About the Role
We’re looking for a seasoned and visionary Design Strategy leader to join our growing team at LINK. In this role, you’ll partner closely with the VP of Brand & Design Strategy to guide and evolve our design strategy practice—blending creativity, strategic thinking, and people leadership to drive meaningful outcomes for both clients and internal teams.
As Director, you’ll oversee a multidisciplinary team of strategists, helping them grow and thrive while ensuring our work reflects LINK’s values: insight-driven, inclusive, and human-centered. You’ll also be instrumental in client-facing engagements—facilitating discovery, crafting strategy, and bringing design thinking to life in ways that align with client goals and create lasting impact.
Lead and Develop a High-Performing Team
- Mentor and manage a team of talented design strategists with clarity and empathy
- Support growth through structured feedback, 1:1s, and career development plans
- Promote a collaborative, inclusive team culture aligned with LINK’s mission
- Set performance goals and drive continuous improvement in team capability
- Oversee implementation and outcomes of our learning and development initiatives
Shape Design Strategy
- Lead client engagements and vision sessions focused on human-centered design
- Facilitate interactive research and design thinking workshops with cross-functional groups
- Translate insights into creative, data-informed design strategies and solutions
- Collaborate across departments to ensure our design work is aligned, strategic, and scalable
- Help evolve our internal design methodologies and tools to keep our work future-ready
Drive Talent & Strategic Growth
- Partner with HR and leadership to hire top-tier design talent
- Support an exceptional candidate experience and inclusive hiring practices
- Anticipate future resourcing needs and contribute to strategic workforce planning
- Foster strong relationships—both internally and with clients—to identify new opportunities
What You Bring
- 10+ years of experience in design strategy, service design, or related fields
- Proven leadership managing medium-to-large design teams across disciplines
- A strong background in human-centered design, user research, and storytelling
- Bachelor’s degree in Design, Psychology, Communications, or related field
- Comfortable engaging with stakeholders at all levels—internal and client-facing
- Skilled at facilitating workshops, driving alignment, and delivering creative solutions
- Bonus points for experience aligning design strategy with HR or workforce initiatives
Why Join Us?
At LINK, we don’t just deliver design—we build lasting partnerships, solve complex challenges, and put people at the center of every decision. Here’s what we offer:
Compensation & Perks
- Competitive base salary: $140,000–$150,000 (depending on experience and location)
- Annual performance bonus & profit sharing participation
- $100/month internet & phone stipend
- Up to $450/month toward individual healthcare premium
- Company-paid short-term disability insurance
- 401K with up to 4% employer match
Time Off & Wellbeing
- 15 days PTO + 11 paid federal holidays
- Paid company-wide holiday break (Dec 24–Jan 1)
- Flexible remote work with occasional travel
- $2,000/year in learning & development reimbursement
- Tech package including MacBook Pro, monitor, mouse, and keyboard
