Check out this job.
That’s for Executive Management, not a design position.
Of course, I didn’t really read the whole thing…
Well, this is how I read that posting:
Experience in design-related or design development and research driven environment is desirable.
Translation: Marketing or Engineering person telling other marketing, engineering, and industrial designers what to do.
Wide business administration and management experience in a design, development and research driven environment supported by a strong commercial acumen
Translation: Marketing or Engineering person with real-world experience dealing with Sales, Finance, Human Resources, etc; esp interested in someone coming from a brand-driven, company with a large R&D budget.
An aptitude for systems development and a real flair for leadership and motivation.
Translation: Marketing or Engineering person with an excellent business sense and an ability to put in place business teams (systems) that may piss off long-time employees; charm, charisma, professionally attractive appearance and excellent speaking skills (vocal range: soft, seductive “Please don’t leave the company, we need you” to authoritarian/agressive “I don’t care if you have to feed your children to this lunatic’s pet crocodiles, get us into that market!”) strongly desired.
Have strong negotiation skills, project management, and financial controls experience and exceptional presentation skills.
Translation: See above, see above, see above, and see above.
Free to travel to Asia and Europe when necessary.
Translation: Prefer single/divorced individuals, however, married applicants with no regard for home-life, their spouse, their lover(s), or their drug-addicted children, are strongly encouraged to apply.
[Disclaimer: the above is a free speech exercise in comedy relief. It does not necessarily represent the opinion of Core or its representatives. Neither does it represent the opinions of employees of Rita Sue, Monster, Haliburton, Enron, the government of Brazil, the NRA, the AARP, the NAACP, PETA, Sadam Hussein, Green Peace or the company engaged in a search to fill this important position. Nor does it necessarily represent the opinion of the person posting this. Well, maybe a little…]
…this is perfect for the right design professional wanting to take the next step in design management. What do you think J.Mays is? or Tim Parsey? or Jonathan Ives? The only problem is that the pay for a VP is a little low. Corporate VPs on average should be between $300 - $700k/year.
I agree. For that position, the pay is a bit low. Best reason to say this is targeted at design professionals hoping to move up - because they’ll need to wear a lot of hats and not be paid as well as someone from Marketing or Engineering. otoh, the position is also open to Marketing and Engineering types with some understanding of design who are looking for work. My point was that it isn’t necessarily an ID job. No where does it specify a background in industrial design. Or did I miss that in the job posting?
Gonna have to get used to my new name.
They might be trying to low ball to see if a very capable candidate with ID background bites… I could see that. It is still, even if lower than average for a VP, a chunk of money.
All I can say is… just because it doesn’t say ID background doesn’t mean it cannot be or should not be. No one is gonna hand a position at this level. You have to take it. In my experience a person like Ives, or Mays will do far better in this position. They are blend of design and biz that is rare. Ives is about as smooth as they come, and that is not comparing him to only designers.
Agree again. I’m of the opinion that designers are excellent candidates for upper management given that the field straddles both Marketing and Engineering. Bet a number of people like myself have been back and forth between the two within one company. Problem is convincing others of that qualification.
But again, it’s not advertised as an ID job. And it really isn’t. It’s management. Claiming it’s an ID job is like saying winning the lottery makes an industrial designer a millionaire! There are precious few jobs at this level open to designers… unfortunately.
Then again, you could scam your way in: