Design Strategist

Product Ventures is a renowned product & packaging design agency working with the world’s biggest companies and their best-known brands. We are looking for a Design Strategist, with a specialization in design thinking and consumer research, to join our interdisciplinary team. This influential role is to provide strategic guidance for design initiatives by connecting the dots of consumer and business need with creative opportunity.
Ideal candidates will have a master’s degree in design thinking, user research, industrial design, or a similar field of study. Candidates are required to provide examples of research discussion guides and reports where they identified key insights that focused design exploration for success.
Product Ventures is trusted by industry leaders such as PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz, and Nestlé because of our comprehensive capabilities that bring every aspect of the creative process under one roof. Our unparalleled facilities include an in-house consumer insights laboratory and state-of-the-art prototyping. Our interdisciplinary experts include industrial designers, graphic designers, mechanical engineers, packaging engineers, prototyping specialists, and consumer researchers. We’re located in Fairfield, Connecticut, conveniently located just off Metro North.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and collaborate with account, design and research teams throughout client initiatives
• Conduct category assessments to identify client brand product strengths, weaknesses and perceived competitive threats, and illuminate potential business opportunities
• Write effective research discussion guides & questionnaires to obtain pertinent information from the consumer to inform & focus design to deliver against consumer needs
• Capture and translate consumer statements, and observations of consumer behavior into a comprehensive summary of key learnings
• Provide strategic input to publication of design deliverables & research reports to ensure work is aligned with client objectives
• Assist with the planning & facilitation of client innovation workshops & brainstorm sessions
• Directly report to the VP of Industrial Design

Requirements

• Master’s degree in design thinking, user research, industrial design, or a similar field of study
• 3-5 years of relevant professional work experience
• Passionate about understanding people and finding creative ways to make people’s lives better
• Experience performing user research with direct observation of consumer behavior
• Demonstrative skills in report writing and development of strategic frameworks
• Persuasive communication skills with the ability to establish a point of view and clearly and confidently articulate it in a way that inspires, engages, and galvanizes others to action
• Talented storyteller with the ability to illuminate the opportunities for client’s to best meet the needs of their consumers
• Creative problem solver with the ability to tackle unstructured problems, build strategic frameworks and assist with the identification innovative solutions, even when faced with limitations and constraints
• Able to build productive relationships and thrive on working closely with people who possess diverse skills
• Must be a self-starter and nimble multi-tasker, able to handle large, complex projects
• Excellent proficiency in PowerPoint with the ability to publish both written and graphical content If you possess the unique combination of creative intuition, design thinking, and business savvy, this is the role for you. Please submit your resume for consideration of becoming a member of our world class team, with the opportunity to enhance people’s life through thoughtful and meaningful design.