Manager, Design (UX Strategy)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Manager, Design (UX Strategy)

Company: Think Company

Location: Remote-first (U.S. – East Coast)

Job Type: Full-time, Exempt

Category: Design Leadership / UX Strategy Operations

Date Posted: April 02, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of 8-10 UX and Product Designers, focusing on individual career growth and skill enhancement.

• Drive the quality and strategic direction of UX and product design deliverables for complex digital products and services within a consulting environment.

• Act as a key strategic advisor on client engagements, navigating ambiguity and fostering innovative design solutions.

• Partner closely with leadership to ensure optimal staffing, team health, and consistent delivery quality across a portfolio of client projects.

• Champion the advancement of design practices, specifically integrating and optimizing the use of AI tools within research, design, and delivery workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Manager, Design (UX Strategy)", the core responsibilities and required skills heavily emphasize people management, career development, and strategic advisory within a consulting context. This suggests a role that blends operational oversight of a design team with strategic client consultation, rather than a purely individual contributor UX strategy role. The emphasis on AI integration points to a forward-thinking operations approach within design leadership.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Development:

  • Coach, mentor, and develop a team of 8-10 designers, fostering their professional growth and career progression.
  • Conduct regular performance reviews, provide structured and direct feedback, and guide career pathing conversations.
  • Build a robust and well-rounded design team through strategic hiring and effective onboarding processes.

• Design Quality & Strategy:

  • Guide team members in delivering high-quality UX strategy, product design, and digital solutions.
  • Act as a strategic advisor on client projects, helping teams navigate complex challenges and ambiguous requirements.
  • Ensure design work aligns with client business objectives and user needs, driving impactful outcomes.

• Operational Excellence & Delivery:

  • Partner with senior leadership to align staffing models, monitor team health, and maintain high standards of delivery quality across projects.
  • Oversee resource allocation and project assignments to maximize team efficiency and client satisfaction.
  • Drive continuous improvement in design processes and methodologies.

• Practice Advancement:

  • Advance design practices within the organization, particularly focusing on the effective and responsible integration of AI tools in design workflows.
  • Stay abreast of emerging trends in UX, product design, and AI, and disseminate knowledge to the team.
  • Facilitate knowledge sharing and best practice adoption across the design team.

• Client Engagement:

  • Serve as a strategic partner in client-facing discussions, representing the design team's capabilities and insights.

  • Support proposal development and client relationship management by contributing design expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are framed around managing a team and their output within a consulting structure, emphasizing operational aspects like staffing, team health, and quality assurance, alongside the strategic guidance of design work. The explicit mention of "balancing advocacy for your team with business and client needs" highlights a key operational challenge for managers in consulting.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in UX strategy, product design, or a related design field, with a significant portion dedicated to leading and developing design teams.

• Proven experience in roles requiring structured feedback, growth planning, and career progression conversations for designers.

Required Skills:

• UX Strategy & Product Design: Deep understanding of UX principles, user-centered design methodologies, and product design best practices.

• Team Leadership & People Management: Proven ability to lead, coach, mentor, and develop design professionals; experience managing performance and fostering career growth.

• Strategic Advisory: Capability to act as a strategic partner to clients and internal stakeholders, guiding complex projects and navigating ambiguity.

• Consulting Acumen: Experience working in a client-facing environment, managing multiple projects, and balancing client needs with team capabilities.

• Communication & Feedback: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to deliver clear, constructive, and direct feedback.

• AI Integration: Familiarity and curiosity in applying AI tools responsibly within design and product development processes.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within a consultancy or agency setting.

• Familiarity with specific industries such as media, telecommunications, healthcare, or pharmaceuticals.

• Experience in driving the adoption of new tools, methodologies, or ways of working within design teams.

• Proficiency in project management methodologies relevant to design delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level is inferred from the "Manager" title and the specific responsibilities (leading 8-10 designers, strategic advisory). The "Nice-to-Haves" are translated into preferred skills, highlighting the value of agency experience and industry-specific knowledge for a consulting firm.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design Leadership Case Studies: Showcase examples where you led a design team to deliver exceptional UX strategy and product design outcomes for clients. Highlight your role in coaching, mentoring, and guiding team members.

• Process Optimization Examples: Demonstrate instances where you improved design team workflows, adopted new methodologies, or implemented best practices to enhance efficiency and quality.

• Strategic Impact Documentation: Present case studies that clearly articulate the business impact and ROI of design initiatives led by your team, focusing on strategic problem-solving.

