Manager, Product Design

Introduction:

Are you searching for an opportunity to play a key role in driving the dramatic growth of a highly successful software company? 

At Poppulo, we’re working on what’s next in communications and workplace technology. As a pioneer in this industry, we understand that meaningfully reaching every employee is hard. And so is managing office space in a hybrid world. And so is improving the customer and guest experience. We exist to make each of these things easier. We exist to bring harmony to our customers. 

And we do that at enterprise scale. Our omnichannel employee communications, customer communications, and workplace experience platform is trusted by over 6,000 organizations today, reaching more than 35M employees and delivering content to 500,000+ digital signs.

We know there’s no such thing as a “perfect" candidate - we’re all a work in progress and are growing new skills and capabilities all the time. We encourage you to apply for a position with Poppulo even if you don’t meet 100% of the requirements. We believe in fostering an environment where there is a diversity of perspectives, in hopes that we can all thrive.

Job Summary  

The Manager, Product Design, plays a critical role in shaping and elevating the design vision for our product ecosystem, Blending hands-on design expertise with strong leadership capabilities, this role drives excellence across the full design lifecycle — from discovery and concept development to delivery and continuous iteration. The manager partners closely with cross-functional teams to deeply understand customer needs, define meaningful product experiences, and ensure design quality and consistency across all touchpoints. They guide and mentor a team of designers, fostering a collaborative, customer-centric, and high-performing culture that consistently delivers world-class product experiences. 

Key Responsibilities  

Design Strategy & Vision 

• Contribute to the definition of product vision and long-term design strategy.
• Collaborate with the Product Design Director to develop and communicate a clear design vision and approach for your team’s work.
• Advocate for customer-centered design throughout the product development lifecycle, influencing the creation of new features, enhancements, and updates to existing interfaces.

Product Discovery & Definition 

• Partner with Designers, Researchers, Product Managers, Data Scientists, and Engineers to gain deep insight into customer needs, behaviors, and pain points.
• Evolve product requirements, translating research findings into impactful design solutions.
• Facilitate design workshops to clarify complex problem spaces, align cross-functional teams, and identify high-value product opportunities.
• Conduct or guide customer research to validate ideas and improve decision-making.

Design Execution & Delivery 

• Lead design for key product initiatives from discovery through delivery, producing intuitive, scalable product experiences.
• Establish design direction using expertise, persuasion, and data-driven insights.
• Translate concepts into high-quality user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and final designs.
• Maintain design system standards and ensure brand integrity across all product experiences.

Team Leadership & Development 

• Lead, coach, and empower a team of designers to deliver exceptional work from concept to launch.
• Drive design best practices within the team, including creative problem solving, research loops, iteration, and continuous improvement.
• Build and nurture a strong, inclusive team culture grounded in collaboration, curiosity, and shared values.
• Establish clear goals, metrics, and performance expectations.
• Provide continuous feedback, identify blockers, and apply appropriate performance interventions when needed.
• Support team members’ career growth through development conversations, personalized action plans, and ongoing coaching.
• Play a key role in team engagement and retention by ensuring designers feel supported, valued, and empowered.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Delivery Management 

• Partner with product and engineering leaders to build and maintain a roadmap for design deliverables.
• Oversee multiple projects simultaneously, managing sprint planning, team capacity, and workflow prioritization.
• Foster strong, trusting relationships across cross-functional teams to ensure timely alignment and delivery.
• Identify and remove blockers, proactively communicating ch