Lead Design Director, Human-Centered Strategy

LINK; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 127,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Internet stipend

Commuter stipend

Healthcare benefits

Short Term Disability

401K with employer contribution

Federal holidays

PTO

Bonus plan participation

Profit sharing

Learning and Development reimbursement

Technology package

Job summary

LINK, a leading design partner in Washington, DC, seeks an Associate Director; Design Lead to drive human-centered design across client engagements and internal teams. You will couple strategic vision with hands-on design leadership to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality, brand-appropriate outcomes.

The role emphasizes mentoring design teams, shaping project direction, and advancing information design across media while partnering with cross-functional colleagues to navigate complex

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in design-related field is required.
• 10+ years of professional design consulting experience with leadership of teams.
• Strong understanding of human-centered design and visual design principles.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and grow design teams, often cross-disciplinary.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Project Team Leadership to drive strategic design direction and organizational impact.
• Serve as primary design point of contact for project teams and represent design-thinking in leadership forums.
• Identify strategic opportunities within client spaces and recommend process improvements.

Skills

Human-centered design

Design thinking

Brand design

Leadership

Team management

Information design

Client relationships

Visual storytelling

End-to-end design

Portfolio

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Design Communications, UX Design, Visual Journalism, Visual Communications, Sociology, Psychology or related field

Job description

LINK, a leading design partner in Washington, DC, seeks an Associate Director; Design Lead to drive human-centered design across client engagements and internal teams. You will couple strategic vision with hands-on design leadership to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality, brand-appropriate outcomes.

The role emphasizes mentoring design teams, shaping project direction, and advancing information design across media while partnering with cross-functional colleagues to navigate complex