Design Director

About the team

This role is part of Nubank’s Brazil Design leadership, with the objective of defining and centralizing the country’s design strategy. The team’s scope includes Investments, High Income (Ultravioleta), Core, Digital Ecosystem, and PJ. The Design Director will collaborate with senior GMs who have design leadership in their domains, ensuring consistency across design systems and alignment with the app team. The role operates in a matrix with product-oriented and operational aspects, aiming to unify design efforts and ensure cohesive execution across business units. 

About the role 

The Design Director will lead the Brazil design organization, responsible for establishing a consistent design system, integrating teams across product areas, and balancing strategic vision with hands-on creative direction. This leader will oversee senior design managers, work closely with cross-functional partners, and ensure design execution aligns with business needs. The position requires strong creative leadership, the ability to operate within complex systems, and close collaboration without defaulting to consensus. Ideal candidates will demonstrate both exceptional design skills and the capability to lead medium-to-large design teams, particularly within global product environments. While experience in Latin American markets is a plus.

Key responsibilities and Expectations

• Define and centralize Brazil’s design strategy, ensuring integration across Investments, High Income (Ultravioleta), Core, Digital Ecosystem, and PJ business units.
• Establish and maintain a consistent design system for Brazil, working in close alignment with the app team and product squads.
• Partner with senior GMs, Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Business leaders to align design initiatives with company objectives.
• Hire, manage, and mentor senior-level design leaders, fostering a balance between creative excellence and operational effectiveness.
• Lead the unification of design processes, ensuring a cohesive approach across medium-to-large team structures and diverse product lines.
• Combine strategic vision with hands-on creative direction, contributing to both high-level design frameworks and detailed execution.
• Collaborate closely with stakeholders to develop hiring plans, structure proposals, and define governance for design in Brazil.
• Balance collaboration with critical decision-making, maintaining a clear and confident design point of view.
• Support operational and product-oriented aspects of the core design organization, driving both efficiency and creative impact.

Qualifications

Professional Experience & Education:

• Higher education in Design, Business, Technology, or a related field (Industrial Design, Fine Arts, Engineering, Business Administration).
• Extensive experience in design leadership roles within global technology or digital product organizations.
• Proven track record in building, restructuring, or optimizing design functions in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Experience leading medium-to-large design teams, including those with design systems spanning multiple products.
• Demonstrated ability to work in global app environments.
• Strong creative direction skills, with the ability to be hands on when needed and collaborate effectively across disciplines.
• Familiarity with Latin American markets is a plus.
• Expertise in design systems, UX/UI principles, and product integration across diverse platforms.

Competences & Attributes:

• Fluency in English is mandatory; Portuguese and Spanish are a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to balance collaboration with confident decision-making, maintaining a clear design point of view.
• Proven experience leading senior-level design leaders and design teams, ensuring high-quality creative outcomes while integrating operational efficiency.
• Strong capability to shape and communicate a cohesive design vision, connecting strategic goals with hands on creative direction.
• Skilled at evaluating and challenging creative work, with a focus on evidence of exceptional design quality rather than solely organizational leadership.
• Ability to work effectively across global product environments, navigating complex stakeholder landscapes and multiple product areas.
• Comfortable operating at both strategic and tactical levels, contributing directly to design when needed while fostering team growth.
• Exceptional at connecting with teams, challenging ideas, and driving collaboration across senior leadership and cross-functional teams.