Full-Time

Sr. Director

Product Design

Updated on 2/4/2025

Niche

Niche

501-1,000 employees

Platform for discovering educational institutions

Education

Compensation Overview

$197.4k - $246.8kAnnually

+ Annual Bonus + Stock Option Program

Senior, Expert

No H1B Sponsorship

Remote in USA

Candidates must be based in one of the following states: AZ, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, DC, WV.

Category
Product & UX/UI Design
UI/UX & Design
Required Skills
UI/UX Design
SEO
Product Design

You match the following Niche's candidate preferences

Employers are more likely to interview you if you match these preferences:

Degree
Experience
Requirements
  • 10+ years of experience in product design, with at least 5 years in a leadership role, ideally within a startup or fast-paced environment
  • Proven ability to drive a team to execute and iterate designs quickly, employing a test-and-learn mindset to adapt and improve based on data and user insights
  • Expertise in designing for Gen Z and Gen Alpha demographics, with a deep understanding of simplicity as a core design principle
  • Strong mentor and team builder, experienced in developing design talent and setting performance goals that align with business objectives
  • Assertive, hands-on leader able to drive high-quality design work while staying closely connected to the day-to-day process
  • Highly efficient and process-oriented, with a knack for developing streamlined workflows that support a lean design team
  • Business-minded approach, with proficiency in numbers and the ability to engage meaningfully with cross-functional stakeholders
Responsibilities
  • Establish and maintain a compelling design vision for our marketplace and SaaS products, tailored for the unique needs of Gen Z and Gen Alpha users
  • Lead, mentor, and grow a lean, high-impact team of Senior Designers and UX Researchers, providing hands-on guidance and fostering a culture of continuous improvement
  • Assess talent rigorously while setting ambitious, clear goals for team members and creating an environment where designers are motivated to achieve their best work
  • Actively engage in the design process by providing direction, reviewing work, and making detailed adjustments to ensure high-quality output
  • Implement efficient, repeatable design processes that maximize productivity and minimize waste, ensuring our design team operates at peak efficiency in a fast-paced, test-and-learn environment
  • Collaborate closely with partners across Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales, Finance, Legal, Operations and Data to align design efforts with broader business goals
  • Drive product improvements that lead to measurable impact, ensuring design initiatives are grounded in business needs and outcomes
  • Lead the team in designing highly personalized user experiences that adapt to individual user behaviors, preferences, and demographics, leveraging data-driven insights to enhance engagement and retention
  • Integrate SEO-driven design principles into the UX/UI strategy, ensuring that user interfaces and content layouts are optimized for search engine visibility without compromising usability or aesthetic appeal
  • Lead and support the UX researcher in conducting high-impact user research initiatives. Ensure that research insights are continuously integrated into the design process and that user needs and pain points are central to design decisions
  • Confidently present design vision and updates to senior leadership, demonstrating both design expertise and business acumen
  • Manage the department’s budget, making strategic decisions to allocate resources effectively across projects

Niche.com helps students and families find the right educational institutions, including K-12 schools, colleges, and graduate schools. The platform provides detailed information, user reviews, and personalized recommendations based on user preferences, making it easier to navigate educational choices. Niche stands out by offering insights not only about schools but also about neighborhoods and companies, creating a comprehensive resource for users. The company generates revenue through advertising and premium services, allowing educational institutions to manage their profiles and engage with prospective students. Niche's goal is to simplify the process of finding the best educational fit for individuals.

Company Stage

Series C

Total Funding

$43.6M

Headquarters

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Founded

2002

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Increased focus on mental health in education aligns with Niche's potential resource integration.
  • The trend towards real-time acceptance processes can boost enrollment rates for partner schools.
  • Niche's acquisition of Goodkind can lead to improved engagement and conversion rates.

What critics are saying

  • Shifts in mental health focus may affect Niche's traditional ranking methodologies.
  • Luxury apartment trends could alter expectations for campus housing, impacting school marketing on Niche.
  • Legal challenges in nonprofit status recognition may affect school categorization on Niche.

What makes Niche unique

  • Niche offers personalized school recommendations, setting it apart from generic search platforms.
  • The acquisition of Goodkind enhances Niche's communication tools, improving school-student engagement.
  • Niche's direct admissions program provides real-time acceptance, a unique feature in the market.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Flexible Paid Time Off

Parental Leave

401(k) Company Match

Home Office Stipend

Remote Work Options

Mental Health Support

Performance Bonus

Stock Options

Flexible Work Hours