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Design Director Jobs in Iowa, IA (NOW HIRING)

Cushman & Wakefield

Project Design Manager

Ankeny, IA

$87K/yr

... direct all third-party relationships with architects, engineers, etc. Provide extensive and rapid-fire knowledge of FF&E vendors and resources to the team Qualifications: Bachelor's degree from a ...

Cushman & Wakefield

Project Design Manager

Ankeny, IA

$87K/yr

... direct all third-party relationships with architects, engineers, etc. Provide extensive and rapid-fire knowledge of FF&E vendors and resources to the team Qualifications: Bachelor's degree from a ...

Cushman & Wakefield

Project Design Manager

Ankeny, IA

$87K/yr

... direct all third-party relationships with architects, engineers, etc. Provide extensive and rapid-fire knowledge of FF&E vendors and resources to the team Qualifications: Bachelor's degree from a ...

Floor & Décor

Design Supervisor

Des Moines, IA · On-site

The Design Supervisor is responsible for the training and development of the design team, and for driving sales for Floor and Decor. Additionally, the Design Supervisor ensures customers have a ...

Cushman & Wakefield

Project Design Manager

Ankeny, IA

$87K/yr

... direct all third-party relationships with architects, engineers, etc. Provide extensive and rapid-fire knowledge of FF&E vendors and resources to the team Qualifications: Bachelor's degree from a ...

Renewal by Andersen

Design Consultant

Iowa City, IA · On-site

$60K - $110K/yr

Job Details Due to our continued year over year growth, we are looking to add an in-home design consultant for the Johnson County area. We have a successful marketing mix and we generate and set the ...

TekWissen LLC

CAD Technician

Muscatine, IA · On-site

... directed team environment. Ideal Candidate Will Possess: * Excellent Auto CAD operating skills. * Surveying and field verification using Leica point cloud.. * Understanding of mechanical and civil ...

Weitz

Prefabrication Director

Des Moines, IA · On-site

The Prefabrication Director will be responsible for developing and executing a multi-year ... This role partners closely with project leadership, preconstruction, supply chain, virtual design ...

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Design Director information

What does a design director do?

A Design Director leads and oversees the creative vision and direction of design projects within an organization. They manage design teams, collaborate with stakeholders, and ensure that all visual outputs align with the company's brand and objectives. Design Directors are responsible for setting design standards, mentoring team members, and ensuring the quality and consistency of creative work across various platforms. Their role often includes strategic planning, project management, and communication with clients or upper management.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a design director?

To thrive as a Design Director, you need deep expertise in design principles, visual communication, and leadership, often supported by a degree in design or a related field and significant industry experience. Mastery of design software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and project management tools is essential, along with experience in overseeing brand and creative strategy. Exceptional communication, creative vision, and team leadership skills distinguish top performers in this role. These capabilities are crucial for delivering cohesive design solutions, inspiring creative teams, and ensuring alignment with business objectives.

How does a design director typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive project success?

As a Design Director, you will regularly work with product managers, engineers, marketing teams, and other stakeholders to ensure that design solutions align with business goals and user needs. This role often involves leading design reviews, facilitating brainstorming sessions, and providing clear feedback to your team. Effective communication and the ability to advocate for design principles are essential, as you'll need to balance creative vision with practical constraints. Being proactive in building relationships across departments helps streamline workflows and fosters a collaborative environment that leads to successful project outcomes.

What is the difference between Design Director vs Art Director?

AspectDesign DirectorArt Director
ResponsibilitiesOversees overall design strategy, manages multiple projects, and leads design teamsFocuses on visual style, aesthetics, and execution of specific projects or campaigns
Required SkillsLeadership, strategic planning, broad design expertiseVisual creativity, technical skills, attention to detail
Work EnvironmentTypically in corporate, agency, or large studio settingsOften in advertising, media, or entertainment industries
Common UsageUsed when referring to senior design leadership rolesUsed for roles focused on visual and artistic direction

The main difference between a Design Director and an Art Director lies in scope and focus. A Design Director oversees overall design strategy and manages teams across multiple projects, while an Art Director concentrates on the visual style and execution of specific projects. Both roles require strong design skills, but the Design Director's responsibilities are broader and more strategic.

Is it hard to become a design director?

Becoming a design director typically requires extensive experience in design, strong leadership skills, and a proven track record of managing projects and teams. Many professionals advance to this role after years of working in design roles such as senior designer or art director, often developing expertise in design tools and strategic thinking. The path can be competitive and may involve gaining relevant certifications or advanced education in design or management.

What are the most commonly searched types of Design jobs in Iowa, IA?

The most popular types of Design jobs in Iowa, IA are:

What cities near Iowa, IA are hiring for Design Director jobs?

Cities near Iowa, IA with the most Design Director job openings:

Design Director jobs near you

Director of Product Design, Sustainability Management

Workiva, Inc.

Ames, IA • On-site

$151K - $186K/yr

Other

Retirement

Posted 14 days ago

Workiva rating

9.9

Company rating: 9.9 out of 10

Based on 7 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

1st of 246 rated software companies

Job description

Workiva is looking for a high-impact Director of Product Design to join our team. In this role, you won't just manage a team; you will be the primary architect of a cohesive design strategy for the world's leading platform for trust, transparency, and accountability. You will lead the design across products, contributing to the shaping of end-to-end user experiences, AI-enabled interactions, and scalable design systems. This role will drive measurable impact through partnering to establish modern operating models that integrate human-centered design in AI-accelerated workflows.

