Head of Design
Zazu Digital Talent · Canada
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- $150,000 / year
- Canada
Job highlights
- Lead design strategy for an eCommerce brand.
- Drive creative direction across product categories.
- Identify US market trends for product success.
- Guide a team of designers for high-quality output.
- Focus on commercial success and mass-market appeal.
About the role
Head of Design
We’re working with a fast-growing, design-led eCommerce brand that has sold millions of products globally and built a reputation on one simple principle: beautiful products that actually sell. Design is the core differentiator. This role sits at the centre of that. They are looking for a Head of Design who can own the creative direction across a broad product range including home decor, stationery, baby and kids, gifting and lifestyle products. This is not a pure execution role. You will be responsible for setting the design vision, identifying what will resonate with the US mass market, and guiding a team of designers to deliver work that converts.
What you’ll be doing
- Own and evolve the design direction across multiple product categories
- Identify trends in the US consumer market and translate them into commercially successful products
- Spot gaps and opportunities across Amazon and wider eCommerce channels
- Create clear, actionable design briefs that enable fast, high-quality execution
- Review and elevate the work of designers to ensure consistency and quality
- Work closely with leadership on new product launches at scale
What they’re looking for
- A strong aesthetic instinct with a clear understanding of what sells, not just what looks good
- Experience designing physical consumer products for the US market
- Ability to move across different styles and categories with ease
- Comfort setting direction and guiding others rather than just executing
- Strong awareness of trends across home, baby, stationery or lifestyle categories
- Experience working in eCommerce or Amazon-led environments is highly relevant
- Comfort using AI tools to accelerate ideation and concept development
Profile that tends to succeed in this role
- Designers who understand the difference between portfolio work and commercial design
- People who can look at a product and immediately know how to improve it for a mass-market audience
- Individuals with a strong point of view on trends, colour, composition and positioning
- Those who can balance creativity with speed and output
Process
Portfolio-led evaluation followed by a paid design project. Interviews come later in the process. If your work demonstrates strong commercial taste and range across product categories, we’d be very interested in speaking.
Key skills/competency
- Design Direction
- Product Design
- eCommerce
- Trend Identification
- Consumer Market
- US Market
- Creative Leadership
- AI Tools
- Design Briefs
- Mass Market
Skills & topics
- Head of Design
- Design Strategy
- Product Design
- eCommerce
- Trend Forecasting
- Consumer Products
- US Market
- Creative Leadership
- Amazon
- AI Tools
- Home Decor
- Stationery
- Baby Products
- Gifting
- Lifestyle Products
- Mass Market
- Remote
- North America
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight experience in physical consumer product design for the US eCommerce market, emphasizing commercial success.
- Showcase your portfolio: Prepare a strong portfolio demonstrating your aesthetic instinct, trend awareness, and ability to create commercially viable designs for mass-market appeal.
- Address AI proficiency: Be ready to discuss your experience and comfort with using AI tools for design ideation and concept development.
- Understand the process: Be aware that the evaluation is portfolio-led, followed by a paid design project before interviews.
Technical preparation
Prepare a portfolio of commercial product designs.,Showcase trend analysis and market gap identification.,Demonstrate experience with US market consumer products.,Familiarize with AI design tools and applications.
Behavioral questions
Describe a time you set a design vision.,How do you translate trends into products?,Explain balancing creativity with commercial needs.,How do you elevate junior designers' work?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the primary focus for the Head of Design at Zazu Digital Talent?
- The Head of Design at Zazu Digital Talent will own the creative direction across various product categories, focusing on identifying US market trends and translating them into commercially successful products for an eCommerce brand.
- Is this Head of Design role purely execution-based?
- No, this Head of Design role is not a pure execution role. You will be responsible for setting the design vision, identifying market trends, and guiding a team of designers to deliver work that converts.
- What kind of product categories will the Head of Design oversee?
- The Head of Design will oversee a broad product range including home decor, stationery, baby and kids, gifting, and lifestyle products.
- What is considered a strong aesthetic instinct for this Head of Design position?
- A strong aesthetic instinct for this Head of Design position means having a clear understanding of what sells in the US mass market, not just what looks aesthetically pleasing. It involves identifying trends and translating them into commercially successful products.
- What experience is highly relevant for the Head of Design role at Zazu Digital Talent?
- Experience designing physical consumer products for the US market and experience working in eCommerce or Amazon-led environments are highly relevant for this Head of Design role.
- How does Zazu Digital Talent evaluate candidates for the Head of Design position?
- Zazu Digital Talent uses a portfolio-led evaluation process. This is followed by a paid design project, with interviews occurring later in the process.
- What distinguishes a successful candidate for the Head of Design role?
- Successful candidates for the Head of Design role understand the difference between portfolio work and commercial design, can improve products for a mass market, have a strong point of view on trends, and can balance creativity with speed and output.
- Does the Head of Design role require experience with AI tools?
- Comfort using AI tools to accelerate ideation and concept development is a plus and considered relevant for the Head of Design role at Zazu Digital Talent.