Job Title

Product Design Lead - Design Operations Duration: 6-12 months Type: Contract Havas is looking for a Product Design Lead specializing in Design Systems to lead the design, documentation, and evolution of scalable component libraries to be used by global teams. In this role, you will lead a small team of Product Designers to design and document components of a global design system, and partner closely with developers, strategists, and clients to ensure adoption across platforms and markets. You''ll be equally comfortable rolling up your sleeves in Figma, guiding others, and presenting work to senior stakeholders. If you''re a strategic thinker, a design systems expert, and a confident communicator who enjoys shaping both products and teams, we''d love to hear from you. Who You Are A design systems specialist with strong product design foundations A confident design leader and mentor A clear, engaging communicator and presenter A systems thinker who understands how design connects to code, content, and CMS platforms Comfortable working in fast-paced, client-facing, agile environments A seasoned professional, experienced navigating corporate environments and communicating with senior stakeholders What You''ll Do Design Systems Leadership Lead the design and evolution of a global design system, including components, patterns, tokens, and guidelines Ensure components are scalable, accessible, reusable, and implementation-ready Create and maintain clear, usable documentation to support global teams Partner with engineering to align design components with front-end frameworks and CMS platforms (AEM experience is a strong asset) Team Leadership Mentor a team of 3 Product Designers Set a high bar for craft, consistency, and systems thinking Provide design direction, feedback, and coaching Ensure productive collaboration with strategists, developers, and product owners to deliver high-quality outcomes Client & Stakeholder Engagement Act as a design systems expert in client conversations Present and defend design decisions with clarity and confidence Translate complex design and technical concepts into clear, client-friendly narratives Advocate for user-centered design, accessibility, and best practices at scale What You Bring 8+ years of UX experience in an agency or consulting environment Portfolio of work including both marketing/content related projects and complex, interaction-rich interfaces, and Design System Documentation Leads end-to-end UX strategy and design across complex digital projects Strong, confident presence with the ability to lead client conversations and manage stakeholders effectively Strong design systems experience (creation and maintenance) Proficient in Figma Hands-on with IA, user flows, wireframes, and UX documentation Experience creating products, apps, or websites from the ground up Comfortable leading workshops, design sessions, and stakeholder presentations Works closely with cross-functional teams (PM, dev, design, strategy) Mentors junior designers and supports team delivery Contributes to project planning, scoping, and new business (RFPs, proposals) Familiar with accessibility standards, responsive design, mobile UX, and content strategy Additional Information This role represents an active vacancy at Havas. You will be joining a collaborative, growth-oriented environment where ideas are encouraged and career development is supported. The base hourly range for this position is CAD 65-85 with final compensation determined based on factors such as work location, skills, experience, and background. Havas uses artificial intelligence-enabled tools to support certain aspects of the recruitment process. All hiring decisions are made by our recruiting and hiring teams. Why Join us? We are deeply committed to investing in the professional development of our team members, providing ample opportunities to expand skills, take on diverse challenges, and contribute to high-impact projects. Our passion for what we do drives us. Joining our team means being part of a culture and organization that prioritizes growth, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence...not to mention you would make some pretty cool new friends!