Design Director

New York , United States
On-site

TLDR

Lead and scale our design function to shape the future of luxury consumer experiences, fostering a high-performing design team in a collaborative environment.

About Us

Dorsia is at the forefront of hospitality-tech innovation, redefining how the world gains access to the most in-demand restaurants, events, and experiences. By fusing cutting-edge technology with the art of luxury hospitality, we empower our members to secure impossible-to-get reservations while providing operators with unprecedented levels of control, visibility, and revenue optimization.

As a fast-growing startup backed by over $50M from top-tier investors including Index Ventures, along with strategic industry partners such as Major Food Group (Carbone, Torissi, etc.), Groot Hospitality (Casadonna, Papi Steak, etc.), and Gracious Hospitality (COTE, Coqodaq, etc.), we are rapidly expanding our footprint and reshaping the global hospitality landscape with proven expertise. We’re adding exceptional talent to drive our next phase of growth, and that’s where you come in.

About the Role

 

We are seeking a Director of Design with a strong foundation in agency work to lead and scale our design function. You’ll bring a blend of systems thinking, taste-driven creative direction, and client-oriented delivery discipline to build a design team and practice that can shape the future of luxury consumer experiences.

What You’ll Do

  • Design Leadership: Own and evolve Dorsia’s design language and standards across web, mobile, and internal tools. Deliver strategic, pixel-perfect experiences that reflect our brand and values.

  • Team Building: Hire, mentor, and develop a high-performing design team that thrives on tight collaboration, experimentation, and rapid iteration.

  • Creative Direction: Set the visual and interaction direction across our product surfaces—consumer, concierge, and partner—ensuring consistency and polish.

  • Partner Cross-Functionally: Collaborate with product, engineering, marketing, and operations to align design with business goals, creating holistic customer experiences.

  • Process Ownership: Shape design processes that balance agility with excellence. Lead critiques, reviews, and workshops to drive better design outcomes.

  • Stakeholder Engagement: Translate business requirements into inspiring design strategies, while maintaining clarity and alignment across leadership and stakeholders.

The Winning Recipe

  • Have 8+ years of design experience, including 3+ years in agency environments, working with high-end or luxury brands.

  • Have led design for consumer-facing mobile or web products at high-growth startups or established brands.

  • Are comfortable leading teams and workstreams in fast-paced, ambiguous, and evolving environments.

  • Have a strong portfolio demonstrating depth in both visual design and interaction design across responsive platforms.

  • Are fluent in tools like Figma, FigJam, and prototyping tools, with a hands-on attitude.

  • Thrive on turning complex systems into elegant, delightful experiences.

  • Have excellent communication skills, with the ability to present design vision at all levels of the organization.

Bonus Points

  • Experience designing in hospitality, travel, dining, or premium lifestyle industries.

  • Familiarity with brand development, identity systems, and storytelling.

  • Previous experience building design systems and/or motion design principles.

Why Join Us

  • Be part of a mission-driven company redefining the possibilities for luxury technology.

  • Work with a passionate, highly collaborative cross-functional team.

  • Competitive salary and equity package.

  • Premium access to the Dorsia platform.

Compensation: 

New York Pay Range
$200,000$250,000 USD

Workplace Philosophy at Dorsia

At Dorsia, we believe that culture eats strategy. The best ideas in the world mean nothing without the right people around the table and the right chemistry between them. We are, unapologetically, a people-first organization. 

In-Person Matters

We’re creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences for the most discerning audience in the world. That doesn’t happen over Zoom. It happens through collisions: a spark across a desk, a kitchen-side conversation that unlocks a partnership, the energy of ideas felt, not typed. That’s why in-office culture is non-negotiable at Dorsia. 

Who We Hire

We don’t subscribe to check-the-box hiring. We hire for merit and mindset, which naturally creates a team with varied backgrounds. What unites us isn’t demographics, it’s a shared vision: to build the social operating system for the cultural vanguard.

Lifestyle Hours

We’re not a 9-to-5 company. Our lifestyle mirrors our members. Early flights, after-work events, and late-night sprints when the work demands it. But we love what we do, and we definitely love a good party.

High Performance Culture

Working at Dorsia isn’t for everyone—and that’s the point. Our culture is designed for builders, not passengers. We move fast, set ambitious standards, and expect people to rise to them. If you have the talent and the drive, this will be a ride to remember.

A Final Word

We’re building something special. It will take long hours and relentless effort. It’s not for everyone. For those with the metabolism, you’ll create something that changes how culture is lived. And that’s the kind of work worth your life’s energy.

Dorsia is a hospitality-tech startup that revolutionizes access to exclusive dining experiences and events by merging technology with luxury service. Our platform empowers members to secure hard-to-get reservations while providing restaurant operators with enhanced control and revenue opportunities. We're transforming how people connect over meals and shaping the future of the hospitality industry.

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Salary
$200,000 – $250,000 per year
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