Head of UX/UI – Product Design & Experience (Philanthropic Tech) | San Francisco

Overview

Head of UX/UI – Product Design & Experience, Philanthropic Tech, San Francisco, CA. This role leads the creation of every interaction, screen, and emotional cue across the platform, shaping how users engage with transparency, trust, and action. This is more than a UI role — it’s an opportunity to architect a brand-new category of user experience in the philanthropic tech space and own the product design strategy as it scales.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full end-to-end UX/UI design process across all platform features and user types
• Translate the needs of donors, volunteers, nonprofits, and brands into elegant, intuitive design systems
• Define and evolve the visual identity and interaction standards across web and mobile platforms
• Collaborate closely with founders and engineering to rapidly prototype, test, and ship new features
• Conduct ongoing user research to optimize usability and inform design direction
• Create high-quality wireframes, interactive prototypes, and product animations when appropriate
• Embed trust, delight, and emotional resonance into every digital experience
• Establish scalable design workflows and processes to support future team growth

Requirements

• 3–6+ years of experience in UX/UI or product design, ideally within early-stage startups or 0-1 product builds
• A portfolio showcasing beautiful, strategic product work and strong user empathy
• Proficiency with Figma, Sketch, Adobe Suite, and/or other design tools
• Experience conducting user research, usability testing, and iterative design cycles
• Deep understanding of mobile-first and responsive web design best practices
• Strong communicator with a bias for collaboration, iteration, and feedback
• Comfortable working independently in a fast-moving, ambiguous startup environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in motion design, illustration, or visual storytelling
• Familiarity with frontend workflows and design-to-code implementation
• Prior experience creating design systems or visual brand identities from scratch
• Passion for building emotionally resonant experiences that drive real-world behavior change

Education

Bachelor’s degree in design, HCI, or related field preferred — or equivalent professional experience

Location

San Francisco, CA

Salary Range

$160,000 – $190,000 base + equity (dependent on experience)