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Head Design Jobs (NOW HIRING)

About the Role Canary Technologies is hiring a Head of Design to own the design system, information hierarchy, and interaction principles that govern every surface of Canary's platform - for human ...

Head of Design

New York, NY · On-site

$250K - $290K/yr

About the Role Canary Technologies is hiring a Head of Design to own the design system, information hierarchy, and interaction principles that govern every surface of Canary's platform - for human ...

Head of Design

New York, NY · On-site

$169K - $208K/yr

The role We're hiring a Head of Design to define how product experiences are built at Opto. Today, our product does not yet match the ambition of what we're building. Onboarding is not self-serve ...

Head of Product Design

Nashville, TN · On-site +1

$150K - $175K/yr

Head of Product Design Department: Engineering / Product / Design Employment Type: Full Time Location: Remote - USA Reporting To: Chief Product Technology Officer Compensation: $150,000 - $175,000 ...

Head of Product Design

Nashville, TN · On-site +1

$150K - $175K/yr

Head of Product Design Department: Engineering / Product / Design Employment Type: Full Time Location: Remote - USA Reporting To: Chief Product Technology Officer Compensation: $150,000 - $175,000 ...

Head of Product Design

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$182K - $224K/yr

About the Role A fast-growing, Series A/B AI-powered procurement intelligence platform for the industrial and manufacturing sector is looking for a Head of Product Design to define how humans and AI ...

About this Role Semafor is seeking a Head of Design & Experience to build Semafor's first design function and lead the next evolution of Semafor's visual identity and experience system across brand ...

About this Role Semafor is seeking a Head of Design & Experience to build Semafor's first design function and lead the next evolution of Semafor's visual identity and experience system across brand ...

We are looking for a Head of Design to lead product design, brand design, and user research - and to help position Maven as a design leader in healthcare. This is an AI-native role. We expect the ...

We are looking for a Head of Design to lead product design, brand design, and user research -- and to help position Maven as a design leader in healthcare. This is an AI-native role. We expect the ...

Head of Product Design

Miami, FL · On-site

$148K - $182K/yr

Role Overview We are seeking an exceptional Head of Design to lead our design organization during a critical phase of product maturity and scale. You will own the end-to-end design vision for our ...

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Head Design information

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$37K

$135.8K

$243K

How much do head design jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for head design in the United States is $135,763.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $109,500.00 and $163,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the highest paying career in design?

In design, roles such as Creative Director, UX Director, or Design Director tend to be the highest paying, often earning six-figure salaries. These positions require extensive experience, leadership skills, and proficiency with design tools like Adobe Creative Suite or Figma.

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

To thrive as a Head of Design, you need extensive experience in design principles, creative direction, and a strong portfolio, often supported by a degree in design or a related field. Familiarity with industry-standard design tools (such as Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and Sketch) and experience managing design systems are typically required. Leadership, strategic vision, and excellent communication skills help you inspire teams and collaborate across departments. These skills ensure cohesive brand identity, high-quality output, and alignment with business goals.

How much does a head of design earn?

A head of design typically earns between $100,000 and $180,000 annually, depending on experience, company size, and location. Senior roles may include bonuses, stock options, or other benefits, and strong skills in design tools and leadership are often required.

What is the highest paid design job?

The highest paid design jobs are often executive roles such as Creative Director or Chief Design Officer, with salaries exceeding $150,000 annually, especially in large corporations or tech companies. Specialized fields like UX/UI design, product design, and design consulting can also command high salaries depending on experience and industry demand.

What are Head Design roles and responsibilities?

The Head of Design is responsible for leading and managing the design department within an organization. This role involves setting the overall creative direction, developing design strategies, and ensuring that all design work aligns with the company's brand and business goals. The Head of Design oversees the work of design teams, collaborates with other departments, and often represents the design function in executive meetings. They are also responsible for mentoring team members, fostering innovation, and maintaining high standards of quality across all design outputs.

What does a head designer do?

A head designer oversees the creative process and manages design teams to develop visual concepts for products, branding, or media. They collaborate with clients and other departments, use design software, and ensure projects meet quality standards and deadlines.

How does the Head of Design typically collaborate with other departments to ensure cohesive brand and product experiences?

The Head of Design plays a crucial role in partnering with teams such as product management, engineering, and marketing to align design strategies with overall business objectives. Regular cross-functional meetings and workshops are common, where the Head of Design communicates the vision, gathers input, and ensures consistency across all touchpoints. This collaborative approach helps to streamline workflows, foster innovation, and maintain a unified brand identity throughout the organization.

What is the difference between Head Design vs Design Manager?

