Lead Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer Company: Change.org Location: Remote - North America Job Type: Full-time Category: Product Design / UX Design Date Posted: 2025-09-25 Experience Level: 8+ Years

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the design vision and execution for intuitive, motivating, and trustworthy user experiences across multiple product teams at Change.org.
• Drive product strategy and design for user engagement, activation, and retention, catering to both existing and emerging user segments.
• Leverage human-centered design principles, user empathy, and extensive qualitative/quantitative research to uncover insights and inform product decisions.
• Champion a holistic design approach, considering the entire user journey across multiple touchpoints and contexts to ensure cohesive and engaging experiences.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with product, engineering, and marketing teams to influence product direction and build a culture of shared ownership and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the input describes a "Lead Product Designer," the responsibilities and required experience (8+ years) suggest a senior or principal level role within the design function, potentially leading specific product areas or initiatives rather than managing a team of designers, given the absence of explicit management duties.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design process for new features and product experiences, from user research and strategy development to UX/UI design and iterative testing.
• Conduct deep user research, including discovery, emotional mapping, and sentiment analysis, to understand user needs, motivations, and pain points across various segments.
• Design compelling and intuitive user interfaces and user flows that enhance engagement, drive action, and build trust for users interacting with petitions and campaigns.
• Develop and validate mental models for user interactions, shaping key elements like buttons, ratings, and swipe gestures across different product surfaces and communication channels.
• Translate complex personalization strategies, such as segmentation and dynamic content, into seamless user experiences across multiple touchpoints and lifecycle communications.
• Drive measurable improvements in key metrics like petition signatures, supporter activation, community engagement, and petition success rates through data-informed design and rapid experimentation.
• Extend and evolve the company's design system to accommodate new use cases and ensure consistency and scalability across the platform.
• Proactively identify unmet user needs and envision new product opportunities, translating insights into actionable design solutions and innovative feature ideas.
• Influence product strategy and roadmap decisions by presenting research findings, design rationale, and proposed solutions to cross-functional stakeholders and leadership.
• Foster a collaborative design culture by initiating cross-team conversations, sharing knowledge, and building consensus on key product and design initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role's focus on "Nonprofits," "Personalization," "Community petitions & growth marketing," and "Supporter experience" indicates a strategic, user-centric approach to product development, aiming to deepen user engagement and expand the platform's impact. The responsibilities emphasize translating user insights into tangible product improvements that drive both user satisfaction and business objectives.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio showcasing a deep understanding of user-centered design principles and practical application of design methodologies is paramount. Experience: A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in product/UX design, with a proven track record of delivering end-to-end design solutions for B2C and/or product-led B2B environments.

Required Skills:

• Product Design & UX Expertise: Comprehensive understanding of the full product development lifecycle, from user research and strategy to wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and user testing.
• User Research Proficiency: Extensive experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative user research, including user interviews, usability testing, surveys, and data analysis to derive actionable insights.
• Design Thinking & Problem-Solving: Ability to apply structured, human-centered approaches to complex problems, translating user needs and business goals into intuitive and effective design solutions.
• Prototyping & Iteration: Skill in rapidly creating interactive prototypes (e.g., using Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) to visualize concepts, test hypotheses, and iterate based on user feedback and data.
• Holistic User Journey Design: Capacity to map, design, and optimize user experiences across multiple touchpoints, ensuring a cohesive, engaging, and evolving user journey over time.
• Collaboration & Influence: Proven ability to build trust and credibility with cross-functional teams (product managers, engineers, researchers) and influence decision-making without direct authority.
• Data-Informed Design: Competency in leveraging analytics, A/B testing results, and user feedback to inform design decisions and optimize product performance.
• Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to articulate design rationale, present findings, and advocate for user needs effectively to diverse audiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Growth Design: Experience in designing features and flows specifically aimed at user acquisition, activation, retention, and engagement, with a focus on measurable growth outcomes.
• Personalization & Lifecycle Design: Expertise in designing for personalized user experiences and managing user interactions throughout their lifecycle with the product.
• Nonprofit or SMB Design: Prior experience designing products or features for nonprofit organizations or small to medium-sized businesses, understanding their unique needs and workflows.
• Emotional Design & Empathy Mapping: Skill in designing for emotional resonance, reducing user stress, and building trust through a deep understanding of user psychology and empathy mapping.
• Figma/Sketch/Adobe XD Mastery: Advanced proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "8+ years" of experience, coupled with the "Lead" title, strongly suggests this role requires a senior-level designer capable of strategic thinking, driving initiatives, and influencing product direction. The "Bonus" skills highlight areas where candidates can differentiate themselves, particularly in growth and personalization, which are critical for Change.org's mission.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Project Showcase: Present a minimum of 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating your complete design process from problem identification and user research through to final UI and post-launch iteration.
• Problem Definition & User Insights: Clearly articulate the user problem or business challenge you addressed, the research methodologies employed (qualitative and quantitative), and the key insights uncovered.
• Design Process & Iteration: Detail your design process, including wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and how you iterated on designs based on feedback and data.
• Visual Design & UI Execution: Showcase high-fidelity mockups and final UI outputs, demonstrating a strong understanding of visual design principles, typography, color theory, and accessibility.
• Impact & Outcomes: Quantify the impact of your design solutions with specific metrics (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction, reduced churn, enhanced engagement) and explain how you measured success.

