Design System Lead

We are X, bigly labs, Dis-Chem’s high-performance innovation hub; a place where bold ideas meet data, design, and radical customer focus to reimagine what healthcare can be.

Our mission is to power the future of healthcare by lowering costs, unlocking new possibilities, and improving access to healthcare for all South Africans. We do this through cutting-edge digital solutions that deliver smarter, more human, and truly patient-focused experiences. Here, your work is not limited to a whiteboard; it becomes real. It drives decisions, shapes experiences, and moves healthcare forward. We are driven by one big question: How do we use data and today’s technology to build breakthroughs to better health?

There’s only one question left: are you ready to make healthcare smarter, and actually mean it?

The Design System Lead defines and governs the enterprise design system architecture across all digital and in-store platforms. They ensure system compliance across squads through defined governance processes.

They ensure: Visual and interaction coherence across product surfaces; Scalability and maintainability of components and tokens; Platform-appropriate adaptation without fragmentation & Accessibility and usability standards embedded by default & Efficient collaboration between design and engineering

They: Architect the system vision; Define governance and contribution models; Lead cross-tribe alignment; Partner deeply with Engineering leadership & Maintain hands-on involvement in high-complexity components. They act as the craft authority for system design across the organisation.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR?

• Bachelor’s degree in Interaction Design, Visual Communication, Product Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or related discipline.
• Postgraduate study in systems design, interface architecture, accessibility, or front-end engineering advantageous.
• Typically 8–12+ years of experience, including: Leading large-scale design system creation or transformation; Architecting multi-platform component ecosystems; Governing token systems, typography systems, and interaction patterns; Deep cross-platform experience (web, mobile, internal systems); Close collaboration with engineering on scalable implementation & Influence at tribe or organisational level
• Demonstrated expertise in: Design token architecture; Component governance models; Accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1+); Cross-brand and multi-audience systems & Front-end system alignment (React/Vue/Angular ecosystems or equivalents)
• The Principal Design System Lead defines and governs the enterprise design system architecture across all digital and in-store platforms. 

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING?

• Define and evolve system architecture across platforms: Establish token hierarchy (colour, typography, spacing, elevation, motion) & Define interaction primitives and behavioural patterns
• Ensure coexistence of: In-store apps; Consumer web and mobile; Clinical systems; Lifecycle communications & Internal tooling.
• Design system governance structure: Define contribution standards; Establish review and approval workflows; Create versioning and release protocols & Enable squads to contribute safely without fragmentation
• Align token architecture to implementation frameworks
• Embed accessibility and usability standards into the system itself: WCAG compliance; Colour contrast standards; State logic for error, loading, recovery; Inclusive interaction patterns; Advise Tribe Leads and Principal Design Leads on system implications; Identify long-term architectural risks; Influence platform strategy through system thinking & Support roadmap decisions impacting system evolution
• Lead and develop the Design System team and contributors.

WHO YOU ARE?

• Understands dependency mapping across components
• Maintains coherence across web, mobile, operational and CRM systems
• Understands front-end architecture deeply
• Designs systems that reduce cognitive load at scale
• Identifies long-term system risks

Our values show up in how we think, build, and make choices that make an impact. We are building a culture that drives progress; one that fixes friction, chases what changes, and owns the outcome. We design with tomorrow in mind, ask sharper questions, and answer them with care, urgency, and systems that scale.

Think you’ve got energy, curiosity, and guts? Come hold the space, make it matter, and own a breakthrough.