Director of Design

One Workplace•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

The Director of Product Design leads the end-to-end design function for a Pair’s office portfolio, shaping product vision, experience strategy, and execution across systems, collections, and services. This role balances design excellence with manufacturability, sustainability, and dealer- and spec-driven market realities. The Director is a strategic partner to Sales, Applications, Engineering, and Operations- ensuring customer-centered design decisions translate into scalable, differentiated products for workplace environments. Role Pairing & Collaboration This role is paired closely with Applications, Marketing, and works i lockstep with Engineering, Operations, and Supply Chain. Together, the leadership team aligns on portfolio strategy, line planning, pricing tiers, and launch timing—balancing end-user needs, specifier requirements, dealer enablement, and manufacturing feasibility.

Requirements

10+ years of product or industrial design experience, with 5+ years leading design teams.
Proven experience designing physical products in a B2B environment; office furniture or contract interiors strongly preferred.
Deep understanding of manufacturing processes, materials, and cost drivers.
Strong portfolio demonstrating systems thinking, modular product design, and manufacturable solutions.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence across Sales, Dealers, Engineering, and Operations.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with dealers, A&D firms, and spec-driven sales models.
Familiarity with ergonomics standards, workplace regulations, and performance testing.
Experience building or evolving modular furniture platforms.

Responsibilities

Define and champion a cohesive design vision across furniture systems, ancillary products, and workplace solutions.
Translate market insights, dealer feedback, and workplace trends into clear product principles and multi-year roadmaps.
Ensure consistency across form language, materials, finishes, and systems.
Partner with leadership team to have a multi-year product portfolio plan and rationalization.
Collaborate with Sales, Dealers, and Marketing to ensure products meet specifier expectations and support go-to-market needs.
Participate in product reviews, pricing strategy discussions, and executive gate reviews.
Lead design grounded in insights from end users, dealers, architects, and designers.
Oversee research related to ergonomics, workplace behavior, and space utilization.
Advocate for accessibility, inclusivity, and code compliance across all products.
Partner closely with Engineering to ensure designs are manufacturable, durable, and cost-aligned.
Balance innovation with platform reuse, modularity, and supply chain efficiency.
Guide teams from concept through prototyping, testing, and production release.
Lead, mentor, and grow an industrial and product design team (industrial design, CMF, ergonomics, systems).
Set clear expectations for design quality, collaboration, and accountability.
Foster a culture of critique, iteration, and continuous improvement.
Champion sustainable design practices, responsible material selection, and circularity principles.
Partner with Operations to support environmental certifications and lifecycle assessments.
Embed sustainability into design decisions without compromising performance or cost targets.
Establish scalable design processes that integrate with product development, engineering, and manufacturing workflows.
Manage design resources, external partners, and prioritization across the portfolio.
Define and track success metrics tied to adoption, spec wins, and portfolio performance.