Lead Product Designer, Connected Trip(Bangkok - Based, Relocation Provided)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer, Connected Trip

Company: Agoda

Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design & UX Leadership

Date Posted: March 17, 2026

Experience Level: 7+ Years

Remote Status: On-site (Relocation Provided)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end design of AI-powered trip planning experiences across web and mobile applications, focusing on a user-centric and technology-driven approach.

• Drive UX strategy for innovative features such as AI-powered travel assistants, personalized recommendations, and advanced trip planning tools to enhance the customer journey.

• Manage and mentor a small team of talented product designers, fostering creativity, professional growth, and high-quality execution within the Connected Trip domain.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Product Management, Engineering, Research, Data Science, and Content Design to define product vision, strategy, and execution roadmaps.

• Contribute to scaling Agoda’s design culture, systems, and overall quality through impactful, organization-wide design initiatives and best practice adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a hybrid individual contributor and people manager, requiring both hands-on design craft and leadership capabilities. The focus on "Connected Trip" and "AI-powered" elements signifies a strategic emphasis on enhancing the entire travel lifecycle, from inspiration to post-trip, leveraging cutting-edge technology.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• End-to-End Design Leadership: Spearhead the complete design process for AI-powered trip planning features, from initial concept and user research through to high-fidelity prototypes and final implementation across web and mobile platforms.

• Strategic Vision & Execution: Partner with Product Managers and Researchers to define the long-term vision for the Connected Trip experience and translate this into actionable design plans, ensuring successful delivery and alignment with business objectives.

• User Experience Craftsmanship: Develop intuitive and engaging prototypes and interaction flows that prioritize clarity, build user trust, and ensure a seamless and efficient user experience.

• Quality & Consistency: Drive high standards for UX and visual design within the team's scope, ensuring alignment with Agoda's overarching design principles, brand guidelines, and product strategy.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Act as a key design liaison, collaborating closely with Product, Engineering, Data Science, Research, and Content Design teams to shape product direction, feature development, and overall user experience strategy.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Utilize user research findings, product analytics, A/B testing results, and industry best practices to inform design decisions, validate concepts, and continuously iterate on the user experience.

• Team Management & Mentorship: Directly manage and mentor a team of product designers, providing regular constructive feedback, facilitating design critiques, and actively supporting their professional growth and career development.

• Design Culture Advocacy: Contribute to the evolution and scaling of Agoda's design culture, systems, and quality standards through participation in and leadership of organization-wide design initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic thinking, hands-on design execution, and people management. The emphasis on "AI-powered," "long-term vision," and "data-driven insights" points to a role focused on innovation and impact within the rapidly evolving travel tech landscape.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in design principles, human-computer interaction, or a related field is expected, demonstrated through experience and portfolio.

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in product design, interaction design, or UX design, with a proven track record of hands-on craft and successful product launches.

• Demonstrable experience in defining and articulating a long-term design vision and translating it into executable, phased design plans.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Strategy: Ability to define and articulate a strategic vision for product design, aligning with business goals and user needs.

• User-Centered Design (UCD): Deep understanding and application of UCD principles, methodologies, and research techniques to create user-centric solutions.

• Interaction Design: Expertise in designing intuitive and effective user flows, information architecture, and interactive elements for complex digital products.

• Prototyping & Wireframing: Proficiency in creating various levels of fidelity prototypes (e.g., low-fidelity wireframes to high-fidelity interactive prototypes) using industry-standard tools.

• Visual Design: Strong aesthetic sensibility and ability to create visually appealing and consistent user interfaces that adhere to brand guidelines and enhance usability.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to effectively partner with and influence Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, and other stakeholders.

• Mentorship & People Development: Experience in guiding, coaching, and developing junior designers, fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented team environment.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Competence in leveraging user research, analytics data, and A/B testing results to inform design decisions and validate hypotheses.

Preferred Skills:

• AI/ML UX: Familiarity or experience with designing for Large Language Models (LLMs), natural language user interfaces (NLU/NLG), or multimodal interaction design.

