Overview
As VP of Product Design, you’ll lead the creation of Phia’s product experience from the ground up, defining the design vision while scaling the systems, teams, and processes needed to move fast. You’ll operate at the intersection of strategy and execution, partnering closely with Product, Engineering, and Leadership to turn ambiguous problems into clear, compelling product experiences. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives in rapid iteration, isn’t afraid of bold bets, and knows how to build high-quality design at startup speed. You’ll set the bar for craft, velocity, and impact as Phia grows from zero to one and beyond.
About Phia
Phia has raised $43M from Notable Capital, Khosla Ventures, and Kleiner Perkins, with backing from founders and operators like Vlad Tenev (Robinhood), Mellody Hobson (Ariel Investments), Naomi Gleit (Meta), and Mati Staniszewski (ElevenLabs), plus a roster of cultural leaders, to build the AI alignment layer for commerce. In just over a year, Phia's consumer shopping agent has surpassed 1.5 million users and partnered with 9,600+ retail brands across contemporary, resale, and luxury, representing billions in annual gross merchandise volume. We scan more than 350 million products to help shoppers find the right pieces at the best price, cutting return rates by 50%, and we're on pace for nine-figure sales growth this year.
In an era where AI vertical agents are reshaping every industry, commerce is on the verge of a complete transformation. Phia is reinventing shopping from a fragmented, impersonal experience into one that feels intelligent, trusted, and built around each user's intent. This foundation of trust is our wedge to become the end-to-end shopping destination for the next generation of buyers.
Phia is a lean, high-ownership team building at startup speed. If you want to ship at high velocity and solve complex problems in consumer AI and commerce, this is the place to do it.
What You Own
Own Phia’s product design vision and execution end to end, from zero-to-one to scale
Set the bar for product quality, craft, and speed across all user experiences
Build, lead, and scale high-impact product design teams in a fast-moving environment
Drive design decisions in ambiguous problem spaces and turn ideas into shipped product quickly
Partner tightly with Product, Engineering, and Leadership to shape product strategy and priorities
Define and evolve design systems that enable rapid iteration and consistent experiences
Push bold experimentation while maintaining a cohesive product experience
Stay close to the work – reviewing, guiding, and unblocking teams to keep momentum high
Use user insights and data to inform decisions and measure impact
Qualifications
10+ years of product design experience, including senior leadership roles in high-growth products
Proven experience leading design in zero-to-one or early-scale environments
Strong product sense and high bar for craft across interaction, visual, and systems design
Track record of building and scaling design teams that ship quickly and well
Experience partnering closely with Product and Engineering leadership
Comfort operating at speed in ambiguous, evolving environments
Clear, direct communicator with strong influence across functions
UI/UX & Design (1)