• AI Tool Integration Examples: If possible, include examples of how your team explored or implemented AI tools to augment design processes, improve research, or enhance deliverables.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Be prepared to discuss your approach to designing and optimizing end-to-end design workflows, from research and strategy to final delivery.

• Methodology Implementation: Discuss how you introduce, guide, and ensure adherence to design methodologies and best practices within a team.

• Performance Measurement: Articulate how you measure the success and impact of design initiatives and team performance, focusing on key metrics and data-driven insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given this is a management role focused on design strategy and team development within a consultancy, the portfolio requirements emphasize leadership and process oversight rather than individual design artifacts. The focus is on demonstrating impact, strategic thinking, and the ability to operationalize design excellence through a team.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $120,000 - $150,000 USD per year.

This range is competitive for a Manager-level Design (UX Strategy) role in a remote-first, U.S.-based consulting environment, reflecting the required experience, leadership responsibilities, and strategic advisory capacity.

Benefits:

• Competitive Compensation: Reflects the value placed on experienced design leadership.

• Comprehensive Benefits Package: Typically includes health, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, disability coverage, and retirement savings plans (e.g., 401k).

• Ongoing Learning & Development: Opportunities for professional growth, including training, workshops, conferences, and potential certifications relevant to UX strategy, design leadership, and AI in design.

• Remote-First Work Environment: Flexibility and autonomy associated with a remote role, supported by company-wide remote policies.

• Paid Time Off: Standard vacation, sick leave, and holiday policies.

• Potential for Bonuses/Profit Sharing: Common in consulting firms, depending on company performance.

Working Hours:

• Full-time (Exempt), typically considered 40 hours per week.

• While remote, expectations often include availability during core East Coast business hours for client meetings, team collaborations, and leadership alignment.

• Occasional travel for client engagements, workshops, and company gatherings may require flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is explicitly provided in the job description. The benefits are inferred from standard offerings for full-time exempt employees at consulting firms, with specific mention of learning and development opportunities highlighted by the company. The "Remote-first" nature is noted, but the nuance of "occasional travel" and core East Coast hours is added for completeness.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Design and Technology Consultancy. Think Company operates at the intersection of design, technology, and business strategy, helping organizations solve complex problems through digital transformation.

Company Size: The description mentions leading a team of 8-10 designers, suggesting the design team itself is a significant unit within the larger consultancy. The overall company size is not explicitly stated but is likely medium to large, given the need for specialized management roles and a distributed workforce.

Founded: While the founding date is not provided, the company's description as a consultancy with established practices implies a history of client work and growth.

Team Structure:

• Design Team: Composed of UX Strategists, Product Designers, and potentially other design specialists, managed by Design Managers. This team likely operates with a high degree of autonomy on client projects, supported by central leadership.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Designers will collaborate closely with project managers, technologists, researchers, and client stakeholders. The Design Manager plays a crucial role in facilitating these cross-functional partnerships.

• Reporting Structure: The Design Manager likely reports to a Director of Design or Head of Design, who oversees multiple design teams and practice areas.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: A core philosophy, emphasizing deep user understanding through research and iterative design.

• Agile & Iterative Delivery: Teams likely employ agile methodologies to deliver digital products and services in an iterative manner, allowing for flexibility and continuous improvement.

• Data-Informed Decisions: While design-led, decisions are informed by user research, analytics, and business metrics. The role is expected to champion this approach.

• AI Integration: A stated focus on responsible and practical application of AI tools across design processes.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Inferences about company culture and structure are drawn from the "About Working at Think Company" and "How We Work" sections, combined with typical consulting firm operating models. The emphasis on AI integration is a key cultural differentiator.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a mid-to-senior level management position within the design function. It's a transition from individual contributor or lead roles into people management and strategic operational oversight of a design team. The scope includes direct reports, project-level strategic input, and contribution to departmental practice advancement.

Reporting Structure: The Design Manager will likely report to a Director or VP of Design, who holds overall responsibility for the design practice, client delivery, and team growth. They will also collaborate closely with other managers and leadership across different disciplines (e.g., Technology, Strategy).

Operations Impact: The Design Manager's impact extends beyond individual design quality. They are responsible for the operational efficiency, team health, and strategic direction of a design unit, directly influencing project success, client satisfaction, and ultimately, the firm's revenue and reputation. Their ability to develop talent ensures a sustainable pipeline of skilled designers.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into Director-level roles, overseeing larger teams or specialized design practice areas.

• Strategic Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific industries (e.g., Healthcare, Media) or emerging fields like AI-driven design.