• Conversational AI Design: Experience with chatbots, virtual assistants, or other conversational interface design principles.

• Personalization & Recommendation Systems: Understanding of how personalization engines and recommendation systems impact user experience and design considerations.

• Travel or E-commerce Domain Experience: Prior experience within the travel technology, e-commerce, or large-scale B2C platform industries.

• Localization & Internationalization: Experience designing for diverse, multilingual audiences and understanding the complexities of localized user experiences.

• Voice User Interface (VUI) Design: Background in voice UX or designing for voice-enabled interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "7+ years" requirement combined with "mentorship or people management experience" strongly indicates a Lead or Senior Lead level role. The "Bonus Points" section provides a clear roadmap for candidates looking to differentiate themselves, particularly in areas related to AI and advanced interaction design.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• User-Centered Case Studies: Showcase 3-5 detailed case studies demonstrating your end-to-end product design process, from problem definition and user research to solution ideation, iteration, and final execution.

• Problem Framing: Clearly articulate the user problem or business challenge addressed in each case study, along with the context and constraints.

• Design Process Documentation: Illustrate your design methodology, including user research artifacts, wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and final visual designs.

• Impact & Metrics: Quantify the impact of your design solutions with relevant metrics (e.g., conversion rate improvements, user satisfaction scores, task completion rates, A/B test results), demonstrating ROI.

• Leadership Examples: If applicable, include examples of how you've mentored designers, led design critiques, or influenced product strategy.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Demonstrate experience in mapping out complex user journeys, identifying pain points, and designing optimized workflows that improve efficiency and user satisfaction.

• System Thinking: Showcase an ability to understand how different product components and systems interact, and how design decisions impact the broader ecosystem.

• Data Integration: Provide examples of how you've incorporated user data, analytics, and research findings into your design process to validate assumptions and drive iteration.

• Cross-Functional Process Alignment: Illustrate how you've collaborated with Product, Engineering, and other teams to ensure alignment on design specifications, technical feasibility, and project timelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead role, the portfolio must go beyond just showcasing individual design skills. It needs to demonstrate strategic thinking, leadership potential, and the ability to drive impact through a structured design process, particularly within the context of complex digital products and emerging technologies like AI.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Lead Product Designers in major tech hubs and considering Agoda's global presence and relocation package for Bangkok, a competitive salary range is estimated between ฿2,500,000 - ฿4,000,000 THB per year (approximately $68,000 - $109,000 USD, subject to exchange rates). This range accounts for the 7+ years of experience requirement, leadership responsibilities, and the strategic nature of the role.

Benefits:

• Relocation Assistance: Comprehensive relocation package provided to support the move to Bangkok, including visa assistance, flights, temporary accommodation, and logistical support.

• Competitive Salary: Attractive base salary benchmarked against international tech standards.

• Performance Bonuses: Potential for performance-based bonuses tied to individual and company success.

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Full medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and eligible dependents.

• Paid Time Off: Generous annual leave, public holidays, and sick leave.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, including training programs, workshops, conferences, and access to design resources.

• Employee Discounts: Agoda travel discounts on hotels, flights, and activities.

• Retirement Savings Plan: Contribution to a provident fund or similar retirement savings scheme.

• Global Mobility: Potential for future international career opportunities within Agoda or Booking Holdings.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected to meet project deadlines and team needs. The role is designated as On-site in Bangkok.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on research from global tech salary aggregators and specific data points for senior design roles in Southeast Asia, adjusted for a company of Agoda's scale and the provision of relocation. Benefits are inferred based on standard offerings for global tech companies with relocation packages.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Online Travel Technology (OTT) / E-commerce. Agoda operates within the highly competitive and dynamic global travel market, leveraging technology to provide booking solutions for accommodations, flights, and activities.

