Director of Design

Lead and build Nicely Co.'s accessible research-led experiences, interaction quality, visual systems, prototyping, and design collaboration as Director of Design, with meaningful ownership in an early-stage company. Position overview Nicely Co. is seeking a Director of Design to strengthen accessible research-led experiences, interaction quality, visual systems, prototyping, and design collaboration. This role will turn company priorities into clear, dependable work while partnering directly with colleagues across functions.Nicely Co. is an early-stage company, so this position will help create the processes and internal systems behind the work, not merely inherit a mature playbook. The successful candidate will use sound judgment, communicate tradeoffs, and operate with appropriate autonomy.Responsibilities may evolve as the company grows. This is an opportunity to influence how the Design function develops, establish useful standards, and leave behind systems that scale responsibly. Responsibilities Set direction for accessible research-led experiences, interaction quality, visual systems, prototyping, and design collaboration. Translate the priorities of the Director of Design role into documented plans, decisions, and measurable outcomes. Build lightweight, repeatable processes that fit an early-stage company and can mature over time. Collaborate across functions to resolve dependencies and deliver complete outcomes. Identify risks early, recommend proportionate solutions, and escalate consequential decisions. Maintain accurate documentation and handle company, customer, and employee information responsibly. Use relevant evidence and feedback to improve quality, efficiency, and stakeholder experience. Communicate progress, constraints, priorities, and results clearly to affected teammates. Partner with the Founder/CEO on company strategy, budgets, resource choices, and performance measures. Build the function's roadmap, operating policies, and future hiring plan. Develop future team members through clear expectations, coaching, and accountable leadership. Balance immediate execution with organizational resilience and scalable company growth. Qualifications Demonstrated capability relevant to accessible research-led experiences, interaction quality, visual systems, prototyping, and design collaboration. Judgment and ownership appropriate for the Director of Design scope. Strong written and verbal communication with both specialists and cross-functional partners. Ability to organize ambiguous work, make progress independently, and document decisions. Comfort building systems in an early-stage environment where priorities may evolve. Commitment to ethical conduct, confidentiality, security, accessibility, and inclusive collaboration. Previous leadership experience strongly preferred, including setting priorities and developing people. Experience managing resources, risks, and performance without relying on excessive process. Preferred qualifications Experience with modern methods and tools used in Design. Experience in a startup, small business, or other resource-conscious environment. Evidence of improving a workflow, standard, product, service, or measurable outcome. Relevant education, certification, portfolio, or equivalent practical experience. Experience establishing or substantially rebuilding a function. Experience advising executive decisions with clear analysis and constructive challenge. Flexible work arrangements where applicable. Opportunity to help build an early-stage company. Direct impact on company growth and operating quality. Cross-functional collaboration and professional development opportunities. Significant ownership over assigned responsibilities. Opportunity for responsibilities to expand as the company grows. #J-18808-Ljbffr