Product Design Director

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Design Director

Company: FranConnect, LLC

Location: Herndon, Virginia, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-05-01T01:32:49

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic vision and execution for FranConnect's Product Design team, driving innovation in franchise and multi-unit management software.

• Establish and mature an AI-native design practice, integrating artificial intelligence across the design lifecycle from discovery to delivery to enhance efficiency and impact.

• Mentor and develop a high-performing team of Product Designers, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning within the design organization.

• Govern the development and implementation of a scalable design system to ensure a unified and consistent user experience across FranConnect's multi-product platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for bridging product strategy with user experience, particularly within a B2B SaaS environment focused on franchise management. The emphasis on AI integration and design system scaling indicates a need for a leader who can drive operational efficiency through design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Strategically define, craft, and safeguard the company's Product Design team's vision and roadmap, aligning design efforts with business objectives.

• Build and scale an AI-native design practice, incorporating AI tools to accelerate iteration, enhance discovery, and improve prototyping and delivery processes.

• Act as a senior mentor and catalyst for growth for Product Designers, guiding them towards achieving design excellence and professional development.

• Champion cross-functional collaboration and innovation within the design team and across the broader organization to enhance workflow integration and product development.

• Govern the development and adoption of a comprehensive design system, establishing scalable and uniform design principles and components.

• Monitor and adopt cutting-edge design trends, tools, and methodologies to maintain FranConnect's leadership position in product design within the franchise management software sector.

• Forge strong relationships with key stakeholders, including executive leadership, engineering, product management, customer success, and go-to-market teams, leveraging insights to refine product design.

• Harness data, customer feedback, and market insights to shape and align the product roadmap with strategic business goals and user needs.

• Collaborate closely with engineering leadership to envision, design, and deliver user-centric products that deliver demonstrable value and drive business outcomes.

• Adapt and excel in a dynamic work environment, effectively tackling the design challenges inherent in a diverse and complex product portfolio.

• Engage with Customer Success and Go-to-Market teams to gather feedback and ensure product design meets and exceeds evolving customer requirements and market demands.

• Attract, nurture, and retain a high-caliber design team, fostering a culture of high performance, innovation, and continuous improvement.

• Demonstrate a keen ability to balance visionary strategic thinking with meticulous attention to detail in execution.

• Evangelize the value and impact of product design throughout the organization and with external customers.

• Actively receive and incorporate constructive feedback to iterate and improve product design and team processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The breadth of responsibilities underscores the strategic nature of this role. It requires not just design leadership but also operational oversight in scaling design practices, integrating new technologies like AI, and managing a complex product suite.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science or an equally relevant degree, or an equivalent combination of education and applicable work experience.

Experience:

• 7+ years of hands-on experience as a Product Designer or in a similar design leadership role.

• 5+ years of proven experience in a leadership role, such as a Design Director or Manager.

• Demonstrated experience working in B2B SaaS environments.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Leadership: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and scale design teams, setting vision and strategy.

• B2B SaaS Design: Deep understanding of user experience principles and design challenges specific to business-to-business software applications.

• AI Integration in Design: Demonstrated experience applying AI tools and methodologies across the design process (discovery, prototyping, delivery).

• Design Systems Management: Expertise in building, scaling, and governing design systems that unify experience across multi-product platforms.

• Strategic Planning & Roadmapping: Ability to translate business objectives into actionable design strategies and product roadmaps.

• Prototyping & User-Centric Design: Proficiency in creating high-fidelity prototypes and championing user-centric design principles.

• Stakeholder Management & Communication: Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills to effectively communicate complex technical issues and design strategies to diverse audiences, including executives.

• Data Analysis & Insights: Ability to leverage data and customer insights to inform design decisions and product strategy.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Proven ability to partner effectively with engineering, product management, and go-to-market teams.

• Design Strategy & Vision: Capacity to envision future product directions and articulate a compelling design vision.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the franchise management or multi-unit business software industry.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and their impact on design workflows.

• Experience with user research methodologies and translating findings into design solutions.

• Strong business acumen and judgment, with a collaborative and inclusive working style.

• Professional stature and gravitas to influence executives and leaders with credibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 5+ years in a leadership role, combined with 7+ years of overall design experience, indicates a senior position demanding both strategic vision and practical execution. The emphasis on B2B SaaS, complex product stacks, AI, and design systems points to a need for operational efficiency and scalability in design processes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A strong portfolio showcasing led, designed, and shipped products, with a focus on B2B SaaS applications and complex, multi-modular product suites.