• Practice Leadership: Contribute to shaping the overall design methodology, hiring strategies, and thought leadership for the company.

• Client Relationship Management: Develop stronger client advisory skills and potentially take on more senior client leadership roles.

• Mentorship & Training: Become a key figure in developing future design leaders within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis focuses on the career trajectory and operational influence typical for a management role in a consulting firm, linking it to the provided responsibilities and company context. The emphasis is on growth beyond individual design contributions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Remote-first. This indicates that the primary mode of work is remote, with a strong emphasis on digital collaboration tools and asynchronous communication.

Office Location(s): While remote-first, the role specifies "U.S. – East Coast" and mentions "periodic in-person meetings in Philadelphia." This suggests a distributed team with a potential hub or anchor location for occasional physical gatherings like client workshops or company retreats.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a highly collaborative virtual environment utilizing tools like Slack, Zoom, Miro, and Figma for communication, brainstorming, and design work.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma, Adobe Creative Suite), collaboration platforms, and potentially project management tools. The role will also involve leveraging and potentially guiding the use of AI tools.

• Team Interaction: Regular virtual team meetings, one-on-ones, and project syncs are crucial for maintaining team cohesion and operational alignment. The periodic in-person meetings in Philadelphia provide opportunities for deeper team building and strategic alignment.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time, exempt status. While remote, a standard 40-hour work week is typical.

• Flexibility is inherent in a remote setup, but availability during core East Coast business hours is likely expected for synchronous collaboration and client engagements.

• Occasional travel is required, necessitating flexibility in scheduling for client needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote-first" designation is elaborated by noting the "East Coast" preference and the Philadelphia anchor point. The workspace context emphasizes the digital tools essential for remote operations and design collaboration, aligning with typical consulting firm practices.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or HR representative will likely conduct an initial call to assess basic qualifications, interest, and alignment with the company's remote-first and East Coast focus.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A conversation with the hiring manager (likely a Director of Design) to delve deeper into leadership philosophy, team management experience, UX strategy expertise, and fit with the company's culture.

• Portfolio Review & Case Study Presentation: A key stage where candidates present their leadership experience through case studies. This will focus on how they've led teams, driven design strategy, managed client relationships, and fostered designer growth. Expect to discuss specific projects, challenges, and outcomes.

• Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with other design managers or senior designers to assess collaboration style, problem-solving approach, and cultural fit within the broader design team.

• Final Interview: Potentially a conversation with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision and alignment with the company's overall goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Leadership Impact: Your portfolio should highlight your role as a leader and enabler of design success, not just your individual design contributions. Use case studies to demonstrate how you coached, mentored, and guided your team to achieve project goals.

• Quantify Results: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your team's work on client business objectives (e.g., improved conversion rates, user satisfaction scores, efficiency gains).

• Process & Strategy Articulation: Be prepared to clearly articulate your design process, strategic thinking, and how you adapt methodologies to different client contexts.

• AI Integration Narrative: If you have experience or strong ideas about integrating AI into design workflows, prepare to discuss this thoughtfully. Highlight responsible use and potential benefits.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Present your most impactful work clearly and concisely. Tailor your narrative to showcase skills directly relevant to managing designers and driving UX strategy in a consulting context.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for questions about how you would handle common design leadership challenges, such as managing underperforming team members, resolving design disagreements, navigating scope creep, or balancing client demands with team capacity.

• Practice articulating your leadership philosophy, your approach to feedback, and your strategies for fostering an inclusive and high-performing team environment.

• Consider how you would approach integrating AI tools into your team's workflow, addressing potential concerns and opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is built around typical consulting firm interview processes for leadership roles, with a strong emphasis on portfolio presentation that demonstrates leadership and strategic impact, rather than just individual design work. The inclusion of AI integration as a potential challenge or discussion point is noted.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as Figma (highly likely given its prevalence in collaborative design), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Workspace.

• Whiteboarding & Ideation: Miro, Mural.

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar tools for tracking project progress and team tasks.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or product-specific analytics tools to understand user behavior and measure design impact.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM management role, understanding how design impacts CRM effectiveness and user journeys within those systems is beneficial.

AI & Emerging Technologies:

• Curiosity and a proactive approach to exploring and integrating AI-powered design tools (e.g., AI assistants for content generation, image creation, code generation, research synthesis).

