Associate Director Experience Design

DEPT

HEAD OF UX DESIGN  Zürich DEPT® is a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, our 4,000+ specialists deliver growth invention services across Brand & Media, Experience, Commerce, CRM, and Technology & Data. We’re 50|50 tech and marketing, partner-led, and first to move. Clients include Google, Lufthansa, Meta, eBay, and OpenAI. We have been certified B Corp and Climate Neutral since 2021. JOB PURPOSE This position sits in our Zurich-based Experience & Engineering business unit. We deliver many services, from strategy and a performance-driven full-funnel approach to campaigning, e-commerce, data & analytics and content. We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional and engaging digital experiences. As Head of UX Design, you will lead and further develop our DACH UX practice across the entire value chain — from research to delivery. You will balance craft excellence, delivery quality, and operational health, while shaping a strong and future-ready UX discipline. You will also engage with ambitious brands to create user-centered experiences that drive measurable growth. WHAT YOU’LL DO: * Driving innovation and delivering excellence: As the UX Lead for key accounts or in new business, you’ll set the standard for user-centric design and ensure that our work delivers strategic business impact. * Delivery accountability: You are accountable for the department’s delivery excellence. You not only monitor quality but also collaborate with the EMEA UX leadership team to develop new capabilities and processes that ensure we stay ahead of the competition. * Operational accountability: You proactively manage the department’s operational health as well as the client and team satisfaction. * Foster cross-functional and international alignment: You will foster close collaboration with international teams across the EMEA region as well as with other crafts such as Strategy, Visual Design, Content and Tech, ensuring that our local UX practice does not operate in isolation but serves as a driving force for collective growth. * Champion thought leadership: You will act as an internal and external voice, showcasing our pioneering work through speaking engagements and industry contributions to build our reputation as a growth innovation company. WHAT YOU BRING: * Work experience: Over 15 years of experience in UX and product design, combined with in-depth expertise in complex digital ecosystems and fast-paced agency environments, with proven experience working with large, international brands and complex stakeholder environments. While experience in e-commerce isn't mandatory, it would be a great advantage. * Portfolio: A proven track record across the entire UX value chain—from in-depth user research and strategic planning to hands-on concepts and iterative testing. Your portfolio demonstrates high-impact results and measurable business growth.  * Leadership: You have over 10 years' experience in people leadership. Managing and mentoring high-level talent, such as Leads, Principals and Associate Directors, would be an added bonus. * Operational Excellence: You know how to handle urgent requests or escalations with a performance- and solution-oriented approach. * Tech and AI savvy: Not only are you curious about digital trends, AI and new technologies, you are also committed to incorporating relevant innovations into your work. * Communication and influence: The ability to transform complex UX strategies into persuasive pitches that convince senior stakeholders and establish the trust required for long-term partnerships. Full professional proficiency in both German and English (C1 level) is mandatory.  WE OFFER: * Flexible, hybrid working policy (2 days from the office, depending on location); * 25 days holiday with the opportunity to take unpaid leave; * Flexible health budget and Wellness & personal day.  * Learning & development budget. * Referral bonus program. * Occasional breakfast & lunch at the office, Smoothie Tuesday. * Stay happy and healthy with a contribution to your health through the OpenUp platform. * You can choose to work from the spacious and barrier-free location in Zurich; in Bern you can expect a small but nice and fully equipped office where you can hit the keys in peace. * Social events, plenty of opportunities to connect with colleagues through organised activities and celebrations. * A reputation for doing good. DEPT® has been a Certified B Corp® since 2021 and named ‘Agency of the Year’ at both The Lovies and The Webby Awards. * Awesome clients. Whether big or small, local or global — at DEPT® you’ll get the opportunity to work with clients of all sizes and across all industries. And we celebrate all of our successes together! * The opportunity for possibility. We want to enable you to do what you do best and help you develop your skills further with training, development and certifications. * Global annual DEPT® Cares Month in which employees come together and donate their skills to support local charities. WHY DEPT®? We are a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, we create what is next by pioneering ideas, acting fast, and moving further because standing still just is not in our DNA. We are drawn to people who stay curious, move with intent, and never stop inventing. Our culture runs on three values: better together, relentlessly curious, and get sh*t done. It is how we work, how we grow, and how we make things that matter. At DEPT®, you will find the freedom to explore, the space to collaborate, and the trust to make a real impact for our clients, for each other, and for the world we are helping to build. DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION  At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine. We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us. Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.

DEPT

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR EXPERIENCE DESIGN (D/F/M) Hamburg, Berlin, Hybrid DEPT® is a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, our 4,000+ specialists deliver growth invention services across Brand & Media, Experience, Commerce, CRM, and Technology & Data. We’re 50|50 tech and marketing, partner-led, and first to move. Clients include Google, Lufthansa, Meta, eBay, and OpenAI. We have been certified B Corp and Climate Neutral since 2021. JOB PURPOSE This role is part of our Experience & Engineering team in the DACH region. We combine technology and experience design to create emotive yet conversion-focused CX platforms, Apps, Online Shops and Design systems at scale and speed. Our specialty is digital experiences and communication that change perceptions and shape new behaviours to make a difference in the market. As Associate Director, you will lead pitches to win new business in DACH and EMEA and oversee projects for key accounts to develop user-centered experiences that drive measurable growth. Your focus will be on ensuring outstanding design quality to win and retain clients.  WHAT YOU’LL DO: * Design excellence: As Lead Designer for pitches and key accounts, you’ll set the standard for award-winning design that ensures user, brand, and business requirements are not just met but exceeded. * Delivery accountability: You are responsible for the design quality and the successful delivery of your pitch or project team. You not only set the direction and monitor quality, but also work closely with the core team to ensure overall success. * Teamwork and collaboration: You will work closely with other departments, such as Strategy, UX, Content, and Technology, and be part of international teams across the EMEA region. * Thought leadership: You will act as an internal and external voice, showcasing our pioneering work through speaking engagements and industry contributions to build our reputation as a growth innovation company. WHAT YOU BRING: * Craft focus: Over 15 years of experience in brand design, experience design (UX/UI), motion design and large-scale design systems.  * Professional Experience: Proven work history of working in dynamic agency environments, collaborating with international brands, and managing senior stakeholders. * Portfolio: Outstanding track record across the entire design value chain. From developing compelling design visions to executing actionable UI and motion design tasks. Your portfolio showcases impressive results and measurable business growth. Industry awards aren't a must, but very welcome. * Tech and AI savvy: Not only are you curious about digital trends, AI and new technologies, you are also committed to incorporating relevant innovations into your work. * Communication and influence: The ability to translate design visions into compelling presentations that inspire and win over both high-level decision-makers and operational teams. Comprehensive professional language skills in German and English (C1 level) are required. WE OFFER: * Flexible, hybrid working policy (1-2 days at the office, depending on location); * Company pension scheme. * Occasional breakfast/lunch at the office, Smoothie Tuesdays. * Stay happy and healthy with a contribution to your health through the OpenUp platform; * €50 personal monthly allowance via our dedicated benefits apps for use across daily expenses and lifestyle perks. * Future Bens - Exclusive access to sustainable, healthy products at attractive deals. * Social events, plenty of opportunities to connect with colleagues through organised activities and celebrations. * A reputation for doing good. DEPT® has been a Certified B Corp® since 2021 and named ‘Agency of the Year’ at both The Lovies and The Webby Awards. * Awesome clients. Whether big or small, local or global — at DEPT® you’ll get the opportunity to work with clients of all sizes and across all industries. And we celebrate all of our successes together! * The opportunity for possibility. We want to enable you to do what you do best and help you develop your skills further with training, development and certifications. * Global annual DEPT® Cares Month in which employees come together and donate their skills to support local charities. WHY DEPT®? We are a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, we create what is next by pioneering ideas, acting fast, and moving further because standing still just is not in our DNA. We are drawn to people who stay curious, move with intent, and never stop inventing. Our culture runs on three values: better together, relentlessly curious, and get sh*t done. It is how we work, how we grow, and how we make things that matter. At DEPT®, you will find the freedom to explore, the space to collaborate, and the trust to make a real impact for our clients, for each other, and for the world we are helping to build. DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION  At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine. We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us. Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.

