Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Manager Company: ELSA, Corp Location: San Francisco, California, United States Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design Management & Brand Strategy Date Posted: December 18, 2025 Experience Level: 10+ Years (AI inferred from 8+ years total + 3+ years leadership)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and mentor a diverse team of product, visual, and brand designers to foster innovation and drive design excellence.
• Define and execute the overarching design strategy across all user touchpoints, including product UI/UX, brand identity, and marketing campaigns.
• Champion a user-centric design philosophy, leveraging research and data analytics to inform decisions and create impactful user experiences.
• Drive the development and evolution of a robust design system to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency across all ELSA platforms.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional stakeholders, including Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Executive Leadership, to align design initiatives with business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role of Design Manager at ELSA, Corp is positioned as a strategic leadership position that bridges creative vision with operational execution. The emphasis on leading both product and brand design functions, coupled with the requirement for cross-functional collaboration, indicates a need for a candidate who can manage diverse design disciplines and influence broader business strategy. The AI-inferred experience level of 10+ years (combining the 8+ years of design experience with 3+ years in leadership) suggests this is not an entry-level management role, but one requiring seasoned expertise.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Development:
  • Recruit, onboard, manage, and mentor a high-performing team of product designers, visual designers, and brand designers.
  • Foster a collaborative and inclusive team environment that encourages creativity, learning, and professional growth.
  • Conduct regular performance reviews, provide constructive feedback, and support individual career development plans.
• Strategic Design Direction:
  • Establish and communicate a clear strategic design vision that aligns with ELSA's mission and business goals.
  • Oversee the end-to-end design process for new features, product enhancements, and brand initiatives.
  • Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify design trends and opportunities.
• User Experience (UX) & Product Design:
  • Guide the creation of intuitive, engaging, and user-friendly interfaces for ELSA's mobile and web applications.
  • Ensure a consistent and cohesive user experience across all product touchpoints.
  • Drive user research initiatives, usability testing, and A/B testing to validate design decisions and gather user insights.
• Brand Identity & Marketing Design:
  • Oversee the development and consistent application of ELSA's brand identity across all marketing materials, campaigns, and communications.
  • Collaborate with the marketing team to create compelling visual assets that resonate with target audiences.
  • Ensure brand consistency and adherence to brand guidelines across all external-facing touchpoints.
• Design System Management:
  • Lead the ongoing development, maintenance, and adoption of ELSA's design system.
  • Ensure the design system supports scalability, efficiency, and consistent user experiences.
  • Train and support design and engineering teams on the effective use of the design system.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  • Partner closely with Product Management to define product roadmaps and feature requirements.
  • Work with Engineering teams to ensure designs are technically feasible and implemented accurately.
  • Align with Marketing and Communications teams on brand messaging and campaign execution.
  • Present design strategies, concepts, and outcomes to executive leadership and other stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities outlined clearly delineate the dual focus of this role: managing both the product design function (UI/UX, user research, system design) and the brand design function (identity, marketing collateral). The emphasis on "rolling up your sleeves" suggests that while leadership is key, hands-on contribution and creative problem-solving are also expected, particularly for key initiatives. This indicates a need for a leader who is both a strategic thinker and a capable practitioner.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for this level of role. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience:

• Minimum of 8 years of professional design experience, with a significant portion focused on digital product design and user experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a formal design leadership or management role, demonstrating the ability to lead, mentor, and grow design teams.
• Proven track record of successfully managing design projects from concept to launch.

