Netflix is at the forefront of entertainment, constantly innovating to enhance its global reach and deliver exceptional experiences to its 278 million subscribers. As the company continues to grow and diversify into new forms of content, including games and live events, the need for a unified and visually cohesive brand presence becomes more critical.
To achieve this, Netflix is seeking a creative design leader with a strong eye for detail, capable of managing a multidisciplinary team of designers to shape the company’s visual and user experience across multiple platforms. This role will involve not only setting a high standard for creative direction but also ensuring that the brand’s voice is consistent and emotionally resonant across all touchpoints, providing a seamless experience for viewers worldwide.
This design leader will work at the intersection of product, brand and marketing, collaborating with teams to drive creative vision and influence the product roadmap. By managing visual, motion and sound design elements, they will be instrumental in evolving Netflix’s design language and scaling it across various products.
With expertise in interaction, visual and audio design, the leader will shape a product experience that reflects Netflix’s global identity while ensuring usability and beauty. With a competitive compensation structure and a culture that values diversity, inclusion and innovation, this role offers a unique opportunity to be part of a dynamic team shaping the future of entertainment.
The Role
As Netflix continues to expand its business, the company is focused on exploring new ways to serve its global audience. Whether through evolving its top-tier entertainment offerings or branching out into new forms of entertainment, such as games or live events, Netflix aims to deliver a unified and emotionally resonant experience to its members. This experience should feel as though it comes from a common, cohesive voice that reflects the Netflix brand, no matter the format or platform.
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To accomplish this, Netflix is seeking a highly creative and visually driven design leader. This individual must possess an impeccable eye for detail and exceptional aesthetic taste. Their role will involve collaborating across various teams to guide product design efforts toward a unified vision that aligns with Netflix’s global brand. This leader will also manage a small, multidisciplinary team composed of visual, motion and sound designers, operating as both a creative director and a manager.
The person in this role will be responsible for creating a unified visual experience across all products and services, ensuring that the design language feels cohesive and reflective of Netflix’s brand identity. This position requires a balance between creativity and leadership, as the design leader will not only influence the creative direction but also play a crucial role in managing cross-functional teams.
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What You’ll Do
The primary responsibility of the design leader is to manage a focused, multidisciplinary team to create a cohesive user experience (UX) strategy, systems framework and design language that can be implemented across various product experiences. By establishing a high bar for quality and ensuring a consistent look and feel, the design leader will shape how Netflix is perceived by its audience.
This role requires strong collaboration skills, as the leader will need to align various stakeholders around the company’s approach, priorities and execution of design initiatives. They will be instrumental in guiding the team to define and communicate brand-driven creative principles, ensuring that the creative expression of visual, motion, audio and behavioral elements is consistent and impactful.
Partnering with systems designers is another key aspect of the role. The design leader will help scale creative decisions by working with the design system team to define adaptable UX guidelines and components that can be used across the organization. They will also creatively direct all visual elements, such as iconography, illustrations, imagery, typography, color, motion and audio, ensuring that these components come together to form a beautiful, usable and cohesive product experience at scale.
In addition to guiding the creative vision, the design leader will have a significant impact on the product roadmap, both in the short-term and long-term. By influencing the direction of the product, they will ensure that design considerations are integrated into product planning and development.
Experience and Soft Skill Must-Haves
The ideal candidate for this role will have a proven track record of delivering real-world impact through their design leadership. They should be able to provide clear examples of how their work has transformed a product experience before and after their involvement, along with demonstrating the business impact of their design efforts.
Leading large-scale redesigns and evolving design language systems for complex, consumer-facing products is another essential requirement for this role. The design leader must be comfortable with ambiguity and capable of providing clear direction amidst complexity. Proactive leadership is crucial, as the candidate will need to take charge of large-scale initiatives and provide clarity to the team and organization.
Relationship-building is a key soft skill for this position. The design leader must develop strong, trusting partnerships with cross-functional teams and stakeholders. Deep collaboration, curiosity, optimism and a positive attitude will be critical in fostering a culture of creativity and trust.
Furthermore, the ability to communicate effectively, both visually and verbally, is essential. The design leader must be able to convey complex ideas in a clear, compelling and business-aligned manner. As a storyteller, they should be able to articulate the rationale behind design decisions in a way that resonates with both creative and non-creative stakeholders.