• Demonstrate experience in scaling design systems that have unified user experiences across multiple products or platform modules.

• Provide case studies that highlight the strategic application of AI tools within the design process and their measurable impact on efficiency or outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of establishing and refining design workflows that integrate AI and advanced design methodologies for improved efficiency.

• Documentation illustrating the governance and evolution of a design system, including its adoption and impact on product consistency and development speed.

• Examples of how design processes were adapted to meet the demands of a high-growth SaaS environment and complex product portfolios.

• Demonstrate a process for gathering, analyzing, and acting upon customer feedback and usage data to drive design iterations and improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates will need to present a portfolio that not only showcases their design output but also their strategic approach to operationalizing design at scale, integrating cutting-edge technologies like AI, and managing complex product ecosystems.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Director of Product Design in Herndon, Virginia, with 10+ years of experience in B2B SaaS leadership, the estimated salary range is typically between $180,000 and $250,000 annually. This range can vary based on specific experience, performance, and the total compensation package including bonuses and equity.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Opportunities for professional development, including training, conferences, and certifications.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses and/or equity participation.

• Employee assistance program and other wellness initiatives.

• Hybrid work model offering flexibility.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week) are expected, with flexibility often available to accommodate project needs and individual work styles. Adherence to business hours for collaboration with global teams may be required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for Director-level Product Design roles in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area for experienced professionals in the B2B SaaS sector. Benefits are standard for a company of FranConnect's size and industry, focusing on comprehensive support for employees.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Franchise and Multi-Unit Management Software (B2B SaaS). FranConnect is a market leader, providing the backbone for sales, operations, and marketing for over 1500 brands worldwide, enabling them to grow faster than the market average.

Company Size: FranConnect has a significant global presence, with offices in Australia, India, Colombia, and Canada, in addition to its headquarters in Herndon, Virginia. The company size is likely in the range of 500-1000 employees, indicating a mature, well-established, yet growth-oriented organization.

Founded: FranConnect was founded 20 years ago, signifying a stable company with deep industry experience and a proven track record.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team will likely be structured around product pillars or squads, with the Director overseeing multiple Product Designers.

• Reporting will be to a senior executive, such as a VP of Product or Chief Product Officer, indicating a high level of visibility and strategic input.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using customer and product usage data to inform design decisions and product roadmap alignment.

• Agile & Iterative Development: The role requires working within dynamic and adaptive environments, suggesting agile methodologies are likely in play for design and development.

• AI-Powered Design: A key initiative is building an AI-native design practice, integrating AI tools throughout the design lifecycle to drive efficiency and innovation.

• Design System Governance: Establishing and maintaining a unified design system to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency across the product suite.

Company Website: www.franconnect.com

📝 Enhancement Note: FranConnect's established market position, focus on growth, and commitment to innovation (e.g., AI-native design) suggest a culture that values both stability and forward-thinking. The hybrid work model and emphasis on employee growth indicate a modern approach to workplace culture.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role at the Director level, responsible for setting strategic direction and managing a critical function within the company. It sits at the intersection of product development and Go-to-Market operations, influencing user experience and product adoption.

Reporting Structure: The Director of Product Design will report to a senior executive, likely a VP of Product or Chief Product Officer, and will manage a team of Product Designers. This position requires significant collaboration with other department heads, including Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success.

Operations Impact: The Director of Product Design has a profound impact on FranConnect's revenue and business decisions by:

• Ensuring products are user-friendly and meet customer needs, directly impacting customer adoption, retention, and satisfaction, which are key drivers of recurring revenue in SaaS.

• Driving product innovation through AI integration and a robust design system, which can lead to faster development cycles, improved product quality, and enhanced competitive differentiation.

• Aligning product design with business objectives and market demands, ensuring that development efforts are focused on areas with the highest potential for revenue growth and profitability.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to grow into VP-level roles (e.g., VP of Product Design, VP of Product) or executive leadership positions within product or technology.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the long-term product vision and technology strategy of the company, particularly in the adoption of AI in design.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Develop deeper insights into product management, engineering, and GTM strategies, broadening overall business acumen.

• Industry Recognition: Opportunity to lead a cutting-edge design practice and potentially contribute to industry thought leadership in AI-driven design and B2B SaaS UX.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity for an experienced design leader to make a substantial impact on a well-established B2B SaaS company, with clear pathways for further career advancement and strategic influence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: FranConnect operates with a hybrid work model. This means employees will split their time between working remotely and in the company's physical office located in Herndon, Virginia. This model aims to balance the benefits of remote work flexibility with the advantages of in-person collaboration.

