Director of Design
Inkit, Saint Paul, MN, United States
About the Role
We’re looking for a Director of Design to lead and scale design at Inkit across both product experience and brand. This role owns the full design function, from core product UX to marketing surfaces and brand identity. You will ensure a cohesive, high‑quality experience across every customer touchpoint, from first impression on our website to daily use of our platform.
We just launched a redesigned application and are preparing to scale to 200,000+ users, with growth fueled by large contract wins. This role will directly shape how our product, brand, and user experience scale through that transition. You will partner with Product, Engineering, and Marketing leadership to drive acquisition, activation, and long‑term adoption.
What You’ll Do Design Leadership & Team Development
Build, manage, and mentor a high‑performing team of product and brand designers
Provide consistent feedback, coaching, and career development support
Recruit and hire designers to support team growth
Foster a strong design culture centered on quality, ownership, and collaboration
Drive alignment across teams on experience strategy and priorities
Establish design as a core function in company decision‑making
Product and Experience Strategy
Define and drive product design strategy across key areas of the platform
Partner with Product and Engineering leadership to shape roadmap and priorities
Ensure design decisions align with long‑term business goals and user outcomes
Identify opportunities to improve activation, engagement, and retention
Brand and Marketing Design
Own and evolve Inkit’s brand identity across all customer touchpoints
Ensure consistency between product experience and marketing surfaces such as website, campaigns, and sales materials
Partner with Marketing to design assets that drive acquisition and conversion
Establish and maintain brand guidelines across the organization
Elevate visual storytelling and positioning through cohesive design
Execution and Delivery
Oversee the delivery of high‑quality product and brand work from concept through launch
Establish and improve design processes, workflows, and operating cadence as the team scales
Ensure consistent, high‑quality execution across teams and initiatives
Make thoughtful trade‑offs between ideal solutions and practical constraints
Ensure strong collaboration across design, product, engineering, and marketing
Requirements
8+ years of design experience, including 3+ years leading and managing design teams
Proven track record of building, mentoring, or leading design teams
Strong portfolio demonstrating systems thinking, product strategy, and high‑quality visual execution
Experience designing complex B2B SaaS or enterprise products
Experience working across both product design and brand or marketing design
Deep proficiency in Figma and experience building and scaling design systems
Strong understanding of user research and data‑informed design practices
Demonstrated ability to influence product direction and cross‑functional decision‑making
Excellent communication and presentation skills, including experience working with senior stakeholders
Comfort operating in ambiguity and defining problems at a strategic level
Bonus
Experience in government, defense, or regulated environments
Familiarity with accessibility standards and compliance requirements
Who You Are
Leader – you inspire, mentor, and grow designers while building a strong team culture
Strategic – you connect design decisions to business outcomes and long‑term vision
Holistic thinker – you unify product experience and brand into a cohesive system
Systems thinker – you design for scale, consistency, and long‑term maintainability
Pragmatic – you balance speed and quality and know when to push and when to ship
Influential – you advocate for design across all levels of the organization
Collaborative – you build strong relationships and align teams around shared goals
Detail‑oriented – you care deeply about craft and understand how small details compound
Job Location St. Paul, Minnesota (Hybrid)
Why This Role Matters We are at a true inflection point. We have rebuilt our product and are now positioned to scale rapidly. The next 12 months will define how our product, brand, and design systems scale as we grow to a significantly larger set of users. The work you lead will directly shape how customers experience Inkit during this transition. If you are motivated by high‑impact work and the opportunity to shape a company during a period of rapid growth, this is the role.
Benefits and Perks
Hybrid work environment out of St. Paul, Minnesota
Comprehensive health benefits, including Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) to support work‑life balance
#J-18808-Ljbffr
We just launched a redesigned application and are preparing to scale to 200,000+ users, with growth fueled by large contract wins. This role will directly shape how our product, brand, and user experience scale through that transition. You will partner with Product, Engineering, and Marketing leadership to drive acquisition, activation, and long‑term adoption.
What You’ll Do Design Leadership & Team Development
Build, manage, and mentor a high‑performing team of product and brand designers
Provide consistent feedback, coaching, and career development support
Recruit and hire designers to support team growth
Foster a strong design culture centered on quality, ownership, and collaboration
Drive alignment across teams on experience strategy and priorities
Establish design as a core function in company decision‑making
Product and Experience Strategy
Define and drive product design strategy across key areas of the platform
Partner with Product and Engineering leadership to shape roadmap and priorities
Ensure design decisions align with long‑term business goals and user outcomes
Identify opportunities to improve activation, engagement, and retention
Brand and Marketing Design
Own and evolve Inkit’s brand identity across all customer touchpoints
Ensure consistency between product experience and marketing surfaces such as website, campaigns, and sales materials
Partner with Marketing to design assets that drive acquisition and conversion
Establish and maintain brand guidelines across the organization
Elevate visual storytelling and positioning through cohesive design
Execution and Delivery
Oversee the delivery of high‑quality product and brand work from concept through launch
Establish and improve design processes, workflows, and operating cadence as the team scales
Ensure consistent, high‑quality execution across teams and initiatives
Make thoughtful trade‑offs between ideal solutions and practical constraints
Ensure strong collaboration across design, product, engineering, and marketing
Requirements
8+ years of design experience, including 3+ years leading and managing design teams
Proven track record of building, mentoring, or leading design teams
Strong portfolio demonstrating systems thinking, product strategy, and high‑quality visual execution
Experience designing complex B2B SaaS or enterprise products
Experience working across both product design and brand or marketing design
Deep proficiency in Figma and experience building and scaling design systems
Strong understanding of user research and data‑informed design practices
Demonstrated ability to influence product direction and cross‑functional decision‑making
Excellent communication and presentation skills, including experience working with senior stakeholders
Comfort operating in ambiguity and defining problems at a strategic level
Bonus
Experience in government, defense, or regulated environments
Familiarity with accessibility standards and compliance requirements
Who You Are
Leader – you inspire, mentor, and grow designers while building a strong team culture
Strategic – you connect design decisions to business outcomes and long‑term vision
Holistic thinker – you unify product experience and brand into a cohesive system
Systems thinker – you design for scale, consistency, and long‑term maintainability
Pragmatic – you balance speed and quality and know when to push and when to ship
Influential – you advocate for design across all levels of the organization
Collaborative – you build strong relationships and align teams around shared goals
Detail‑oriented – you care deeply about craft and understand how small details compound
Job Location St. Paul, Minnesota (Hybrid)
Why This Role Matters We are at a true inflection point. We have rebuilt our product and are now positioned to scale rapidly. The next 12 months will define how our product, brand, and design systems scale as we grow to a significantly larger set of users. The work you lead will directly shape how customers experience Inkit during this transition. If you are motivated by high‑impact work and the opportunity to shape a company during a period of rapid growth, this is the role.
Benefits and Perks
Hybrid work environment out of St. Paul, Minnesota
Comprehensive health benefits, including Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) to support work‑life balance
#J-18808-Ljbffr