VP of Design

Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s work marketplace. We serve everyone from one-person startups to large, Fortune 100 enterprises with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential.

Last year, more than $3.8 billion of work was done through Upwork by skilled professionals who are gaining more control by finding work they are passionate about and innovating their careers.

We are looking for a Vice President of Design to lead and shape the future of the product experience at Upwork. In this executive leadership role, you will focus on creating an environment that drives innovation via multi-modal human-computer interaction (HCI) models, conversational user experiences (UX), and establishing a robust and modern design system that enables chat and voice interfaces, real-time video collaboration via a next-generation, AI-driven platform. As a key stakeholder and leader in our cross-functional Product Development team, you will execute design strategies that bring seamless, intuitive, and delightful user experiences to life across a variety of device types and interaction modes.

In this role, you will be instrumental in establishing and shaping the design vision across Upwork’s diverse product portfolio, fostering collaboration between Business Units (BUs) and cross-functional teams, and driving world-class, user-centered design that sets the standard for emerging technologies.

Responsibilities

• Define and evolve Upwork’s design strategy and systems, focusing on innovative interaction models such as voice, gesture, real-time video, and AI-driven conversational interfaces.
• Champion new interaction models, including voice-recognition and input systems, and video, ensuring our product experiences are modern, easy to use, highly performant, and engaging.
• Lead the design of multi-modal systems that integrate visual, auditory, and tactile interactions, creating seamless user experiences beyond traditional screen-based design.
• Oversee the design and development of conversational UX, focusing on AI-driven interactions, natural language processing (NLP), and dialogue management to enhance user engagement.
• Collaborate with product, engineering, marketing, business development, and operations teams to ensure design strategies are anchored on solving customer problems and closely aligned with business goals, promoting a user-centered approach to product development.
• Advocate for behavioral data-driven insights to inform design decisions and create meaningful, accessible experiences for a diverse, global user base.
• Establish and maintain a modern, comprehensive design system, with guidelines and governance to ensure consistency across all platforms and interaction modes.
• Build, mentor, and inspire a world-class design team, fostering a culture of creativity, inclusivity, and continuous learning.

What it takes to catch our eye

• 15+ years of experience in product and UX design, with at least 7 years in a leadership role, ideally at the executive level.
• Expertise in designing for emerging technologies, including conversational UX, voice interfaces, multi-modal experiences, and AI-driven systems.
• Strong understanding of human-computer interaction models, particularly in voice and video interfaces.
• Experience working on products that span multiple interaction modes (visual, voice, touch (mobile), video).
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with engineering and product teams, aligning design vision with technical capabilities and business needs.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating leadership in innovative design and forward-thinking product development.
• Experience in growing and leading design organizations, fostering a scalable and inclusive design culture.
• Experience with AI and machine learning-driven UX design.
• Familiarity with augmented and virtual reality interfaces.
• Track record of creating accessible and inclusive design systems.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate design vision and strategy to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Come change how the world works.

At Upwork, you’ll shape talent solutions for how the world works today. We are a remote-first organization working together to create exciting remote work opportunities for a global community of professionals. While we have physical offices in San Francisco and Chicago, currently we also hire full-time employees in 19 states in the United States.

At the core of our vibrant culture are shared values that form the foundation of our organization. These values revolve around trust, risk-taking, customer focus, and excellence. Our overarching mission is to create economic opportunities so that people have better lives. We foster an environment where individuals are encouraged to bring their authentic selves to work, nurturing personal and professional growth through development opportunities, mentorship programs, and participation in Upwork Belonging Communities.

We take pride in providing exceptional benefits to our employees. These include comprehensive medical insurance coverage for both you and your family, unlimited paid time off, a 401(k) plan with matching contributions, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. To explore these benefits in detail, as well as gain insights into our company values, working principles, and the overall employee experience, we invite you to visit our Life at Upwork page.

Check out our Careers page to learn more about the employee experience.

Upwork is proudly committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Additionally, a criminal background check may be run on a candidate after a conditional offer of employment is made.  Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act and local Fair Chance ordinances.