Company Size: Over 4,000 employees (as of the provided data, though the description mentions 7,000+ people from 90 countries in the intro, and 4,000+ in the main body - we'll use the more specific 4,000+ for the design team context). This size indicates a mature organization with established processes, but still agile enough for significant impact.

Founded: 2005. Agoda has a solid history in the online travel space, evolving from its origins to become a significant player under Booking Holdings.

Team Structure:

• Design Team: Described as diverse, comprised of product designers and researchers, operating from the Bangkok home office. It's noted as "small enough to be scrappy and hands on, yet big enough to influence change and product strategy."

• Connected Trip Team: The specific team this role leads, focusing on AI-powered trip planning. This suggests a dedicated, forward-looking product area.

• Reporting Structure: The Lead Product Designer will manage a small group of designers and likely report to a Head of Design, Director of Product, or similar senior leadership role within the product organization.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Integral to the design team's function, necessitating close partnerships with Product Management, Engineering, Research, Data Science, and Content Design.

Methodology:

• Product-Driven: Agoda emphasizes a product-driven approach where data and technology are core to its culture, fueling curiosity and innovation.

• Experimentation & Ownership: These are key cultural tenets, encouraging a proactive and results-oriented mindset.

• Data-Informed Design: Designs are guided by user data, research, and analytics to ensure effectiveness and validate ideas.

• Agile Development: Implicit in tech companies of this nature, likely employing agile methodologies for iterative product development.

Company Website: https://www.agoda.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is characterized by a blend of entrepreneurial spirit ("scrappy and hands on") with the stability and resources of a large, publicly traded parent company (Booking Holdings). The emphasis on data, technology, and experimentation is crucial for operations and design roles.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a Lead level within the Product Design function. It signifies a transition point from primarily individual contribution to a dual role that includes people management and strategic influence. The scope involves leading a specific product domain ("Connected Trip"), managing a small team, and contributing to broader design initiatives.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Product Designer will manage a small team of designers and will likely report into a senior leadership role such as Head of Product Design, Director of Product, or VP of Product. This structure allows for direct impact on team performance and strategic input into departmental direction.

Operations Impact: The "Connected Trip" team's work directly impacts Agoda's ability to offer a comprehensive and personalized travel experience beyond just booking. By improving trip planning, AI assistants, and recommendations, this role influences user engagement, conversion rates, customer loyalty, and ultimately, revenue generation through increased bookings and ancillary services. The design leadership here is critical for shaping how users interact with Agoda throughout their entire travel journey.

Growth Opportunities:

• Deepen Craft & Expertise: Continue to hone advanced UX/UI skills, particularly in emerging areas like AI/ML design, conversational interfaces, and personalization systems, by tackling complex product challenges.

• Expand Leadership Scope: Progress to managing larger design teams, leading broader product initiatives, or taking on more strategic responsibilities within the design organization. Potential to move into Senior Lead, Group Lead, or Head of Design roles.

• Strategic Influence: Play a more significant role in shaping Agoda's overall product strategy and design vision, influencing key decisions at a senior level.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Take on leadership roles in cross-departmental initiatives, driving alignment and innovation across Product, Engineering, and Data Science.

• Industry Recognition: Contribute to thought leadership within the design community through speaking engagements, publications, or internal best practice sharing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for career progression, balancing the development of core design craft with the acquisition of leadership and strategic skills. The "Connected Trip" focus and AI integration position this role at the forefront of travel tech innovation.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Agoda's primary office is located in Bangkok, Thailand. The description emphasizes a collaborative environment within the design team, suggesting a hub for innovation and teamwork. While the job is "On-site," the global nature of Agoda implies a vibrant, international workplace.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is Bangkok, Thailand. The job posting explicitly states "BANGKOK-BASED, RELOCATION PROVIDED," making this the definitive location.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The design team operates as a "scrappy and hands on" unit, implying an environment that encourages direct interaction, brainstorming, and co-creation.

• Technology-Rich Environment: As a tech-driven company, expect access to modern design tools, hardware, and software necessary for executing complex design tasks.