AspectHead DesignDesign Manager
Required CredentialsTypically a degree in design, architecture, or related field; extensive portfolioSimilar credentials; often requires leadership experience
Work EnvironmentLeadership role overseeing design teams, strategic planningManages design projects and teams, collaborates with stakeholders
Industry UsageUsed in creative, architecture, and product design firmsCommon in corporate, agency, and in-house design departments

While both roles involve overseeing design work, the Head Design typically holds a higher strategic leadership position, focusing on overall design vision and direction. The Design Manager manages day-to-day project execution and team coordination. Understanding these differences helps clarify career paths and job expectations in the design industry.

What cities are hiring for Head Design jobs? Cities with the most Head Design job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Design jobs? The most popular types of Design jobs are:
What states have the most Head Design jobs? States with the most job openings for Head Design jobs include:
Infographic showing various Head Design job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, 3% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $135,763 per year, or $65.3 per hour.
Head of Design

$250K - $290K/yr

Full-time

Posted 23 days ago


Job description

About Us
Canary Technologies is changing the game for hotels with modern software powered by Canary's hospitality-specific AI platform.
 
Canary is utilized by 20,000+ hoteliers in 100+ countries to equip hoteliers with the technology they need to work smarter and wow their guests. Major hotel brands such as Wyndham, Marriott, IHG, Four Seasons, Rosewood, and Best Western trust Canary to deliver results.
 
Canary was named a 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 company, a Most Innovative Company by Fast Company and a HotelTechReport Best Place to Work - and is backed by top Silicon Valley investors like Y Combinator, F-Prime, Brighton Park Capital and Insight Partners.
 
Join us in shaping the future of hospitality!
 

About the Role 

Canary Technologies is hiring a Head of Design to own the design system, information hierarchy, and interaction principles that govern every surface of Canary's platform - for human users and AI agents alike.

Most design system roles are about consistency for humans. This one is about building the design language that AI agents obey. You're not just making a dashboard pretty - you're defining the rules of interaction for a platform where AI is increasingly the operator. That's a new kind of design leadership, and we want someone who sees it that way.

Canary's product surface is expanding fast across checkin, messaging, upsells, voice, and more. We need someone obsessive about consistency, hierarchy, and systematic design who can establish principles that scale - not just across screens, but across a future where AI agents are primary users of our interfaces. The design system you build won't just guide human designers; it will be the contract that AI follows.

Responsibilities
  • Define and enforce a unified design system across all Canary product surfaces - components, spacing, typography, color, layout patterns, and page-level templates
  • Establish clear information hierarchy standards so every page communicates priority, status, and action with zero ambiguity
  • Build design principles rigid enough to be programmatically enforced and flexible enough to serve diverse hospitality workflows
  • Create specifications precise enough that AI coding agents can generate UI that meets your bar without human review
  • Audit existing surfaces ruthlessly and drive convergence toward a single coherent system
  • Partner closely with engineering and product to make the design system the source of truth - not a side artifact
  • Think deeply about how AI agents (voice, chat, autonomous) interact with and present Canary's UI, and design for that as a first-class use case
Qualifications
  • 8+ years in Product Design with 3+ years leading teams directly. Experience operating in B2B or B2B2C SaaS preferred.
  • Portfolio demonstrating end-to-end systems thinking, exceptional product craft, and shipped work at scale across web and mobile is essential.
  • Proven ability to recruit, develop, and retain diverse design talent. Strength in feedback, coaching, and org-building.
  • Strong partner to Product and Engineering. Comfortable in ambiguity, rapid iteration, and enterprise constraints.
  • You are inspired by companies like Rippling, Linear, or Stripe where systematic design creates product clarity
  • Fluency in design systems, accessibility, UX research methods, and experimentation. Familiarity with analytics tools.
  • Excited by the idea that your design system becomes the rulebook for AI agents building and operating UI
  • Meticulous, opinionated, and able to hold the line on standards while moving fast
  • Comfortable being both hands-on (Figma, tokens, specs) and strategic (principles, governance, cross-pod alignment)
Compensation

Target cash compensation ranges from $250,000-$290,000, including a fixed annual salary and a performance-based bonus paid quarterly.
This role also includes a stock option grant, subject to board approval.
Actual compensation will be commensurate with the candidate's skill level, experience, and specific work location.

We also work hard to ensure Canary is a fun and exciting place to work! Here are some of the additional benefits:
 
Canary Days:  As a company we want to ensure that the team has time to recharge. Each month we provide company wide days off to ensure there is at least one extended weekend or day off.
 
Self Improvement Club: We meet each month and share our personal goals for the month. Each individual is provided a budget towards any purchases that help us achieve these goals.
 
Professional Development Chats: We provide budget to help drive cross functional professional development conversations across the organization.
 
Travel Reimbursement: Team members are able to visit our offices across New York, San Francisco or Dallas when they choose, and are provided a travel stipend for doing so.  Spend time working with the team in their office, and use the rest of your time exploring a new city!
 
Personal Travel Reimbursement: If you stay at a hotel that Canary works with, we provide a credit towards your stay.
 
Canary Technologies is an equal opportunity employer. We recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote talent regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other protected characteristic.
 
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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