Process Documentation:

• User Research Synthesis: Demonstrate your ability to synthesize raw research data into clear, actionable insights that inform product strategy and design decisions.
• Design Strategy Articulation: Clearly articulate the strategic thinking behind your design choices, aligning them with user needs and business objectives.
• Cross-functional Collaboration Evidence: Provide examples of how you collaborated with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders throughout the design process, showcasing your ability to influence and integrate feedback.
• Design System Contribution (if applicable): If you have experience contributing to or working within a design system, highlight how you applied or extended it to maintain consistency and scalability.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead Product Designer role, the portfolio is critical. It should not only showcase aesthetic skills but, more importantly, demonstrate strategic thinking, a rigorous research-backed process, and a clear understanding of how design directly contributes to business and user outcomes. The ability to articulate the "why" behind design decisions and the measurable impact is paramount.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on the provided information for San Francisco and New York City, the annual salary for a Lead Product Designer is $218,000. For other US locations, the range is $185,500 - $207,000 USD. For Canada, the range is approximately $204,500 CAD (Toronto/Vancouver). Mexico's salary is $1,595,000 MXN.

Benefits:

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO): Flexibility and autonomy in managing personal time off.
• Generous Paid Parental Leave: A minimum of 18 weeks of paid leave for new parents.
• Comprehensive Health & Wellness Perks: Includes a variety of mental and physical health benefits to support employee well-being.

Working Hours: While not explicitly stated, a full-time role typically implies around 40 hours per week. The remote nature likely offers flexibility in structuring the workday, provided core collaboration hours are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary ranges provided are competitive for a Lead Product Designer role in North America, reflecting the seniority and impact expected. The benefits package emphasizes work-life balance and employee well-being, aligning with a mission-driven organization.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Social Impact / Technology / Civic Tech. Change.org operates as a public benefit company, leveraging technology to empower individuals and communities to create social change. Company Size: While not explicitly stated in the provided data, Change.org is known to be a significant organization with a global reach, employing hundreds of people. Founded: Change.org was founded in 2007, growing into the world's largest platform for social change with over 100 million users and tens of thousands of campaigns launched monthly.

Team Structure:

• Product Teams: The design role will be embedded within specific product teams, working closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, and Data Analysts.
• Reporting Structure: The Lead Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product Design or VP of Design, with direct collaboration across product verticals (Nonprofits, Personalization, Community/Growth, Supporter Experience).
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Expect a highly collaborative environment where designers work hand-in-hand with other functions to define strategy, build products, and measure impact.

Methodology:

• Human-Centered Design: A core tenet, ensuring all product decisions are grounded in user needs and empathy.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Heavy reliance on analytics, A/B testing, and user feedback to guide product development and optimization.
• Iterative Development & Experimentation: A culture that embraces rapid prototyping, testing, and learning from failures to continuously improve user experiences.
• Mission-Driven Approach: All work is aligned with the company's mission to empower people to create change.

Company Website: https://www.change.org/

📝 Enhancement Note: Change.org's mission-driven nature is a significant cultural aspect. Candidates should be passionate about social impact and comfortable working in an environment that prioritizes user empowerment and collective action. The company's scale and user-generated revenue model suggest a dynamic, fast-paced, and impactful work environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Lead position, indicating a senior individual contributor role with significant autonomy and influence. It requires not only advanced design skills but also strategic thinking, mentorship potential, and the ability to drive product initiatives from conception to launch and beyond.

Reporting Structure: The individual will report to a design leadership role (e.g., VP of Design) and will collaborate extensively with cross-functional peers and stakeholders, including Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and Marketing counterparts.

