Director of Design, Strategy & Growth

Nava PBC

12d•$185,000 - $210,000•Remote

About The Position

Nava is a consultancy and public benefit corporation working to make government services simple and effective. Since 2015, federal, state, and local agencies have trusted Nava to help solve highly scrutinized technology modernization challenges. As a client services company, we guide agencies constrained by legacy systems to a future with sharp user experiences built on secure, reliable, fault-tolerant cloud infrastructure. We bill for our time, offering our expertise and problem-solving approach to help our government partners enhance their digital products and services. People are at the heart of our work, from members of the public who rely on benefit programs to government agency staff. Through human-centered design and modern engineering best practices, we help our government partners understand user needs and deliver on their missions more effectively. This focus gives everyone at Nava the opportunity to do work that is meaningful, impactful, and deeply connected to public good. The Director of Design, Strategy & Growth leads strategic design initiatives and capabilities development efforts across Nava. They play a critical role in growing Nava's design practice and enabling us to stay at the forefront of how modern design teams work. The Director of Design builds the Design Org's leadership practice by leading mentorship, coaching, and capabilities-focused professional development efforts. They will report to the VP of Design and work closely with peers in Engineering, Product, Program Delivery, and Business Development to advance Nava’s mission and goals. The scope of this role will flex with the needs of the practice and the candidate's strengths. We expect every Director of Design to be a strong general leader of the practice, with the ability to provide strong leadership on AI enablement and developing modern design teams.

Requirements

A skilled practitioner with deep experience in creative, strategic, technical, managerial, and operational aspects of human-centered design at scale
A proven leader who has experience managing complexity, developing strategy, and conducting long-term planning
In-depth experience cultivating strong relationships with external stakeholders and partners
10+ years of experience as a human-centered design practitioner
5+ years of direct people management experience and team leadership
Communicates with clarity and credibility in all channels and formats, across audiences including executive leadership, external clients, peer collaborators, direct reports, and cross-functional delivery teams
Ability to develop, build, and maintain productive relationships at all levels of leadership, management, and the organization
Legal authorization to work in the United States
Ability to meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired
Work authorization that doesn’t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future
May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract
This role requires you to work from the contiguous United States.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated AI leadership in a design organization: setting and executing AI strategy, scaling AI workflows across multiple design teams, and building AI products.
Experience managing the business dynamics in a professional services firm (billable hours, contract portfolios, client services skills)
Experience and bias toward a “company-builder” frame of mind
Track record of introducing and expanding agile transformation and pursuing best practices in design management with clients and stakeholders

Responsibilities

Foster a collaborative and delivery-focused design culture, promoting a high standard of design excellence and user-centered thinking
Lead capabilities-focused professional development opportunities across the Design Org
Shape how the Design practice adopts AI, identifying opportunities, piloting approaches, scaling what works, and coaching Designers in building AI-informed workflows on their teams.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, and business development, to ensure design is strategic in all phases of company growth
Stay up-to-date with design trends, industry standards, and emerging technologies to drive innovation
Manage a team of up to eight direct reports across multiple projects
Act as a sounding board for design team members at Nava, coaching them through challenges, helping to review and structure their work, and providing coverage when necessary
Guide teams in applying Nava's cross-functional delivery model and human-centered system integration expertise to build modern, user-centered products that achieve strong outcomes for clients.
Actively contribute to Nava's decisions on which strategic work to pursue
Contribute directly to business development through activities such as proposal development, solutioning, reviews, tech challenges, or market research presentations
Identify, develop, and scale new Delivery capabilities in the Design Org
Serve as a strategic partner by influencing and shaping Nava’s approach to growth

Benefits

Health coverage — comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans to support your overall health needs
Insurance coverage — Nava provides disability, life, and accidental death insurance at no cost
Time off — vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating holidays to rest and recharge
Company holidays — enjoy 12 paid federal holidays each year on top of your regular PTO
Annual bonus — when Nava meets its goals, eligible employees receive a performance-based annual bonus
Parental leave — paid time off for new parents, plus weekly meals delivered to your home
Wellness program — full platform offering physical, mental, & emotional health resources & support tools
Virtual care — see doctors online with no copay through a virtual visit program (depending on available providers)
Sabbatical leave — earn extended unpaid leave after continuous service for personal growth or rest
401(k) match — Nava matches 4% of your salary to support your retirement savings plan
Flexible work — remote-first environment with flexibility built around your schedule and responsibilities
Home office setup — company laptop & setup assistance provided via Staples for remote work needs
Utility support — monthly reimbursement to help offset eligible home office utility expenses
Learning opportunities — internal training programs and resources to help grow your professional skills
Development opportunities — LinkedIn Learning access & an annual allowance for courses, tuition, & certs
Referral bonus — get rewarded when you refer great people who join the Nava team
Commuter benefits — pre-tax commuter programs to support in-office travel when applicable
Supportive culture — A collaborative and remote-friendly team environment where people genuinely care