Wattpad Director of Design

Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. A leading global webnovel platform, Wattpad has democratized storytelling for a new generation of diverse Gen Z writers and their fans. Wattpad is part of WEBTOON Entertainment’s IP & Creator Ecosystem, where approximately 155 million monthly active users discover incredible stories in multiple formats. Come build the future of entertainment and storytelling with our global team, and write your next chapter with us!Wattpad is part of the WEBTOON Entertainment family of brands, home to some of the world's largest storytelling platforms. With approximately 155 million monthly active users, WEBTOON Entertainment’s IP & Creator Ecosystem of aligned brands and platforms include WEBTOON, Wattpad--the world’s leading webnovel platform--WEBTOON Productions, Studio N, Studio LICO, WEBTOON Unscrolled, LINE MANGA, and eBookJapan, among others. To read more about our family of Brands, check out our website here. We are looking for a Director of Design to lead, grow, and elevate our design organization. This role is responsible for setting a clear design vision and strategy across our products while coaching and developing our team of designers and researchers.You will shape how design influences product direction by blending strategic direction with hands-on involvement in our most critical design initiatives to deliver intuitive and emotionally resonant experiences for readers, writers, and advertisers.Why this role mattersDesign plays a critical role in how users experience our platform and how quickly they reach enjoyment and stay in flow. This role will shape not only what we build, but how we think about building it. You will help ensure that design is a driving force behind clarity, cohesion, and joy in our products.\nWhat You'll Do: Lead and grow the design organizationLead, coach, and mentor a team of product designers and user researchers and provide active coaching, feedback, and skill development Foster a culture of strong design thinking, craft excellence, and accountability to outcomesEstablish clear expectations for quality, clarity, and impact, while giving teams autonomy in how they get thereWhat You'll Do: Set the design vision and strategyDefine and evolve a clear design vision aligned to product strategy and user needsShape cohesive, intuitive experiences across the reader, writer, and ads ecosystemsTranslate ambiguous problem spaces into clear experience direction teams can confidently execute againstEnsure design decisions ladder to user value, platform goals, and long-term strategyWhat You'll Do: Be hands-on where it matters mostActively contribute to high-impact initiatives and critical product momentsPartner closely with product and engineering leaders during discovery, definition, and delivery Provide strong critique and feedback that raises the bar without prescribing solutionsGovern and evolve the design system to ensure consistency, scalability, and accessibilityBalance speed and craft by enabling teams to move fast without compromising qualityBalance speed and craft, knowing when to push for exploration and when to drive toward executionSet clear standards for usability, accessibility, and visual cohesion across surfacesWhat You'll Do: Champion user-centred practicesChampion the user perspective by ensuring user goals are never abstract or assumedPartner with product and research to ensure insights meaningfully shape product directionManage and support the user research team, ensuring research is actionable and strategicUse evidence, data, and research to influence decisions and challenge assumptionsWhat You'll Do: Collaborate and influence across the organizationPartner closely with Product, Engineering, Content, Trust and Safety, and Ads to align on experience outcomes and tradeoffsInfluence product direction through clear design narratives, not just artifactsFacilitate design critiques, workshops, and working sessions that move teams toward clarity and alignmentDrive alignment on priorities, tradeoffs, and outcomes through strong design storytellingAdvocate for the role of design as a strategic partner, not a downstream functionHelp the organization understand how great design drives engagement, trust, and growthRequired Qualifications:Proven experience leading and scaling design teams in a product driven organizationStrong design point of view with the ability to set direction and make hard tradeoffsDeep experience shaping end-to-end product experiences across multiple surfacesAbility to move fluidly between strategy and hands on executionTrack record of influencing product direction through design narrative and user insightStrong cross functional collaborator who can partner effectively with senior leadersPassion for designing for real human needs, delight, and emotional resonance\n$170,000 - $210,000 a yearPlease note, the above range is listed in CAD. This position qualifies for the full suite of benefits.\nWhat we offer (For Full-Time Only):* Career development; we believe in mentorship and investing in your learning, supporting you to achieve your goals* Top industry health benefits, including vision and dental Your own health/wellness account to spend each year* RRSP Contributions (Canada), 401K Contributions (USA)* Generous vacation and Maternity/Parental leave top-up program* Corporate discount for gym memberships for you and your family* Work from almost anywhere in the world for part of the year* Winter break shutdown and a whole lot more!Wattpad is conducting all interviews in a distributed manner using applicable third party software where needed and using visual interface tools such as Google Meet and Zoom.About WattpadWho are we? Entrepreneurs and Do-ers. Our vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories, and our mission is to use the power of community and technology to unleash the full potential of stories to the world.What does that mean? We are visionaries, community builders, passionate problem solvers, storytellers, coffee snobs (tea drinkers, too!), curious by nature, and culturally diverse.What are we obsessed with? Our users. Solving complex problems and maximizing flow. Learning constantly. Building the next great storytelling product. Finding the greatest stories ever told. Dogs (and cats), coffee, and good snacks.How do we work? Autonomously, collaboratively, respectfully. Balancing with work, family, and play...and all while having a great time.Wattpad is a remote friendly company and encourages remote candidates to apply as long as they are located and authorized to work in either the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) as a precondition of employment. We are not able to sponsor applicants for work permits. Unlock the best of both worlds with a remote role that keeps you connected! We're looking for passionate individuals in the Greater Toronto Area to join our team. While you'll enjoy the flexibility of working from home, you can take advantage of periodically coming to our vibrant downtown Toronto office to connect with colleagues, collaborate on exciting projects, and take part in company events. This is your opportunity to be a part of our thriving workplace culture.Culture and DiversityWattpad is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate. Period. Wattpad welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. We have taken a leadership position on creating a culture and an organization that truly values diversity. We are committed to fostering a global team that reflects the diversity of the Wattpad community. At Wattpad, we believe cultural fit doesn’t mean culturally identical, and diversity of thought helps us to challenge one another to think big and think differently. We consider employment applicants without regard to age, race, colour, national origin, citizenship, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, disability status or any other protected status.  If you have any special needs or accessibility requirements, please let us know. We will do our utmost to accommodate, in accordance with applicable local legislation.Don’t meet all the requirements? Studies show women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs if they do not meet all the qualifications. Therefore, in an effort to build a more diverse workplace, we encourage you to apply anyways. 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