Operations Impact: The Lead Product Designer will have a direct and substantial impact on Change.org's core mission by designing experiences that:

• Increase User Engagement: Making it easier and more compelling for users to start, sign, and share petitions.
• Drive Campaign Success: Designing features that improve the effectiveness of campaigns and the likelihood of achieving their goals.
• Grow the User Base: Contributing to strategies that acquire new users and activate existing ones in new ways (e.g., nonprofit partnerships, community engagement).
• Enhance User Retention: Creating personalized and rewarding experiences that keep users engaged with the platform over the long term.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the product roadmap and design strategy for key growth areas of the platform.
• Skill Specialization: Potential to deepen expertise in areas like growth design, personalization, or designing for specific user segments (like nonprofits).
• Leadership & Mentorship: As a lead, there's an opportunity to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the design practice within the company.
• Impactful Work: Direct contribution to a platform that facilitates significant social change globally, offering a high degree of job satisfaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity for a seasoned designer to make a tangible impact on a globally recognized platform. The "Lead" title implies a pathway towards principal-level contributions or, if desired in the future, management responsibilities within a growing design team.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully remote, allowing employees to work from anywhere within North America. This fosters flexibility and inclusivity for a geographically dispersed team.

Office Location(s): Remote - North America. While the company is headquartered in San Francisco, this role is specifically designated as remote within North America, indicating a distributed workforce model.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Digital Environment: Expect a highly collaborative digital workspace utilizing tools like Slack, Zoom, and project management software to facilitate communication and teamwork.
• Design Tool Integration: Access to and utilization of industry-standard design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) is expected.
• Cross-Functional Interaction: Frequent interaction with product managers, engineers, researchers, and marketing teams, fostering a dynamic and integrated work environment.
• Focus on User-Centricity: The workspace culture is deeply rooted in user empathy and data-driven insights, encouraging designers to advocate for the user.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time. While specific hours are not defined, the remote nature typically allows for some flexibility in scheduling, provided that collaboration with teams across different time zones is managed effectively. Core working hours may be expected for team meetings and critical project synchronization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature is a key aspect of the work environment, offering significant flexibility. Candidates should be comfortable working independently and asynchronously while actively participating in a connected, digital team.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Recruiter Screen: An initial conversation to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role and Change.org.
• Case Study Interview with VP of Design: A deep dive into a candidate's design process, strategic thinking, and problem-solving abilities, likely involving a review of portfolio work or a specific design challenge.
• Written Exercise: A timed, pre-scheduled assignment designed to evaluate design thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills under pressure.
• Final Video Interviews: Conversations with 3 cross-functional team members (likely including a Product Manager, Engineering Lead, and another Designer) to assess collaboration, technical understanding, and team fit.
• Reference Checks: Verification of past performance and professional conduct.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 of your strongest end-to-end projects that best showcase your skills relevant to this role (user empathy, research, holistic design, impact).
• Tell a Story: Structure each case study as a narrative, clearly outlining the problem, your process, your contributions, the challenges faced, and the measurable outcomes. Use visuals effectively.
• Highlight Your Role: Be specific about your contributions within team projects. Use "I" when describing your actions and "we" when describing team efforts.
• Showcase Research & Data: Emphasize how you used user research and data to inform your design decisions and measure success. Quantify impact whenever possible.
• Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Articulate the "why" behind your design choices, connecting them to user needs and business objectives.
• Prepare for Discussion: Be ready to discuss your process, rationale, and the trade-offs you made in detail during the interview.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Change.org: Research the company's mission, platform, user base, and recent campaigns. Understand their business model and social impact goals.
• Review Core Competencies: Familiarize yourself with key areas like Design Thinking, User Empathy, Innovation, Holistic Design, and Collaboration, and prepare examples from your experience that demonstrate these.
• Practice Written Exercises: If possible, simulate timed design exercises to improve your ability to think critically and communicate effectively under pressure.
• Prepare for Behavioral Questions: Anticipate questions about your collaboration style, how you handle feedback, and your approach to problem-solving in a team environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is thorough, with a strong emphasis on design process, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration. The case study and written exercise are key evaluation points, requiring candidates to demonstrate their capabilities in a practical manner. A well-prepared portfolio is essential for success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD is essential for wireframing, UI design, and interactive prototyping.
• User Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for conducting user interviews, usability testing, surveys, and analyzing qualitative data (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, SurveyMonkey).
• Collaboration Tools: Experience with communication and project management platforms like Slack, Jira, Asana, Miro, or similar tools for seamless team collaboration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics or Amplitude to understand user behavior, track conversion funnels, and measure feature adoption.
