Product Design Director

Xero•San Mateo, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

As the Product Design Director for our US, Banking and Data-In group, you will take ownership of the design direction and vision for critical product areas key to our success in the US. You will partner closely with product and engineering leaders to define strategy, ensuring we deliver consistent and beautiful experiences that help small businesses thrive. Your leadership will be pivotal in driving operational excellence and promoting the value of design across the organisation. You will lead and grow a talented team of designers, providing mentorship and coaching to help them reach their full potential. By setting high standards and refining our design practice, you will ensure our products not only meet user needs but also challenge the status quo through innovation and high-quality execution. You will lead a dedicated team of six designers focused on the US market, collaborating across North America, Australia, and New Zealand. The team works as a coordinated unit within a cross-functional "triad" environment, partnering deeply with product and engineering peers to shape a strategy that is still forming and highly impactful. Initially, you will focus on Developing the US product strategy to create cashflow-forward experiences for small businesses. Driving the "Data-in" initiative, using AI for smart document capture, extraction, and matching. Leading the transformation of legacy experiences through automation and AI to give time back to our customers. Evolving core banking experiences, including auto bank reconciliation and bank feed setups. This role is intended for candidates based on the West Coast of the US or in Vancouver. We offer a flexible, hybrid working environment where you can connect with your team across multiple time zones while having the support of a strong local product community.

Requirements

Bring a design portfolio that showcases a history of delivering high-quality, mature product experiences.
Background includes leading performance-driven teams with an assertive, front-foot leadership style.
Possess the ability to tell compelling stories and present strategic thinking to executive-level stakeholders.
Deep understanding of cross-functional team dynamics allows you to coordinate effectively with product and engineering partners.
Demonstrate a strong sense of when to rely on research and when to take a calculated risk to drive innovation.
Willingness to get "on the tools" when necessary to mentor designers and demonstrate what good looks like.

Responsibilities

Take ownership of the design direction and vision for critical product areas key to our success in the US.
Partner closely with product and engineering leaders to define strategy, ensuring we deliver consistent and beautiful experiences that help small businesses thrive.
Drive operational excellence and promoting the value of design across the organisation.
Lead and grow a talented team of designers, providing mentorship and coaching to help them reach their full potential.
Set high standards and refining our design practice
Ensure our products not only meet user needs but also challenge the status quo through innovation and high-quality execution.
Developing the US product strategy to create cashflow-forward experiences for small businesses.
Driving the "Data-in" initiative, using AI for smart document capture, extraction, and matching.
Leading the transformation of legacy experiences through automation and AI to give time back to our customers.
Evolving core banking experiences, including auto bank reconciliation and bank feed setups.