Lead Product Designer, Ads & Monetization

Summary

Join Upwork as a Lead Product Designer to shape the future of monetization. You will design experiences for growing the advertising ecosystem, connecting businesses with freelancers through promoted listings and sponsored placements. This high-impact role involves leading end-to-end experiences, collaborating with cross-functional partners, and optimizing for client and talent satisfaction. You will translate complex monetization goals into user-centered designs and prototype new ad formats. The position requires experience in monetization design within a marketplace or search-heavy environment and a portfolio showcasing user-first monetization design. Upwork offers a remote-first work environment and comprehensive benefits.

Requirements

• Experience designing for monetization, advertising platforms, or performance marketing—ideally within a marketplace or search-heavy environment
• Strong product thinking with a demonstrated ability to align design decisions with business metrics and growth goals
• A portfolio that showcases user-first monetization design across web and/or mobile, with clarity on your role, thought process, and results
• Proficiency in tools like Figma and comfort with rapid prototyping, experimentation frameworks, and working with data-rich interfaces

Responsibilities

• Lead the design strategy and execution across the Ads & Monetization space, delivering high-quality product experiences that balance business goals with user value
• Partner with product managers, engineers, and data scientists to identify opportunities to enhance visibility, promote relevance, and drive conversions through ads and sponsored placements
• Translate complex monetization goals into intuitive, ethical, and user-centered design flows that integrate into core marketplace interactions
• Prototype and test new ad formats, surfacing strategies, and placement mechanics with a bias toward experimentation and iteration
• Leverage data and user insights to continuously improve performance-focused features and workflows, optimizing for both client and talent satisfaction
• Collaborate across functions to ensure design consistency, clarity, and impact—building shared frameworks and scalable patterns
• Contribute to Upwork’s design culture by mentoring peers, sharing best practices, and advocating for quality and customer impact

Preferred Qualifications

Familiarity with AI-powered systems, relevance models, or surfacing logic is a plus

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical coverage for you and your family
• Unlimited PTO
• A 401(k) plan with matching
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• An Employee Stock Purchase Plan