• Familiarity with how AI is impacting UX research, design systems, and product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section details the expected technology stack for a design leadership role in a modern consultancy, emphasizing collaborative tools, design software, and an awareness of AI's growing role in design operations.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Client Focus: A commitment to delivering exceptional value and solutions for clients, understanding their business challenges.

• Excellence & Quality: A drive to produce high-quality, thoughtful, and impactful design work, setting high standards for the team.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Belief in working together across disciplines and with clients to achieve shared goals, fostering transparency and trust.

• Continuous Learning & Growth: An environment that encourages curiosity, skill development, and adaptation to new technologies and methodologies, particularly AI.

• Empathy: Valuing understanding of both user needs and team member perspectives to foster a supportive and effective work environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative approach where design teams work seamlessly with strategists, technologists, researchers, and project managers.

• Open Communication: A culture of transparency, constructive feedback, and active listening is paramount for effective remote collaboration and team health.

• Empowerment & Autonomy: Teams are empowered to take ownership of their work, with managers providing guidance and support rather than micromanagement.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement of sharing insights, best practices, and learnings across the team and the wider organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: These values and collaboration styles are inferred from the company's description as a consultancy focused on solving problems, the remote-first nature of work, and the emphasis on growth and AI integration, aligning with modern professional service firm cultures.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Remote Team Management: Effectively leading, motivating, and maintaining team cohesion and performance in a distributed, remote-first environment.

• Balancing Client Demands with Team Well-being: Navigating the pressures of client engagements while ensuring designers are not overworked and have opportunities for growth.

• Integrating AI Responsibly: Guiding the team in exploring and adopting AI tools ethically and effectively, managing potential disruptions or learning curves.

• Navigating Project Ambiguity: Leading design teams through complex, ill-defined client problems, requiring strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Talent Development in a Competitive Market: Attracting, retaining, and developing top design talent in a highly competitive industry.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership Skills Enhancement: Formal training and practical experience in people management, coaching, and strategic leadership.

• Deep Dive into AI in Design: Opportunities to become an expert in leveraging AI tools for design research, ideation, and execution.

• Industry Specialization: Potential to develop deep expertise in specific client industries (e.g., healthcare, media, telecom) through project work.

• Consulting Best Practices: Further development in client management, proposal writing, and strategic advisory within a consulting framework.

• Mentorship Program: Access to senior leaders for guidance and career development support.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are framed around the specific context of managing a design team in a remote consulting environment, with a particular focus on the integration of AI. Growth opportunities are directly linked to the challenges and the nature of the role.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your philosophy on developing designers' careers. How do you provide feedback and foster growth for a remote team?" (Focus on structured feedback, career pathing, and remote coaching techniques.)

• "How would you approach integrating new AI tools into a design team's workflow? What are the potential benefits and challenges you foresee?" (Prepare to discuss ethical considerations, training needs, and practical application.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What attracts you to Think Company's consultancy model and our focus on AI integration?" (Research the company's website, case studies, and values thoroughly.)

• "How do you foster team health and collaboration within a remote-first environment? How would you ensure your team feels connected and supported?" (Emphasize communication, empathy, and deliberate team-building activities.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the client's challenge, your team's approach (emphasizing your leadership role), the solutions developed, and the measurable impact.

• Highlight Leadership Actions: Explicitly state what you did as a manager: how you coached, guided strategy, managed resources, resolved issues, and empowered your team.

• Showcase Strategic Thinking: Demonstrate how your team's design solutions addressed core business objectives and provided strategic value to the client.

• Discuss Adaptability: Be prepared to talk about how you adapt processes and strategies to different client contexts and project requirements.

• Practice Your Delivery: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it's clear, concise, engaging, and within the allotted time. Be ready for follow-up questions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions are tailored to assess leadership, strategic thinking, remote management skills, and the ability to integrate emerging technologies like AI within a consulting framework. Portfolio presentation advice focuses on demonstrating leadership impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Paylocity recruiting platform.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience in design leadership, UX strategy, team development, and client advisory. Use keywords from the job description and quantify your achievements whenever possible (e.g., "Managed a team of 10 designers, resulting in a 15% increase in client satisfaction scores").

• Portfolio Curation: Select 2-3 robust case studies that best showcase your leadership capabilities, strategic impact, and experience managing design teams. Focus on how you enabled your team's success.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your leadership philosophy, your approach to coaching and career development, and your strategies for integrating AI into design workflows. Be ready to discuss specific examples during interviews.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Think Company's services, client work, and company culture. Understand their approach to design, technology, and client partnerships, paying attention to their stated emphasis on AI.

⚠️ 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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