DEPT

WHY DEPT®? We are a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, we create what is next by pioneering ideas, acting fast, and moving further because standing still just is not in our DNA. We are drawn to people who stay curious, move with intent, and never stop inventing. Our culture runs on three values: better together, relentlessly curious, and get sh*t done. It is how we work, how we grow, and how we make things that matter. At DEPT®, you will find the freedom to explore, the space to collaborate, and the trust to make a real impact for our clients, for each other, and for the world we are helping to build. THE ROLE: The Associate Director, Visual Design, is a cornerstone of our creative leadership, tasked with defining the aesthetic North Star for our organization. This is not just a role for a master craftsperson, but for a strategic visionary who can translate business objectives into world-class visual ecosystems. You won't just meet benchmarks; you will redefine them.   You will sit at the intersection of brand, product, and strategy, ensuring that our visual identity is cohesive, future-proof, and disruptive. You are expected to be a "force multiplier", elevating the output of every designer you touch through rigorous critique, high-level systems thinking, and an unwavering commitment to craft.   As part of the creative leadership team, you will play a crucial role in executing the overarching creative and design strategy, ensuring the team's activities align with and significantly contribute to the organization's strategic short and long-term success.   WHAT YOU’LL DO: * Closely collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of talented people. * Set the overarching visual strategy and design principles that guide the entire creative department across all touchpoints (digital, brand, and product). * Oversee the evolution of our global design systems, ensuring they are scalable, accessible, and reflect the highest level of visual sophistication. *  Act as a primary creative partner to C-suite executives and key client stakeholders, using design as a lever to solve complex business challenges. * Partner with cross-functional leaders to ensure technical feasibility and strategic alignment from ideation to launch. * Serve as an evangelist for design excellence both internally and externally, staying ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies (AI, spatial design, etc.) to keep the agency/company at the cutting edge. * Refine design workflows and philosophies to improve the quality of output while maintaining organizational agility and profitability. * Bring a fresh, insightful point of view that inspires both the internal team and the client, putting the team and client first. * Generate strategic insights and moodboards to facilitate creative innovation. * Drive complex digital projects from kick-off to completion, ensuring the team's deliverables exceed client expectations and stay within budget and deadlines.  * Establish project direction, craft guidelines, and assist with production as needed. * Identify key client decision-makers and leverage excellent interpersonal skills to grow and maintain these relationships, collaborating across all internal departments and external stakeholders to achieve desired results. * Actively contribute to the design discipline through mentoring, conversation, and proposing ideas to elevate company operations and improve processes.   WHAT YOU BRING: * 5+ years of experience in visual and interactive design for global brands, with at least 4 years in a dedicated leadership position. * Bachelor’s Degree in Design, Visual Arts, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience. * Mastery of Figma (including components, variants, and auto layout) and familiarity with essential collaboration tools (e.g., Hubspot, Google Suite, Slack). * Strong knowledge and experience in visual design, user-centered experience design, interaction design, and brand development. Experience developing and maintaining a robust design system. * AI-Enhanced Production Ecosystems: Advanced capability in adopting and implementing generative AI tools (such as Midjourney, Runway, Vizcom, and Weavy) into the design pipeline to maximize asset velocity, explore vanguard concepts, and drive structural innovation. * Design Systems for Paid Media Scale: Demonstrated expertise in bridging robust design systems with performance marketing initiatives. Responsible for architecting and optimizing scalable, modular components in Figma specifically designed for dynamic paid ads and multi-channel marketing matrices (Meta, TikTok, Google, and Pinterest). * Demonstrated ability to provide strategic vision and creative inspiration to large, diverse teams. * Excellent public speaking and presentation skills with the ability to clearly articulate complex information to clients and internal stakeholders. * Highly detail-oriented, proactive, comfortable navigating complex organizations, and focused on strategic problem-solving and process efficiency. WHAT DO WE OFFER? * Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage * 401K plan, plus matching * PTO * Paid Company Holidays * Parental Leave WE SUPPORT YOU BEING YOU:  DEPT® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We believe our work is its best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves. We’re committed to an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone’s identity, background, beliefs, lifestyle or disabilities. So tell us about any accommodations you need. It’s totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported at every step.  DEPT® participates in E-Verify, meaning your Form I-9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.  We are a B Corp-certified company passionate about purpose-driven work. Our hope is that you can feel good about the contributions DEPT® is making to the world and we always have an open door for your ideas in making the world a better place.  DEPT® is a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, our 4,000+ specialists deliver growth invention across Brand & Media, Experience, Commerce, CRM, and Technology & Data. We’re 50|50 tech and marketing, partner-led, and first to move. Clients include Google, Lufthansa, Coach, eBay, and OpenAI. Learn more about DEPT®   DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine.  We also encourage you  to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us. Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here. #LI-Remote The anticipated salary range for this position is listed below. Salary is based on a range of factors that include relevant experience, expertise, physical location, and organizational impact. This is based on a 40-hour workweek and leveling. Keep in mind, we’re flexible. US Remote Range $122,000—$170,000 USD