Principal designer

The person we're looking for

We're seeking a Principal Designer with a proven ability to define what excellence looks like across the studio, backed by strong visual design skills that set the standard for the rest of the team. This includes developing the frameworks, training, and craft standards that make that excellence repeatable at scale, advising leads and senior leads on craft strategy, and identifying where the studio’s craft standards need to evolve. You will represent the studio at the highest levels, both with senior client stakeholders and within the broader design industry.

Job Overview

• Uphold the studio’s standard of what excellence looks like, and create the conditions for it to be repeatable and scalable.
• Hold a level of specialization in visual design that is recognized beyond the studio, by clients, peers, and the broader design industry.
• Set design vision and strategy for clients, and tie it back to their business goals.
• Work across a portfolio of large, complex products.
• Advise Leads and Senior Leads on design strategy and approach across their projects.
• Bring clients and our designers together and get everyone aligned in the same direction, often influencing without direct authority.
• Develop frameworks or principles that embed quality into how the studio operates, not just how individuals work.
• Identify where the studio’s design standards and practices need to evolve in response to shifts in client needs, AI, technology, or industry norms, and lead that evolution proactively.
• Communicate at the Director, VP, and C-suite level with confidence, translating design perspective into business and organizational language.
• Use storytelling to bring the design vision to life, building buy-in with clients and uniting teams.
• Represent the studio at the highest-profile external moments, such as keynotes, panels, and major publications.
• Support business development by lending design credibility to client conversations and pitches.

Last but certainly not least, as a member of our team we hope you embrace and contribute to our culture of continuous creative improvement, innovation, and excellence, and always search for ways to help make a positive impact on the team!

Requirements

• Proven 10 years full-time industry experience as a product designer
• Portfolio we can access
• Must have a minimum 3-hour overlap with Toronto EST timezone

Benefits

• $160,000 - $200,000 annually
• Work from anywhere
• Annual 15% discretionary bonus
• Paid time off (over 20 days)
• Health benefits
• Training & development opportunities
• Annual team-wide trip