About the position
The Director, Product Design will lead the strategy and vision for design across the company's products. They will be responsible for managing and developing a high-performing design team, as well as producing innovative designs and improving the user experience. The role involves collaborating with cross-functional teams, introducing new product features, and driving the design strategy. The Director will have a direct impact on shaping the teacher and student experience and will play a key role in scaling the company's ability to provide engaging learning content to K-12 classrooms nationwide.
Responsibilities
- Lead the strategy and vision for design across products
- Retain, motivate, and develop a high-performing design team
- Foster an environment for helping others learn and grow
- Coach and mentor team members by providing effective performance feedback
- Produce non-obvious user experience insights to create innovative designs
- Identify ways to improve the user experience visually and by measurable user outcomes
- Independently produce, deliver, and validate high-quality end-to-end products
- Ideate short-term design strategies and features with the product team
- Balance strategic business goals with the needs of clients
- Collaborate with core team members to introduce new product features
- Create a better user experience based on user feedback
- Partner closely with cross-functional team members
- Bring the voice of the customer to every conversation
- Build the organization by executing design vision
- Focus on quality metrics for usability and growth
- Lead the design strategy and influence direction
- Use data, examples, and sway to create the vision for product design
- Have an impact on the design strategy and vision across products
- Join a fun team with virtual get-togethers and on-site events
- Shape features and products through collaboration with Product Designers and User Researchers
- Have a direct impact on the teacher and student experience
- Scale Newsela's ability to bring engaging learning content to K-12 classrooms
- Lead design teams and implement organizational structure and creative development processes
- Utilize a wide range of design prototyping tools and methods
- Deep knowledge in key areas of UX/Prototyping & Interaction Design, UI/Visual Design, Understanding Human Behavior, Business and Product Strategy, Design Thinking, Accessibility and Inclusive Design, Information Design, Information Architecture, and Design Systems
- Be a thought partner to business leads and Senior VP of Product
- Partner with cross-functional teams across the organization
- Guide designers to communicate and negotiate with cross-functional members
- Foster strong relationships with cross-functional agile teams
- Manage stakeholders through all phases of the design process
- Excellent communication, presentation, interpersonal, and negotiation skills
- Drive end-to-end product design and lead the design strategy
- Engage with executives and update design framework and processes to meet customer and internal needs.
Requirements
- 3+ years of experience leading design teams and a minimum of 7+ years of product design experience
- Skilled at implementing and optimizing the organizational structure and creative development processes that allow the design team to scale with the company
- Experience with a wide range of design prototyping tools and methods like sketching, storyboarding, diagramming, wireframing, prototyping, and user research
- Deep knowledge in 2-3 key areas: UX/Prototyping & Interaction Design, UI/Visual Design, Understanding Human Behavior, Business and Product Strategy, Design Thinking, Accessibility and Inclusive Design, Information Design, Information Architecture, and Design Systems
- Product-minded design leader with the confidence and ability to be a thought partner to business leads and our Senior VP of Product
- Cross-functional partnership experience across the organization, including Product, Engineering, Marketing, Customer Services, Sales, and Leadership
- Ability to effectively guide designers to communicate and negotiate with other cross-functional members
- Proven experience fostering strong relationships with cross-functional agile teams while successfully managing many stakeholders through all phases of the design process
- Excellent communication, presentation, interpersonal, and negotiation skills for a broad range of audiences including leadership
- Ability to drive end-to-end product design and lead the design strategy of the entire product portfolio
- Confidence in engaging with executives and updating the design framework and processes to meet emerging customer and internal needs
Benefits
- Opportunity to have an impact on the design strategy and vision across Newsela's products
- Fun team with virtual get-togethers and on-site events throughout the year
- Blend of high-functioning and collaborative Product Designers and User Researchers
- Direct impact on the customer-obsessed team shaping the teacher and student experience
- Health & Wellness benefits, including access to medical experts and resources for staying healthy
- Work From Home option with a tech stipend
- Support for all families with supplemental programs and time off
- Flexible PTO and Sabbatical Leave
- Inclusive experiences with DEIB curriculum and Identity & Experience Groups
- Professional Development programs for meaningful and inclusive experiences
- Opportunity to make a difference in the future of education and improve the lives of students and teachers