Director of Design Strategy jobs in United States
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University of Pennsylvania · 1 month ago

Director of Design Strategy

position3600 Civic Center Boulevard
timeFull-time
remoteOnsite
seniorityDirector/Executive
money$94K/yr - $123K/yr
date7+ years exp

The University of Pennsylvania is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. The Director of Design Strategy provides strategic leadership and vision for design initiatives across The Nudge Unit, overseeing the integration of human-centered design methodologies and managing cross-functional partnerships to improve health outcomes and operational efficiency.

Continuing EducationEdTechEducationSTEM EducationUniversities
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Growth Opportunities
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H1B Sponsor Likelynote

Responsibilities

Define and continually refine the overarching design strategy for The Nudge Unit in alignment with enterprise priorities
Partner with senior leadership to embed human‑centered design and systems thinking into strategic planning and decision-making
Architect innovation roadmaps that deploy design to address complex, system‑level healthcare challenges
Build, mentor, and scale a high‑performing design team
Establish clear performance metrics and progression frameworks
Cultivate a culture of curiosity, collaboration, rigor, and excellence that enables sustained delivery at pace
Direct a multi‑project portfolio spanning clinical, operational, and research domains
Institute governance structures, stage‑gate milestones, and KPI tracking
Optimize design resource allocation and manage program budgets, where applicable
Ensure initiatives deliver quantifiable outcomes and durable impact
Forge and steward strategic relationships with clinical leaders, informatics partners, CHTI collaborators, and operational executives
Facilitate alignment across diverse stakeholder groups on design objectives and implementation pathways
Represent the design perspective in leadership forums and executive presentations
Collaborate with academic partners, subject‑matter experts, and peer health systems to advance design practice
Provide leadership, creative direction and methodological rigor across design research, facilitation, ideation, prototyping, and user testing for high‑impact engagements
Codify standards, toolkits, and best practices
Define and monitor metrics to assess program effectiveness and ROI
Serve as creative director for The Nudge Unit’s brand
Elevate design literacy within The Nudge Unit, CHTI, and the broader health system
Develop and deliver workshops, trainings, and practical tools that equip staff and clinicians to apply design thinking in their own work
Represent The Nudge Unit externally to disseminate insights, cultivate partnerships, and enhance visibility as a leader in health‑system innovation and design
Contribute to the field through publications, speaking engagements, and thought leadership
Other duties as assigned to support the unit, department, entity, and health system organization

Qualification

Design strategyHuman-centered designSystems thinkingLeadershipBehavioral sciencesProgram managementStakeholder managementDesign researchCuriosityCollaborationCreativityCommunication

Required

Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and 7 to 10 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required
Master's and 5-7 years preferred

Benefits

Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts
Tuition
Retirement
Time Away from Work
Long-Term Care Insurance
Wellness and Work-life Resources
Professional and Personal Development
University Resources
Discounts and Special Services
Flexible Work Hours
Penn Home Ownership Services
Adoption Assistance

Company

University of Pennsylvania

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The University of Pennsylvania is an American private Ivy League Research University that excels in producing future leaders.
dateFounded in 1740
location
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
people-size10001+ employees
web-link
http://www.upenn.edu

H1B Sponsorship

University of Pennsylvania has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (7)
2024 (3)
2023 (2)
2022 (3)
2021 (5)
2020 (6)

Funding

Current Stage
Late Stage
Total Funding
$81.46M
Key Investors
National Science FoundationUS Department of EnergyParent Project Muscular Dystrophy
2024-08-28Grant
2023-06-26Grant· $18M
2022-09-15Grant· $55M

Leadership Team

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Mark Dingfield
Executive Vice President
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Angela Duckworth
Secondary Appointment at the Graduate School of Education
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Recent News

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