• International & Diverse: Agoda's workforce is highly international (90+ nationalities), offering a rich cultural exchange and exposure to diverse perspectives.

• Cross-Functional Proximity: Designers are expected to work closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and Researchers, suggesting an open-plan or accessible workspace conducive to frequent communication.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with an expected ~40 hours per week. While on-site, there's often an expectation of flexibility to accommodate global team interactions and project deadlines, common in the tech industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Bangkok base is a key differentiator. The relocation package is a significant benefit, and candidates should be prepared for an on-site, collaborative environment within a multicultural and dynamic tech company.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Application Screening: Initial review of resumes and portfolios against the stated requirements. Candidates with strong portfolios showcasing relevant experience, particularly in user-centered design and leadership, will be prioritized.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: Typically a 30-45 minute call with the Hiring Manager (likely a senior design leader) to assess experience, leadership potential, cultural fit, and alignment with the role's strategic objectives. Focus on your career trajectory and leadership aspirations.

3. Design Portfolio Presentation: A more in-depth session (60-90 minutes) where you present 1-2 detailed case studies from your portfolio. This is where you demonstrate your design process, problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and impact. Expect questions on your decision-making, collaboration, and how you handle challenges.

4. Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders, including Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and potentially other Designers or Researchers. These interviews focus on collaboration skills, technical understanding, and how you work within a cross-functional team.

5. Final Interview / Executive Interview: Potentially a final discussion with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Product, VP) to evaluate overall fit, strategic alignment, and leadership capabilities.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives. Clearly define the problem, your approach, the key decisions you made, the challenges you faced, and the measurable outcomes.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Include visuals! Wireframes, user flows, prototypes, high-fidelity mockups, and data visualizations are crucial. Explain why you made certain design choices.

• Highlight Leadership & Strategy: For a Lead role, emphasize instances where you guided others, influenced strategy, or contributed to broader design initiatives. Discuss your approach to mentorship and team development.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify your achievements whenever possible. Use metrics to demonstrate the business value and user impact of your design work.

• Tailor to Agoda: Research Agoda's current products and design language. Consider how your portfolio examples align with their strategic goals, especially in areas like AI and trip planning.

• Be Prepared for "Why": Anticipate questions about your rationale behind design decisions, trade-offs you made, and how you handled disagreements.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: You might be given a short design challenge or asked to critique an existing feature. Prepare to think on your feet, articulate your thought process clearly, and propose solutions based on user-centered principles.

• AI/ML Focus: Given the role's emphasis on AI, be ready to discuss your thoughts on designing with AI, potential ethical considerations, and how to build trust in AI-powered features.

• Strategic Thinking: Practice articulating how design can drive business objectives and contribute to long-term product vision.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is typical for a senior design leadership role in a tech company. The emphasis on portfolio presentation and cross-functional collaboration is key. Candidates should prepare to articulate their strategic thinking and leadership style thoroughly.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable as industry standard), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, Axure RP.

• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Hotjar, Google Analytics.

• Project Management & Collaboration: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Slack.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics.

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Looker (potentially).

• A/B Testing Tools: Optimizely, VWO, Google Optimize.

CRM & Automation: While not directly a design tool, understanding how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms inform user segmentation and personalization can be beneficial.

Emerging Technologies: Familiarity with tools or platforms related to AI/ML development environments, natural language processing (NLP) APIs, or conversational AI platforms would be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools aren't listed, the role's focus on modern digital product design implies proficiency in industry-standard tools like Figma, coupled with a strong understanding of analytics and user research platforms. Awareness of AI/ML-related technologies is a significant plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and solving user problems through thoughtful design.

• Data-Driven Innovation: Leveraging data and insights to fuel creativity, validate ideas, and drive measurable impact.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Working effectively across teams, sharing knowledge openly, and fostering a culture of mutual respect and feedback.

• Ownership & Accountability: Taking responsibility for design outcomes, driving initiatives forward, and delivering high-quality, impactful solutions.

