Design Manager

Summary

Join NPR as the Manager of Design and lead strategic design efforts, driving initiatives to elevate design impact across multiple workstreams. You will shape the design vision, oversee design system development, and integrate design thinking into operations. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to evolve design workflows and foster innovation. This role requires proven leadership in design strategy, team management, and digital product development. The position offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, paid time off, and retirement savings.

Requirements

• Proven track record of leading design strategies and shipping digital products and services that meet both user and business needs
• 2+ years leading or managing a team or project, including skills in talent development, coaching, mentoring, objective setting and team motivation
• Experience designing across multiple platforms (desktop, mobile, connected devices) and contexts, including both user-facing and internal tools
• Strong proficiency in design thinking and agile project methodologies, with the ability to integrate these approaches into daily workflows
• Versatility in prototyping techniques, from low to high fidelity, adapting methods based on project needs and timelines
• Deep curiosity for user behavior and emerging technologies, with a focus on how they influence design and user interaction
• Solid understanding of technology frameworks that power digital products, such as APIs, web and mobile platforms, content management systems, and Google Analytics for data-driven insights and decision-making
• Experience using analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) to track user behavior, assess product performance, and inform design iterations
• A passion for storytelling and presenting design strategies clearly and persuasively to both internal teams and external stakeholders

Responsibilities

• Define and implement a design strategy that aligns with business goals, ensuring that design plays a key role in product and service development
• Utilize analytics and user feedback to measure the impact of design decisions and iterate on design strategies to optimize performance
• Leads and mentors a team of Product Designers and Design Technologists - preparing regular performance reviews, and making effective recommendations regarding any hiring, promotion, and discipline for these positions
• Partner with product management, engineering, marketing, research, and executive teams to align design initiatives with broader business objectives
• Ensure that all design decisions are informed by user research, data, and user-centered design methodologies
• Articulate design strategy and the value of design to partners and stakeholders, ensuring buy-in and alignment at all levels of the organization
• Act as a point of contact for facilitation, workshops, and design services ensuring that ICs across the design team have what they need to help our colleagues across the organization participate in design
• Collaborate with cross-division managers and individual contributors to improve design processes, tools, and infrastructure to enhance team productivity and collaboration
• Encourage experimentation and innovation within the design team, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible while staying aligned with user needs and business priorities
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and support to the design team, helping to elevate their skills and align their work with strategic goals
• Identify opportunities for refining the design process, adopting new tools, and staying ahead of industry trends to maintain a competitive edge
• Communicate the value of design and evangelize our work within NPR, throughout the Member station network, and the global design community
• Personally work on the entire lifecycle of specific products, as needed: research, prototyping, design, and collaboration on implementation and iteration

Benefits

• Access to health and wellness
• Paid time off
• Financial well-being
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Life/ accidental death and dismemberment
• Long-term disability
• Short-term disability
• Voluntary retirement savings
• Remote Permitted