Design Director — Embedded Team Lead & Design Systems

monks; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Monks in Menlo Park, CA is seeking an experienced Design Director to lead an embedded design and motion team, ensuring creative continuity and a high standard of craft across client work.

You will guide designers and motion creatives, apply established brand systems, collaborate with the Executive Producer and client stakeholders, and explore AI-driven production approaches to deliver polished editorial and marketing content at speed.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in design or creative direction.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary design teams.
• Deep familiarity with established brand systems and design frameworks.
• Strong digital/web design experience, including responsive layouts and accessibility.
• Excellent presentation, communication and feedback skills.
• Interest in AI, emerging technology and production innovation.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day creative leadership for the embedded design and motion team.
• Maintain continuity and a consistent creative standard across locations, shifts and workstreams.
• Translate established brand guidelines and design systems into clear, actionable direction.
• Ensure work is visually cohesive, accurate and appropriately tailored to its audience and channel.
• Review and guide digital, web, editorial, presentation, graphic and motion deliverables.
• Partner with Executive Producer to balance creative quality with timing, capacity and priorities.
• Work directly with client stakeholders to clarify creative direction, resolve feedback and keep work moving.
• Provide clear, consolidated feedback that enables teams to execute efficiently.
• Identify when existing components or templates can be used and when a new design solution is required.
• Support evolution of templates, component libraries and documentation as program needs develop.
• Collaborate with technical writers to ensure design supports clarity of complex subject matter.
• Mentor designers and motion creatives, providing practical guidance and independence.
• Partner with AI and creative technology specialists to explore efficient workflows.

Skills

Design leadership

Creative direction

Team mentorship

English fluency

Client-facing

Job description

Monks in Menlo Park, CA is seeking an experienced Design Director to lead an embedded design and motion team, ensuring creative continuity and a high standard of craft across client work.

You will guide designers and motion creatives, apply established brand systems, collaborate with the Executive Producer and client stakeholders, and explore AI-driven production approaches to deliver polished editorial and marketing content at speed.