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Design Thinking Coach Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Design Coach

$17 - $22/hr

This role includes teaching core design thinking, user experience design, and user interface design ... Coaches also guide clients on branding and applying emerging tools like AI fundamentals, AI ...

As a senior member of the team you will also provide leadership in developing new methods and approaches, championing Design Research and Design Thinking at Milwaukee Tool, and coaching and mentoring ...

Director, Product Design

Bellevue, WA · On-site

$205 - $297/hr

You are a leader and a coach who inspires excellence. You have 12+ years of experience managing UX teams and a passion for human‑centered design. You're an expert in design thinking, prototyping ...

Human Centered Design Lead

Wakefield, MA · On-site

$143K - $210K/yr

... Design Thinking practice. This role will set the strategic direction for design at the company ... Lead internal teams through coaching, training, and hands-on work to establish best practices and ...

Design Manager

Lincolnshire, IL · Hybrid

$111K - $170K/yr

... thinking, project management, and process, while fostering an environment where questions and ... Team Coaching & Development: * Mentor and develop designers through clear, constructive feedback ...

Help evaluate new design software, AI tools and other emerging technologies that will help ... You coach individuals, create space for contribution, and help the team understand the thinking ...

Manager Product Design

Bolingbrook, IL · On-site

$102K - $150K/yr

... design thinking, and platform-level execution . The Manager leads a team of product and system ... Elevate design quality through reviews, critiques and hands-on coaching * Partner with ...

Manager Product Design

Bolingbrook, IL · On-site

$102K - $150K/yr

... design thinking, and platform-level execution . The Manager leads a team of product and system ... Elevate design quality through reviews, critiques and hands-on coaching * Partner with ...

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Design Thinking Coach information

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$10

$19

$30

How much do design thinking coach jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 1, 2026, the average hourly pay for design thinking coach in the United States is $19.70, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $15.87 and $20.67 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How do Design Thinking Coaches typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during a project?

Design Thinking Coaches work closely with cross-functional teams by facilitating workshops, guiding brainstorming sessions, and helping team members adopt user-centered problem-solving methods. They often act as mediators between designers, engineers, product managers, and business stakeholders to ensure that everyone's perspectives are considered and aligned. Through regular check-ins and feedback sessions, coaches help teams identify challenges, prototype solutions, and iterate effectively, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment throughout the project lifecycle.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Design Thinking Coach, and why are they important?

To excel as a Design Thinking Coach, you need a strong background in human-centered design, facilitation, and problem-solving, often supported by experience in design, innovation, or business strategy roles. Familiarity with digital collaboration tools (like Miro or MURAL), prototyping platforms, and certifications such as IDEO U or LUMA Institute credentials is common. Exceptional communication, empathy, and the ability to inspire and guide diverse teams are standout soft skills. These abilities are crucial for enabling teams to adopt creative approaches, drive user-centric solutions, and foster an innovative culture within organizations.

What is a Design Thinking Coach?

A Design Thinking Coach is a professional who guides individuals, teams, or organizations through the design thinking process—a human-centered approach to problem-solving and innovation. They help facilitate workshops, teach design thinking methodologies, and provide tools and techniques to foster creativity and user-focused solutions. Their role is to enable others to adopt design thinking mindsets and practices, ultimately driving better products, services, and processes.

What is the difference between Design Thinking Coach vs Innovation Consultant?

AspectDesign Thinking CoachInnovation Consultant
CredentialsDesign thinking certifications, workshops, facilitation skillsBusiness strategy, innovation frameworks, consulting certifications
Work EnvironmentFacilitating workshops, coaching teams, training sessionsAdvising organizations, developing innovation strategies
Industry UsageDesign firms, corporate innovation teams, startupsConsulting firms, corporate innovation departments
Search & ComparisonOften compared for their roles in fostering creativity and problem-solvingCompared for strategic innovation implementation

While both roles focus on fostering innovation, a Design Thinking Coach primarily facilitates creative problem-solving processes within teams, whereas an Innovation Consultant provides strategic advice and implementation support for organizational innovation initiatives.

More about Design Thinking Coach jobs
Infographic showing various Design Thinking Coach job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 38% Full Time, 61% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $40,970 per year, or $19.7 per hour.

Senior Consultant - Design Thinking

Rockwood Company

Washington, DC • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 29 days ago


Job description

About Rockwood:

Welcome to Rockwood Company, LLC - where innovation meets impact in the heart of the DC Metropolitan Area. As a rapidly growing, woman-owned change management consulting firm, we pride ourselves on delivering unparalleled value to our clients.