• A/B Testing Tools: Experience with platforms that facilitate experimentation and data-driven optimization of design elements and user flows.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a "design" tool, understanding how CRM systems and marketing automation platforms impact user journeys and data flows can be beneficial for designing integrated experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the specific tools aren't listed, the emphasis on research, prototyping, and data-driven iteration points towards a tech stack common in modern product design environments. Candidates should be adept with design software and possess an understanding of analytics and experimentation tools.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity & Empathy: A deep commitment to understanding and serving users' needs, motivations, and emotional states.
• Impact & Mission Alignment: A dedication to driving meaningful social change and contributing to the company's mission.
• Collaboration & Inclusivity: Fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and teamwork is paramount.
• Innovation & Experimentation: Encouraging curiosity, embracing new ideas, and learning from rapid iteration and testing.
• Data-Informed Decisions: Utilizing data and insights to guide strategy and measure the effectiveness of design solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Partnerships: Proactive and close collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, Research, and Marketing teams to ensure alignment and shared ownership of product outcomes.
• Open Communication & Feedback: A culture that encourages constructive feedback, transparent communication, and shared learning among team members.
• Empowerment & Autonomy: Designers are empowered to take ownership of their work, drive initiatives, and contribute strategically to product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's values are strongly tied to its social mission. Candidates who are passionate about making a difference and thrive in a collaborative, user-focused environment will find this culture appealing.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Scale and Diversity: Creating engaging and effective experiences for a massive, diverse global user base with varying needs and technical capabilities.
• Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Navigating the complexities of a user-generated revenue model while ensuring a positive and empowering experience for all users.
• Driving Innovation in a Mature Platform: Continuously identifying new opportunities for growth and improvement within an established platform like Change.org.
• Remote Collaboration Dynamics: Effectively collaborating and building strong relationships with a distributed team, ensuring clear communication and alignment across time zones.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Exposure to Diverse Product Areas: Opportunity to work on different product verticals (nonprofits, personalization, growth, supporter experience), broadening skill sets.
• Mentorship from Senior Design Leadership: Learning from experienced design leaders who are shaping the product strategy.
• Industry Best Practices: Staying at the forefront of UX design, growth strategies, and personalization techniques through continuous learning and application.
• Contributing to a Socially Impactful Platform: The inherent reward of working on a product that facilitates real-world change and empowers millions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents opportunities to tackle complex design challenges at scale, contributing to a highly impactful mission. The growth potential lies in deepening expertise and influencing strategic product direction.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing a personalized petition experience for a user who has signed petitions related to environmental issues in the past?" (Focus on process, data utilization, and user empathy.)
• "Describe a time you had to influence a product decision without direct authority. What was the situation, and what was the outcome?" (Assess collaboration, communication, and influence skills.)
• "Walk me through a complex user problem you solved. What was your process, what were the key insights, and how did you measure the success of your solution?" (Evaluate problem-solving, research, and impact articulation.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Change.org's mission, and how do you see your design skills contributing to our goals?" (Assess mission alignment and understanding of the company.)
• "How do you approach collaboration with product managers and engineers, especially in a remote setting?" (Evaluate teamwork and communication style.)
• "How do you ensure your designs are inclusive and accessible to a diverse global audience?" (Assess commitment to accessibility and inclusivity.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio around 2-3 key projects, dedicating ample time to detail the problem, your process, your role, the challenges, the solutions, and the measured impact.
• Quantify Your Contributions: Be ready to discuss specific metrics and how your design decisions influenced them. If exact numbers aren't available, articulate the intended impact and how you would measure it.
• Articulate Your "Why": For each design decision, be prepared to explain the rationale behind it, linking it back to user research, data, or strategic goals.
• Showcase Iteration: Clearly demonstrate how you iterated on your designs based on feedback or testing, highlighting your adaptability and learning process.
• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your process, tools, trade-offs, and how you handle constructive criticism.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of user-centered design, a robust research and iteration process, and the ability to articulate the impact of design decisions. Aligning your experience with Change.org's mission and values is also crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on greenhouse.io.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that demonstrate end-to-end design thinking, user research, impact measurement, and collaboration relevant to Change.org's mission and the specified product areas (Nonprofits, Personalization, Growth, Supporter Experience).
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 8+ years of experience, focusing on achievements and responsibilities that align with the core competencies and required skills listed in the job description, using keywords like "Product Design," "UX Design," "User Research," "Prototyping," and "Holistic Design."
• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly research Change.org's mission, values, and recent campaigns. Prepare to discuss your portfolio projects in detail, focusing on your process, rationale, and the impact of your work, especially in the context of user engagement and social change.
• Company Research: Understand Change.org's business model, user base, and the specific challenges and opportunities within the social impact tech space. Be ready to discuss how your design approach aligns with their mission and culture.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.