Design Lead

Position Title : Design Lead

Location : Islamabad, Pakistan

Reports to :

Head of Product Design

About The Role As a Design Lead at AIO, you will be responsible for leading the design efforts of our user experience and user interface teams, managing a small team of designers, and collaborating closely with product managers, engineers, and key stakeholders. You will play a critical role in shaping the design vision for our product, ensuring alignment between design, product, and business objectives. This is a leadership role where you will also be responsible for mentoring and growing your team while driving the integration of AI tools to enhance the user experience. You will work within a fast-paced, innovative environment, contributing directly to our company's strategic goals. Your leadership will have a lasting impact on both the design and success of our product as we aim to transform the restaurant tech industry.

Key Responsibilities

Design Leadership & Team Management : Lead and manage a team of 2-3 designers, providing mentorship and fostering a collaborative, creative, and high-performance environment. Guide designers through complex challenges, ensuring quality and alignment with business goals. Support professional growth and help team members reach their potential while upholding the highest design standards.

Stakeholder Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration : Partner with Product Managers, Engineers, and other cross-functional stakeholders to define and deliver a seamless user experience that meets both user needs and business objectives. Act as the design liaison between teams, ensuring clear communication and alignment on product strategy, features, and user experience goals.

Strategic Planning & Execution : Shape the design, vision and strategy for the product, ensuring consistency and scalability across all touchpoints. Work closely with senior leadership to align design initiatives with business objectives and product roadmaps.

User-Centered Design : Lead the end-to-end design process from ideation, research, and wireframing to high-fidelity prototypes. Ensure designs are intuitive, user-centered, and aligned with the product's visual identity. Continuously iterate based on feedback and usability testing.

Discovery, Integration & Use of AI Tools : Research, evaluate, and integrate AI tools to enhance the design process, optimize user experience, and improve design efficiencies. Leverage AI technologies to provide data-driven insights and innovative design solutions that improve user engagement and conversion.

Usability Testing & Iteration : Conduct usability testing to gather actionable insights and iterate on designs, ensuring that user feedback is incorporated into future iterations. Track and analyze design performance against established KPIs to drive continuous improvement.

Quality Assurance : Ensure that design specifications are met during the development process and that the final product matches the intended design vision. Collaborate with engineers to ensure seamless implementation of designs.

What We Are Looking For Required Skills & Experience

Experience : 5+ years of UI / UX design experience, with at least 2 years in a leadership role managing teams and leading design projects.

Design Expertise : Strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end design projects, with a focus on mobile and web applications.

Leadership : Proven experience managing, mentoring, and motivating design teams. Strong ability to guide designers through complex design problems and provide constructive feedback.

Cross-Functional Collaboration : Experience working closely with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to define and implement product features and design solutions.

User-Centered Design : Expertise in user research, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.

Proficiency with design tools such as Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD.

Communication Skills : Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to present design ideas effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Problem-Solving & Analytical Thinking : Strong ability to analyze user needs and business goals, and translate them into intuitive and impactful design solutions.

Agile Methodology : Comfortable working in an agile environment and managing design iterations alongside development cycles.

Preferred Experience

SaaS Experience : Experience designing for SaaS products, particularly in B2B or enterprise environments.

Restaurant Tech or Similar Industry : Understanding of the challenges and user needs within the restaurant industry is a plus.

Leadership in Scaling Design Teams : Experience scaling design teams or processes within a fast-growing company or startup.

AI Integration : Experience with the integration of AI-driven tools in the design process or user experience optimization.

Why Join AIO? AIO is a Silicon Valley-funded, stealth-mode startup with a mission to revolutionize the US restaurant industry. Our innovative platform integrates AI-driven technology to empower restaurant owners to streamline operations, increase revenue, and improve overall profitability. We offer an all-in-one solution that covers both front-of-house (ordering, payment, marketing, and rewards) and back-of-house (inventory, staff, and financials) management, helping restaurant owners to focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences without the burden of managing disparate systems. At AIO, you will be part of a world-class team committed to disrupting the $55 billion restaurant tech SaaS market. You'll have the opportunity to contribute to a transformative product that will impact the lives of thousands of restaurant owners and customers, while also growing your own career in a fast-paced, high-impact environment.

If you are passionate about designing user-centered products, leading teams, and shaping the future of the restaurant industry, we would love to hear from you.

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