Duties & Responsibilities
• Set the vision and strategy for the design system. Define the long-term direction for Thrivent''s design system - including its visual language, governance model, and contribution - and align that vision with broader Thrivent product and brand strategy. Set the vision and strategy for the design system. Define the long-term direction for Thrivent''s design system - including its visual language, governance model, and contribution - and align that vision with broader Thrivent product and brand strategy.
• Lead Design Operations. Establish and continuously refine the operational frameworks, processes, and tooling that govern how the design team works - ensuring the team can deliver quality outcomes at scale without unnecessary friction. Lead Design Operations. Establish and continuously refine the operational frameworks, processes, and tooling that govern how the design team works - ensuring the team can deliver quality outcomes at scale without unnecessary friction.
• Lead and develop design talent. Manage and grow a team of product designers, design operations experts and design system contributors. Foster a culture of craft excellence, shared accountability, and continuous improvement. Lead and develop design talent. Manage and grow a team of product designers, design operations experts and design system contributors. Foster a culture of craft excellence, shared accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Own visual, interaction and systems standards. Set the quality and consistency bar within out Design System. Document decisions for how to use the elements to scale and push design excellence across a range of products. Establish decision-making frameworks for when components evolve, how new patterns get introduced, and how the system stays aligned with implementation. Own visual, interaction and systems standards. Set the quality and consistency bar within out Design System. Document decisions for how to use the elements to scale and push design excellence across a range of products. Establish decision-making frameworks for when components evolve, how new patterns get introduced, and how the system stays aligned with implementation.
• Align design systems investment to business priorities. Partner with Product and Engineering leadership to ensure design systems work is sequenced to support roadmap needs, reduce friction in delivery, and create long-term leverage across the organization. Align design systems investment to business priorities. Partner with Product and Engineering leadership to ensure design systems work is sequenced to support roadmap needs, reduce friction in delivery, and create long-term leverage across the organization.
• Communicate design strategy with confidence. Represent the design systems practice to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders - articulating the value, tradeoffs, and direction of design investments in a way that builds trust and drives alignment. Communicate design strategy with confidence. Represent the design systems practice to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders - articulating the value, tradeoffs, and direction of design investments in a way that builds trust and drives alignment.
• Focus the team on highest-impact work. Make clear prioritization and resource decisions, cutting low-return activities and directing team capacity toward the work with the greatest impact on product quality and delivery efficiency. Focus the team on highest-impact work. Make clear prioritization and resource decisions, cutting low-return activities and directing team capacity toward the work with the greatest impact on product quality and delivery efficiency.
• Recruit, develop, and sustain high performers. Build a team with complementary strengths in systems thinking and craft. Invest in career development, mentorship, and a team environment where people do their best work. Recruit, develop, and sustain high performers. Build a team with complementary strengths in systems thinking and craft. Invest in career development, mentorship, and a team environment where people do their best work.
Qualifications & Skills
Required:
• Bachelor''s degree or equivalent in Interaction Design, UI/UX Design, Visual Design, Web Product Design, or related field Bachelor''s degree or equivalent in Interaction Design, UI/UX Design, Visual Design, Web Product Design, or related field
• 8+ years of design experience; at least 5 years in product design or design systems; at least 3 years in a people management role 8+ years of design experience; at least 5 years in product design or design systems; at least 3 years in a people management role
• Demonstrated experience leading design systems strategy - including governance models, adoption, and alignment across product and engineering teams Demonstrated experience leading design systems strategy - including governance models, adoption, and alignment across product and engineering teams
• Experience building design operations for a team or a practice: process design, tooling strategy, and cross-functional workflow management Experience building design operations for a team or a practice: process design, tooling strategy, and cross-functional workflow management
• Strong understanding of visual design principles with the ability to evaluate quality, set standards, and guide a team''s output without being the primary executor Strong understanding of visual design principles with the ability to evaluate quality, set standards, and guide a team''s output without being the primary executor
• Ability to lead and inspire a team of 4-5, making prioritization and resourcing decisions like a business owner Ability to lead and inspire a team of 4-5, making prioritization and resourcing decisions like a business owner
• Excellent communication and influence skills, with experience presenting design strategy to directors and VP-level stakeholders Excellent communication and influence skills, with experience presenting design strategy to directors and VP-level stakeholders
• Familiarity with modern design and systems tooling (e.g., Figma, design tokens, Storybook, or equivalents) and agile product team models Familiarity with modern design and systems tooling (e.g., Figma, design tokens, Storybook, or equivalents) and agile product team models
Preferred:
• Experience leading a design system at enterprise or multi-brand scale Experience leading a design system at enterprise or multi-brand scale
• Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG) and their application within a design system Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG) and their application within a design system
• Strategic design thinking with a track record of contributing to org-level design strategy Strategic design thinking with a track record of contributing to org-level design strategy
• Experience in financial services, ideally wealth management Experience in financial services, ideally wealth management
Thrivent provides Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) without regard to race, religion, color, sex , gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable local, state , or federal law. This policy applies to all employees and job applicants.
Thrivent is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation , please let us know by sending an email to human.resources@thrivent.com or call 800-847-4836 and request Human Resources.