Required Skills:

• Design Leadership & Management: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and manage a team of designers, fostering a positive and productive work environment. Experience in hiring, performance management, and career development.
• User Experience (UX) & User Interface (UI) Design: Deep understanding of UX principles, user-centered design methodologies, information architecture, and interaction design.
• Brand Strategy & Visual Design: Strong command of brand identity development, visual design principles, typography, color theory, and layout. Ability to translate brand strategy into compelling visual assets.
• Portfolio Development: A strong, comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design work, including UI/UX case studies, and brand design examples with clear articulation of your role and impact.
• Communication & Storytelling: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts, strategies, and rationale effectively to diverse audiences, including executive leadership.
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Demonstrated ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Marketing) and manage relationships with various stakeholders.
• Design Systems: Proficiency in establishing, maintaining, and advocating for design systems to ensure consistency and scalability.
• Prototyping & Design Tools: Fluency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools, with a specific emphasis on Figma.

Preferred Skills:

• Consumer Tech/Edtech Experience: Previous experience working within the consumer technology or educational technology sectors.
• AI/ML Product Design: Familiarity with designing for AI-powered products and understanding the nuances of user interaction with intelligent systems.
• Data-Driven Design: Experience in leveraging user research, analytics, and A/B testing to inform design decisions and measure impact.
• Mobile & Web Design Expertise: In-depth knowledge of best practices for designing across mobile (iOS, Android) and web platforms.
• Marketing Campaign Design: Experience in conceptualizing and executing design for integrated marketing campaigns.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "8+ years of design experience, with 3+ years in design leadership roles" is a standard benchmark for management positions. The AI inference of "10+" years reflects the cumulative experience often required to reach this strategic level, especially when considering the breadth of responsibilities (product, brand, people management). The emphasis on Figma is critical, as it's a dominant tool in modern design workflows.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase detailed case studies that illustrate your involvement in the entire design lifecycle, from initial problem definition and user research through to final UI implementation and post-launch analysis.
• Strategic Impact: Clearly articulate the business problems your designs solved, the strategic thinking behind your solutions, and the measurable impact (e.g., user engagement, conversion rates, brand perception).
• Problem/Solution Framing: For each project, clearly define the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the design process followed, key challenges encountered, and the final solution(s).
• Systemic Thinking: Highlight examples of how you have contributed to or managed design systems, demonstrating an understanding of their importance for scalability, consistency, and team efficiency.
• Brand Integration: Include examples that demonstrate your ability to integrate brand identity effectively within product design and marketing campaigns, showcasing a cohesive brand experience.

Process Documentation:

• User-Centric Workflow: Demonstrate experience with user research methodologies (e.g., interviews, surveys, usability testing) and how findings were translated into design decisions.
• Design Iteration & Feedback: Illustrate your process for iterating on designs based on feedback from stakeholders, users, and team members.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration Frameworks: Provide examples of how you've established and managed collaborative processes with engineering, product management, and marketing teams to ensure seamless execution.
• Design System Implementation: Detail your approach to implementing and evolving design systems, including documentation, governance, and adoption strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Manager role, the portfolio is paramount. It's not just about showcasing beautiful visuals, but about demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, process maturity, and the ability to drive business impact through design. The emphasis on end-to-end case studies and measurable outcomes is crucial for a management position.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• For a Design Manager in San Francisco, California, with 8+ years of experience and 3+ years in leadership, the estimated annual salary range is typically between $170,000 and $230,000. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, the company's funding stage, and the exact scope of responsibilities.
• Methodology: This estimate is based on aggregated data from industry salary benchmarks for Design Managers in high-cost-of-living areas like San Francisco, considering companies in the tech sector. Factors such as company size, profitability, and the criticality of the role to the business also influence compensation.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: A base salary commensurate with experience and market rates.
• Stock Options: Potential for equity in a growing AI-powered company, offering participation in long-term success.
• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for continued learning, training, and conference attendance.
• Remote Work Flexibility: The option to work remotely, offering greater work-life balance.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, typically around 40 hours per week. However, given the nature of leadership roles and the demands of the tech industry, some flexibility and occasional extended hours may be required to meet project deadlines and team needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: San Francisco is a high-cost-of-living area, and tech management roles command premium salaries. The inclusion of "Stock Options" is a significant component of compensation in many tech startups and growth-stage companies like ELSA. The AI-inferred 40 hours/week is a baseline, but management roles often involve more.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Edtech, Language Learning Software Company Size: Based on LinkedIn data for ELSA, Corp (likely ELSA Speak), the company size is typically between 50-200 employees. This indicates a growth-stage company with established processes but still retaining some startup agility.

