Lead Designer Jobs in New York

Lead Designer jobs in New York are among the most active in the country, with demand concentrated in fashion, advertising, consumer goods, finance, and media across a wide seniority range from junior creative leads to senior design directors. The largest hiring metros are New York City, White Plains, and Brooklyn, where established employers such as Condé Nast, PepsiCo, and NBCUniversal maintain significant design teams. The most in-demand specialties include product design, brand identity, and UX-led creative direction. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles14
Top employerGeneral Assembly
Top cityNew York, NY
Cities hiring2
Work type50% Hybrid
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 14+ Lead Designer jobs

Lead Product Designer
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Added 5d ago
Lead Product Designer
Foresight Works
New York, New York
Engineering (Non-Software)
Technical Program Management
$170k - $200k/yr
Hybrid

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Lead Product Designer
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Added 1w ago
Lead Product Designer
Datasite
New York, New York
Software Engineering
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Technical Product & Program Management
Technical Program Management
$119k - $207k/yr
Hybrid
1,001-5,000

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Lead UI/UX Designer
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Added 1w ago
Lead UI/UX Designer
Salesforce
New York, New York
Business Analysis
Project Management
Research & Academia
$123k - $203k/yr
10,000+

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Experienced Flower Shop Lead / Floral Designer
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Added 2w ago
Experienced Flower Shop Lead / Floral Designer
Crystal K Events LLC
Brooklyn, New York
Creative & Design
Product Management
UI/UX Design
$17 - $22/hr
On-Site

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Technical Lead Learning Experience Designer - U.S. (30 hours/week)
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Added 3w ago
Technical Lead Learning Experience Designer - U.S. (30 hours/week)
General Assembly
New York, New York
Content Marketing
Copywriting & Editorial
Creative & Design
$20 - $55/hr
Remote (US)
51-200

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See All 14 Lead Designer Jobs in New York

Find roles in New York that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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Lead Designer Jobs by City in New York

Where New York roles are concentrated, by current openings.

New York
13 jobs
Brooklyn
1 job

Lead Designer Job Market in New York

A snapshot from current New York openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

General Assembly2 open roles
BNY1 open role
Firefly1 open role

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Investment & Asset Management

What New York Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in lead designer jobs across New York.

  • Bachelor's degree in graphic design, industrial design, or a related creative field
  • Five or more years of design experience with at least two years in a lead or senior role
  • Demonstrated portfolio showing end-to-end creative ownership across multiple projects
  • Proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and collaborative design systems
  • Experience managing or mentoring junior designers within a team environment
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills for presenting concepts to stakeholders

Lead Designer Jobs in New York: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a lead designer in New York?

Becoming a lead designer in New York typically requires a bachelor's degree in graphic design, product design, or a related field, followed by several years building a strong portfolio in a junior or mid-level role. New York does not require a state license for most design specialties. Employers in the city's competitive advertising, fashion, and media sectors place heavy weight on portfolio quality, cross-functional collaboration experience, and familiarity with New York's fast-paced creative production environment.

How much do lead designers make in New York?

Lead designers in New York earn a median of about $137,320 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $80,060 for the lowest 10% to over $280,320 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire lead designers in New York?

Employers hiring lead designers in New York right now include General Assembly, BNY, and Firefly, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. New York's density of global headquarters in media, finance, and consumer brands means lead designer roles appear across a wide range of industries beyond traditional creative agencies.

Which New York cities have the most lead designer jobs?

The cities with the most lead designer openings in New York are New York and Brooklyn. New York City dominates the distribution because of its unmatched concentration of advertising agencies, fashion houses, media companies, and technology firms, while suburban hubs like White Plains attract corporate design roles tied to major consumer goods and financial services headquarters in the greater metro area.

Are there remote lead designer jobs in New York?

Yes, and more than most creative roles. About 80% of lead designer openings tied to New York are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how much of the work centers on digital tools and screen-based deliverables. The most remote-friendly specialties are UX and product design, where the entire workflow lives in platforms like Figma, while brand and environmental design roles more often require in-person collaboration.

How can I get hired as a lead designer in New York with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is securing a junior or associate designer role at a New York agency or in-house team and building toward a lead position over two to three years. Large New York employers such as Condé Nast, NBCUniversal, and major advertising holding companies regularly hire design associates and creative coordinators as entry points. A polished portfolio that shows problem-solving and creative direction, even from academic or freelance work, carries more weight than a lengthy résumé in New York's design market.

Where can I find and apply to lead designer jobs in New York?

You can find and apply to lead designer jobs in New York on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across New York City, White Plains, Brooklyn, and other locations throughout the state. Search the listings, find roles that match your background and specialization, and apply directly to the ones that fit.

See All 14 Lead Designer Jobs in New York

Find roles in New York that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Lead Designer Jobs