Head of Product Design

BuildOps; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 239,000 - 299,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous equity grant

Flexible PTO

Hybrid work

Work-from-home allowance

Lunch provided on in-office days

Job summary

BuildOps is seeking a Head of Product Design to lead, grow, and scale the design team across our products and platform. You will own the end-to-end design function, shape user experience and visual language, drive the long-term design strategy, and embed AI into design workflows and customer experiences.

This fast-paced role requires building a world-class design organization, partnering with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and executives, and guiding the evolution of our design system for

Qualifications

• 8+ years of product design experience with 5+ years leading design teams in SaaS.
• Proven ability to set and execute a cohesive design vision.
• Experience designing and shipping B2B or B2B2C products across mobile and web.
• Strong UX/UI and systems-thinking skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a team of product designers across multiple surfaces.
• Set strategic design vision aligned with product strategy.
• Build and scale the design organization, hiring and mentoring.
• Establish cross-functional partnerships with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and executives.
• Evolve the design system and visual language across mobile and web.
• Advocate for the user using research, visits, and data.
• Embed AI into design workflows and customer experiences.
• Champion rapid experimentation and feedback.

Skills

Team leadership

Design strategy

UX/UI design

Systems thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

AI tooling fluency

Portfolio impact

Travel flexibility

Job description

About The Job

BuildOps is the AI-native platform for commercial contractors.

San Francisco, Toronto, Los Angeles

At BuildOps, we are building a groundbreaking software solution designed to empower today's commercial contractors. BuildOps is the leading all-in-one platform for commercial specialty contractors, purpose-built for the trades that keep the world running: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire protection, and mechanical. We connect field technicians, dispatchers, and the back office on a single system that handles service, project management, dispatching, and billing, powered by AI-driven automation. Some of the largest and most successful contractors run their operations on BuildOps.

As Head of Product Design, you will lead, grow, and scale our design team and practice. Reporting to the Chief Product Officer, you will own the end-to-end design function across our products and platform, shaping our user experience and visual language, driving the long-term design strategy, and embedding AI into both our design workflows and our customer experiences.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives in fast-paced environments, has a passion for elegant and functional design, and is ready to build a world-class design organization. Our team thrives on ambition, innovation, and collaboration - qualities we look for in every new hire.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and inspire a team of talented product designers across multiple product surfaces.
• Set the strategic design vision that aligns with our company and product strategy, ensuring a consistent, intuitive, and delightful user experience.
• Build and scale the design organization: define team structure, hire top-tier talent, mentor and grow the team, and nurture a high-performance design culture.
• Establish strong cross-functional partnerships with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and executive stakeholders.
• Champion design excellence through modern systems, tooling, and processes that scale with the company.
• Partner with Product and Engineering to develop intuitive, enterprise-grade solutions while transforming the platform to support AI-powered user experiences through OpsAI.
• Guide the evolution of our design system and visual language across mobile and web.
• Be a strong voice for the user, leveraging research, customer visits, and data to inform design decisions and prioritize customer outcomes.
• Foster a culture of rapid experimentation, feedback, and continuous improvement.

What We Look For

• 8+ years of product design experience, with at least 5 years leading design teams in high-growth SaaS environments.
• Proven track record of setting and executing a cohesive design vision.
• Experience designing and shipping high-quality B2B or B2B2C products across mobile and web.
• Strong design instincts with fluency in UX, UI, interaction design, and systems thinking.
• Demonstrated experience scaling teams, mentoring designers, and building high-performing team cultures.
• Expert proficiency in design tools and fluency with AI tools to accelerate synthesis, ideation, prototyping, and rapid software development.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to articulate decisions, influence stakeholders, and present to executive leadership.
• A compelling portfolio that demonstrates excellent product thinking, beautiful execution, and measurable business impact.
• Flexibility to travel for team meetings and customer visits.

Who You Are

• A builder who thrives on complex, ambiguous problems in a fast-paced environment.
• A self-starter who takes initiative and drives outcomes without waiting for direction.
• Passionate about design, with a relentless commitment to exceptional user experiences.
• Someone who cares deeply about doing excellent work that makes people's lives better.
• Collaborative and humble - you build strong cultures and strong cross-functional partnerships.

Compensation

Toronto: $204000 - 255,000 CAD base salary + annual bonus opportunity, depending on location and experience, plus a generous equity grant.

LA/SF: $239,000 - 299,000 USD base salary + annual bonus opportunity, depending on location and experience, plus a generous equity grant.

What We Offer

• Generous equity grant, become an owner in our company!
• A comprehensive benefits package
• Flexible PTO and hybrid work schedules
• One-time work-from-home allowance
• Hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, and Raleigh with hybrid work schedules and lunch provided for in-office days
• Company events and team-building activities, both in-person and virtual
• Fast-paced, collaborative, and dynamic work environment
• Opportunities for growth and career advancement
• Chance to work with cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions
• The chance to get in on the ground floor and build something truly groundbreaking for ourselves and our amazing customers

We welcome applicants from across the U.S. where we are registered to do business and able to support employment. Currently, this excludes the following states: Alaska, Hawaii, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming. This list is based solely on operational and compliance considerations and is reviewed from time to time as our footprint grows.

About BuildOps

Join BuildOps, the largest commercial trade platform in the country, as we transform the multi-billion dollar commercial contracting industry!

We are not just talking incremental improvements - we are talking a full-scale revolution, empowering the hardworking heroes who build and maintain the infrastructure that keeps our world running. See why contractors choose Buildops here.

This is your chance to be part of a rocketship. We are fresh off a $1 billion valuation and a $127M Series C funding round (part of over $275M raised to date) led by industry-leading investors like Meritech Capital, BOND, and SE Ventures, backed by Schneider Electric (Reuters, TechCrunch, LA Business Journal) . Our latest investors join our team of industry heavyweights like Next47, former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, former Salesforce President Gavin Patterson, and Boost Mobile CEO Stephen Stokols. Their investment is fueling our aggressive growth and our commitment to equipping contractors with AI-driven tools to conquer chaos, boost efficiency, skyrocket profitability, and ultimately, deliver exceptional service.

At BuildOps, we are changing the game and doing the best work of our careers. You will be a key player in a company that’s truly making a difference for the backbone of our economy. If you’re ready to tackle big challenges, work with a passionate team, and build something extraordinary, BuildOps is the place for you.

BuildOps is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

BuildOps will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act pursuant to applicable local and state laws.

BuildOps recruiters will only contact candidates through official channels and will never ask for payment, banking details, or sensitive personal information during the interview process. Verify all openings at https://buildops.com/careers. Report suspicious outreach to reportfraud.ftc.gov and [e-mail]. We review every report, but may not be able to respond individually. BuildOps is not responsible for losses from fraudulent postings.