Founded: ELSA was founded in 2015, positioning it as a mature startup that has navigated early-stage challenges and achieved significant user adoption.

Team Structure:

• Product Design Team: This team is core to the role, likely comprising dedicated UI/UX designers, visual designers, and potentially UX researchers. The Design Manager will lead this group.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The Design Manager will work closely with Product Management (defining product strategy and roadmap), Engineering (implementation), Marketing (brand and go-to-market), and Executive Leadership (strategic alignment and vision).
• Reporting Structure: The Design Manager will likely report to a VP of Product, Chief Product Officer (CPO), or potentially a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) or Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), depending on the company's organizational structure.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: A strong emphasis on understanding user needs and behaviors through research and data.
• Agile Development: Likely operates within an agile framework, requiring close collaboration between design, product, and engineering teams to deliver iterative improvements.
• Data-Informed Decisions: Design choices are expected to be backed by user data, analytics, and A/B testing results.
• AI-Powered Innovation: The company's core offering is AI-driven, suggesting a culture that embraces technological advancement and data-driven insights.

Company Website: [ELSA, Corp Website - e.g., elsaspeak.com]

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on AI for language learning is a key differentiator. This implies a culture that values innovation, data, and technological problem-solving. A mid-sized company (50-200 employees) typically offers a balance between structured processes and the ability to make a significant individual impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Management/Leadership role within the Design function. The responsibilities extend beyond individual contribution to team leadership, strategic planning, and cross-functional influence. It sits at the intersection of creative direction and operational execution for the entire user experience and brand presentation.

Reporting Structure: The Design Manager will lead a team of designers and will likely report to a senior executive (e.g., VP of Product, CPO). This position requires significant autonomy in managing the design department while aligning with broader company strategy.

Operations Impact: The Design Manager's impact is critical to ELSA's success. Effective product design drives user acquisition, engagement, retention, and conversion, directly influencing revenue and growth. Strong brand design builds market recognition, trust, and differentiation. By leading these functions, the Design Manager directly shapes the company's market perception and user loyalty.

Growth Opportunities:

• Senior Leadership: Potential to advance to Director or VP of Design, overseeing larger teams and broader design strategy across multiple product lines or the entire company.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas such as AI product design, global UX strategy, or advanced design system architecture.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Opportunities to move into broader Product leadership roles or lead initiatives that span multiple departments.
• Mentorship & Advocacy: Become a thought leader in AI-driven design or the edtech space, mentoring emerging designers and contributing to industry best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Operations" aspect here refers to the operational management of the design function and its impact on the business's operational success (user acquisition, retention, brand equity). The growth trajectory is clearly towards higher levels of strategic leadership within design or product.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid or Remote-First. The job description explicitly mentions "Flexibility to work remotely," indicating a strong lean towards a remote-friendly or fully remote work environment. However, "San Francisco, California, United States" as a location suggests potential for a physical office presence or a hub for hybrid arrangements.

Office Location(s): While the primary listed location is San Francisco, California, the remote flexibility means candidates could be based anywhere within reasonable proximity for occasional in-person collaboration if a hybrid model is preferred by the company, or fully remote if that is the established norm.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Culture: Expect a dynamic and collaborative environment where design, product, and engineering teams work closely together.
• Technology-Enabled: Access to modern design tools (Figma, prototyping software) and communication platforms (Slack, Zoom) is standard.
• Global Team Interaction: As ELSA has a global user base (50M+ users), there may be interactions with team members or stakeholders in different time zones.
• Mission-Driven: The company's mission to "unlock opportunities for the world through better English" fosters a sense of purpose and impact.

