Head of Design & Experience

Semafor, the global news platform, is hiring its first Head of Design & Experience. This leader will build the design function and evolve the company's visual identity across its brand, editorial, digital and live-event work. The role combines creative direction, systems design and team leadership.

What you'll be doing

Brand systems & integration

• Own and evolve the visual identity as the main expression of brand and business strategy

• Build and govern a unified design system across digital, editorial, marketing and live experiences

• Keep the core brand and sub-brands consistent across all touchpoints

Design & creative direction

• Set the creative standard and act as the final judge of design quality and brand consistency

• Give art direction and approve work at key decision points

• Lead the creative system for events, including staging, signage, motion, and printed and digital materials

• Make live experiences feel cohesive, premium and polished

• Own the visual design of core reader products, such as newsletters, the app and the website

• Make design a source of competitive advantage in the media market

Design leadership

• Hire, structure and grow a team spanning product, brand, editorial and experiential design

• Strengthen the design community and define standards for craft

• Set workflows, decision processes and quality standards for embedded and central teams

• Build and manage a vendor network for motion, illustration, editorial, experiential and fabrication work

• Lead partnerships with Product, Editorial, Events and Marketing

• Advocate for design as a strategic function in leadership decisions

What we're looking for

• 15+ years of design or creative leadership across digital, brand, editorial or experiential work, ideally in media

• Experience leading design across disciplines, including digital and physical environments

• Proven ability to maintain a sophisticated visual identity across a complex, multi-platform organisation

• Deep knowledge of digital publishing, editorial products, UX, typography, information design and design systems

• Experience designing premium live events, conferences or brand environments

• Technical understanding of physical production, including scenic design, AV, lighting, motion and materials

• Experience sourcing, briefing and managing external agencies and vendors

• 5+ years of management experience, including developing talent

• Strong systems thinking, with the ability to create scalable design languages and governance

• High creative judgement across typography, layout, motion, materials and finish

• Strong cross-functional leadership skills

• Strong project management, including managing budgets, timelines and multiple priorities

• An entrepreneurial, builder's mindset with high standards and ownership of results

• A bachelor's degree in a design or related field is preferred; an advanced degree is a plus

• Willingness to work in person four days a week in New York and to travel as needed

What's on offer

• Salary: US$220,000 – US$240,000 base salary plus annual performance bonus

• Flexible PTO with no set limit or defined balance (for full-time salaried employees)

Equal opportunities

Semafor, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and experiences, and considers all applicants regardless of protected characteristics under applicable law.

How to apply

Apply online via Semafor's careers page.