The Role
The Director of Experience Design will lead the UI design for AI-driven projects, ensuring high-quality design processes while collaborating with clients and internal teams.
Summary Generated by Built In
ABOUT APPLY
APPLY is the Agentic Customer Experience (ACx) partner for the world's most ambitious consumer and entertainment brands. We bring together deep domain expertise across Retail, CPG, Sports, and Media with AI-native delivery capability, designing and delivering agentic solutions that turn CX vision into commercial reality. We are the partner of choice for brands like Arc'teryx, NFL, Lululemon, and Kraft Heinz. For more information, visit applydigital.com.
LOCATION: APPLY is hybrid/remote friendly. The preferred candidate should be based in Canada, working in hours that align to ET (Eastern Timezone) or PT (Pacific Timezone).
THE ROLE:
As Director of Experience Design, Agentic UI, you will be a hands-on, senior technical leader responsible for executing, shaping, and delivering the next generation of AI-driven UI design across APPLY. This is a role built for a practitioner: you will spend at least 50% of your time as a direct "doer with AI," actively designing alongside Agents, while guiding the broader craft of screen design, advanced design systems, and interaction excellence across complex client engagements.
Reporting to the Head of Experience Design, you will take full ownership of APPLY's agentic UI design workflows. You will drive both high-level design strategy and deep technical execution, covering everything from component strategy and design system requirements to defining exactly how great work gets built using emerging AI toolchains. You will serve as a trusted, deeply technical partner to clients and internal teams alike, moving beyond traditional team management to pave the way for a modern, execution-focused delivery model.
This role is made for a client-focused, seasoned design leader who thrives at the absolute intersection of craft, systems thinking, and AI-native workflows. You bring deep expertise in design systems spanning token architecture, component governance, CMS integration, and multi-platform scalability, and you know how to practically operationalize that expertise. You are someone who raises the bar for quality by doing the work; a builder who actively embraces agentic design workflows, advanced AI tools, and systems-level execution to push what’s possible for our clients and our practice.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Set and uphold the bar for UI design quality across all client engagements, ensuring deliverables reflect APPLY's standards and each client's brand vision from foundational token architecture and atomic component libraries through to polished, production-ready screen design.
- Lead and actively contribute to the creation of high-quality screen designs, prototypes, and design systems across multi-product and multi-platform projects, with deep hands-on expertise in foundations, tokens, and atomic design methodology.
- Define and govern design system standards including token naming conventions, tier structures (global, alias, component), theming strategies, and component documentation ensuring systems are scalable, maintainable, and developer-ready.
- Establish and champion design frameworks, UX principles, and visual consistency practices across the team, embedding design system thinking at every stage of the project lifecycle.
- Drive design critique culture and create structured feedback loops that elevate the work, with a sharp eye for system integrity, component reuse, and cross-platform consistency.
- Champion the integration of agentic design workflows and AI-powered tooling including Claude for design to accelerate design system production, automate token management, and unlock new levels of craft and efficiency across the team.
- Act as a senior design voice in client relationships, presenting concepts, rationale, and recommendations with confidence and clarity.
- Lead discovery, alignment, and design review sessions with senior client stakeholders.
- Build trusted relationships with clients, earning confidence as a strategic partner not just a delivery lead.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with product, engineering, strategy, and delivery teams to ensure design is integrated throughout the project lifecycle.
- Define and evolve APPLY's UI and experience design practice, including tooling, process, and standards.
- Contribute to business development efforts by supporting proposals, pitches, and capability demonstrations.
- Represent APPLY's design perspective externally through thought leadership, community engagement, and industry participation.
- Stay ahead of design trends, emerging tools, and shifts in the Canadian and global digital landscape.
Design Leadership & Quality:
Client & Stakeholder Partnership:
Practice & Strategic Growth:
REQUIREMENTS
- 8+ years of experience in UI/UX design, with at least 3 years in a senior leadership or director-level role.
- Experience working in Claude Design and any Agentic Workflow, e.g. BMAD.
- Proven track record leading UI Design and a team of UI designers on large Client Engagements.
- Strong portfolio demonstrating leadership across complex, multi-product, and multi-platform design engagements; Headless CMS Design Experience explicitly highlighted in the portfolio is preferred.
- Expert proficiency in Figma, Figma Make and Claude Design as well as industry-standard design tools; deep knowledge of design systems creation, governance, and implementation.
- Demonstrated ability to build and sustain senior client relationships, with experience presenting to executive stakeholders.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and storytelling skills.
- Experience working in cross-functional environments alongside product managers, engineers, and strategists.
- Comfort with ambiguity, competing priorities, and the pace of a growing consultancy.
- Eligibility to work in Canada; based in or willing to work in Canadian time zones.
- Experience working with Canadian public sector, financial services, retail, or healthcare clients.
- Familiarity with accessibility standards including WCAG 2.1/2.2 and AODA compliance.
- Background in graphic design, product design or brand design.
- Knowledge of front-end technologies and how design decisions affect implementation.
- Active participation in Canadian design communities, conferences, or industry networks.
- Bilingual (English/French) is an asset.
Must Haves:
Nice to Haves:
LIFE AT APPLY
People are at the core of everything we do at APPLY. We provide you with modern tools, systems and approaches, value your time, safety, and health, and strive to build a work community where you can thrive and grow. Here are a few benefits we offer to support you:
Agentic Delivery: Our people work in a modern way to deliver client outcomes. Broaden your skills on a range of engagements with international brands that have a global impact.
An inclusive and safe environment: We’re truly committed to building a culture where you are celebrated and everyone feels welcome and safe.
AI & Strategic Upskilling: Accelerate your professional growth with generous training budgets and mentorship, with a specific focus on Agentic AI expertise and the critical human skills required for the future of work.
Generous vacation policy: Work-life balance is key to our team’s success, so we offer flexible personal time off (PTO); allowing ample time away from work to promote overall well-being.
Customizable benefits: Tailor your extended health and dental plan to your needs, priorities, and preferences.
Flexible work arrangements: We work in a variety of ways, from remote, to in-office, to a blend of both.
APPLY is a safe, respectful, and inclusive community where differences are celebrated. We are committed to equal opportunity and fostering a workplace where everyone belongs. Learn more in our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) section. For recruitment accommodations, please email [email protected].
Skills Required
- 8+ years of experience in UI/UX design
- 3 years in a senior leadership or director-level role
- Experience working in Claude Design and Agentic Workflow
- Strong portfolio demonstrating leadership across complex design engagements
- Expert proficiency in Figma and industry-standard design tools
- Experience presenting to executive stakeholders
- Eligibility to work in Canada
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The Company
What We Do
Digital to our core, we are purpose built to transform possibilities for people. We solve complex problems with well-executed solutions tailor-made for continuous growth — we’re ambitious and our clients are too. We work with well-funded start-ups, global brands, and Fortune 1000 companies spanning industries and audiences, including EA, Moderna, League Health, and Realtor.com.
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