Our customers-CFOs, ESG controllers, and Risk leads-rely on us for mission-critical reporting in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. You will take our existing collection of individual components and transform them into a unified, intelligent "map" for how design is executed at Workiva, specifically anchoring your work within our Sustainability Management product suite. We need a visionary who can navigate the intricacies of enterprise B2B workflows while aggressively implementing hands-on AI strategies (LLMs, Agents, and Insights) to reduce the manual burden on our users.

What You'll Do

Strategic Design Leadership & Architecture

  • Define and socialize the long-term UXstrategy that aligns design initiatives with core business objectives, such as user retention, AI-driven automation, conversion, and market differentiation

  • Transform individual components into a unified, intelligent design "map," evolving our global Design System to ensure a directional foundation that is scalable across the platform

  • Integrate and apply qualitative user research and quantitative data into every stage of the product lifecycle

  • Establish and refine the processes, tools, and workflows that allow the team to scale. This includes contributing to the evolution of the global Design System to ensure consistency across all platforms

  • Contribute to driving design transformation of how we operate and co-create with AI

  • Lead the hands-on implementation of agentic AI and predictive insights into the core product. You will design the patterns for how AI-assisted workflows (like automated disclosures and outlier detection) feel intuitive and trustworthy for enterprise users.

  • Drive design direction with careful consideration to craft of the interaction design, usability and intelligent automation

  • Ensure design decisions across multiple product areas are well-coordinated and aligned with the "Single Source of Truth" philosophy that defines the Workiva platform

Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Partner closely with executive leadership (Product and Engineering) to ensure foundational design is not just beautiful, but deeply functional and integrated into the software's engine

  • Connect design to outcome-based measurement frameworks for UX (SUS, Adoption, SOLSAT etc.)

  • Act as the primary design voice in high-level strategy sessions, synthesizing complex technical and business requirements into clear, actionable recommendations

  • Shape roadmaps collaboratively and influence prioritization for user experience needs of the product

People & Operations Management

  • Scale a world-class design organization by providing coaching and development to UX managers and individual contributors, fostering a culture of continuous learning and high performance

  • Lead design reviews and critiques to ensure a high bar for craft, usability, and accessibility. You ensure that every release feels like it belongs to the same family of products

  • Implement processes that optimize design efficiency. Translate company strategy into measurable design goals and metrics that align with our 2026 growth targets

  • Upskill team in AI-enabled design tools, workflows and processes

What You'll Need

Minimum Qualifications

  • 10+ years of experience in product design, with at least 5 years in a leadership role within a complex, B2B enterprise software environment

  • B.A./B.S. degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Computer Science, or a related field

  • Portfolio of work that demonstrates not just high-quality UI but also your ability to solve complex strategic problems and lead teams through successful product launches

  • Proven track record of designing complex, data-heavy enterprise software or professional-grade productivity tools

  • Deep experience architecting complex Information Architecture and navigation systems for platforms with high data density and diverse user roles

  • Hands-on experience implementing Generative AI, LLMs, or Agentic workflows into a live product (not just conceptual fluency)

  • Demonstrated approaches to evolving legacy design methods into AI-enabled, engineering-integrated creation models that accelerate user insights and delivery

Preferred Qualifications

  • Deep experience working with enterprise-level composable design systems at scale

  • Prior experience in a high-growth "scale-up" environment or a major digital transformation within a legacy enterprise

  • Familiarity with the regulatory, financial reporting, or ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) landscape is a nice to have

  • Master's degree is preferred

Working Conditions & Travel Requirements

  • Up to 25% travel

  • Reliable internet access for any period of time working remotely, not in a Workiva office

How You'll Be Rewarded

Salary range in the US: $177,000.00 - $290,000.00

A discretionary bonus typically paid annually

Restricted Stock Units granted at time of hire

401(k) match and comprehensive employee benefits package

The salary range represents the low and high end of the salary range for this job in the US. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a wide range of factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience and other relevant factors.

Why Join Workiva

Workiva is the platform designed to bring confidence, control, and a competitive edge to the world's most complex organizations. Our AI-powered platform unifies finance, risk, and sustainability on a single, secure foundation-ensuring data is trusted, traceable, and ready to act on. With an unbroken path from source to output, leaders gain confidence in their numbers, visibility into current and emerging risks, and the ability to move with speed and precision in a constantly changing world.

At Workiva, you'll bring technology to market that executives, boards, and regulators depend on. The work you do here helps organizations navigate uncertainty, maintain trust, and make decisions that stand up to scrutiny. If you're energized by meaningful challenges, inspired by collaborative teams, and motivated to help organizations turn uncertainty into advantage, we'd love to meet you.

Employment decisions are made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other protected characteristic.

Workiva is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. To request assistance with the application process, please email talentacquisition@workiva.com.

Workiva employees are required to undergo comprehensive security and privacy training tailored to their roles, ensuring adherence to company policies and regulatory standards.

Workiva supports employees in working where they work best - either from an office or remotely from any location within their country of employment.

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