Lead Product Designer United States

## About the role Come join our Design team. Our Design team is committed to creating industry-leading user experiences that help Karat deliver on its purpose of unlocking opportunity. As a Lead Product Designer at Karat, you'll drive major design initiatives that shape our product direction and user experience. You'll have significant cross-functional influence, setting standards and patterns that elevate our entire design practice. Your strategic thinking will impact both immediate product decisions and long-term design vision. ## Responsibilities - Drive major design initiatives that span multiple product areas and significantly impact business outcomes, leading cross-functional teams through complex design challenges. - Lead and scale our design system, establishing governance, documentation, and adoption processes that ensure consistency and efficiency across all product touchpoints. - Partner with Product and Engineering leadership to integrate design thinking into organizational strategy and roadmap planning, influencing product decisions at the leadership level. - Plan and execute strategic user research that informs product direction and business strategy, using data and analytics to measure design impact on business metrics. - Mentor and develop designers across all levels while leading design critiques and establishing feedback cultures that elevate the entire team. - Lead cross-functional ideation sessions for complex problems, creating solutions at the intersection of design, business objectives, and technology that advance design-driven initiatives. ## Requirements - 7+ years of professional experience as a Product Designer, with demonstrated progression in scope and impact, including a portfolio showcasing strategic thinking and design leadership. - Proven track record of driving major design initiatives that significantly impacted business outcomes, with experience establishing design processes or standards in growing organizations. - Familiarity/experience with leveraging AI, automation, and emerging technologies in design, including creating AI-driven features with awareness of ethical considerations. - Demonstrated ability to influence product strategy and business decisions through design expertise, including experience leading cross-functional teams and building consensus among diverse stakeholders. - Advanced experience in user research methodologies and strategic research planning, with proven ability to balance competing priorities and make strategic trade-offs. - Expert-level proficiency in design tools and systems with experience scaling design operations, plus a strong understanding of technical constraints and development processes. - Proven experience mentoring and developing design talent across multiple levels, with strong communication and presentation skills for senior leadership and executive teams. ## Location and Eligibility This position is only available to candidates residing in the following U.S. states: CA, CT, Washington D.C., FL, GA, IL, KS, MA, MD, MO, NC, NV, NY, OR, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, and WA. While our team operates 100% remotely, we are currently limiting hiring to these specific locations. Applications from other states will not be considered at this time. Immigration sponsorship is not available. ## What we offer All U.S.-based offers include a competitive salary in local currency and Karat-granted stock options. We're proud of our additional offerings, and highlight some of our team's favorites below. ### Benefits / Wellness - Benefits are available for all full-time, U.S. employees. - Employer-sponsored healthcare (100% premium coverage for employees and 75% premium coverage for eligible dependents). - Medical (Regence PPO and HDHP available). - HSA employer contribution for those enrolled in the HDHP medical plan. - Dental and Vision (Guardian). - 100% employer-paid Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Standard Life Insurance. - Optional Life Insurance available. - Flexible Savings Account (Healthcare). - 401(k) match of 4%. - 100% employer-paid mental wellness support via Spring Health for employees and eligible dependents. - 10 therapy sessions per year at no cost to employee. - 10 coaching sessions per year at no cost to employee. ### Time Off - **Vacation**: flexible policy for salaried employees and three (3) work weeks available for hourly employees per year. - **Wellness (Sick & Mental Health)**: three (3) work weeks available per year. - **Karat 'No Questions Asked' Leave**: one (1) work week per calendar year. - **Other**: Bereavement, Jury Duty, LOA, etc. available as-needed. ### U.S. Parental Leave - 24 weeks total: - 16 weeks: full-out, full pay. - 8 weeks: "Karat Phase-Back" 20 hours per week, full pay. ### U.S. Holidays - U.S. Holiday Schedule available here: 10 days. - Karat Summer Break: 5 days - July. - Karat Winter Break: 5 days - December.