Product Design Manager

📋 Description

• • As a Product Design Manager at Sitemate, you will embody a unique hybrid ownership role, taking full responsibility for product outcomes from their nascent conceptual stages through to their successful launch and ongoing performance in production.
• • This position is designed for individuals who thrive on end-to-end accountability, blending deep UX/UI design expertise with robust product ownership and agile delivery management capabilities.
• • You will be an integral part of small, high-trust teams, collaborating intimately with engineers to meticulously define problems, architect innovative solutions, refine requirements, strategically plan delivery cycles, and ultimately, own the success of what ships, including its real-world performance.
• • At Sitemate, the traditional silos between design, product, and delivery are intentionally dissolved. We believe that the future of effective product development, particularly in an era of AI acceleration, lies with versatile builders who can seamlessly integrate and excel across all three disciplines.
• • Your day-to-day will involve a dynamic mix of activities, including preparing high-level concept designs for rigorous internal review and crucial customer validation, alongside conducting in-depth customer research to inform design decisions.
• • You will be responsible for crafting detailed UX flows and high-fidelity UI designs, developing comprehensive information architecture (IA) diagrams, and meticulously defining and reviewing feature scope and acceptance criteria to ensure clarity and alignment.
• • A significant aspect of your role will be the close collaboration with engineers and your peers to effectively plan, prioritize, and execute the delivery of product features, including the critical task of reviewing completed engineering work to ensure it meets design and quality standards.
• • Post-launch, you will actively monitor the performance of released features, diligently reporting on key usage metrics and proactively identifying and escalating any UX gaps, quality issues, or overlooked edge cases.
• • You will also play a vital role in monitoring production support issues, triaging incoming problems, and ensuring the ongoing quality and stability of our products.
• • Maintaining consistent and transparent collaboration with product and design leadership is paramount, ensuring alignment on strategy and execution.
• • Clear and concise written communication across platforms like Slack, Confluence, and Jira is essential for effective teamwork and project progression.
• • The challenges of this role are significant but rewarding: the breadth of ownership requires you to fluidly transition between design, product scoping, delivery coordination, and production support within a single day. This is not a role for those seeking to specialize in a single discipline.
• • You must be comfortable with and energized by a high-pace environment, ready to learn rapidly and ship frequently, rather than waiting for ideal conditions.
• • The core of this role is owning the outcome, not merely the output; you are accountable for the success of what is built, extending beyond the initial designs to encompass the user experience and functionality in production.
• • Production support and issue triage are integral components of the job, not peripheral tasks. Monitoring production, addressing customer support escalations, and ensuring post-release quality are fundamental responsibilities.
• • You will operate within a strong culture defined by core values and established operating procedures, requiring adaptability and a willingness to embrace our unique way of working.
• • This role is ideal for product-minded individuals who are passionate about owning product outcomes from inception to completion, and for designers seeking deeper accountability and delivery ownership.
• • It is also suited for product thinkers who are comfortable navigating the spectrum from UX exploration to execution, and for individuals who are energized by a fast-paced, iterative development environment.
• • Conversely, this role is not for those who exclusively wish to design without engaging in delivery or product ownership, nor for designers who prefer to hand off work rather than see it through to production success.
• • It is also not for individuals who desire strictly separated roles and lack cross-functional accountability.
• • You will be empowered to experiment proactively with AI tools to enhance efficiency and drive innovation in your design and product processes.
• • Proficiency in Figma, including leveraging UI libraries and design systems, is a core requirement for creating scalable and consistent user interfaces.
• • A strong foundation in UX/UI fundamentals, underpinned by a user-centered design philosophy, will guide your work.
• • Experience in designing for both web and mobile applications is essential, reflecting the diverse platforms Sitemate supports.
• • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills are critical for effective collaboration and stakeholder management.
• • You must be comfortable navigating ambiguity and making pragmatic trade-offs to achieve project goals.
• • Strong visual design skills and an unwavering attention to detail will ensure the high quality of our product interfaces.
• • Experience in SaaS product development is highly desirable, providing valuable context for our industry.
• • A working knowledge of HTML/CSS is beneficial for understanding technical constraints and possibilities.
• • You will utilize essential tools such as Figma, Jira, Confluence, Slack, and Mixpanel (or similar product analytics tools) daily.
• • Bonus tools like Figma Make and Claude Code may also be leveraged to enhance productivity and capabilities.