Design Systems Lead

Job Description

Who is Taco Bell?

Taco Bell was born and raised in California and has been around since 1962. We went from selling everyone's favorite Crunchy Tacos on the West Coast to a global brand with 8,500+ restaurants, 350 franchise organizations, that serve 42+ million fans each week around the globe. We're not only the largest Mexican-inspired quick service brand (QSR) in the world, we're also part of the biggest restaurant group in the world: Yum! Brands.

Much of our fan love and authentic connection with our communities are rooted in being rebels with a cause. From ensuring we use high quality, sustainable ingredients to elevating restaurant technology in ways that hasn't been done before... we will continue to be inclusive, bold, challenge the status quo and push industry boundaries.


We're a company that celebrates and advocates for different, has bold self-expression, strives for a better future, and brings the fun while we're at it. We fuel our culture with real people who bring unique experiences. We inspire and enable our teams and the world to Live Más.

At Taco Bell, we're Cultural Rebels. Want to join in on the passion-fueled fun? Learn more about the career below.

About the Job:

The Design Systems Lead is responsible for building, scaling, and governing Taco Bell's design system as a core product ecosystem, not just a UI toolkit, and drives impact across the business through consistency, scalability, and cross-platform cohesion. With this role, the opportunities are endless: shaping a living enterprise design platform that powers mobile apps, web platforms, kiosk experiences, internal tools, and future digital products. The Design Systems Lead will report to the Senior UX Manager / Creative Director and lead the strategic evolution and operational execution of Taco Bell's design system platform.

The Day-to-Day:
• Lead the architecture, evolution, and governance of Taco Bell's design system across foundations, tokens, components, patterns, modules, and documentation
• Manage cross-functional relationships with Engineering, Product, Merchandising, Marketing, Brand, and Platform teams
• Drive system consistency across mobile, web, kiosk, internal tools, and future platforms
• Partner closely with engineering teams to align design intent with technical implementation
• Define contribution models, lifecycle management, versioning, and system scalability standards
• Lead enablement, adoption, education, and system rollout across the organization

Is This You?

• 8+ years of experience in design, with deep specialization in design systems
• Proven experience building and scaling enterprise design systems
• Expert proficiency in Figma, design tokens, component libraries, and system architecture
• Deep understanding of multi-surface platforms (mobile, web, kiosk, internal tools)
• Strong experience partnering directly with engineering teams on system implementation
• Ability to operate at both strategic and execution levels within complex organizations.

Work-Hard, Play-Hard:

• Hybrid work schedule (onsite expectations Tues, Wed, Thurs) and year-round flex day Friday
• Onsite childcare through Bright Horizons
• Onsite dining center and game room (yes, there is a Taco Bell inside the building)
• Onsite dry cleaning, laundry services, carwash
• Onsite gym with fitness classes and personal trainer sessions
• Up to 4 weeks of vacation per year plus holidays and time off for volunteering
• Tuition reimbursement and education benefits
• Generous parental leave for all new parents and adoption assistance program
• 401(k) with a 6% matching contribution from Yum! Brands with immediate vesting
• Comprehensive medical & dental including prescription drug benefits and 100% preventive
care
• Discounts, free food, swag and... honestly, too many good benefits to name


Salary Range: $121,600 to $150,045 annually + bonus eligibility + benefits

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we'll consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors.

Work Authorization Notice: Please note that we do not provide visa sponsorship or immigration support for this position. Applicants must already be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time, permanent basis without the need for current or future sponsorship.

At Taco Bell, we Live Más and invite you to do the same. Take a seat at our table. Bring your voice. Bring you, just as you are, a Cultural Rebel. We want you to be your best self!

Taco Bell is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging for all dimensions of diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other protected characteristic.

Taco Bell is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities or special needs.


US Job Seekers/Employees - To view the "Know Your Rights" poster, click here. You may also access Taco Bell's Pay Transparency Policy Statement.

Employment eligibility to work with Taco Bell in the U.S. is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for this position.

California Residents: For more information about the categories of personal information we collect from you and how we use, sell, and share that information, please see our Privacy Notice for California Employees here.