Office Location(s): The primary office relevant to this role is located at 13865 Sunrise Valley Drive, Herndon, VA 20171. This location is situated within a prominent business corridor, offering access to amenities and transportation.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is likely designed to foster collaboration, with meeting rooms, common areas, and potentially open-plan workspaces to encourage interaction between teams.

• Employees can expect access to the necessary technology and tools for both remote and in-office work, supporting seamless transitions between environments.

• Opportunities for spontaneous brainstorming, team building, and direct mentorship will be available when working from the office, complementing remote collaboration tools.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with standard working hours expected. The hybrid arrangement allows for flexibility in scheduling, though designers will need to coordinate office days with their teams for key meetings, workshops, and collaborative sessions. The schedule should also accommodate collaboration with global teams in different time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role suggests a modern work environment that values flexibility while maintaining the benefits of in-person team synergy, critical for design leadership and collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or HR representative will likely conduct an initial phone screen to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest.

• Hiring Manager Interview: An interview with the hiring manager (e.g., VP of Product) to delve deeper into leadership experience, strategic thinking, and alignment with the role's objectives.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A critical stage involving a presentation of your portfolio. This may include a specific design challenge or case study prepared beforehand, focusing on your approach to scaling design systems, integrating AI, and leading design for complex B2B SaaS products.

• Team & Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with key stakeholders, including design team members, product managers, engineering leads, and potentially GTM leaders, to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and cross-functional communication skills.

• Executive Interview: A final interview with a senior executive (e.g., CPO, CEO) to discuss strategic vision, leadership philosophy, and overall fit with the company's direction.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Leadership & Strategy: Beyond showcasing individual design work, emphasize your role in defining design strategy, leading teams, and influencing product direction.

• Highlight AI Integration: Clearly articulate how you've used or plan to use AI tools to improve design processes, efficiency, and outcomes.

• Demonstrate Design System Impact: Showcase your experience in building, scaling, and governing design systems, detailing their benefits for consistency, speed, and user experience across a platform.

• Quantify Impact: Use metrics and data to demonstrate the success of your design initiatives, especially in terms of user adoption, efficiency gains, or revenue impact.

• B2B SaaS Context: Tailor your examples to the B2B SaaS environment, highlighting an understanding of enterprise user needs and complex workflows.

• Storytelling: Frame your portfolio pieces as stories that explain the problem, your approach, your leadership, the solution, and the measurable results.

Challenge Preparation:

• AI & Design Systems Focus: Be prepared for a design challenge or case study that requires you to outline a strategy for integrating AI into a design process or scaling an existing design system for a complex product.

• Strategic Thinking: Anticipate questions that probe your ability to align design with business goals, understand market dynamics, and anticipate future trends.

• Collaboration & Communication: Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, demonstrating your ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and present complex ideas effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess not only design talent but also leadership capabilities, strategic thinking, and operational acumen in scaling design practices within a B2B SaaS context. A strong portfolio demonstrating AI integration and design system expertise will be crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, Axure RP.

• AI Design Tools: Familiarity with emerging AI-powered design assistants, content generation tools, and workflow automation platforms (e.g., Midjourney, ChatGPT for ideation, specialized AI design plugins).

• Design System Management: Tools and methodologies for creating, documenting, and maintaining design systems (e.g., Storybook, Zeroheight, internal documentation platforms).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics for understanding user behavior on web platforms.

• Product Analytics: Mixpanel, Amplitude, Pendo for in-depth product usage analysis and user journey mapping.

• Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Tableau, Power BI, Looker for data visualization and stakeholder reporting, enabling data-driven design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Salesforce, HubSpot (understanding how design impacts user workflows within these systems).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello for managing design tasks, sprints, and cross-functional project workflows.

• Communication Platforms: Slack, Microsoft Teams for real-time communication and team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with industry-standard design tools is expected, with a strong emphasis on experience with AI-driven design tools and the ability to manage and scale comprehensive design systems. Familiarity with product analytics and BI tools is essential for data-informed design.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A core value driving all design decisions, ensuring that the needs and success of franchise and multi-unit businesses are at the forefront.

• Innovation & AI Integration: A forward-thinking approach that embraces new technologies like AI to enhance design processes and product capabilities.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where ideas are shared openly, feedback is constructive, and teams work together seamlessly.

