Design Lead

We're seeking a dynamic Design Lead who will provide both strategic leadership and hands-on execution. You'll join a small but mighty design team delivering exceptional user experiences while also helping to build an innovative design culture throughout the company.
 Note: This is a remote consulting position on a long-term basis (ideally based in Italy).
 Your Impact You'll drive measurable transformation across our design function:
 • Design new features and incremental platform improvements while re-imagining the next version of the platform  • Reduce design-to-development cycles through AI-powered workflows • • Expand design systems that cut prototype creation time by 60% • Lead teams to achieve 40% faster time-to-market on new features
 What You’ll Do
 Strategic Leadership (40%)
 • Define and execute a comprehensive design roadmap aligned with business objectives, in partnership with the PM and the CTO • Mentor high-performing design team members  • Champion a design culture across the organization
 Hands-On Design Excellence (60%)
 • Lead critical design projects from conception to launch, ensuring exceptional quality • Prototype innovative solutions using cutting-edge AI productivity tools • Collaborate directly with product and engineering teams on complex design challenge
 What You Bring
 Essential Qualifications
 • 8-10 years of design leadership experience  • Portfolio demonstrating transformation of user experiences with measurable business impact • Ability to translate business priorities into design requirements • Track record of implementing design systems that significantly reduce production time
 AI-First Mindset • Genuine passion for AI's transformative potential in design workflows • Proficiency in AI-powered design tools (Midjourney, Figma AI, Adobe Sensei, etc.) • Experience integrating AI productivity tools to accelerate design processes, eg Lovable, Claude, Cursor etc • Vision for how AI will reshape design practices over the next 24 months • Ability to evaluate and adopt emerging AI technologies within quarterly cycles
 Leadership Philosophy • Proven ability to inspire teams while maintaining hands-on involvement in critical work; Natural mentorship abilities • Experience scaling design operations without sacrificing quality or innovation • Strong conviction in user-centered design • Startup mentality and comfortable working in rapidly changing environments
 What Sets You Apart
 You'll join a company at the forefront of AI innovation, where AI amplifies human creativity rather than replacing it. Our remote-first approach means you'll work with exceptional talent across time zones while maintaining deep connections with our Italy-based team. 
 You’ll possess a global perspective essential for world-class design and must demonstrate:
 • Collaborative Excellence: Thrive in cross-functional environments, building bridges between design, product, and engineering • Continuous Learning: Embrace rapid skill development, particularly in AI applications and emerging design technologies • Quality Obsession: Refuse to compromise on user experience while meeting aggressive timelines • Remote Leadership: Proven success building strong team dynamics and creative culture in distributed environments
 What We Offer • A full-time, remote freelance position on a long-term basis, ideally based in Italy  • Flexible schedule and flexible location; however, you’ll have to be available in the evenings (5:00 to 8:00 pm CET) for meetings with the West Coast team  • Friendly and innovative work environment  • Potential for growth