Work Schedule: While typically 40 hours per week, the remote and leadership nature of the role may allow for some flexibility in structuring the workday, provided team collaboration and project delivery are maintained.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of remote flexibility is a key indicator of the work environment. For a Design Manager, this means ensuring effective remote team management strategies and communication protocols are in place.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A brief call with HR or a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role and company.
2. Hiring Manager Interview: A conversation with the likely hiring manager (e.g., VP of Product) to delve deeper into experience, leadership philosophy, and strategic thinking.
3. Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: A significant part of the process will involve presenting a curated portfolio of work. This may be accompanied by a design challenge (e.g., a hypothetical product problem, brand strategy exercise) to assess problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and design execution.
4. Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Product, Engineering, and Marketing to evaluate collaboration skills, communication style, and ability to work with diverse teams.
5. Executive Interview: A final conversation with a senior leader (e.g., CPO, CEO) to assess strategic alignment, cultural fit, and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 strong projects that best represent your leadership, strategic thinking, and end-to-end design capabilities across both product and brand.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your process, your specific contributions, the challenges, the solutions, and most importantly, the measurable outcomes and impact.
• Highlight Leadership: Emphasize your role in mentoring, guiding, and empowering your design team. Show how you fostered growth and improved team performance.
• Showcase Strategic Thinking: Connect your design decisions to business objectives and user needs. Explain why you made certain choices.
• Prepare for Questions: Be ready to discuss your design philosophy, your approach to managing conflict, how you handle feedback, and your vision for ELSA's design future.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business: Research ELSA's mission, product, target audience, and competitive landscape thoroughly.
• Think Strategically: For any design challenge, first consider the business goals and user needs before jumping into solutions.
• Process Over Perfection: Demonstrate a clear, logical design process. It's often more important to show how you think than to present a perfectly polished final artifact in a limited timeframe.
• Communicate Clearly: Practice articulating your thought process, assumptions, and proposed solutions concisely and persuasively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Design Manager is rigorous, focusing on both strategic leadership and hands-on design acumen. The portfolio presentation is a critical gate. Candidates should be prepared to defend their design decisions and demonstrate how they drive business value.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is a must.
• Prototyping Tools: Experience with tools like Figma's native prototyping, InVision, or Principle for creating interactive mockups.
• Design Systems Management: Familiarity with tools or methodologies for creating and maintaining design systems (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook, or Figma's component libraries).

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar for tracking user behavior and product performance.
• A/B Testing Platforms: Familiarity with A/B testing methodologies and tools (e.g., Optimizely, Google Optimize) to validate design hypotheses.
• Data Visualization Tools: Ability to interpret data presented in dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Looker, or internal tools) to inform design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a primary focus for a Design Manager, understanding how design impacts CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and marketing automation platforms (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) can be beneficial for brand consistency in marketing touchpoints.

Other Potential Tools:

