Head of Design

Vanta•,

9d•$365,000 - $513,000•Remote

About The Position

Vanta is hiring for a Head of Design (VP) to lead their design organization. This role involves setting direction for a ~40-person team, shaping the next generation of AI-native product experiences, and building the quality systems necessary for shipping great design at scale. The Design team at Vanta is responsible for the user experience of security and compliance teams, spanning various areas of Vanta including GRC, Trust, Platform, Self-serve, and AI. The team comprises product designers, visual designers, design engineering, content designers, and a user researcher, all led by experienced design directors. This position is at a critical juncture as AI is fundamentally changing product development, and the leader will define what it means for a design organization to be AI-forward, enabling designers to increase speed, output, and contribution to product direction and delivery.

Requirements

15+ years of design experience, with 5+ years leading and scaling large design organizations, with director-level reports
Deep fluency in interaction design and visual craft — enjoys getting into the weeds, providing precise direction, and holding a high bar for quality across design decisions
Deep B2B SaaS experience — understanding the constraints of building for SMB and enterprise customers, complex workflows, multi-user products, and platform-level design challenges
Org-level AI fluency: has built AI tooling, workflows, and cultural adoption into a design team’s practice, enabling teams to ship more and move faster; has a clear point of view on how AI changes design roles and team structure
Proven track record building quality systems: design system ownership, definitions of done, launch review processes, and quality frameworks built in partnership with Product and Engineering
Has led design through a company inflection point — navigates ambiguity, adapts the org, and maintains quality and momentum when the business is changing fast
Strong XFN leadership — trusted by product and engineering counterparts, navigates fast-moving and opinionated exec environments, and drives alignment on shared outcomes
Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for current or future employer sponsorship.
Responsible for protecting Vanta and customer data in how your team operates and delivers results.
Open to using AI to amplify their skills and strengthen their work - demonstrating curiosity, a willingness to learn, and sound judgment in applying AI responsibly to improve efficiency and impact.

Responsibilities

Lead a team of ~40 designers and design directors across GRC, Trust, Platform, Self-serve, and AI — setting org-wide direction and enabling each leader to do their best work
Lead the team building the next generation of agentic, AI-native product experiences — defining what great design looks like as Vanta’s products are increasingly shaped by AI
Establish an AI-native design practice: evolve agentic UX patterns, redesign team workflows around AI tooling, and define how design engineers and designers collaborate in an AI-first environment
Bring a strong point of view to design decisions — engaging deeply on interaction design, visual quality, and product direction, and building the trust that allows design decision-making to scale
Set a clear, shared standard for design quality across Vanta — spanning visual design, interaction design, and AI-enabled experiences — and build the systems that hold that bar consistently: design system, definitions of done, and launch review frameworks
Drive design as a first mover: shape design direction proactively, establishing the taste and systems that set the pace for the product and the org
Build strong partnerships with Product and Engineering, establishing shared quality frameworks embedded in how the whole org ships
Recruit and grow the team — develop existing leadership, maintain a high bar for AI fluency and design craft across every hire, and close capability gaps as the org evolves

Benefits

Industry-competitive salary and equity
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, with 100% of employee-only benefit premiums covered for most medical plans
16 weeks fully-paid Parental Leave for all new parents
Health & wellness stipend
Remote workspace, internet, and cellphone stipend
Commuter benefits for team members who report to the SF and NYC office
Family planning benefits
Matching 401(k) contribution with immediate vesting
Flexible PTO policy, plus 80 hours of Sick Time
11 company-paid holidays
Virtual team building activities, lunch and learns, and other company-wide events!