Director of Design, Strategy and Growth

Summary

Join Nava, a public benefit corporation dedicated to simplifying government services, as the Director of Design, Strategy & Growth. This leadership role involves driving strategic design initiatives, contributing to business development efforts, and fostering a collaborative design culture. You will lead a team of up to eight direct reports, manage complex projects, and contribute to Nava's growth by identifying new opportunities and developing new Delivery capabilities. The ideal candidate possesses extensive experience in human-centered design, proven leadership skills, and a deep understanding of the government contracting ecosystem.

Requirements

• A skilled practitioner with deep experience in creative, strategic, technical, managerial, and operational aspects of human-centered design at scale
• A proven leader who has experience managing complexity, developing strategy, and conducting long-term planning
• In-depth experience cultivating strong relationships with external stakeholders and partners
• 10+ years of experience as a human-centered design practitioner
• 5+ years of direct people management experience and team
• Experience with fast-growing companies, with a bonus for experience within government contracting or professional service firms
• An adaptive, empathetic, collaborative leadership mindset
• Excellent organizational skills and effective presentation skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States and meet any other requirements for government contracts for which they are hired
• Candidates offered a job at Nava must have work authorization that does not require visa sponsorship, either currently or in the future. Please be aware that most of our positions require U.S. citizenship or a green card
• May be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information or applicants who are eligible for security clearances

Responsibilities

• Actively contribute to Nava's decisions on which new work to pursue
• Contribute directly to business development through activities such as proposal development, solutioning, reviews, tech challenges, or market research presentations
• Identify and facilitate the assignment of subject matter experts (SMEs) and key personnel (KP) for business development proposals
• Translate Delivery Org insights into growth strategies and reusable assets for business development
• Identify, develop, and scale new Delivery capabilities in the Design Org
• Serve as a strategic partner by influencing and shaping Nava’s approach to growth
• Foster a collaborative and delivery-focused design culture, promoting a high standard of design excellence and user-centered thinking
• Lead capabilities-focused professional development opportunities across the Design Org
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, and business development, to ensure design is strategic in all phases of company growth
• Stay up-to-date with design trends, industry standards, and emerging technologies to drive innovation
• Develop internal and external communications to position Nava as an innovator in the civic tech space
• Manage a team of up to eight direct reports across multiple projects
• Act as a sounding board for design team members at Nava, coaching them through challenges, helping to review and structure their work, and providing coverage when necessary
• Serve as an escalation point for direct reports and their teams
• Meet regularly with senior/principal designers and Design Managers, using that time for identifying coaching and training opportunities, removing blockers, and managing team operations
• Identify opportunities for collaboration or escalation with other organizations/departments at Nava
• Contributing and being accountable to quarterly and yearly goals and metrics for the Design Org
• Ensure staff consistently hit billable hours targets
• Other duties as required

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing the business dynamics in a professional services firm (billable hours, contract portfolios, client services skills)
• Experience and bias toward a “company-builder” frame of mind
• Track record of introducing and expanding agile transformation and pursuing best practices in design management with clients and stakeholders

Benefits

• Competitive benefits: We prioritize your well-being, offering highly competitive medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Generous time off: Enjoy 20 days of accrued PTO, 12 paid federal holidays, 5 prorated floating holidays, and unlimited sick leave
• Annual discretionary bonus: Paid annually to eligible employees. When Nava does well, you do well
• Parental leave: Receive 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave and weekly meal deliveries during your leave
• Employee wellness program: Access our comprehensive Employee Wellness Program
• Virtual doctor visits: Enjoy zero copay virtual doctor visits through UHC
• Fertility support: Benefit from fertility support and treatment options
• Sabbatical leave: We offer a sabbatical leave program
• 401k contributions: We match 4% of your salary in 401k contributions
• Flexible work arrangements: We offer flexible work arrangements to suit your needs
• Home office setup: Receive assistance with your home office setup and a monthly phone allowance
• Utilities reimbursement: Get a monthly partial reimbursement for utilities (where applicable)
• Learning and development: Access our comprehensive learning and development program
• Tuition and Professional development budget: Receive a prorated annual tuition and professional development budget and a LinkedIn Learning license
• Equity stock options: Benefit from equity stock options
• Employee referral program: Participate in our employee referral program
• Commuter benefits: Enjoy commuter benefits
• Insurance coverage: Receive short and long-term disability insurance, as well as life and accidental death insurance
• Vibrant culture: Join our welcoming, highly collaborative, and open culture that supports remote work