• Excellence & Accountability: High professional standards for self and others, with a focus on delivering high-quality products and taking ownership of outcomes.

• Continuous Learning: Encouraging professional growth and staying ahead of design trends and best practices.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The design team is expected to work closely with Product Management, Engineering, and Go-to-Market teams, acting as a hub for user experience expertise.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: A culture that values regular feedback and iteration on designs, involving stakeholders and users throughout the development lifecycle.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging designers to share insights, best practices, and learnings, fostering a collective growth environment.

• Process Optimization: A focus on continuously improving design workflows and methodologies to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: FranConnect emphasizes a culture that balances a strong customer focus with a drive for innovation, particularly through technology like AI. The collaborative and accountable environment is crucial for a Director leading cross-functional design initiatives.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Design Systems: Effectively scaling and maintaining a unified design system across a complex, multi-modular B2B SaaS platform while accommodating diverse product needs.

• AI Integration: Successfully integrating AI tools into existing design workflows and processes to demonstrate tangible benefits without disrupting current operations.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent alignment on design vision and execution across multiple product pillars and with diverse stakeholder groups (Product, Engineering, GTM).

• Balancing Vision and Execution: Articulating a compelling future vision for product design while ensuring meticulous attention to the details of current product delivery.

• Global Collaboration: Effectively managing and collaborating with design teams and stakeholders across different geographic locations and time zones.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Design Specialization: Deepen expertise in leveraging AI for design, from ideation and content generation to user research analysis and workflow automation.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to hone leadership skills, strategic planning capabilities, and executive communication through direct mentorship and high-impact projects.

• Product Strategy Influence: Play a key role in shaping the overall product strategy and roadmap for FranConnect's market-leading platform.

• Industry Exposure: Engage with cutting-edge trends in B2B SaaS design, franchise technology, and AI applications in product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant opportunities to lead transformative initiatives in AI-driven design and design system architecture within a stable, market-leading B2B SaaS company, offering substantial professional growth.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to building and scaling a design system for a complex, multi-product SaaS platform. How would you ensure its adoption and ongoing governance?"

• "How have you integrated AI tools into your design process? Provide specific examples of how AI has improved efficiency, ideation, or delivery."

• "Outline your strategy for aligning the product design roadmap with overarching business objectives and revenue goals for a B2B SaaS company."

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of FranConnect, what do you see as the biggest design challenges and opportunities for our product suite?"

• "How would you describe your leadership style, and how do you mentor and develop designers to foster a high-performing team?"

• "What is your philosophy on user-centric design, and how do you ensure customer needs are met while balancing business requirements?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: Begin with an executive summary of your leadership philosophy and key achievements. For each portfolio piece, clearly state the problem, your strategic approach (emphasizing leadership and AI/design system contributions), the solution, and the quantifiable impact.

• Focus on Impact: Prioritize case studies that demonstrate measurable business outcomes, such as increased user adoption, improved efficiency, reduced churn, or revenue growth facilitated by your design leadership.

• Showcase AI & Design Systems: Dedicate specific slides or sections to illustrate your experience with AI integration and design system development, detailing your role and the system's architecture and benefits.

• Address B2B SaaS Nuances: Ensure your examples reflect an understanding of enterprise software user needs, complex workflows, and the B2B sales cycle.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, trade-offs made, and how you handle constructive feedback. Be ready to discuss how you'd apply your experience to FranConnect's specific context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic leadership, operationalizing design at scale with AI and design systems, and understanding the nuances of B2B SaaS product development and GTM alignment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Design Director position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the FranConnect careers portal (recruiting.paylocity.com).

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to specifically highlight your experience in B2B SaaS, AI integration in design, design system leadership, and managing complex product stacks. Ensure your portfolio includes case studies with quantifiable results demonstrating your strategic impact.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your leadership experience (5+ years) and overall design experience (7+ years). Use keywords such as "B2B SaaS," "AI-native design," "design systems," "product strategy," "leadership," and "stakeholder management" to align with the job description and ATS requirements.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your leadership philosophy, design strategy, and how you would approach the challenges and opportunities at FranConnect. Prepare to walk through your portfolio with a focus on strategic impact and operational scalability.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research FranConnect, its market position, its customers, and its company culture. Understand how your leadership in product design can contribute to their mission of empowering franchise and multi-location businesses.

⚠️ 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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