Head of Design

The Fishbrain Team has built and maintains the #1 fishing app in the US, designed for people who are passionate about fishing and outdoors. Our mission is to deliver an incredible experience that helps anglers achieve their fishing dreams, today and tomorrow.Want to take the #1 fishing app in the US with millions of users to the next level? Now's your chance! We're currently recruiting a Head of Design to join our team at Fishbrain.Why this role, why nowWe want to give anglers a better Fishbrain experience, and design is at the center of that. We're looking for the design leader who makes it happen.The pieces are in place: three product teams with a designer in each, AI built into both our product and how we design, and a clear mandate to grow. What's missing is the leader who raises the bar on what we ship, and builds the team, design system and research practice to keep it there.The roleAs Head of Design, you lead product design and research across Fishbrain. You report to the Product Director and lead a team of three product designers, potentially expanding over the course of time.You work in three contexts:Craft excellence: You have exceptional taste and a passion for a high bar. You care about the details, raise the creative ambition of everyone around you, and won't ship work that's merely good enough.Product leadership: Together with the Product Director and VP of Engineering you shape product strategy, plan long term, and staff and scope the teams.The design function: You build and lead it: the team, the design guild, the design system and how we do research.This is a player-coach role. Expect to spend up to 50% of your time hands-on, in addition to the work on strategy, coaching and planning. You lead from the trenches, and the team sees you raise the bar through what you make, not just what you say.What you'll be working onEnsure Business and Customer ImpactElevate the product experience: Drive significant improvements in the user experience and brand quality. Bring creativity, strong product judgment, and attention to detail to everything we build. Help define, champion, and evolve clear design principles in alignment with Product leadership and company objectives.Drive business impact through design: Tie design work to the numbers that matter to us: DAU, Conversion, Day 1–30 retention, logged catches and community engagement.Understand anglers, end to end: Design for the holistic experience, not single features. Make research a core design skill in the product trios' continuous discovery work, and bring the whole company along so we all understand anglers.Lead by example: Drive concept work and hands-on contribution to ensure business impact.Shape and Grow the Design GuildLead the design guild: Set a long-term strategy for design at Fishbrain and execute on it. The foundation is in place. Keep developing the guild's shared standards, rituals and quality bar, so designers across teams work as one.Raise the bar: Through your passion for design you raise work quality.Shape the team: Anticipate the skills and capabilities Fishbrain needs as it grows, and shape the team through thoughtful hiring and resourcing.Empower the team: Support designers in reaching their potential through coaching, instant feedback culture, and map opportunities for growth.Lead how we work with AI: Our designers already use AI to code. Push that further to make the team more efficient and help us ship faster, and shape AI-powered experiences like personalization and Fishing Intelligence.Provide Senior Product LeadershipShape product strategy in a peer group: Plan long term with the Product Director and VP of Engineering. Help set the product team structure and help them scope the right problems.What we are fishing forHigh personal design capability, with a portfolio that demonstrates craft, judgment and range.8+ years in design, including 3+ years managing designers, ideally as a design leader at a tech product company.A player-coach style. Senior designers see you as credible because you still do the work.A track record of data-driven design. You're at home with analytics and experiments, and you tie design to measurable outcomes.Experience building or scaling a design function, including research practice and a design system.Hands-on experience using AI in design, from discovery work and prototyping to code.Peer-level standing with product and engineering leaders, and the communication skills to align them.A growth mindset, for yourself and for the people you lead.Bonus, but not requiredFishing experience. You don't need to fish (but always a bonus), but you are eager to learn.Where you’ll workWe operate in a hybrid work environment, with all team members expected to work from our Stockholm HQ, The Lighthouse, located at Hötorget, at least three days a week.Please submit applications in ENGLISH, those that are not will not be reviewed.Our BaitWe’re a product-focused startup, and every individual is important. That means you get to contribute to the direction of the company and the impact we have on millions of anglers. We at Fishbrain work with the latest tech and challenge ourselves every day. We have a work culture that encourages innovation, passion and teamwork. And most importantly, we want you to enjoy coming to work every single day.In addition, Fishbrain also offers: 🌴 30 days annual vacationEach year you’ll get 30 days vacation to use however, whenever🤸‍♀️ Wellness bonus5000 sek annual allowance to put towards anything in the realm of health and fitness🧑‍🎓 Learning & development daysFishbrain provides five paid Learning & Development days per year to its employees💻📱 Technology of your choiceMac or PC, you decide🌎 Commitment to sustainabilityOur global data set, among the largest in the world, is selectively provided in a managed and controlled manner to scientific research partners in both North America and Europe to better understand and improve fisheries research🤧🫷Flu vaccinationTo support your health and well-being, we’ll be offering complimentary flu vaccinations every year🎣 Fishing rods in the officeGrab one and go fishing. We have fishing guides and experts working among us that can help you catch your dream fish🐕 Dog friendlyFeel free to bring your furry friend to the office🥳 Social activitiesQuizzes, virtual escape rooms, parties, regular fikas, fishing tournaments and much more!🥪 BreakfastEvery Wednesday we start the day with a breakfast together🍭 Candy, soda, fruits & snacks☕️ Coffee and tea🎮 Gaming corner🏓 Ping pongFeeling hooked? Throw us a line!