Head Of Design Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Head of Design roles in the U.S. qualify for H-1B visa and O-1A visa sponsorship, with design leadership consistently recognized as a specialty occupation. Employers filing LCAs for these positions are common in tech, media, and consumer products. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsKikoff: A FinTech Unicorn Powering Financial Progress with AI
At Kikoff, our mission is to provide radically affordable financial tools to help consumers achieve financial security. We're a profitable, high growth FinTech unicorn serving millions of people, many of whom are building credit or navigating life paycheck to paycheck. With innovative technology and AI, we simplify credit building, reduce debt, and expand access to financial opportunities to those who need them the most. Founded in 2019, Kikoff is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by top-tier VC investors and NBA star Stephen Curry.
Why Kikoff
This is a consumer fintech startup, and you will be working with serial entrepreneurs who have built strong consumer brands and innovative products. We value extreme ownership, clear communication, a strong sense of craftsmanship, and the desire to create lasting work and work relationships. Yes, you can build an exciting business AND have real-life real-customer impact.
About The Role
As Head of Design, you will own the design vision, craft, and execution across the company. You will set the quality bar, rebuild the foundation our product is built on, and be a direct partner to senior leadership on the decisions that shape what Kikoff feels like to use. This is not a hands-off role. You will be close to the pixels, close to the product, and close to the team. You will give real feedback on real work, and you will be expected to make the call when designers are stuck in ambiguity.
In This Role, You Will
Lead and Grow the Team
- Manage, coach, and develop the product design team - including hands-on mentorship of junior designers, not just feedback in big meetings
- Own hiring and talent strategy: bring in designers who raise the bar, and shape the org structure that lets them do their best work
- Set a high bar for craft, ownership, and user obsession across the team
- Invest in career growth: clear expectations, honest feedback, and a path forward for every designer on the team
- Go beyond filling headcount. Understand each designer's strengths and place them where they'll do their best work and develop in the desired growth areas.
Own the Design Vision and Quality Bar
- Set the overall design vision for Kikoff - what good looks like, how the team works, how designers grow
- Make the call when there is ambiguity: a great design manager can resolve a design decision when the team is stuck, instead of leaving it open
- Give practical, down-to-earth feedback grounded in visual, UX, and craft fundamentals - not just product framing
- Champion the visual front and push the bar on what Kikoff can look and feel like
Build the Design Foundation
- Build the design system from the ground up so it is something the whole company and our coding agents will want to use
- Define and enforce design patterns across the product to reduce design debt and bring consistency
- Drive the standards that make every screen feel like Kikoff, across product, marketing, and brand surfaces
Drive Cross-Functional Impact
- Be a strategic partner to Engineering, Product, and Marketing as a peer - not a downstream resource
- Bring product design and creative closer together: together ship brand-quality product and product-quality brand
- Take company-wide direction on design, brand, and creative - and translate it into work that benefits product, marketing, and creative at the same time
- Bring user insights into the work: run journey workshops, listen to the user's voice, and make sure the team is designing for real people, not just shipping screens
Reinvent How Design Works in the Age of AI
- Define how the Kikoff design team uses AI - with a clear, hands-on plan, not a slide
- Be hands-on yourself: try new tools, prototype, vibe-code small fixes, and bring back what works to the team to help them adopt it
- Help the team figure out the new workflow together - what to use AI for, what to keep human, and how to keep craft from sliding
You Have
- 10+ years of experience in product design, with substantial time in consumer-facing, mobile-first products
- 7+ years leading and managing design teams - you have grown designers into senior ICs and you have built a team that does great work without you in the room
- Demonstrated experience scaling a design team through a growth phase: you have hired strong designers and you know how to grow a team without losing the craft
- Deep design sense across visual, interaction, and UX - you can engage at the pixel level when it matters and you can give feedback that makes the work better
- A track record of building and rebuilding design systems that the team actually adopts and that hold up as the product grows
- A track record of partnering with product and engineering as a peer, and shipping work that moved the business
- Hands-on fluency with modern AI tooling for design - you have used it, formed real opinions, and have a clear point of view on how it changes the team
- The ability to make your team better every day: through clarity, honest feedback, and trust with strong practitioners
- A sharp eye for brand integrity. You ensure our brand values are deeply woven into the product’s DNA. You can align cross-functional stakeholders on a unified brand vision and ensure that every pixel of the UI speaks our specific visual language.
