Director of Design, Strategy & Growth

About Nava

Nava is a consultancy and public benefit corporation working to make government services simple, effective, and accessible to all. Since 2013, federal, state, and local government agencies have trusted Nava to build transformative digital services to help people access public benefits. Meeting our mission is an opportunity to restore trust between people and public institutions. We focus on populations that are the least protected because the stakes are higher.

As a client services company, we work with government agencies to improve how people apply for benefits, navigate their health care, and more. We bill for our time, selling our expertise and problem-solving methodology to government clients. Our clients hire us to help improve their products and services so that their users and beneficiaries have a better customer experience.

These end-users—the humans who benefit from our work—are at the core of everything we do. We research beneficiaries’ needs to help our government clients better deliver on their missions, providing everyone at Nava opportunities to do meaningful, impactful work.

Position Summary

The Director of Design, Strategy & Growth leads strategic design initiatives and business development efforts across Nava. They contribute to Nava's growth through solutioning on contract proposals and providing strategic guidance on business development efforts. They collaborate across Delivery, Business Development, and Nava to identify new opportunities, grow the business, and build capacity to take on new work. The Director of Design also builds the Design Org's management practice by leading mentorship, coaching, and capabilities-focused professional development efforts. They collaborate with cross-functional teams and leaders across Nava's Delivery Organization and provide support and information to stakeholders.

Opportunities and Challenges

The government contracting ecosystem is a compliance-driven multi-stakeholder environment – particularly when compared to the operating environments for companies of our size in the private sector. Successful members of our team understand how to be innovative within this environment. Finding and recommending ways to improve how government digital services are procured and built is one of the highest-leverage ways we fulfill our mission.

• Actively contribute to Nava's decisions on which new work to pursue
• Contribute directly to business development through activities such as proposal development, solutioning, reviews, tech challenges, or market research presentations
• Identify and facilitate the assignment of subject matter experts (SMEs) and key personnel (KP) for business development proposals
• Translate Delivery Org insights into growth strategies and reusable assets for business development
• Identify, develop, and scale new Delivery capabilities in the Design Org
• Serve as a strategic partner by influencing and shaping Nava’s approach to growth

• Foster a collaborative and delivery-focused design culture, promoting a high standard of design excellence and user-centered thinking
• Lead capabilities-focused professional development opportunities across the Design Org
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, and business development, to ensure design is strategic in all phases of company growth
• Stay up-to-date with design trends, industry standards, and emerging technologies to drive innovation
• Develop internal and external communications to position Nava as an innovator in the civic tech space

• Manage a team of up to eight direct reports across multiple projects
• Act as a sounding board for design team members at Nava, coaching them through challenges, helping to review and structure their work, and providing coverage when necessary
• Serve as an escalation point for direct reports and their teams
• Meet regularly with senior/principal designers and Design Managers, using that time for identifying coaching and training opportunities, removing blockers, and managing team operations
• Identify opportunities for collaboration or escalation with other organizations/departments at Nava 
• Contributing and being accountable to quarterly and yearly goals and metrics for the Design Org
• Ensure staff consistently hit billable hours targets
• Other duties as required

• A skilled practitioner with deep experience in creative, strategic, technical, managerial, and operational aspects of human-centered design at scale
• A proven leader who has experience managing complexity, developing strategy, and conducting long-term planning
• In-depth experience cultivating strong relationships with external stakeholders and partners
• 10+ years of experience as a human-centered design practitioner
• 5+ years of direct people management experience and team
• Experience with fast-growing companies, with a bonus for experience within government contracting or professional service firms 
• An adaptive, empathetic, collaborative leadership mindset 
• Excellent organizational skills and effective presentation skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication

• Experience managing the business dynamics in a professional services firm (billable hours, contract portfolios, client services skills)
• Experience and bias toward a “company-builder” frame of mind
• Track record of introducing and expanding agile transformation and pursuing best practices in design management with clients and stakeholders

Other requirements

All roles at Nava require the following:

Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Must meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired.

Work authorization that doesn’t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future.

May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract.

Perks working with Nava

Top-tier benefits – Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.

Plenty of time off – Vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating days.

Annual bonus – When Nava wins, so do you.

Parental perks – Paid leave + weekly meal deliveries for new parents.

Wellness support – Full wellness program to keep you feeling your best.

Zero copay care – Virtual doctor visits at no cost through UHC.

Take a break – Sabbatical available after continued service.

401(k) match – We invest in your future with a generous match.

Flexible work – Remote-first with flexibility to fit your life.

Home office help – Setup support via Staples + company laptop.

Utility credit – Monthly contribution for at home costs (where applicable).

Growth resources – Learning programs to level up your skills.

Development budget – Funds for courses, tuition, and more.

Referral rewards – Help us grow and earn while you do.

Commute perks – Commuter benefits to get you moving.

Full coverage – Disability, life, and AD&D insurance included.

Culture that cares – Collaborative and remote-friendly.

Location

We have fully remote options if you reside in one of the following states:

Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, DC, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.

*If you are not living in one of the states listed above, unfortunately, you will not be considered for a position at this time. Additionally, if employed with Nava, you must be based in the U.S. and cannot work from outside the country.

Stay in touch

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Please contact the recruiting team at recruiting@navapbc.com if you would like to request reasonable accommodation during the application or interviewing process.  

We participate in E-Verify. Upon hire, we will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. This role requires you to work from the contiguous United States.