director of design - Customer Experiences, Digital UX & Design

Starbucks Coffee Company is an internationally recognized leader in the coffeehouse industry, renowned for its dedication to quality coffee and creating a welcoming environment for customers worldwide. Founded with the vision of being a different kind of company, Starbucks combines the rich tradition of coffee with a passion for meaningful connections among its customers, partners, and communities. Over the years, Starbucks has cultivated an iconic brand that invites people to come together, share stories, and experience a sense of belonging in each of its stores and through its digital channels. The company emphasizes leadership development, inclusivity, and innovation to maintain its position as a pioneer in the food and beverage space.

The Director of Design - Customer Experiences at Starbucks plays a critical role in shaping and executing the end-to-end customer journey across multiple digital and physical touchpoints. This leadership position is embedded within the Digital organization and is responsible for defining the vision, quality, and delivery of customer experiences through Starbucks' mobile app, website, drive-thru interfaces, and in-store digital moments. Moreover, this role pioneers innovation by exploring emerging platforms and new service models to continually elevate how millions of Starbucks customers engage with the brand every day.

This director-level role demands a strong multidisciplinary leadership approach, partnering closely with teams in Product, Engineering, Marketing, Store Development, and Operations to drive cross-functional alignment and effective strategy execution. Leading a high-performing team of designers, including managers and senior contributors, the individual in this role sets a high standard for design excellence, fostering innovation, and ensuring consistent delivery of superior experiences that resonate with North American customers and beyond.

Responsibilities include architecting and leading collaborative workshops to incorporate diverse insights, helping define strategic roadmaps and quarterly priorities, and translating customer insights and business goals into actionable experience strategies. The director champions comprehensive design craftsmanship, from user interface and interaction design to service and journey design principles, ensuring that design systems are scalable and support rapid yet high-quality delivery.

Starbucks seeks candidates with over 12 years of experience in product, experience, or service design with proven leadership and a successful track record leading teams responsible for consumer-facing digital products. Candidates must demonstrate deep knowledge of design, product methodologies, and mobile ecosystems, as well as strong executive presence and the ability to influence across a complex organization. The role is ideal for those passionate about coffee, brand storytelling, and creating customer-centered innovative solutions. Experience in food and beverage or hospitality sectors, retail and eCommerce environments, and vendor partnership management is beneficial.

As a partner at Starbucks, the successful candidate will receive comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance options, disability coverage, paid parental leave, vacation and sick time, holidays, a 401(k) plan with employer match, and educational opportunities such as tuition coverage through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan. Starbucks fosters a collaborative work culture and expects its partners to be onsite four days a week to stimulate teamwork and innovation. With a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Starbucks is an equal opportunity employer welcoming applicants from diverse backgrounds and providing accommodations for disabilities.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a design leader to make a profound impact on one of the most beloved brands globally, shaping memorable and meaningful customer experiences in the digital age. Join Starbucks and inspire with every cup.