Chief Design Officer

Credit Genie • New York, NY

2d • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a visionary Chief Design Officer (CDO) with extensive expertise in mobile and digital experiences to lead the strategic design direction of our consumer-facing fintech products while remaining deeply hands-on in day-to-day design execution. As a key member of the executive leadership team and the founding leader of our design organization, you will shape the overall design vision, build the team from the ground up, and drive innovation across our platform. Your leadership will define how millions of users engage with our ecosystem, ensuring intuitive, scalable, and transformative experiences that align with our mission of financial empowerment—spanning mobile apps, web, and emerging channels on iOS, Android, and beyond.

Requirements

• 10+ years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record in executive or senior leadership roles focused on mobile and digital consumer experiences in high-growth environments.
• Hands-On Leadership – Comfort and enthusiasm for staying deeply involved in design execution while scaling a design team in an early-stage or rapidly evolving organization.
• Strategic UX Expertise – Profound knowledge of iOS, Android, and cross-platform design patterns, UI frameworks, and best practices for scalable, user-centered digital ecosystems.
• Design Philosophy – Demonstrated ability to transform complex systems into intuitive, frictionless experiences that deliver measurable business impact.
• Tool Proficiency – Mastery of Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, prototyping tools, and emerging design technologies.
• Portfolio – An exceptional portfolio highlighting strategic design leadership, hands-on mobile-first innovations, and successful launches of consumer-facing products at scale.
• Executive Communication – Outstanding skills in articulating design strategies, influencing stakeholders, and fostering cross-functional alignment at the highest levels.
• Leadership Experience – Proven success in building and scaling design teams from early stages, driving organizational change, and integrating design into core business strategy.

Nice To Haves

• Fintech Leadership – Executive experience in financial services, lending, or banking, with a history of designing products that reshape user behaviors in regulated industries.
• Proven Track Record – History of leading designs for products that achieve viral growth, high user retention, and significant market disruption.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Design Leadership – Define and champion the company's design vision, strategy, and roadmap, ensuring alignment with business objectives, market trends, and technological advancements in fintech.
• Hands-On Design Execution – Remain actively involved in the end-to-end design process, including user research, wireframing, prototyping, and UI/UX delivery, particularly as we establish foundational processes and deliverables.
• Experience Optimization and Innovation – Architect user-centric, interactive experiences that enhance retention, engagement, and conversion, while pioneering new features that simplify financial journeys and set industry benchmarks.
• Simplifying Financial Complexity – Collaborate with executive stakeholders, product, engineering, and data teams to distill intricate financial concepts into elegant, accessible designs that drive user adoption and long-term value.
• Design System and Brand Evolution – Establish and evolve a robust, scalable design system that upholds mobile best practices, reinforces our brand identity, and supports seamless multi-platform experiences.
• User Advocacy and Insights – Lead efforts to deeply understand user needs through advanced research, analytics, and testing, using data to inform executive decisions and influence product strategy.
• Executive Collaboration – Partner with C-suite leaders, including the CEO, CTO, and CMO, to integrate design thinking into company-wide initiatives, ensuring designs are innovative, feasible, and scalable for global growth.
• Team Building and Mentorship – Build and lead a high-performing design organization from the ground up, recruiting top talent, mentoring designers at all levels, defining processes, and cultivating a collaborative environment that promotes creativity, diversity, and design excellence.
• Industry Influence – Represent Credit Genie as a thought leader in fintech design, contributing to external forums, publications, and partnerships to elevate our brand and attract talent.

Benefits

• 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents on your first day of employment.
• Monthly fitness reimbursement up to $100 or a full membership to LifeTime Fitness
• 401(k) with a 3.5% match and immediate vesting
• Meal program for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Life and accidental insurance
• Flexible PTO

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees