Volunteer Head of Design — AI Apps & Interactive Systems for Human Communication

Lead product and visual design strategy across a suite of AI-powered applications and interactive simulations that make difficult conversations constructive.

Crossing Party Lines is seeking an experienced, strategic Head of Design to join our Apps and Agents leadership team. As we expand from text-based conversational agents into serious games, interactive 3D simulations, and real-time communication tools, design serves as the critical bridge between complex AI systems and intuitive human behavior. You will unify product design, UI/UX, visual identity, and interactive media under a coherent vision that builds user trust, lowers defensiveness, and promotes deep reflection across sharp divides.

About the Apps and Agents Team

Our team combines modern generative-AI architectures with Crossing Party Lines’ proprietary frameworks for depolarization, emotional safety, and active listening. We are actively refining prototypes, expanding interactive role-play modules, and preparing an application to Y Combinator to bring these tools to workplaces, educational institutions, and community organizations nationwide.

What You’ll Do

• Define the overarching design vision, standards, and holistic experience across all digital products in the Apps and Agents portfolio.
• Lead, mentor, and align a multidisciplinary volunteer design team spanning UI/UX designers, 2D/3D game artists, art directors, and interactive prototypers.
• Establish and govern a scalable design system that ensures visual coherence, usability, and accessibility across web apps and immersive simulations.
• Partner directly with executive leadership, AI engineers, and conflict-resolution subject-matter experts to translate behavioral science frameworks into seamless user experiences.
• Champion user-centered design practices, ensuring qualitative feedback, usability testing, and emotional safety metrics directly drive product iteration.
• Balance high-level product strategy with pragmatic execution in an agile, early-stage development environment.

You May Be a Good Fit If You

• Have substantial experience leading design teams, product design functions, or creative direction for digital products, interactive media, or software applications.
• Demonstrate a proven track record of shipping end-to-end product experiences from initial concept to launch.
• Understand the subtle psychology of interface design—how framing, cognitive load, visual hierarchy, and feedback mechanics affect emotional reactivity and trust.
• Can communicate clear design rationales across technical, non-technical, and executive stakeholders.
• Bring strong operational capability in organizing design workflows, managing reviews, and unblocking contributors.
• Approach ideologically and socially diverse perspectives with genuine neutrality, curiosity, and respect.

What You’ll Gain

• Executive-level design ownership over an early-stage portfolio of innovative civic-tech and AI products.
• High-impact leadership experience guiding a multi-talented, international creative and technical team.
• Strategic visibility as the organization preps products for venture accelerators and large-scale public rollout.
• Direct collaboration with organizational founders and executive references recognizing your strategic leadership and deliverables.

Time, location, and support

This is a remote volunteer position. You may complete most of the work on your own schedule.

We hope volunteers can contribute approximately 8 or more hours per week, although hours are flexible. Team members should also be available for one or two online team meetings per week.

You will report to Lisa Swallow, co-founder of Crossing Party Lines and lead of the Apps and Agents team. You will work closely with other volunteers and developers and will receive background information, product specifications, and access to the CPL frameworks underlying the applications.

We welcome applicants from different backgrounds, professions, political viewpoints, and lived experiences. Crossing Party Lines does not ask volunteers to agree politically. We ask them to approach differences with curiosity, respect, and a sincere desire to understand.