- Compassion. You care about the people on your team, you listen to ICs, and you pay attention to what designers are saying so the work - and the team - can get better
Nice to Have
- Experience in fintech, consumer credit, or other regulated consumer products
- Experience leading both product design and brand or creative functions, or bringing those teams closer together
- Experience building or scaling a design system that supports both native mobile and marketing surfaces
What We're Like
Scrappy. We move fast and build what we need, not what sounds impressive. We don't cut corners when they matter, and we don't over-engineer when they don't.
Risk-oriented. We make tradeoffs deliberately. A mature team knows the difference between a bet worth taking and one that isn't.
User-obsessed. We talk to users, watch them use the product, and believe that understanding what they actually feel is the only way to design for them. You will be surrounded by people who think this way.
Humble. We know this journey has required timing, circumstance, and the right people showing up. We are grateful, and we don't take it for granted.
Base Range
$260,000 - $374,000 USD
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Kikoff Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities and considers qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other legally protected class. Please reference the following for more information.
Kikoff: A FinTech Unicorn Powering Financial Progress with AI
At Kikoff, our mission is to provide radically affordable financial tools to help consumers achieve financial security. We're a profitable, high growth FinTech unicorn serving millions of people, many of whom are building credit or navigating life paycheck to paycheck. With innovative technology and AI, we simplify credit building, reduce debt, and expand access to financial opportunities to those who need them the most. Founded in 2019, Kikoff is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by top-tier VC investors and NBA star Stephen Curry.
Why Kikoff
This is a consumer fintech startup, and you will be working with serial entrepreneurs who have built strong consumer brands and innovative products. We value extreme ownership, clear communication, a strong sense of craftsmanship, and the desire to create lasting work and work relationships. Yes, you can build an exciting business AND have real-life real-customer impact.
About The Role
As Head of Design, you will own the design vision, craft, and execution across the company. You will set the quality bar, rebuild the foundation our product is built on, and be a direct partner to senior leadership on the decisions that shape what Kikoff feels like to use. This is not a hands-off role. You will be close to the pixels, close to the product, and close to the team. You will give real feedback on real work, and you will be expected to make the call when designers are stuck in ambiguity.
In This Role, You Will
Lead and Grow the Team
- Manage, coach, and develop the product design team - including hands-on mentorship of junior designers, not just feedback in big meetings
- Own hiring and talent strategy: bring in designers who raise the bar, and shape the org structure that lets them do their best work
- Set a high bar for craft, ownership, and user obsession across the team
- Invest in career growth: clear expectations, honest feedback, and a path forward for every designer on the team
- Go beyond filling headcount. Understand each designer's strengths and place them where they'll do their best work and develop in the desired growth areas.
Own the Design Vision and Quality Bar
- Set the overall design vision for Kikoff - what good looks like, how the team works, how designers grow
- Make the call when there is ambiguity: a great design manager can resolve a design decision when the team is stuck, instead of leaving it open
- Give practical, down-to-earth feedback grounded in visual, UX, and craft fundamentals - not just product framing
- Champion the visual front and push the bar on what Kikoff can look and feel like
Build the Design Foundation
- Build the design system from the ground up so it is something the whole company and our coding agents will want to use
- Define and enforce design patterns across the product to reduce design debt and bring consistency
- Drive the standards that make every screen feel like Kikoff, across product, marketing, and brand surfaces
Drive Cross-Functional Impact
- Be a strategic partner to Engineering, Product, and Marketing as a peer - not a downstream resource
- Bring product design and creative closer together: together ship brand-quality product and product-quality brand
- Take company-wide direction on design, brand, and creative - and translate it into work that benefits product, marketing, and creative at the same time
- Bring user insights into the work: run journey workshops, listen to the user's voice, and make sure the team is designing for real people, not just shipping screens
Reinvent How Design Works in the Age of AI
- Define how the Kikoff design team uses AI - with a clear, hands-on plan, not a slide
- Be hands-on yourself: try new tools, prototype, vibe-code small fixes, and bring back what works to the team to help them adopt it
- Help the team figure out the new workflow together - what to use AI for, what to keep human, and how to keep craft from sliding
You Have
- 10+ years of experience in product design, with substantial time in consumer-facing, mobile-first products
- 7+ years leading and managing design teams - you have grown designers into senior ICs and you have built a team that does great work without you in the room
- Demonstrated experience scaling a design team through a growth phase: you have hired strong designers and you know how to grow a team without losing the craft
- Deep design sense across visual, interaction, and UX - you can engage at the pixel level when it matters and you can give feedback that makes the work better
- A track record of building and rebuilding design systems that the team actually adopts and that hold up as the product grows
- A track record of partnering with product and engineering as a peer, and shipping work that moved the business
- Hands-on fluency with modern AI tooling for design - you have used it, formed real opinions, and have a clear point of view on how it changes the team
- The ability to make your team better every day: through clarity, honest feedback, and trust with strong practitioners
- A sharp eye for brand integrity. You ensure our brand values are deeply woven into the product’s DNA. You can align cross-functional stakeholders on a unified brand vision and ensure that every pixel of the UI speaks our specific visual language.
