Senior Manager, Product Design

Summary

Join Upwork as a Senior Manager, Product Design and collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and improve the platform for our freelancer marketplace. You will manage a team, oversee UX processes, shape UX strategy, and partner with other leads. This role requires a proven track record in product design management, a self-starter mindset, and the ability to work with various teams. Upwork offers a remote-first work environment with benefits including medical insurance, unlimited PTO, 401(k) matching, paid parental leave, and an employee stock purchase plan. The annual base salary range is $175,500 - $210,000 USD, with eligibility for bonuses and equity incentives. Come and help change how the world works!

Requirements

• Proven track record as a Product Design or UX manager in a cross-functional UX team, dedicated to the complete UX design and development lifecycle of several successfully launched features and products
• A self-starter, owner mindset that proactively drives improvements in process, product, and how teams collaborate
• Ability to work seamlessly with product, research, engineers, operations, and customers
• Experience architecting system-wide design solutions that satisfy both product and engineering requirements

Responsibilities

• Foster success through leadership and practices like team rituals, coaching, performance management, feedback, and skill development
• Provide clear growth paths for designers while maintaining standards and visibility
• Proactively enhance processes, share strategies, and connect business goals to design work
• Ensure team efficiency and high-quality outcomes by modeling and supporting best UX practices
• Oversee all aspects of UX (e.g., research, design, strategy, execution) and establish a strong feedback culture
• Facilitate alignment through reviews and support the product development lifecycle (PDLC) stages from planning to launch
• Shape UX strategy to meet customer needs and business goals
• Build empathy for users, suggest improvements, and ground design decisions in data
• Lead experiment design with clear hypotheses and qualitative/quantitative measures
• Collaborate with PM and Eng leads on strategy, roadmaps, and execution
• Align cross-functional partners through shared understanding, clarity in prioritization, and streamlined processes
• Cultivate relationships through regular meetings with Sr PM, VP, and Eng leads

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience designing for search and recommendation systems, mobile design, and/or messaging
• Experience designing for AI and ML products

Benefits

• Medical insurance for you and your family
• Unlimited PTO
• 401(k) with matching
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave
• A generous Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Up to two annual trips to the San Francisco office for leadership events
• Annual bonus plan or sales incentive plan
• Eligibility to participate in our long term equity incentive program