• Continuous Improvement: Embracing experimentation, learning from failures, and constantly seeking ways to enhance products and processes.

• Diversity & Inclusion: Valuing diverse perspectives and creating an inclusive environment where all team members can contribute their best work.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership-Oriented: Designers are expected to be proactive partners with Product, Engineering, and other functions, not just order-takers.

• Iterative & Feedback-Driven: A culture of regular design critiques and iterative refinement based on feedback from peers, stakeholders, and users.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of design best practices, learnings, and new techniques across the team and organization.

• Empowerment: Designers are empowered to take ownership of their projects and contribute strategically to product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: Agoda's stated values of diversity, innovation, data-driven approaches, and ownership align well with expectations for a high-performing design team in the tech industry. The collaborative style emphasizes proactive engagement and shared responsibility.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Craft and Leadership: Effectively managing time between hands-on design work and people management responsibilities.

• Scaling Design Culture: Influencing design standards and practices across a large organization while leading a specific team.

• Integrating AI Seamlessly: Designing intuitive and trustworthy user experiences for AI-powered features, overcoming potential user skepticism or complexity.

• Global User Needs: Designing for a diverse, global user base with varying cultural contexts, languages, and technological access.

• Rapid Technological Evolution: Staying abreast of advancements in AI, machine learning, and UX design methodologies to maintain a competitive edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI/ML Design Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for AI-powered products, including areas like prompt engineering, ethical AI considerations, and natural language interfaces.

• Leadership Development: Formal training, mentorship, and practical experience in people management, strategic planning, and organizational leadership.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Gain deeper insights into product management, engineering processes, and data science methodologies through close collaboration.

• Industry Exposure: Participate in design conferences, workshops, and online courses to stay current with the latest trends and best practices in product design and AI.

• Mentorship Roles: Develop leadership skills by mentoring junior designers and contributing to the growth of the design community within Agoda.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a Lead role in a growing tech company, particularly one focused on cutting-edge technology like AI. The growth opportunities are clearly defined, offering paths for both technical and leadership advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for defining a long-term design vision for a product area, and how you translate that into actionable steps." (Focus on strategic planning, roadmap creation, and stakeholder alignment.)

• "Walk me through a complex product you designed from concept to launch. What were the biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Highlight your end-to-end process, problem-solving, and impact.)

• "How do you approach mentoring and developing junior designers? Can you give an example of how you helped someone grow their skills?" (Demonstrate leadership style, feedback techniques, and commitment to team development.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Agoda and the Connected Trip team specifically?" (Research Agoda's mission, values, and recent product developments. Connect your interests to their strategic goals.)

• "How do you foster collaboration between design, product, and engineering teams?" (Provide examples of successful cross-functional partnerships and your communication strategies.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: Begin with the "why" – the problem or opportunity. Clearly outline your role and responsibilities.

• Showcase Your Process: Detail your research, ideation, iteration, and testing phases. Explain the rationale behind key design decisions.

• Emphasize Impact: Quantify the results of your work using metrics and explain the business value.

• Highlight Leadership: If applicable, discuss how you guided the design process, mentored others, or influenced strategy.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about specific design choices, trade-offs, and challenges encountered.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership potential, a robust design process, and a clear understanding of how design drives business outcomes, particularly in the context of AI and the travel industry.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies that highlight your end-to-end design process, strategic thinking, leadership experience, and quantifiable impact. Tailor your presentation to showcase relevant skills in AI-driven experiences or complex platforms.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your years of experience, leadership responsibilities, and key achievements using operations and design-specific keywords (e.g., UX strategy, product vision, team leadership, data-informed design, AI/ML UX).

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of your process, and demonstrating leadership capabilities. Prepare to discuss your approach to AI design and cross-functional collaboration.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Agoda's mission, values, products (especially the Connected Trip experience), and recent news. Understand their market position and how your role contributes to their overall strategy.

⚠️ 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.

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