measurable product experiences.

• Ability to integrate accessibility and inclusivity from first principles in design solutions.

• Experience in driving rapid prototyping and experimentation with emerging technologies.

• Demonstrated success in mentoring mid- and senior-level designers and fostering creative excellence.

• Confident and effective presentation skills for senior clients and executives.

• Systems thinking approach with a keen eye for detail and sensitivity to brand and narrative.

• Calm, credible, and optimistic communication style for complex challenges.

• Deep curiosity and advocacy for emerging technologies, particularly AI, and their human potential.

• Strong point of view on how AI is reshaping design, products, and brands.

• Commitment to inclusive design and accessible innovation.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with AI-driven design workflows and generative UI systems.

• Familiarity with AI design tools and prototyping tools such as Framer, Principle, ProtoPie, or After Effects.

• Experience collaborating with machine-learning or data-science teams.

• Demonstrable success in uniting brand and product through interface design elements like motion language, sound design, or spatial storytelling.

• Experience operating in fast-moving, ambiguous environments with senior client stakeholders.

• Familiarity with code-based interaction design software and no-code web and app solutions.

• Understanding of contemporary design-system workflows beyond Figma.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of deep design craft, leadership acumen, and forward-thinking technical expertise, particularly around AI and emerging technologies