Director, Industrial Design

About us 

We turn customer challenges into growth opportunities.   

Material is a global strategy partner to the world’s most recognizable brands and innovative companies. Our people around the globe thrive by helping organizations design and deliver rewarding customer experiences.  

We use deep human insights, design innovation and data to create experiences powered by modern technology. Our approaches speed engagement and growth for the companies we work with and transform relationships between businesses and the people they serve.  

About the Director, Industrial Design Role 

As Director, Industrial Design at Material, we will look to you to bring design excellence into all the work you do. From industrial design to brand development through physical design all the way through manufacturing, this is a critical role in bringing exceptional work to market for our clients.

We are looking for someone who wants to work with the world’s greatest brands, companies and leaders -- who is passionate about creating groundbreaking products and experiences and has over 10 years of experience doing so. The Design Director will report into the VP of Design and, along with fellow leaders, be a key contributor to evolving the vision for industrial design at Aruliden and its parent company, Material.  This role will oversee multiple projects from conception to execution, and directly manage several Industrial Designers. Team leadership and motivation skills are essential for the role, in addition to strong concept, creation, craft and presentation skills.

 The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Industrial Design, having seen multiple products through to market and with experience working at the intersection of physical and digital experiences, physical products, packaging, and environments. They will have an understanding of how to translate brand and customer strategies into design decisions, the ability to communicate those value of design decisions persuasively through presentations, and the ability to guide and direct junior team members to do the same. They will thrive in interdisciplinary environments, with the ability to collaborate across disciplines and find common ground and clarity amid ambiguity. And they will have a strong pulse on trends and developments in the consumer and technology space.

Design Directors are representatives of the company and are expected to build strong relationships with clients, to help win new business and build on existing relationships.

As Director, Industrial Design you will 

Lead and Mentor the team: 

• Your team leadership, management and motivational skills are essential for the role. You will coach, lead and inspire the team continuously so we are best in class.

• You will continue to push design excellence throughout the organization while building, leading and managing a very talented industrial design team. In this role, you’ll be expected to lead multiple large, complex projects and be a role model for interdisciplinary teams.

• Help build our culture, recruit great talent, and create a greater brand presence for Aruliden and its parent company Material in the marketplace.

• Mentor and coach staff with a wide range of design and leadership capabilities, from entry level to Associate Design Directors, helping individuals to perform at their highest capacity.

• Organize and manage the team's activities to build team culture, capabilities and ensure program and people objectives are met.

• Be a champion for the design team within the broader organization. Communicate and advocate for the mission and needs of the team clearly and concisely.

• Work with other design groups throughout the company to build a collaborative design culture in service of user, customer, and business outcomes.

Lead and oversee the work: 

• Drive approach development for new projects, working with engagement management and interdisciplinary leads to establish the appropriate scope and resourcing model. 

• Develop and pilot new project types and ways of working to ensure we are continuously improving our approach to design in service of business and client goals.

• Drive and lead Design and Innovation-led projects in partnership with Digital Design, Brand Design and Strategy disciplines; work closely with leadership, the engagement management and client partners to set ambitions for the work, understand overall project profitability and navigate any bottlenecks that arise.

• Execute on impactful customer and product experiences by always considering the product in the broader context of the user or customer journey.

• Maintain high quality standards for experience and industrial design, ensuring the work is strategic, aesthetically appealing, improves the experience of users, and supports business goals

• Deliver on a range of thoughtful user experiences through tangible touchpoints with a focus on consumer electronics, beauty, packaging, and retail activations

• Lead the full design process from ideation and sketching to 3D modeling, rendering and product implementation

• An advocate for user research that can bring in the right type of insight and/or validation at the right time

Build relationships: 

• Develop trusted relationships with clients

• Build a network of trusted freelancers and cross-Material collaborators

• Quickly connect with clients in new business meetings; shape the development of pitches and proposals. 

• Actively spot and unlocking new opportunities with current or new companies

About You 

• 10+ years of relevant design experience

• Degree in Industrial Design or equivalent experience

• Proven experience leading design teams with demonstrated success and in-market results.

• A selfless leader who inspires trust and commitment within their team and in the broader organization through integrity, passion, and professional excellence

• Comfortable defining the approach, deliverables and resourcing plan for a variety of project types, from quick conceptual sprints to long-term product development partnerships.

• Hands on work style – not one to overly delegate, but rolls up sleeves and interacts with the team

• Exceptional ability to collaborate and facilitate the design process, both internally and alongside clients; fluent in human-centered design approaches and experience design principles and concepts

• Experience building and leading a design team

• Excellent communication and presentation skills

• Strong Portfolio (preferably including in-market consumer electronics work), demonstrating exceptional taste, ideation, and execution

• Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment

• Ability to lead through ambiguity, create and amplify culture and motivate employees at all levels within the studio

• Concept, Strategy, Sketching and Rendering skills

• 3D CAD/surface and solid modeling proficiency (Solidworks preferred)

• Figma and Adobe Creative Suite proficiency

• Keyshot rendering and animation software

• Located in NYC or surrounding areas

Why work for Material? 

In addition to fulfilling, high-impact work, company culture and benefits are integral to determining if a job is a right fit for you. Here’s a bit about who we are and highlights around what we offer. 

Who We Are & What We Care About 

• Material is a global company and we work with best-of-class brands worldwide.  We also create and launch new brands and products, putting innovation and value creation at the center of our practice. Our clients are in the top of their class, across industry sectors from technology to retail, transportation, finance and healthcare. 

• Material employees join a peer group of exceptionally talented colleagues across the company, the country, and even the world. We develop capabilities, craft and leading-edge market offerings across seven global practices including strategy and insights, design, data & analytics, technology and tracking. Our engagement management team makes it all hum for clients.  

• We prize inclusion and interconnectedness. We amplify our impact through the people, perspectives, and expertise we engage in our work. Our commitment to deep human understanding combined with a science & systems approach uniquely equips us to bring a rich frame of reference to our work. 

• A community focused on learning and making an impact. Material is an outcomes focused company. We create experiences that matter, create new value and make a difference in people's lives.  

What We Offer 

In addition to Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability and FSA, Material offers: 

• A work environment that works best for you. Whether that’s fully remote, in one of our offices, or hybrid. (This particular position requires proximity to NYC and willingness to go in-office.) 

• Flexible & synchronous time off. We trust our colleagues to take responsibility for and manage their workloads. That’s why we offer Flexible Time Off along with synchronous companywide closures and 11 company holidays.   

• 12 weeks of paid parental leave. Every parent deserves to spend the first few months of their new child’s life with them. 

• Help planning for your future. We offer 401K match, as well as periodic financial wellness and planning sessions throughout the year.  

Pay Range: 125,100.00 -162, 120.00

The range shown represents a grouping of relevant ranges currently in use at Material. Actual range for this position may differ, depending on location and specific skillset required for the work itself. 

Privacy Statement

Material is committed to protecting privacy in our recruiting processes for all candidates. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy. California-resident applicants should also refer to our California-resident Candidate Privacy Statement.

If you need support with a privacy-related matter, please send an email to: privacyrequests@materialplus.io