Senior Director, Product Design

Summary

Join AffiniPay's growing Product and Design team as a Senior Director of Product Design! Spearhead a comprehensive product design refresh, driving user experience evolution to modern standards. Lead and mentor a talented team, advancing the maturity of product design practices. Define and drive a forward-thinking product design strategy aligned with business goals. Make high-impact decisions, shaping the team's direction and approving multi-quarter initiatives. Foster cross-organizational alignment and deliver customer-centric insights to inform product design decisions. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of AffiniPay's product design.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, Design, Psychology, or a related field
• 10+ years of experience in product design, including a proven track record of leading teams and managing complex, high-impact design projects
• Proven experience leading a comprehensive product design refresh or redesign at scale, demonstrating the ability to balance strategic vision with execution to deliver transformative user experiences
• Deep experience across all phases of the design process, including research, strategy, ideation, prototyping, and testing, with a focus on delivering user-centric solutions
• Demonstrated ability to define and implement product design strategies and roadmaps that drive measurable business results and enhance user experience
• Experience in a senior leadership role within a product- or technology-driven organization, guiding teams through complex challenges and delivering impactful solutions
• Strong presentation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively influence and build consensus among stakeholders across all organizational levels
• A strong understanding of technical concepts, curiosity for innovation, and a genuine enthusiasm for products, people, and exceptional user experiences
• In-depth knowledge of Agile and Lean methodologies, with hands-on experience driving design excellence in collaborative, iterative, and agile environments
• Proven ability to work seamlessly with product management, engineering, marketing, and other cross-functional teams to align on goals and deliver cohesive design outcomes

Responsibilities

• Define and Drive Product Design Vision: Lead the development of a forward-thinking Product Design strategy and vision that aligns with long-term business goals, ensuring a best-in-class user experience and positioning ease of use as a differentiator for AffiniPay’s products
• Oversee Strategic Execution: Guide the team in crafting and executing Product Design strategies for products both on and off the roadmap, balancing innovation with operational excellence to meet user and business needs
• Lead Complex Design Transformations: Bring expertise in steering large-scale redesign initiatives, including implementing modern design systems and front-end technologies. Leverage experience to guide cross-functional teams through phased rollouts, ensuring seamless execution and alignment with product, engineering, and business strategies
• Make High-Impact Decisions: Shape the high-level direction and strategy of the Product Design team, approving multi-quarter initiatives and key objectives that drive significant impact on user experience, product performance, and revenue
• Elevate Best Practices: Establish and refine scalable design standards, such as design systems and cross-app workflows, to ensure consistency, efficiency, and alignment with business and user goals
• Foster Cross-Organizational Alignment: Oversee collaborations across functions and teams, ensuring Product Design strategy and decisions are integrated into broader organizational goals and driving alignment across large-scale projects
• Deliver Customer-Centric Insights: Partner with product and business leaders to define a long-term Product Design vision, leveraging user research, hypothesis-driven experiments, usability testing, and impactful insights to inform product design decisions
• Promote a Unified User Experience: Advocate for a cohesive cross-platform experience by championing scalable design systems, constructive design critiques, and consistent standards of quality in collaboration with engineering teams
• Grow the Team and Talent: Hire, onboard, and develop team members to align with evolving business needs, while nurturing existing talent to advance their careers and excel in their roles
• Champion User-Centered Design: Evangelize design thinking across the organization by leading workshops, cross-functional activities, and promoting the integration of design into agile product development processes
• Collaborate to Drive Excellence: Partner with other design leaders and engineering counterparts to uphold standards of operational and design excellence, ensuring a seamless integration of design in product development

Benefits

• All employees receive fully covered medical, dental and vision coverage - Choose from our 2 available health plans based on what fits you and/or your family!
• Have some fur babies? - We offer them insurance too!
• RELAX and enjoy your time away with our flexible paid time off policy!
• We will help you plan for your future - 401K, or RRSP if in Canada, with a company match
• Competitive compensation packages that include mid-year and end-of-year bonuses and equity options for all full-time employees
• Health Wellness Program that includes nutrition consultations, mental health apps, and access to discounted memberships
• Have plans to grow your family? - Parental resources, including 16 weeks of paid time off for primary caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including mentorships, leadership programs and our AffiniPayU courses
• We believe it is important to give back with our Matching Gift Program and organized activities focused on donations, volunteerism and supporting the local communities throughout the country
• D&I initiatives provide educational opportunities regarding multicultural issues, tolerance, and celebrating diversity among our entire staff
• An incredible, in-office experience at our headquarters in Austin and San Diego including free lunch delivery, a fully stocked kitchen, and some “sweet” surprises for those afternoon pick-me-ups