- Compassion. You care about the people on your team, you listen to ICs, and you pay attention to what designers are saying so the work - and the team - can get better
Nice to Have
- Experience in fintech, consumer credit, or other regulated consumer products
- Experience leading both product design and brand or creative functions, or bringing those teams closer together
- Experience building or scaling a design system that supports both native mobile and marketing surfaces
What We're Like
Scrappy. We move fast and build what we need, not what sounds impressive. We don't cut corners when they matter, and we don't over-engineer when they don't.
Risk-oriented. We make tradeoffs deliberately. A mature team knows the difference between a bet worth taking and one that isn't.
User-obsessed. We talk to users, watch them use the product, and believe that understanding what they actually feel is the only way to design for them. You will be surrounded by people who think this way.
Humble. We know this journey has required timing, circumstance, and the right people showing up. We are grateful, and we don't take it for granted.
Base Range
$260,000 - $374,000 USD
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Kikoff Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities and considers qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or any other legally protected class. Please reference the following for more information.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Head Of Design Jobs
Frame your portfolio as business evidence
Consular officers and USCIS adjudicators assess specialty occupation claims through documentation. A portfolio that ties design decisions to measurable business outcomes strengthens your petition beyond a standard creative reel.
Target employers with active LCA histories
Companies that have previously filed Labor Condition Applications for design leadership roles are far more likely to sponsor again. Their legal and HR infrastructure is already built for it, which speeds up the process.
Clarify your degree field early in applications
H-1B eligibility requires a bachelor's degree in a field directly related to the role. Graphic design, interaction design, industrial design, and human-computer interaction all qualify. A general arts degree may require supporting documentation.
Understand the O-1A as a parallel path
Design leaders with industry awards, published work, high compensation history, or judging credits may qualify for O-1A status, which has no lottery and no annual cap, making it a strong alternative to H-1B.
Negotiate sponsorship before accepting an offer
Sponsorship conversations are easier before you sign. Once an offer is extended, most employers are motivated to close. Raising visa support during negotiation, not after, avoids ambiguity about who covers legal and filing costs.
Document leadership scope, not just creative output
USCIS specialty occupation determinations favor roles requiring theoretical and practical application of specialized knowledge. Emphasizing team leadership, design systems ownership, and cross-functional accountability strengthens the case over portfolio work alone.
Head Of Design jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Head Of Design JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does a Head of Design role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS evaluates specialty occupation status based on whether the role normally requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field. Head of Design positions at technology companies, agencies, and consumer brands consistently meet this standard, particularly when the role involves design systems, research methodology, or product strategy rather than purely executional work.
What degree do I need to qualify for H-1B sponsorship as a Head of Design?
A bachelor's degree in graphic design, interaction design, industrial design, human-computer interaction, or a closely related field is the standard requirement. Some employers also accept degrees in architecture or fine arts with substantial design specialization. If your degree is in an unrelated field, three years of directly relevant work experience can substitute for each missing year of formal education under USCIS equivalency rules.
How likely are Head of Design H-1B petitions to be approved?
Approval rates for design leadership roles are generally strong when the petition is well-documented. The main risk is an RFE questioning whether the role meets specialty occupation criteria, which is more common when job descriptions include generalist language. Petitions that clearly tie the role to a specific design discipline and articulate why a degree in that field is required tend to avoid additional scrutiny.
Can I find Head of Design jobs that offer visa sponsorship on Migrate Mate?
Yes. Migrate Mate is built specifically for international candidates and filters for employers open to visa sponsorship. Browsing Head of Design listings there surfaces companies with active sponsorship programs, so you're not spending time applying to roles where immigration support isn't on the table.
Can a Head of Design role qualify for an O-1A visa instead of H-1B?
It can, and for senior design leaders it's often worth evaluating seriously. The O-1A requires demonstrating extraordinary ability through criteria like major awards, high compensation relative to peers, judging the work of others, or critical roles at distinguished organizations. Design directors with industry recognition, published thought leadership, or conference speaking history frequently meet multiple criteria without needing the H-1B lottery.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Head Of Design jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.
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