Design Director Jobs in Oak Ridge, NC (NOW HIRING)

Hayward Holdings Inc. (NYSE "HAYW") is one of the leading manufacturers of residential swimming pool equipment in the world, with a significant presence in the commercial pool market that is continuously growing. Hayward designs, manufactures, and markets a full line of residential and commercial pool and spa equipment including pumps, filters, heating, cleaners, salt chlorinators, automation, lighting, safety, flow control and energy solutions at our company owned facilities. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Hayward also has facilities in Tennessee, Arizona, and Rhode Island, Georgia, as well as Canada, Spain, France, Australia, and China.

As the Industrial Design Director within Hayward's Global Innovation organization, you will define and lead the industrial design vision, strategy, and execution across key product platforms and innovation roadmaps spanning connected physical products and digital ecosystems.

This is a leadership role responsible for shaping Hayward's product experience strategy, advancing the Visual Design Language (VDL), and ensuring cohesive, differentiated, and manufacturable design solutions across the global portfolio.

You will lead and develop a high-performing design team while partnering with Product Management and Engineering as part of Hayward's NPD trifecta to deliver long-term platform strategy and near-term execution excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Design Strategy and Leadership

• Define and drive the industrial design vision, strategy, and roadmap aligned to business objectives and innovation priorities
• Establish and govern Hayward's Visual Design Language (VDL) across all product categories and touchpoints
• Ensure design excellence, consistency, and differentiation across global product portfolios
• Serve as a key design authority influencing executive-level product and brand decisions

Portfolio Ownership and Product Experience

• Lead design across multiple product platforms and programs, ensuring cohesive and scalable product ecosystems
• Champion a systems-thinking approach that integrates hardware, software, UX, and service experiences
• Drive a holistic product experience spanning installation, usage, service, and lifecycle ownership
• Ensure alignment of design intent through complex trade-offs involving engineering, cost, and manufacturability

Innovation and Concept Development

• Own early-stage innovation efforts, including vision concepts, future-state product strategies, and advanced concept development
• Guide concept exploration, prototyping, and validation efforts to de-risk innovation opportunities
• Translate emerging customer insights and technologies into differentiated product experiences and platform opportunities

Customer Insight and Design Direction

• Champion customer-centric design by synthesizing VOC, Human Factors, and market insights into strategic design direction
• Ensure insights are translated into clear product requirements and compelling design narratives
• Partner with Product Management to influence roadmap decisions and value propositions

Cross-Functional Leadership and Execution

• Act as a strategic partner within the NPD trifecta (Product, Engineering, Design) to define problems, align priorities, and drive decisions
• Influence cross-functional teams, including Mechanical, Electrical, Firmware, Software, UX, and Cloud, to maintain design integrity
• Drive design governance, ensuring alignment across programs, risk mitigation, and design-for-manufacturing excellence
• Manage external design partners and agencies as needed

Team Leadership and Design Culture

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing Industrial Design team, including hiring, coaching, and performance management
• Establish clear standards, processes, and best practices for design execution
• Foster a culture of innovation, creativity, accountability, and collaboration
• Elevate design maturity and influence across the organization

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design or related field (Master's preferred)
• 10+ years of progressive Industrial Design experience, including leadership of teams and complex product portfolios
• Proven success leading design for connected devices and systems integrating hardware and digital experiences
• Demonstrated ability to define and scale design strategy, VDL systems, and product ecosystems
• Strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design, leadership impact, and design system consistency
• Deep understanding of the full product development lifecycle from research through production
• Experience influencing senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders
• Ability to travel domestically (10-20%) with some international travel

What We Look For (Preferred)

• Experience in both corporate and consultancy environments
• Advanced expertise in CAD, surfacing, and design-for-manufacturing
• Strong executive presence and ability to communicate design vision at all levels
• Passion for mentorship, team development, and design culture building