Heads of Design in Germany
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Meet FRATCH Heads of Design in Germany
Martina Büttner-Leibovici
Last position:
UX Designer and Consultant at Self Employed
As UX Manager and UX Team Lead, my focus is on creating the conditions for excellent UX design – not only by improving results, but also by investing in people, culture, and systems. I am convinced that sustainable UX design comes from a combination of autonomous teams, clear rituals, and a shared vision of product and user value.
My job is to enable successful UX design within a company. This includes setting up and growing the UX team, establishing a design system, designing design processes, defining and developing UX maturity and UX culture within the company, and developing strategies that combine business requirements and user experience design.
Consulting and conceptual support in UX and product topics (project-based)
Deepening strategic topics: UX Strategy, Organizational Design, UX Maturity
Market and role orientation with a focus on Head of UX / UX Leadership positions
René Kunkel
Last position:
Head of UX & Design at EXPERIOR DIGITAL
- UX and product strategy
- digital transformation
- digital brand strategy
- customer experience platforms
- stakeholder workshops
- design leadership
Jan Korsanke
Last position:
UX Designer & Design Director at Freelance
As an experienced creative and leader, I have a deep understanding and experience in design, its processes and methods.
This allows me to research and create meaningful interactions, services or products for you and your users.
A history of complex and interdisciplinary environments enable me to get familiar, navigate and create meaningful impact in new contexts and challenges quickly.
Martin Steiner
Last position:
Product & Design Lead at Premium Technology
- Led product & design (5 reports), hiring and development of team
- Implemented product squads, innovated around data ingestion and analysis.
- €0.5M to €4M ARR in 18 months
Dimitri Nachtigal
Last position:
Visual Design Lead, Library GUI Architect, Designer, Illustrator, Motion Designer, Design Prototyper at Vodafone Group Plc
- Work on consumer IoT products focusing on user experience and customer journeys.
- Define visual guidelines and branding for IoT services.
- Design and expand atomic design systems for scalable digital interfaces.
- Support existing products and services with visual and interaction design.
- Create motion designs and prototypes for concept validation.
Henry Vanhauer
Last position:
Full-Stack Developer & Design Lead at FUNKE Mediengruppe
In the course of migrating from Shopware 5 to 6, we decided to completely rethink the e-commerce landscape of the regional FUNKE online shops. Primary goals were, in addition to creating a reliable platform with multiple sales channels for each regional brand, the rebranding and brand identity aligned to these brands.
Secondarily, the rebranding fed into the CI for marketing materials, which in the daily newspaper sector still has a strong focus on print alongside digital performance ads in the target audience segment.
Verena Michel
Last position:
Design Lead at Freelancer
- Deepening competencies in strategic leadership, AI applications in design, new work, innovation, and change management
- Completed full-time "Digital Leadership" program (grade: very good) and the "Super Intensive" English course (certificate: C1)
- Professional development through online courses, lectures, workshops, and active participation in industry and networking events
Reuf Kadic
Last position:
Independent mechanical development engineer, head of design and development of the pipedeck at Herrenknecht Vertikal GmbH
- Development and design of a new oil drilling machine for the Beatrice oil rig in Scotland
- Concept design of the pipe-overdeck platform with crane, total load 200 tonnes
- Static FEM and CFD flow analysis to ensure safe discharge of oil-contaminated wastewater
- Planning, calculation and design of the concept
- Management of 5 designers
- CAD: CREO, Model Manager, SAP
- FKM, VDI 2230 and Euro Code 3
Chengbei Miao
Last position:
Design Department Manager / AI Digitalization Engineer at Günther Maschinenbau GmbH
- Design and implementation of an industrial CRM system to support sales, converting technical drawings into a structured product knowledge base, enabling fast, intelligent search and product-line presentations without a CAD environment – as a foundation for AI-driven configuration and layout automation
- Development of an internal AI-driven digitization web application (Machine Process Tracker) to centralize machine processes from completion to pickup, including DoD checklists, continuous improvement measures, and ERP integration
- Automatic risk detection using traffic light logic and data-based transparency across all business areas
- Technical and disciplinary leadership of the E-KON & M-KON teams
- End-to-end responsibility: machine design → hardware → software
- Standardization, quality management, and team and resource planning
- Introduction of new technologies to ensure the systems' future viability
- Design and implementation of graphical user interfaces for machine operation and monitoring
- Development of cross-platform applications with the Qt framework and C++
- Programming of machine controls
- Analysis of customer requirements and development of custom automation solutions
- Support for on-site commissioning of machines and systems
- Documentation and maintenance of code for sustainable upkeep and expansion
Jan Hanken
Last position:
Product Lead at GoDEAP.ai
- Leading the development of a virtual data scientist platform designed for business professionals, students, and SMEs.
