Highland Spring

Lead Designer & Strategist

Chicago, Illinois · Principal · Full-time

Sponsorship not specifiedDetected 35 days ago

FigmaProduct StrategyResearchLeadership

About the role

Ensure decisions & direction remain grounded in evidence by supporting generative research, and guiding evaluative & secondary research; translating insight into clear business opportunities & strategic recommendations.

For more than 25 years, our team of researchers, strategists, designers, and engineers has helped mission-driven organizations and customer-centric companies design and launch digital products that matter - turning uncertainty into opportunities for growth.
We partner with mid- market services organizations, membership-based institutions, and enterprise innovation teams.
The Lead Designer & Strategist is a critical role, leading & taking responsibility for strategic & complex projects from start to finish.
Strategic design & product strategy
AI-enabled design & product leadership
This role will lead work independently, partner closely with a client principal, and collaborate with research, design, engineering, and strategy teammates to lead end-to-end delivery of high-quality, business-conscious outcomes.

Strategic Design Leadership
Lean Product Leadership
Research & Insight Integration
AI-Enabled Design & Production
Client & Team Leadership
Practice Leadership & Growth
Help clients translate strategy into clear product roadmaps and experience directions.
Use AI-enabled tools and prototyping methods to accelerate learning and delivery.

Full-time annual salary between $140,000 and $155,000 based on experience and qualifications
Annual bonus target based on overall company performance of between $6,000 and $10,000
Highland is committed to creating a just, equitable workplace, and is actively seeking candidates who can bring the value of diverse lived experiences to this position.
We look for candidates who have a high level of demonstrated comfort with cultural competency; women, people of color, people with disabilities, and people who identify as LGBTQ are encouraged to apply.

What we make and how we work should make it a little bit better to be alive: for us, our clients, and their customers.
The big picture is everyone's responsibility.
There is always more to learn.
We are generous in teaching what we know.
Our values-People First, Give a Damn, Be Curious, and Be Transparent-are expectations we hold ourselves and each other to every day.
Highland assembles lean, focused teams to research & set strategy, design solutions, and engineer products that deliver clear value for our clients and their customers.

This listing is sourced directly from Highland Spring's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.