Head of Design (Remote - Work from Anywhere) Gibraltar - Remote

Diversity is at the heart of who we are at Xapo Bank. We’re a fully distributed team of over 160 Xapiens that work remotely from 50+ countries around the world. Our beginning: A world that enjoys economic freedom and wealth protection, no matter where you live or who is running your country. To achieve that, we search the world for the best people for the job. We work hard, think globally, and inspire each other to learn and grow. We are committed to changing the way things are done. Although we are headquartered in Gibraltar, this is a full time, 100% remote position.

As the VP of Design, you will lead our design organisation, owning the design quality of every customer journey end-to-end — how our client‑facing touchpoints across product, web and more look, feel, and function at every step — in close partnership with Product, who own the journeys and priorities, and Marketing, who lead brand strategy and identity. This is a broad executive mandate where you will own not only the craft of design but its measurable impact on the business. You will champion design excellence, build deep partnerships with Product and Marketing to ensure a single, cohesive experience from first impression to daily use, and grow a world‑class remote design culture. Your mission is to translate complex financial and cryptocurrency concepts into a beautiful, cohesive, and trust‑building experience — and to demonstrate, through outcomes, that great design is working.

Responsibilities

• Design Strategy and Vision: Define, champion, and execute the long‑term design vision for Xapo's client‑facing touchpoints across mobile and web — treating measurable user‑experience quality, not just aesthetics, as the standard of success.
• Design Performance & Outcomes: Own the metrics that demonstrate design's business impact such as task‑completion and speed in core journeys and design‑system adoption, reporting on these quarterly at the executive level.
• Operational Leadership of the Design Function: Run design as a fully accountable business function, owning headcount planning, prioritisation, and delivery, so the organization scales predictably alongside Product and Engineering.
• Brand Partnership and Experience Continuity: Partner closely with Marketing, who lead Xapo's brand strategy and identity, to ensure that brand is expressed faithfully throughout the user journey.
• UX Architecture and Flow Optimisation: Oversee user research and journey mapping to elevate the design and usability of complex regulatory, private banking, and crypto‑native payment flows.
• Design Systems and Operations: Scale and govern a unified design language and Figma system to drive velocity, consistency, and visual quality across product and web.
• Operationalised Research and Testing: Standardise a culture of data‑informed design, embedding regular usability testing and customer discovery as a standard gate before handoff.
• Cross‑Functional Executive Collaboration: Work closely with Product and Engineering leadership so the design organisation is engaged early.
• Responsible AI Design Governance: Partner with security and AI engineering teams to establish a safe, governed framework for utilising AI tools in asset creation and UX personalisation.
• Team Leadership and Culture: Recruit, mentor, and lead a remote, multi‑disciplinary design organisation spanning Product Design, Research, and UX Writing.

Skills needed

• 10+ years of digital design experience, with at least 4+ years in an executive leadership role managing multi‑disciplinary design teams in a high‑growth fintech, neobank, or digital asset platform.
• Broad creative fluency, with a strong portfolio demonstrating complex interactive product design executed to a high aesthetic standard.
• Proven track record of improving key business and design metrics through design‑led initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve operational friction, streamline design workflows, and build high‑trust partnerships with marketing, product, and engineering teams.
• Deep knowledge of native mobile platform guidelines (iOS and Android) and modern Web standards.
• Strong familiarity with the unique UX and trust challenges in fintech, banking, and digital assets.
• Exceptional communication and executive storytelling skills.
• Operational, direct, and collaborative leadership style tailored for a fully remote, globally distributed environment.

Other Requirements

• A dedicated workspace.
• A reliable internet connection with the fastest speed possible in your area.
• Alignment with Our Values and the Xapo Values‑Driven Leadership principles.

Why work for Xapo?

• Impact Globally, Work Remotely. Shape the Future Improve lives through cutting‑edge technology, work 100% remotely from anywhere in the world.
• Great work‑life balance Build amazing things with a balance of autonomy and collaborative teamwork.
• Expect Excellence Collaborate, learn, and grow with a high‑performance team.