Design Director

Adelphi Group • Chicago, IL

1d • $160,000 - $205,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

We believe design is a force that helps clients unlock new potential and brings bold vision to life. This role is for a leader who sees design as both a business accelerator and a human-centered discipline, bringing strategic clarity and creative vision to complex challenges. It calls for someone who thrives at the intersection of creativity and technical possibility, translating complex systems, data, and AI-enabled capabilities into experiences that are intuitive, intelligent, and deeply human. As a catalyst for modern experience design, this leader will be energized by the evolution of design in an era of AI, connected ecosystems, and new ways of working, and ready to contribute to a practice built for the next generation of digital transformation.

Requirements

• Experienced design leader with the craft, judgment, and confidence to set vision, shape strategy, and contribute hands-on UX/UI, product, and visual design.
• Clear point of view on how human-centered design drives adoption, engagement, loyalty, and measurable business outcomes.
• Passionate about mentoring designers, developing talent, and creating a culture of curiosity, experimentation, and design excellence.
• Energized by the business of design, from client relationship-building and account growth to pitching new business and advancing XD’s influence across Credera.
• Ability to effectively communicate and influence executives, product owners, engineers, strategists, and senior leaders, building alignment and influencing decisions with clarity.
• Inspired by how technology is reshaping the future of digital experiences and fluent in its design implications, with a drive to explore AI-enabled workflows, personalization, agentic experiences, and emerging tools.
• Systems thinker who connects brand, content, UX, data, technology, and business goals into cohesive experience strategies across the full customer journey.
• Ability to work in ambiguous, highly complex environments, rapidly moving from problem discovery to prototype, validation, and implementation-ready recommendations.

Nice To Haves

• 10+ years of professional design experience, including leading UX/UI, product design, visual design, or experience design teams.
• A strong portfolio that showcases both leadership impact and individual craft, including examples of product design, digital marketing, design system development, hi-fidelity prototypes, or ai enabled digital experiences.
• Command of Figma and modern design collaboration workflows; experience with Lovable, Relume, Claude Design, Figma Make, Miro, Jira, Confluence, VS Code, or similar product and delivery tools.
• Deep expertise in human-centered design, from discovery and concept development to prototyping, testing, measurement, and delivery with experience developing design systems, dynamic creative platforms, audits, assessments, and accessibility standards.
• Experience contributing to business development, including shaping opportunities, developing pitch narratives, estimating design work, and supporting proposals.
• Excellent verbal, written, and visual communication skills, with the ability to translate complex ideas into compelling narratives for clients, teams, and executives.
• Bachelor’s degree in design, human-computer interaction, visual communication, product design, or a related field preferred; equivalent professional experience also valued.
• Demonstrated experience in a senior design leadership role within consulting, digital product, enterprise transformation, or technology-led environments.
• Experience in motion graphics, wearables and emerging platforms.

Responsibilities

• Set vision, shape strategy, and contribute hands-on UX/UI, product, and visual design.
• Mentor designers, develop talent, and create a culture of curiosity, experimentation, and design excellence.
• Build client relationships, grow accounts, pitch new business, and advance XD’s influence across Credera.
• Effectively communicate and influence executives, product owners, engineers, strategists, and senior leaders, building alignment and influencing decisions with clarity.
• Connect brand, content, UX, data, technology, and business goals into cohesive experience strategies across the full customer journey.
• Work in ambiguous, highly complex environments, rapidly moving from problem discovery to prototype, validation, and implementation-ready recommendations.
• Lead client workshops, design critiques, creative brainstorms, stakeholder interviews, alignment sessions, and executive presentations.
• Contribute to business development, including shaping opportunities, developing pitch narratives, estimating design work, and supporting proposals.
• Mentor, coach, and develop designers across levels and geographies, including supporting career growth, and building a strong design community.

Benefits

• Access to next-generation technology and innovation happening across AI, digital platforms, data, and emerging experiences.
• Opportunity to work across different kinds of problems, products, and customer experiences while growing your perspective and portfolio.
• A team that values curiosity, collaboration, and ambition without losing the human side of the work.
• Support for making exceptional things, supporting each other, and creating a work experience that’s as thoughtful as the work we deliver.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree