Director, Industrial Design

About us 

We turn customer challenges into growth opportunities.   

Material is a global strategy partner to the world’s most recognizable brands and innovative companies. Our people around the globe thrive by helping organizations design and deliver rewarding customer experiences.  

We use deep human insights, design innovation and data to create experiences powered by modern technology. Our approaches speed engagement and growth for the companies we work with and transform relationships between businesses and the people they serve.  

About the Director, Industrial Design Role 

As Director, Industrial Design at Aruliden, a Material Company, we will look to you to bring design excellence into all the work you do. From industrial design to brand development through physical design all the way through manufacturing, this is a critical role in bringing exceptional work to market for our clients.

We are looking for someone who wants to work with the world’s greatest brands, companies and leaders -- who is passionate about creating groundbreaking products and experiences and has over 10 years of experience doing so. The Design Director will report into the VP of Design and, along with fellow leaders, be a key contributor to evolving the vision for industrial design at Aruliden and its parent company, Material.  This role will oversee multiple projects from conception to execution, and directly manage several Industrial Designers. Team leadership and motivation skills are essential for the role, in addition to strong concept, creation, craft and presentation skills.

 The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Industrial Design, having seen multiple products through to market and with experience working at the intersection of physical and digital experiences, physical products, packaging, and environments. They will have an understanding of how to translate brand and customer strategies into design decisions, the ability to communicate those value of design decisions persuasively through presentations, and the ability to guide and direct junior team members to do the same. They will thrive in interdisciplinary environments, with the ability to collaborate across disciplines and find common ground and clarity amid ambiguity. And they will have a strong pulse on trends and developments in the consumer and technology space.

Design Directors are representatives of the company and are expected to build strong relationships with clients, to help win new business and build on existing relationships.

As Director, Industrial Design you will 

Lead and Mentor the team: 

• Your team leadership, management and motivational skills are essential for the role. You will coach, lead and inspire the team continuously so we are best in class.

• You will continue to push design excellence throughout the organization while building, leading and managing a very talented industrial design team. In this role, you’ll be expected to lead multiple large, complex projects and be a role model for interdisciplinary teams.

• Help build our culture, recruit great talent, and create a greater brand presence for Aruliden and its parent company Material in the marketplace.

• Mentor and coach staff with a wide range of design and leadership capabilities, from entry level to Associate Design Directors, helping individuals to perform at their highest capacity.

• Organize and manage the team's activities to build team culture, capabilities and ensure program and people objectives are met.

• Be a champion for the design team within the broader organization. Communicate and advocate for the mission and needs of the team clearly and concisely.

• Work with other design groups throughout the company to build a collaborative design culture in service of user, customer, and business outcomes.

Lead and oversee the work: 

• Drive approach development for new projects, working with engagement management and interdisciplinary leads to establish the appropriate scope and resourcing model. 

• Develop and pilot new project types and ways of working to ensure we are continuously improving our approach to design in service of business and client goals.

• Drive and lead Design and Innovation-led projects in partnership with Digital Design, Brand Design and Strategy disciplines; work closely with leadership, the engagement management and client partners to set ambitions for the work, understand overall project profitability and navigate any bottlenecks that arise.

• Execute on impactful customer and product experiences by al