8+ years of experience in digital product design, preferably as a solo designer or in small teams.
Portfolio showcasing product depth and a range of visual and brand work.
Proven ability to set design standards across various domains.
Experience directing contractors and working independently without a design leader.
Located in NYC and willing to work in the SoHo office 4 days a week.
Responsibilities
Own design from research to final product across brand and marketing.
Establish quality standards and maintain the Figma library and design system.
Direct specialty contractors in scoping, briefing, reviewing, and shipping work.
Collaborate with product and engineering teams to enhance design processes and user research.
Rapidly prototype using AI-native tools and adapt as technology evolves.
Benefits
Competitive equity package included.
Opportunity to shape the future design team as the company scales.
Full Job Description
This is a hands-on, senior individual contributor role. As our only designer, you'll own design across Modern Life's product and brand, set the standards, and direct a bench of specialty contractors. This isn't a people management role to start. For the next 6 to 12 months, the focus is doing the work at a high bar and building the foundation a future design team will grow on.
What You'll Do
Own design end to end across product, brand, and marketing, from research to shipped work
Set the quality bar and design standards, including our Figma library and design system
Direct our specialty contractors (brand, illustration, graphic, UI/UX): scoping, briefing, reviewing, and shipping
Shape how design partners with product and engineering, including how we run user research
Prototype fast with AI-native tools and push how we use them as capabilities evolve
Your Impact
Make complex insurance workflows clear and usable for advisors and their clients
Influence product and company direction by tying design decisions to business priorities
Build the practices a future design team will inherit, and help shape that team as we scale
About You
8+ years of experience in digital product design, ideally including time as a solo designer or on a small team
A portfolio that shows both product depth and visual and brand range
Experience setting design standards across domains, not just executing within them
Comfortable directing contractors and working without a design leader above you
Based in NYC and open to working from our SoHo office, in person hybrid 4 days a week
Bonus Points
Experience with complex B2B, fintech, or insurance workflows
Prior design leadership experience and a preference for hands-on IC work