René Schiebelhut
Last position:
UX and Design Lead at 50 Hertz Transmission GmbH
- UX strategy & analysis: analyzing requirements and research results as a basis for creating structured user journeys in the "MCCS" project (realtime data/data governance).
- Design & prototyping: transforming the journeys into a consistent UI design and interactive prototypes using Figma while meeting technical requirements.
- validation & documentation: conducting usability tests with follow-up design refinements and creating detailed technical documentation.
- Tools: Figma, Confluence, Lovable, Miro, Design Systems
Seisho Freelancer
Last position:
Design Advisory at Pliant
- Supporting all design-related topics including rebranding projects
- Hiring designers and establishing a cross-functional collaboration model
Pedro Hernández
Last position:
Senior Design Manager & Creative Director at PHCDESIGN
- Design and development of technical sportswear, lifestyle and fashion collections
- Trend research
- Apparel design
- Graphic design
- Techpacks
- Product development
- Brands: ZARA, JACK & JONES, ZIENER, OCEANS APARTS, NALINI, JOMA, GIESWEIN, BERGMENSCH
Vale Querini
Last position:
Product Design Team Lead at saas.group
- Managed a central team of 3 senior product designers
- Acted as practice lead for several junior and mid-level designers across the brands of the group
- Developed the company's product design career framework, including level progression and competency matrix
- Provided strategic product design direction and process optimization support across multiple cross-functional teams
- Guided product leaders on design discovery methods and design-driven value creation, building and spreading knowledge across teams
- Developed educational content, including articles, templates, and presentations
Vito Ianniello
Last position:
Chief Designer at Vitovision GmbH
- Market research and market trend analysis
- Design development for wheels and aerodynamic components in car refinement
- Design and construction support (prototype building, visualization, animation, car configurator)
- Project management including budget responsibility
- Design responsibility for the ABT group in coordination with internal and external partners
- Visualization of creative ideas in the management circle with passion and conviction
- Development of many innovations up to utility models and patents, recommended involvement in Formula E 2012
- Application of strong skills in 2D/3D CAD (Pro/Engineer Creo), rendering, and construction
- Advising ABT group management and external clients, full project leadership to market readiness
- Internal and external negotiations, technical sales approach
- Leading and motivating a design team (up to 4 designers)
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Heads of Design statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
19 years
Position duration
3.9 years
Positions per freelancer
10
Top business areas
Product Development, Marketing, Information Technology
Top industries
Information Technology, Media and Entertainment, Professional Services
Certification focus areas
Information Technology, Product Development, Strategy
Bachelor's degree or higher
93%
Master's degree or higher
43%
Certifications per freelancer
1
Most common languages
German, English, Italian
Speak two or more languages
90%
Based on our profile pool as of 26 Aug 2026.
Daily rate distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role in Germany are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range.
Average rates for Heads of Design in Germany
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Calculated based on our freelancers’ daily rates as of 26 Aug 2026. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
About the role
What they do
A Head of Design sets the design direction and makes sure it holds across products, brand, and customer touchpoints. This is the person companies bring in when design needs structure, stronger decisions, and clear ownership.
- Define design principles and standards
- Lead product, brand, or UX design work
- Align design with product, engineering, and marketing
- Review interfaces, flows, and visual systems
- Improve design handoff and team routines
They often work under titles such as design director, design lead, or creative director, depending on the company setup. In Germany, they are common in B2B software, e-commerce, mobility, and industrial businesses that need design to support complex products and multiple teams.
