Chief Design Engineer (CDE) – TazaMall.com
Position Overview:
The Chief Design Engineer (CDE) at TazaMall.com is responsible for leading the design engineering strategy and ensuring that all product designs meet the company’s quality, aesthetic, and functional requirements. This role is crucial in overseeing the design and development of the user interface (UI), user experience (UX), and the overall design architecture for TazaMall’s platform and products. The CDE will manage a design team and work collaboratively with product, engineering, and marketing teams to create visually compelling and user-friendly solutions that enhance the brand’s identity and drive business success.
Core Responsibilities:
- Design Strategy and Vision:
- Develop and execute the design strategy for TazaMall, ensuring alignment with business objectives and market trends.
- Define design processes, workflows, and guidelines to ensure that all design work is consistent and meets the company’s standards.
- Lead the creation of a unified design vision across TazaMall’s platform, marketing materials, and product experiences.
- Team Leadership and Management:
- Lead, mentor, and manage the design team, providing guidance and professional development opportunities.
- Foster a collaborative and creative environment where designers can thrive and innovate.
- Oversee recruitment, training, and performance management of design team members.
- Product and Platform Design:
- Lead the design of TazaMall’s platform and products, ensuring a seamless, intuitive, and visually appealing user experience (UX/UI).
- Collaborate with the engineering team to ensure that designs are feasible and can be successfully integrated into the product.
- Create wireframes, prototypes, mockups, and high-fidelity designs for the website and mobile app.
- Implement user-centered design principles and ensure that designs are accessible and inclusive.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Work closely with product managers, engineers, and marketing teams to understand business needs, customer requirements, and technical constraints.
- Align design efforts with brand identity, ensuring consistency across all touchpoints, including website, mobile apps, advertising, and print.
- Provide design expertise during brainstorming sessions and project development stages.
- Innovation and Design Trends:
- Stay up to date with the latest design trends, tools, and technologies, integrating new ideas into the design process.
- Encourage innovation and experimentation with new design concepts to continuously improve user experiences.
- Lead design reviews and maintain high standards of quality and design excellence.
- Design Quality Control:
- Ensure that all design outputs are of the highest quality and align with the company’s standards and brand guidelines.
- Review and approve final designs, ensuring they are functional, scalable, and user-friendly.
- Conduct usability testing and gather user feedback to refine designs and improve user experiences.
- Brand Identity and Visual Design:
- Lead the creation and maintenance of TazaMall’s visual identity, ensuring it reflects the company’s values and resonates with its target audience.
- Oversee the design of branding materials, including logos, brochures, advertisements, and other marketing collateral.
- Ensure that all design work aligns with the company’s overall brand strategy.
- Design Systems and Frameworks:
- Establish and maintain a design system that includes visual elements, interaction patterns, and UI components for consistency and scalability across products.
- Work with the development team to implement design systems that optimize the design-to-development handoff and streamline workflows.
- Ensure all designs are responsive and adaptable to various devices and screen sizes.
- Budget and Resource Management:
- Manage design project timelines and budgets, ensuring design work is completed on time and within budget.
- Allocate resources effectively across multiple projects and prioritize work according to business needs.
- Work with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to ensure that design resources are efficiently allocated.
- Performance Metrics and Reporting:
- Track design performance and customer satisfaction through metrics such as conversion rates, user engagement, and feedback.
- Regularly report to the executive team on design progress, key achievements, and areas for improvement.
- Use data and insights to refine and optimize design strategies and outcomes.
Key Skills and Qualifications:
- Design Expertise:
- Strong background in UI/UX design, with expertise in design software such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, XD), Figma, Sketch, InVision, and other prototyping tools.
- Extensive experience with web and mobile design principles, including responsive design and user-centered design.
- Leadership and Team Management:
- Proven ability to lead, inspire, and manage a team of designers, fostering collaboration and creativity.
- Strong mentoring and coaching skills, with experience in building high-performing design teams.
- Ability to provide constructive feedback and direction to team members.
- Creative Problem Solving:
- Exceptional creative problem-solving skills, with the ability to innovate and design solutions that meet both user and business needs.
- Ability to manage competing priorities and work on multiple projects simultaneously.
- Communication Skills:
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present and explain design ideas and concepts to non-design stakeholders.
- Ability to effectively communicate design decisions and rationale to cross-functional teams.
- Collaboration and Interpersonal Skills:
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with a collaborative mindset and the ability to work effectively with other teams, including engineering, marketing, and product management.
- Ability to manage relationships with external design agencies, vendors, and contractors.
- Experience and Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Interaction Design, or a related field (Master’s degree a plus).
- 7-10 years of experience in design, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role, managing design teams and projects.
- A portfolio demonstrating a wide range of design skills and successful projects.
- Attention to Detail and Quality:
- A keen eye for detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality designs that meet business goals and user needs.
- Proven ability to design products with a user-centric focus while maintaining high standards of visual and functional quality.
Work Conditions:
- Full-time Position: The CDE will work closely with other executives, including the CEO, CTO, and CMO, to ensure the design strategy aligns with overall business goals.
- Location: The CDE will be based at TazaMall’s headquarters, with the possibility of flexible or remote work arrangements.
- Compensation: Competitive salary, performance-based bonuses, equity options, and benefits.
Expectations:
- Design Leadership: The CDE is expected to drive innovation and maintain a strong design culture within the organization.
- Customer-Centric Design: The CDE will champion the user experience and ensure that designs meet the needs of TazaMall’s target audience.
- Collaboration: The CDE will work closely with the executive team and other departments to ensure alignment and deliver seamless, impactful design solutions.
