Lead Designer

Remote/NYC

Full-time

🚀 Why Zest?

Most of ecommerce is built for “I’m buying this for myself.” But the moment someone tries to buy for someone else, everything breaks.

Don’t know your friend’s address? You’re texting them and spoiling the surprise. Need to send 100 client gifts? You're checking out 100 times or filling out a “Contact Us” form and hoping someone replies.

It’s a terrible experience at the exact moment customers want to spend money, and brands lose revenue because of it.

That’s the problem we solve.

We make sending 1, 10, or 1,000 gifts as easy as buying for yourself. No spreadsheets, no back-and-forth, no friction. And it’s working: we power gifting for 100+ top brands like Lindt Chocolate, Levain Bakery, Dandelion Chocolate, and Brightland. We’re a ~10-person, profitable team growing 3X+ year-over-year.

Now, we’re looking for a Lead Designer to join us at this critical inflection point — to set the standard on how gifting should feel online, to turn a messy industry into something intuitive and delightful, and to build the design foundation that Zest will grow on for years.

- Alex, CEO & Co-founder

💪 As Lead Designer, you’ll:

Own end-to-end design, from research to final UI.
Work hand in hand with both co-founders Alex & Jeremy to shape product direction.
Build direct relationships with brands and consumers to uncover insights and validate ideas.
Partner closely with engineering to ship work that matters.
Scale the design function — processes, patterns, systems, and team — as Zest grows.

👋 You’re a good fit if:

You have 4+ years of product design experience, ideally at startups.
You have developed products from zero to one.
Your portfolio shows both visual craft and clear problem-solving.
You're fast without being sloppy, opinionated without being precious.
You'd rather ship and learn than debate in the abstract.
Bonus: Familiarity with ecommerce platforms or checkout flows.

🎁 What we offer:

The chance to shape and own design at a fast-growing startup. This isn't a role where you're handed specs; you will be defining what we build and how it feels.
Competitive salary ($125k-$250k) and early equity.
Benefits: Health, vision, and dental insurance, unlimited PTO, and yes — excellent gifts.

📍 Where we work:

Remote-first across the U.S., with an NYC office if you want it.

✉️ Get in touch

If this sounds interesting, email us: jobs@zest.co. Tell us a bit about yourself and share some work you're proud of.