Design Systems Lead

Ramp

. Lead and develop the design systems team .

Posted 9/30/2026full-timeUnited StatesSenior💰 $280,000 - $385,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in leading design systems teams, translating design principles into reusable patterns, and guiding technical architecture in collaboration with engineering. Strong focus on visual and interaction design, prototyping, and leveraging AI to enhance workflows and product outcomes.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Design Systems LeadershipVisual And Interaction DesignPrototyping And Building In CodeAI In Design WorkflowsSystems Thinking

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Design System DevelopmentPrototypingFront-End ArchitectureQuality ChecksReusable PatternsDesign Principles TranslationTechnical Architecture GuidanceInteraction DesignVisual DesignWorkflow Improvement

Soft Skills

Decision MakingFeedback DeliveryClarity In AmbiguityCuriosityAccountability

Tools & Technologies

AI ToolsDesign ToolsDeveloper Tools

Industry Keywords

Design EngineeringUser WorkflowsProduct OutcomesDesign-Quality EvaluationsMajor Design-System Migration

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead and develop the design systems team
Set priorities, ownership, and goals; provide feedback and accountability
Own the design system’s vision and direction
Decide what to preserve, evolve, simplify, or replace based on builder and customer needs
Elevate visual and interaction design across typography, hierarchy, density, motion, responsive behavior, accessibility, and edge states
Translate design principles into reusable patterns, reference experiences, composition rules, and guidance for people and agents
Guide technical architecture with engineering across components, tokens, agent guidance, interface composition, and quality checks
Build prototypes, work in code, and investigate implementation details
Define repeatable evaluations and measure quality, speed, and rework
Improve workflows from exploration to production with engineering and AI teams
Partner with product teams to drive adoption and improve the system
Experiment with evolving models and tools and adjust direction based on evidence

Requirements

What you’ll need

Experience leading and developing strong design or design engineering teams, with a track record of setting direction and delivering meaningful outcomes
Exceptional visual and interaction design skills
Deep systems thinking and experience building systems adopted by other teams
Strong technical fluency, including prototyping and building in code, understanding front-end architecture, and working through implementation tradeoffs with engineers
Active, hands-on use of AI in design and building workflows
Experience turning design principles into practical guidance, reusable patterns, and quality checks at scale
Strong product judgment and connection to user workflows and customer outcomes
Ability to create clarity in ambiguity, make decisions, give difficult feedback, and maintain momentum
Curiosity about how AI changes software and software development
Nice to have: agent-usable design guidance, generation workflows, or design-quality evaluations
Nice to have: developer or designer tools adopted into daily workflows
Nice to have: major design-system migration or company-wide change experience
Nice to have: evolving systems across platforms or connecting product and brand experiences
Nice to have: founder or early-stage startup experience

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible PTO
Centralized home-office equipment ordering
Health and wellness stipend
Budget for intra-office travel
Weekly coffee stipend
100% medical, dental & vision insurance coverage for you, with partial coverage for dependents
One Medical annual membership
401(k), including employer match on contributions made while employed by Ramp
Fertility HRA (up to $10,000 per year)
Parental leave: up to 16 weeks (birthing + bonding) or 8 weeks (bonding only) at 100% pay
Pet insurance
In-office perks: lunch, snacks, drinks, and more
Relocation expense coverage to NYC or SF (if needed)
Group medical, dental, and vision coverage through Sun Life
Life, AD&D, and disability coverage
Fertility drug coverage (up to $4,000 lifetime)
Group Retirement Plan with employer match (RRSP + DPSP)
Employee Assistance Program and virtual care through Lumino Health
Private medical insurance through Freedom Elite
Virtual GP and at-home care via eMed x Livi
Workplace pension through Penfold, with salary sacrifice option