Strategic Design Lead; UX​/UI​/Brand

We're looking for a designer who can lead the thinking, lead the room, and lead the work.

Variate is seeking an exceptional strategic design leader who connects business strategy, customer behavior, and design execution to drive measurable results.

This role requires more than exceptional design skills. You'll be expected to understand complex business challenges, establish a compelling strategic vision, lead executive conversations and workshops, and personally translate that thinking into outstanding digital experiences.

You must be equally comfortable advising business leaders, challenging assumptions, directing UX/UI projects, and executing sophisticated design work.

We need someone who thinks like a strategist, leads like a trusted advisor, and designs with exceptional precision.

At Variate, success isn't measured by what we produce. It's measured by the decisions we influence, the behaviors we change, and the business outcomes we create.

• Translate complex business challenges into clear experience strategies that drive measurable results.
• Connect customer behavior, business objectives, and design decisions to conversion, adoption, retention, and growth.
• Bring original thinking, challenge assumptions, and help clients recognize opportunities they may have overlooked.
• Establish compelling strategic perspectives that influence business and experience decisions.

• Own the strategic and creative direction of UX/UI projects from discovery through execution.
• Define experience visions that connect brand, product, customer behavior, and business objectives.
• Lead customer journey design, experience frameworks, digital product concepts, and design systems.
• Maintain exceptional strategic alignment, visual quality, and design consistency throughout every engagement.
• Independently lead client meetings, discovery sessions, strategic workshops, and executive presentations.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders through strategic guidance and clear communication.
• Challenge conventional thinking, defend recommendations, and align stakeholders around confident decisions.
• Navigate ambiguity and complex stakeholder dynamics while maintaining project momentum.

• Personally execute exceptional UX/UI designs, including user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity interfaces.
• Demonstrate outstanding visual design judgment, interaction design expertise, and attention to detail.
• Independently lead complex engagements from initial business discovery through final execution.
• Guide other designers while maintaining ownership of critical design decisions and overall quality.

• 9+ years of experience in UX/UI, digital product, or customer experience design.
• Proven ability to independently lead complex design projects from strategy through execution.
• Strong business acumen and experience connecting design decisions to measurable business outcomes.
• Exceptional hands‑on UX/UI and visual design capabilities, including advanced Figma proficiency.
• Experience leading client workshops, executive presentations, and strategic conversations.
  
  Ability to establish and communicate compelling experience strategies and creative direction.
• Strong understanding of customer behavior, decision-making, and experience design.
• Experience working across UX, UI, brand, and customer experience strategy.
• Confidence challenging assumptions, navigating ambiguity, and aligning stakeholders.
• A portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking, exceptional design craft, personal ownership, and measurable impact.

We're looking…