In a fast-paced, multi-project environment, the design leader will thrive by maintaining high levels of creativity and quality across all their work. Their ability to navigate context-switching and inspire others to deliver exceptional work under pressure will be crucial for success.
Technical and Hard Skill Must-Haves
The design leader must have at least five years of experience managing an interdisciplinary team. Their portfolio should demonstrate excellent taste and a high-quality bar for craft, execution and decision-making across various UX and UI applications.
In-depth expertise in interaction design, visual design, motion design and audio design is a must. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of product design and development and be able to communicate effectively at all levels of the organization.
Additionally, experience at the intersection of product, brand and marketing is highly valuable. The design leader should have a strong perspective on how these elements come together to influence perception and behavior through creative design. They will also have experience developing or integrating brand strategy and translating brand attributes into product experiences.
A strong technical aptitude is also required for this role, particularly as it relates to design systems. The design leader must understand how to leverage and evolve design systems to create consistent, scalable UX guidelines and components.
Compensation
Netflix offers a compensation structure that consists primarily of an annual salary. The company does not offer bonuses, but employees have the flexibility to choose how much of their compensation they want in the form of salary versus stock options each year. Netflix determines individual compensation based on market indicators, the specific job family, background, skills and experience of the candidate. The salary range for this role is between $270,000 and $700,000, depending on experience and expertise.
Benefits
Netflix provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes health plans, mental health support, a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match, a stock option program and disability programs. Additionally, employees have access to health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible spending accounts (FSAs), along with family-forming benefits and life and serious injury benefits.
Full-time hourly employees accrue 35 days of paid time off (PTO) annually, which can be used for vacation, holidays and sick leave. Full-time salaried employees, on the other hand, are entitled to flexible time off immediately upon employment. This flexible approach allows employees to balance their work and personal lives while enjoying comprehensive benefits.
Equal Opportunity and Diversity
Netflix is deeply committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. The company believes that diversity of thought and background strengthens teams and improves the creative process. Netflix celebrates diversity and approaches inclusion with thoughtfulness and intent, ensuring that all employees feel valued and respected.
The company does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, caste, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic makeup, marital status or military service. Netflix strives to create an environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed and contribute to the company’s success.
In summary, Netflix is looking for a talented and visionary design leader to join its team. This role will involve managing a multidisciplinary team, guiding the creative vision across products and ensuring a cohesive and unified design experience that reflects the Netflix brand. The design leader must possess both creative and leadership skills, with a strong track record of delivering impact through design.
By collaborating with stakeholders and cross-functional teams, the design leader will play a critical role in shaping Netflix’s product experiences. With a focus on creative direction, brand-driven principles and scalable design systems, this role offers an exciting opportunity to influence the future of one of the world’s leading entertainment services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of team will the design leader manage?
The design leader will oversee a multidisciplinary team, including visual, motion and sound designers, focusing on creating a cohesive user experience strategy and design language across multiple Netflix products.
What are the core responsibilities of the design leader?
The design leader will direct the creative vision, manage collaboration between teams, scale design systems and ensure that visual, motion and sound elements align with Netflix’s brand identity across all platforms.
Does the role involve influencing product roadmaps?
Yes, the design leader will help shape both short-term and long-term product roadmaps, ensuring that design is integrated into product planning and development at all stages.
What skills are critical for success in this position?
Key skills include proactive leadership, exceptional communication, ability to manage large-scale redesigns, expertise in design systems and the ability to thrive in fast-paced, multi-project environments.
What is Netflix’s approach to compensation for this role?
Compensation is primarily salary-based and employees can choose to receive part of their compensation in stock options. The salary range for this role is between $270,000 and $700,000, depending on experience.
What benefits does Netflix offer for this position?
Netflix provides comprehensive benefits, including health plans, mental health support, a 401(k) with employer match, stock options, disability programs, flexible paid time off and family-forming benefits.
Does Netflix offer flexible time off for full-time salaried employees?
Yes, full-time salaried employees are immediately entitled to flexible time off, allowing them to balance their personal and professional commitments.
What is Netflix’s commitment to diversity and inclusion?
Netflix is an equal-opportunity employer that celebrates diversity and does not discriminate based on race, religion, gender, disability or any other protected category. The company believes that diversity of thought and background strengthens teams.
How does this role contribute to Netflix’s global brand?
The design leader will ensure that Netflix’s visual and user experience is consistent, cohesive and reflective of the brand’s global identity, providing an emotionally resonant and seamless experience for all users.
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