Design Leadership - Future Opportunities

Neo Financial; Toronto; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity Ownership

Competitive salary with cash+equity

Health benefits

Job summary

Neo Financial seeks an accomplished Head of Design to lead and evolve our design system across a fast-growing product suite across Canada. You will mentor a small team, partner closely with founders and executives, push pixel-perfect work in Figma, and shape a design-driven future for Canadians.

You will drive strategy, elevate design quality, and champion user-centric systems thinking while delivering iterative work and building scalable processes.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in product design, with a proven track record in an early-stage, high-growth startup.
• Ability to lead strategically while designing hands-on in Figma.
• Experience presenting to and influencing C-level executives and business strategy.
• Experience hiring, mentoring, and managing designers to grow their craft.
• Deep expertise in systems thinking, information architecture, and prototyping complex workflows.
• Iterative mindset: deliver v1, v2, v3 with Now/Next/Later planning.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive long-term design vision and product strategy for a pillar.
• Lead by example with wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups to set quality standards.
• Build, lead, and mentor a team of 2-3 designers; elevate craft and career growth.
• Champion design across Engineering, Product, and Data to ensure design is a strategic driver.
• Evolve the design system to scale with the product suite while maintaining consistency.
• Help establish and refine design processes from discovery to delivery for speed and precision.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Hands-on craft

Team leadership

Cross-functional influence

Design systems

Design operations

Executive presence

Portfolio quality

Systems thinking

Tools

Figma

Prototyping tools

Design systems tools

Job description

Join us to build a more rewarding financial future for all Canadians

At Neo, we’re on a mission to build a more rewarding financial future for all Canadians. Life at a rapidly scaling tech startup isn’t for everyone. It’s complex, fast-paced, high-pressure, but also incredibly fulfilling. Since its founding in 2019, Neo has gained incredible traction and is one of the fastest-growing fintech companies in Canada.

• #1 on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 for 2023, 2024, and 2025 - the first company ever to achieve a three-peat at the top!
• #1 Fastest Growing Company in Canada for 2024 by Globe & Mail
• Top-ranked mobile apps and credit cards
• Team of 500+ people
• 1M+ customers
• 10K+ retail partners

This posting is intentionally ongoing. It is not a single open role with a start date attached. As Neo's design organization grows, we keep a pipeline of people we'd want on the team and reach out when a current or emerging opportunity fits.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Strategic Leadership: Partner directly with Founders, VPs, and Product Directors to define and drive the long-term design vision and product strategy for a specific pillar.
• Hands-On Craft: Lead by example, diving into the work to illustrate complex design solutions. You will create process flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups that set the standard for quality.
• Team Building & Mentorship: Build, lead, and mentor a team of 2-3 high-potential designers. You will be responsible for elevating their craft, guiding their career growth, and fostering a culture of design excellence.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Champion the value of design across the organization. You will work seamlessly with Engineering, Product, and Data leads to ensure design is a strategic driver, not just a service.
• System & Scale: evolve our design system to support rapid scaling while maintaining consistency and quality across a growing product suite.
• Design Operations: Help establish and refine our design processes, from discovery to delivery, ensuring the team operates with speed and precision.

Who We Are Looking For

• Startup DNA: You have significant experience (8+ years) in product design, with a proven track record of leading design in an early-stage, high-growth startup environment. You understand the pace, the pivots, and the "founder mindset."
• Player-Coach: You are a seasoned leader who still loves to design. You can seamlessly switch between strategic planning and pushing pixels in Figma.
• Executive Presence: You are comfortable presenting to and debating with C-level executives. You can articulate the business value of design decisions and influence org-level strategy.
• Proven Builder: You have experience not just designing products, but building teams. You have hired, mentored, and managed designers, helping them reach their full potential.
• Master of Craft: Your portfolio demonstrates industry-leading quality in UX and UI. You have deep expertise in systems thinking, information architecture, and prototyping complex workflows.
• Iterative Mindset: You know how to balance the pursuit of perfection with the need for speed. You can deliver high-quality work iteratively (v1, v2, v3), navigating the "Now, Next, Later" with ease.
• Tool Proficiency: Expert-level fluency in Figma and modern design tools.

Total Rewards

As Neo continues to grow, we’re committed to offering a competitive, market-leading rewards program that reflects the impact our team members make. In addition to salary, our program includes equity - empowering employees to share directly in our momentum today and in the meaningful value we create for years to come.

• Salary: We provide a strong base salary aligned with market ranges, along with the flexibility to tailor your mix of cash and equity to match your longer term goals. Final compensation is based on your skills, experience, and scope. For exceptional talent, we’re prepared to go above and beyond.
• Equity Ownership (Where Eligible): At Neo, you don’t just work here, you own a piece of what we’re building. As a full-time team member, you share directly in the upside of one of Canada’s fastest-growing companies. When we win, you win - with real ownership and meaningful long-term wealth-building potential tied to our success.

What does life as an Owner at Neo Include?

• You will redefine the financial landscape with top talent in Canada to help everyday Canadians win, and grow quickly while doing it
• For eligible roles, ownership structure that enables you to share in our path to victory
• Earn BIG with our short term incentive plans (STIP)
• Collaborating with the brightest minds to build something meaningful, united by a shared commitment to innovation, curiosity, and excellence
• Flexible health benefits & life insurance
• 21 Days PTO + stat holidays, and personal leave
• Health & personal spending accounts
• A wide variety of discounts through our partner network
• Access to early use of products and discounts on fixed-term Neo mortgages
• Parental top-up & equity vesting during long term leave
• Neo night events
• Company wide huddles, and education

Working At Neo

The people who thrive at Neo are resourceful, growth-oriented, and driven to win. We hold ourselves to high standards because we’re on a mission that matters: to build a more rewarding financial future for all Canadians. As individuals and as a team, we constantly challenge ourselves and each other to raise the bar and deliver exceptional experiences for our customers. Our commitment to customer success drives everything we do, from building world-class products to providing exceptional support at every step of their journey. If this resonates with you, keep reading.

We trust, respect, and support each other. This means honest conversations, constructive input, and empowering each other to move fast and think big. You’ll be surrounded by people who push you to be your best. We primarily collaborate in person across our Calgary, Winnipeg, and Toronto offices, where ideas move quickly and teams build momentum together. As we continue to scale and evolve, we’re looking for builders, innovators, and problem solvers who thrive on challenge-people who would rather blaze a trail through uncertainty than follow a well-paved path.

At Neo, ownership is part of how we think and operate. For select roles, equity participation reinforces that mindset by giving employees a direct stake in the company’s long-term success. Regardless of role, every team member is expected to think like an owner and make decisions that move the business forward.