At Rockwood, we foster a team-oriented learning environment that encourages our consultants to push boundaries and reach new heights. The work we do is impactful and our clients are trusted partners. Our consultants take ownership of their success and partner with leadership to achieve their professional development goals and our clients' mission outcomes.

About the Position:

Our Design Thinking Consultants use human-centered design methodologies to help clients solve complex business, organizational, and operational challenges. They partner with clients to advise, and train leaders and teams on design thinking frameworks, enabling them to develop innovative, practical, and human-centered solutions. Design Thinking consultants lead the design and delivery of client engagements by managing project teams, applying design thinking methodologies, and ensuring project outcomes meet client goals.

Responsibilities may include:

  • Apply design thinking and human-centered design methodologies to solve complex organizational, operational, workforce, and mission challenges.
  • Advise clients and project teams on applying design thinking frameworks and methodologies within their organizations.
  • Lead project teams through effective planning and execution, including defining project approaches, assigning roles and responsibilities, managing team performance, monitoring progress, mitigating risks, and coordinating client needs and decisions.
  • Efficiently design, develop, and produce high-quality deliverables using proven change management methodologies and frameworks.
  • Lead data collection and analysis efforts (e.g., interviews, surveys, empathy mapping, persona creation, or other quantitative and qualitative data collection/analysis) and stakeholder engagement activities.
  • Plan and facilitate design thinking workshops, innovation sessions, strategic planning events, customer journey mapping, and collaborative working groups.
  • Conduct outstanding analyses and write concise reports to synthesize the outputs of offsites and assessments.
  • Support proposal development, thought leadership, innovation initiatives, and business development efforts.
  • Develop relationships with clients and stakeholders to support project outcomes and inform follow-on work or new work opportunities.
  • Identify future needs of existing clients (beyond current project outcomes) and work with Rockwood leadership to develop approaches for securing work.
  • Provide coaching, mentorship, and professional development guidance to junior consultants, fostering their growth and consulting capabilities.

Required Qualifications:

  • Must currently hold an active DoW Secret clearance or higher.
  • Six (6) plus years as an external management consultant.
  • Bachelor's degree in Organizational Development, Human-Centered Design, Psychology, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Organizational Leadership or a related field.
  • Design Thinking training from a recognized organization (e.g., LUMA Institute, IDEO U, Design Thinkers Academy, or equivalent).
  • Experience applying design thinking methodologies to solve organizational, strategic, operational, or business challenges.
  • Experience coaching, mentoring, and training individuals and teams on design thinking frameworks and facilitation techniques.
  • Proven experience developing project approaches, designing critical paths, and defining and measuring success criteria.
  • Experience leading complex projects; prior experience leading strategy development, organizational design, and workforce readiness alignment sessions.
  • Strong project management skills and ability to coordinate multiple engagements simultaneously and prioritize demands.
  • Strong analytical and critical thinking with an innate ability to solve complex problems creatively.
  • Experience with federal government agencies or DoW organizations.
  • Willingness to commute regularly to client locations in and around the Washington Metropolitan area; occasional travel outside of the Washington, D.C. area may be required.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Holds an active Top Secret Clearance with SCI.
  • Master's degree.
  • Certification in change management or Lean-Six Sigma.
  • Business development experience in a consulting environment, including supporting capture efforts, contributing to proposals, and cultivating client relationships to expand engagement opportunities.

Our Unique Benefits:

  • Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
  • Employee Funded Health Savings Account (HSA)
  • Unlimited Sick Leave
  • Generous Paid Vacation Time and Eight (8) Federal Holidays, and one (1) floating holiday
  • 401(k) Retirement Program, Rockwood provides a 100% match on employees contributions, up to 4% of their salary deferrals
  • Employer-Paid Parental Leave
  • Employer-Paid Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance and AD&D
  • Continuous Learning and Tuition Reimbursement
  • Bonuses and incentives for high-impact work
  • Monthly Cell Phone Reimbursement
  • Monthly Internet Reimbursement
  • Monthly Wellness Reimbursement
  • Company Teambuilding Events (i.e.: Nationals Games, Bowling, and more)

Salary Range:

The annual salary range for this position is $100,000 - $150,000.00. Your salary may vary within this range depending on a wide range of factors, including (but not limited to) your qualifications, skills, experience, security clearances, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs.

EOE/Vets/Disabled