Core skills
Strong Heads of Design combine taste with structure. They know how to critique work, set a clear bar, and still keep delivery moving.
- Product design and UX thinking
- Brand systems and visual consistency
- Team leadership and coaching
- Workshop facilitation and stakeholder alignment
- Design ops, process, and prioritization
They should be able to move between discovery, concept work, review, and decision-making. Good candidates know when to be hands-on and when to guide senior designers, freelancers, and agencies.
Typical work
Freelance Heads of Design are often brought in for change, scale, or turnaround work. Companies use them when they need design leadership before a permanent hire is ready, or when the internal team needs outside direction.
- Design audits and roadmap review
- Rebuilding a design system
- Leading a new product or rebrand
- Supporting a hiring process or team reset
- Coaching in-house designers and setting quality standards
In Germany, this is especially useful for teams that work across local and international markets, where clear communication in English and German may both matter.
What good looks like
A strong Head of Design leaves behind more than polished screens. They create clarity, better decisions, and a design culture that can keep working after the project ends.
- Clear design rationale, not just nice visuals
- Consistent output across channels and products
- Better collaboration with product and engineering
- Practical systems that teams can maintain
- A visible lift in quality and alignment
Look for someone who can explain trade-offs, run a review without ego, and adapt to the company stage. For freelance work, that balance matters more than a long title list.
Frequently asked questions
Not sure where to start with Heads of Design? These answers cover the essentials.
A Head of Design usually sets direction, reviews key work, and helps the team make consistent decisions. The scope can include product design, brand systems, design ops, or a mix of all three. Many clients also expect support in workshops, stakeholder alignment, and design critique.
Hire a Head of Design when the challenge is leadership, not only execution. If the team needs standards, alignment, or a stronger design system, this role is a better fit than a senior hands-on designer. A design lead may focus on one squad or stream, while a head of design looks across the whole function.
The best Head of Design candidates combine product thinking, visual judgment, and team leadership. They should be able to guide UX decisions, improve brand consistency, and work closely with product and engineering. Communication matters as much as craft, because the job is often about making trade-offs clear.
A Head of Design usually owns the design function across product, digital experience, or the broader customer journey. A creative director is often more focused on campaign work, brand expression, or agency output. In some companies the titles overlap, so the actual remit matters more than the label.
A freelance Head of Design makes sense when you need leadership quickly, have a gap in the team, or want outside perspective on a specific challenge. It also works well for redesigns, reorganizations, and interim cover. If the need is long-term team ownership and hiring, a permanent role may be better.
Yes, many Heads of Design work remotely, especially on systems work, strategy, and team setup. On-site sessions can still help for workshops, stakeholder interviews, or a reset with the full team. For German companies, English is often enough, but German can be useful in local stakeholder settings.
Look for clear examples of decision-making, not just polished portfolios. A strong Head of Design can explain how they improved quality, handled disagreement, and made the team more effective. Ask how they set standards, how they work with product and engineering, and what changed after their involvement.
A freelance Head of Design should prepare a quick view of the current design setup, the team structure, and the main pain points. It helps to review the product, brand assets, research findings, and any design system or guidelines already in place. The faster they understand the context, the faster they can make useful decisions.
The average hourly rate for Heads of Design in Germany is 91 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 727 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers working as Heads of Design in Germany, 93% hold at least a Bachelor's degree and 43% hold at least a Master's degree.
On average, freelancers working as Heads of Design in Germany have 19 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 3.9 years.
The most common languages among freelancers working as Heads of Design in Germany are German (100%), English (90%), and Italian (24%).
The most common industries among freelancers working as Heads of Design in Germany are Information Technology (86%), Media and Entertainment (57%), and Professional Services (57%).
The most common business areas among freelancers working as Heads of Design in Germany are Product Development (95%), Marketing (62%), and Information Technology (57%).
FRATCH Heads of Design main locations
Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.
Berlin 
Munich Request a free demo
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Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
