Design Lead - Remote - Costa Rica

Art Director - Full-Time Employee (Remote) Location: Costa Rica SweetRush is always growing, and we're looking for outstanding professionals (hopefully you) to work with us on exciting upcoming projects. The role described below is not for an immediate hire. Our goal is to explore whether we're a mutual fit so we can reach out to you and move quickly to fill this role at a later date. Please submit your application if you're interested! Who We Are At SweetRush, we believe that when you put people at the center of business, magic happens. As a global leader in learning and development, we blend high-end storytelling, emerging tech like AI and VR, and deep psychological insights to help organizations—from iconic global brands to essential nonprofits—flourish. We are a remote-first, tight-knit community built on a foundation of radical empathy and creative excellence. Our work isn't just about the awards we win with incredible partners such as Hilton, Google, Bridgestone, Adidas, SHRM, and numerous others; it's about balancing profit with a genuine desire to spread good in the world. If you are a caring innovator who believes work should be life-centered and impactful, then this is where you come in… About the Opportunity Location: Costa Rica (Remote) Contract Type: Full-time employee Project Capacity: 40 hours per week Start Date: Anticipating on/or before July 2026 Salary: Negotiable SweetRush is a remote organization, and as such, all resources must be technically savvy, have access to a strong internet signal, be comfortable with virtual/instant messaging and conferencing tools, and generally be available during established working hours. Role Overview The Design lead is a senior visual craft leader responsible for ensuring high-quality visual direction and execution across learning experiences. On projects with a Creative Director (CD), the Design Lead translates the approved creative vision into scalable, production-ready visual systems. On projects without a CD, the Art Director defines and implements the visual approach in close collaboration with the CDs, Learning Experience Designers (LXD), and Technical Leads. This role leads through expertise and influence. The Art Director safeguards visual consistency, visual accessibility, visual asset creation quality, and UI design, especially as teams scale across internal and offshore environments. Core Responsibilities 1. Project-Level Visual Leadership Lead graphic designers and freelancers on assigned projects. Provide clear visual direction that aligns with learning objectives and brand standards. Act as the primary quality control for visual elements when scaling production across distributed teams, including offshore teams. Ensure cohesion and consistency across user interfaces, layouts, assets, and interaction patterns. Balance leadership responsibilities with hands-on design work as needed, directly contributing to design efforts on smaller projects or when quick execution is required. The Design lead oversees design execution within projects but does not act as a Production Manager or client account owner. 2. Visual Direction & Execution Translate high-level creative concepts into cohesive UI systems and reusable components. When no Creative Director is assigned, define the visual approach in alignment with instructional and technical requirements. Ensure design decisions support storytelling, user experience, and learning effectiveness. Maintain visual integrity across all screen types, interaction models, and deliverables. 3. Visual Assets Quality Control Serve as the final visual checkpoint before development. Ensure alignment between storyboard and design. Identify and correct inconsistencies in spacing, typography, layout structure, and component usage. Verify visual accessibility, such as: Color contrast Click target sizing (minimum 44x44px) Logical focus order. Ensure files are clean, organized, and development-ready. 4. Design Systems & Standards Steward and evolve visual systems and style guides. Create master components and scalable UI patterns as new interaction types emerge. Maintain structured Figma libraries using best practices (variants, auto-layout, component logic). Promote efficiency and consistency through reusable design frameworks. The Design Lead defines and protects project-level visual standards and contributes to the evolution of broader design systems. 5. Mentorship & Craft Development Provide structured, actionable feedback to designers. Elevate overall team quality through thoughtful critique and guidance. Support designers in strengthening both technical precision and visual judgment. Serve as a trusted problem-solver for complex design challenges. 6. Collaboration & Influence Partner closely with Creative Directors, LXDs, other Design and Technical Leads, and Project Managers. Present visual approaches to internal teams and clients when appropriate. Influence visual strategy through expertise and thoughtful recommendations. Provide effort estimates for visual execution as needed.

Requirements

Speak and write business English. 5+ years of experience. Provide a current portfolio and show work samples. Thrive on working with teams and leading others. SweetRush Is an Equal Opportunity Employer We are committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, or belief; national, social, or ethnic origin; sex (including pregnancy); age; physical, mental, or sensory disability; HIV status; sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or expression; marital, civil union, or domestic partnership status; past or present military service; family medical history or genetic information; family or parental status; or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. SweetRush will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. We encourage applicants of all ages. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Call to Action: Submit Your Resume! Team chemistry is everything to us, so our ultimate goal is to find the right fit. If the above describes your interests and experience, and you believe this will be a dream job, please submit your resume. We are excited to hear from you! SweetRush believes in transparency and fairness. And for that reason, all of our active searches are available on the SweetRush “Join Us” page at https://www.sweetrush.com/join-us/. You can also find our openings posted on our LinkedIn company page under the “Jobs” tab at https://www.linkedin.com/company/sweetrush/jobs/. Unfortunately, cybercriminals take advantage of good people. Please know that SweetRush would never ask for your personal information, such as SSN, banking information, credit cards, etc., during the application or interview process. Always be mindful to protect your personal and financial information, and use careful judgment when providing information to talent acquisition professionals. Apply To This Job