Vice President of Design

About the role

Company Description Air is the leader in Enterprise Readiness. Our mission is to establish readiness as a real-time condition that is continuously achieved. Today, a dangerous Readiness Gap exists between what the front line needs and what is delivered. Our AI-native platform, Air Enterprise Readiness, aligns development, production, delivery, and sustainment into one coordinated execution system for government agencies and industrial suppliers. By revealing true capacity, exposing real constraints, coordinating resources, and executing at the speed of operational demands, the front line gets what it needs to succeed. Job Description We are seeking a visionary Vice President of Design to lead and scale our user experience, product design, and design research functions. In this role, reporting to the CPTO, you will define the end-to-end design strategy for our AI-native platform, driving enterprise readiness by converting highly complex data systems and agentic workflows into intuitive, high-impact user experiences. Design operates as a core pillar of R&D alongside Product, Engineering, and Data. You will tackle intricate Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) challenges, crafting software workflows that empower mission-critical execution across government and industrial enterprise environments. This is a full-time team member position, working in one of our offices in Arlington, VA, Pittsburgh, PA, San Francisco, CA or anywhere in the US. This role may require up to 25% travel. Scope of Responsibilities - Establish and drive the overall product design vision, UX strategy, and visual standards across the entire enterprise product suite. - Pioneer design paradigms for AI-native workflows, complex data visualizations, and decision-support systems in high-stakes operational settings. - Champion user-centered design processes and rigorous usability testing to streamline complex enterprise software workflows. - Partner tightly with Product, Engineering, and Data leadership to align technical architecture and functional roadmaps with user needs. - Build, mentor, and scale a world-class design organization spanning UI/UX, user research, design systems, and AI design sub-disciplines. Qualifications - U.S. Citizenship is required Required Skills: - 10-15 years of experience leading design teams in complex software environments, with at least 5+ years in executive design leadership. - Proven track record of design leadership in AI-native platforms, complex analytics, or enterprise SaaS applications. - Demonstrated success partnering cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, and Data Science executive leadership. - Deep expertise in human-computer interaction (HCI), user research methodology, and optimizing complex workflows. - Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience. - Experience navigating the fast-paced dynamics of a high-growth startup environment. Desired Skills: - Current possession of a U.S. security clearance, or the ability to obtain one with our sponsorship - Experience with transitioning design function into an AI-native SDLC paradigm. - Experience designing solutions for defense, government, or public sector agencies. - Background in complex supply chain, logistics, or industrial operations platforms. We firmly believe that past performance is the best indicator of future performance. If you thrive while building solutions to complex problems, are a self-starter, and are passionate about making an impact in global security, we’re eager to hear from you. Air is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and protected veterans status or any other characteristic protected by law.