Lead Designer L4

Invents new experiences and raises the bar for design across the product.

Expectations for Lead Designer
Scope	Runs point on the design of larger, multi-milestone projects from concept to shipping, working autonomously.
Independence and judgment	Sets their own direction with little oversight. Conceptualizes new work, the steps to get there, and carries them out. Has a strong point of view, but edits and stays flexible.
Design and writing	Invents new designs, flows and experiences that fit the design system, and improves our design processes, conventions and techniques. Writes fluently in our product's voice without guidance.
Technical skills	Proficient in HTML and CSS, writes clear JavaScript with Stimulus, and can stub basic flows and wire up views in Rails. Adept with modern design tools and knows when to use each one.
AI-assisted delivery	Sets AI practice for design work and measures whether it helps.
Quality and review	Helps define the standards designs are measured against, and gives specific, constructive feedback that deepens other designers' skills. Their own work is still reviewed, like everyone's.
Communication and influence	A leader on the team, in craft and in culture. Mentors and coaches designers, and people outside design seek their guidance. A key contributor to kickoffs and to internal and external release communication. Direct reports are not required.

Scope

Runs point on the design of larger, multi-milestone projects from concept to shipping, working autonomously.

Independence and judgment

Sets their own direction with little oversight. Conceptualizes new work, the steps to get there, and carries them out. Has a strong point of view, but edits and stays flexible.

Design and writing

Invents new designs, flows and experiences that fit the design system, and improves our design processes, conventions and techniques. Writes fluently in our product's voice without guidance.

Technical skills

Proficient in HTML and CSS, writes clear JavaScript with Stimulus, and can stub basic flows and wire up views in Rails. Adept with modern design tools and knows when to use each one.

AI-assisted delivery

Sets AI practice for design work and measures whether it helps.

Quality and review

Helps define the standards designs are measured against, and gives specific, constructive feedback that deepens other designers' skills. Their own work is still reviewed, like everyone's.

Communication and influence

A leader on the team, in craft and in culture. Mentors and coaches designers, and people outside design seek their guidance. A key contributor to kickoffs and to internal and external release communication. Direct reports are not required.

How to grow from Lead Designer toward Principal Designer
Shape the look and feel	Make major contributions to the look and feel of KODE's products, and extend and improve the design system and our principles.
Lead the most critical work	Run point on our most complex and critical projects, including new products and major redesigns, as the sole designer alongside engineers.
Work across the whole stack	Work comfortably anywhere in the codebase, and discuss complex application logic with engineers.
Lead beyond KODE	Share design process insights inside and outside the company, and introduce new techniques, approaches or ideas that move the industry forward.
Set the standards	Define design standards and guidance, and become the person colleagues across the company seek out for critical work and decisions.
Bring in new tools	Introduce new tools and systems to the team when they make us better.
AI-assisted delivery	Define how AI changes the way KODE designs, and keep it aligned with our security and compliance commitments.

Shape the look and feel

Make major contributions to the look and feel of KODE's products, and extend and improve the design system and our principles.

Lead the most critical work

Run point on our most complex and critical projects, including new products and major redesigns, as the sole designer alongside engineers.

Work across the whole stack

Work comfortably anywhere in the codebase, and discuss complex application logic with engineers.

Lead beyond KODE

Share design process insights inside and outside the company, and introduce new techniques, approaches or ideas that move the industry forward.

Set the standards

Define design standards and guidance, and become the person colleagues across the company seek out for critical work and decisions.

Bring in new tools

Introduce new tools and systems to the team when they make us better.

AI-assisted delivery

Define how AI changes the way KODE designs, and keep it aligned with our security and compliance commitments.

At every level

Every designer's work gets reviewed, whatever their level, and leading a project is an assignment, not a promotion. Read more on the design overview.

Lead Designer L4

What we expect at L4

Growing toward L5 Principal Designer

At every level