• Project Management Tools: Jira, Asana, Trello for managing design tasks and workflows.
• Collaboration Tools: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace for team communication and document sharing.
• User Research Platforms: SurveyMonkey, Typeform, UserTesting.com for gathering user feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable for this role. The ability to leverage data and analytics tools to inform design is increasingly important for demonstrating ROI and strategic impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the user, making their learning journey effective and enjoyable.
• Innovation: Embracing AI and technology to push the boundaries of language learning and create novel user experiences.
• Collaboration: Fostering an environment where designers, engineers, product managers, and marketers work together seamlessly towards common goals.
• Data-Driven Excellence: Utilizing data and research to inform decisions, measure impact, and continuously improve products and brand representation.
• Impact & Mission: A shared drive to make a tangible difference in the lives of millions of language learners worldwide.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Expect a highly collaborative approach, with regular syncs and joint problem-solving sessions between design, product, engineering, and marketing.
• Open Feedback Loops: A culture that encourages constructive feedback and open dialogue to refine designs and strategies.
• Iterative Process: Embracing an agile mindset where designs are continuously tested, refined, and improved based on user feedback and performance data.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging sharing of best practices, learnings, and design trends within the team and across departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values align with a modern tech company focused on AI and user impact. The collaborative style is essential for a remote or hybrid environment to ensure alignment and innovation.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Product & Brand: Effectively managing and integrating the strategic direction for both product design (UI/UX) and brand design to ensure a cohesive and impactful user experience and brand perception.
• Remote Team Management: Leading and motivating a distributed design team, fostering strong communication, collaboration, and a sense of team cohesion despite physical distance.
• AI Product Nuances: Designing intuitive user experiences for AI-powered features, which can sometimes be complex or require users to adjust their mental models.
• Scalability & Consistency: Ensuring design consistency and scalability across a growing product suite and diverse marketing channels as the company expands.
• Data Interpretation: Translating complex user data and analytics into actionable design insights and strategies.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for AI-driven products and understanding user interaction with intelligent systems.
• Global UX Strategy: Develop strategies for designing for a diverse, global user base with varying cultural contexts and language needs.
• Leadership Development: Access to leadership training, mentorship programs, and opportunities to hone strategic management skills.
• Industry Trends: Stay at the forefront of design innovation, AI advancements, and edtech trends through conferences, workshops, and continuous learning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a senior design leadership role in a tech company, especially one leveraging AI and operating globally. The growth opportunities are well-defined, pointing towards career advancement within design or product leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach defining and evolving ELSA's design vision for the next 2-3 years, considering our AI-driven approach to language learning?" (Focus on strategic thinking, vision setting, and AI integration.)
• "Describe your process for ensuring design consistency across mobile, web, and marketing touchpoints. How would you leverage or evolve our design system to achieve this?" (Focus on design systems, brand consistency, and process.)
• "Imagine we are launching a new AI-powered feature to help users practice conversational fluency. What would be your approach to designing the user experience, and how would you validate its effectiveness?" (Focus on user-centered design, AI product design, research, and validation.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about ELSA's mission and our role in the AI/Edtech space?" (Assess passion and alignment with company purpose.)
• "How do you foster a collaborative and inclusive design culture, especially within a remote or hybrid team?" (Assess leadership style and team-building approach.)
• "How do you measure the impact of design on business objectives, and what key metrics would you track for ELSA's product and brand design efforts?" (Assess understanding of design's business value and data-driven approach.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the Problem, Your Role, Process, Solution, and Results (PPRSR). Focus on the "Why" and "How" behind your decisions.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased engagement by X%, reduced churn by Y%, improved conversion rate by Z%).
• Showcase Leadership: Highlight instances where you mentored designers, influenced strategy, or led cross-functional initiatives.
• Tailor to ELSA: Connect your past experiences and portfolio pieces to ELSA's specific context, product, and mission. Show you've done your research and can envision contributing to their future.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your process, trade-offs made, and learning from each project.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, a deep understanding of user-centered design principles, and the ability to translate those into measurable business outcomes. The emphasis on AI and the company's mission is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Manager position:

• Submit Your Application: Click the application link provided on the careers page and submit your resume and a cover letter.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Prepare a digital portfolio that clearly showcases 3-5 of your most impactful design projects. Prioritize case studies demonstrating end-to-end product design, brand strategy, and leadership experience. Ensure your role and contributions are clearly defined, and outcomes are quantified.
• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience in design leadership, team management, UI/UX design, brand strategy, and proficiency in relevant tools (especially Figma). Use keywords from the job description to ensure ATS compatibility.
• Research ELSA: Thoroughly research ELSA's AI-powered app, its mission, target audience, and current market position. Understand their brand identity and user experience.
• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design philosophy, leadership approach, and how your skills and experience align with ELSA's needs. Be ready to discuss your portfolio in detail and answer strategic interview questions.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with ELSA, Corp before making application decisions. The salary range is an estimate based on market data for San Francisco and the role's seniority.