Product Design Manager - Digital In-store domain

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Design Manager - Digital In-store domain

Company: Decathlon Digital FR

Location: Paris, Paris, France / Villeneuve-d'Ascq, Nord, France

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design Management / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-04-06

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and mentor a team of digital designers focused on enhancing the in-store customer and teammate experience through digital solutions.

• Drive the vision, strategy, and execution for digital product design within the "In-store Digital Design" domain, aligning with broader product and engineering roadmaps.

• Foster a user-centric design culture and ensure high-quality execution across the entire product development lifecycle, from discovery to post-launch monitoring.

• Collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, Data, and Business stakeholders to influence strategic decisions and deliver impactful digital innovations.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Design Manager," the responsibilities heavily involve strategic planning, team leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and driving execution, which are core to GTM Operations and Revenue Operations roles focused on enabling successful product launches and customer experiences. The emphasis on "efficiency and business operations" within the description further solidifies this connection.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Co-define and champion the experience vision for specific in-store digital sub-perimeters, ensuring alignment with Decathlon's overarching digital strategy.

• Influence the strategic roadmap by collaborating closely with Product, Engineering, and Data teams to prioritize initiatives that enhance in-store efficiency and customer experience.

• Recruit, onboard, and actively support the career development of designers, fostering a high-performing and engaged team environment.

• Ensure team well-being and cultivate a culture of autonomy, accountability, and continuous improvement within the design team.

• Oversee the quality of execution throughout the entire product lifecycle: from strategy formulation and user research (Discovery) to final delivery and ongoing experience monitoring.

• Establish and facilitate design rituals, such as design reviews and critiques, to elevate the overall quality and craft of design output.

• Promote the consistent adoption of the Design System and core experience principles, while actively driving performance through the definition and tracking of Design KPIs.

• Ensure seamless, cross-functional collaboration with all stakeholders, including Business, Product, Data, and Engineering teams, to achieve shared objectives.

• Embody and champion a strong user-centric design culture across the organization, advocating for the customer's needs in all digital initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, team management, and operational execution oversight, critical for a role that bridges design with business objectives. The emphasis on KPIs, design systems, and cross-functional collaboration indicates a need for structured operational processes and a data-driven approach to design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 5-10 years of progressive experience in product design, with a significant portion in a leadership or management capacity, demonstrating a track record of successfully delivering digital products.

• Proven experience in managing and mentoring design teams, including recruitment, performance management, and career development.

Required Skills:

• Design Management: Proven ability to lead, manage, and develop a team of designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.

• Strategic Planning: Expertise in co-defining and championing experience visions, influencing strategic roadmaps, and aligning design efforts with business objectives.

• Product Design Leadership: Deep understanding of the end-to-end product design lifecycle, from discovery and strategy to delivery and ongoing monitoring.

• User-Centric Design: Strong advocacy for user needs and a proven ability to translate user insights into compelling digital experiences.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Exceptional ability to work effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, Data Scientists, and Business Stakeholders to achieve common goals.

• Design Systems: Experience in promoting the adoption and evolution of design systems and experience principles to ensure consistency and scalability.

• Stakeholder Management: Skill in communicating design vision, strategy, and rationale to diverse audiences and influencing decisions at various levels.

Preferred Skills:

• AI & Emerging Technologies: Familiarity with leveraging AI and emerging technologies to transform creative processes and enhance digital experiences.

• Data-Driven Design: Experience in defining and tracking Design KPIs to measure performance and inform design decisions.

• Retail/In-store Experience: Understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within the retail and physical store environment.

• Agile Methodologies: Proficiency in working within agile development frameworks and collaborating with agile teams.

• Global Brand Experience: Experience working within large, global organizations with diverse product portfolios.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize leadership, strategic thinking, and operational execution, aligning with the demands of a senior role that bridges design craft with business outcomes. The mention of AI and data-driven KPIs suggests a modern approach to design management, where operations and analytics play a crucial role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: A curated selection of case studies showcasing impactful product design projects, detailing the problem, your role, the process, design decisions, and measurable outcomes.

• Process Documentation: Examples of how you have documented and optimized design processes, workflows, and collaboration methods within previous roles.

• Team Management Examples: Evidence of experience in team development, mentorship, and fostering a collaborative design environment.

• Strategic Influence: Demonstrations of how you have influenced product strategy and roadmaps through design leadership and user advocacy.

• KPI & Performance Metrics: Examples of how you have defined, tracked, and utilized design KPIs to drive performance improvements.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase how you have designed, implemented, and optimized workflows for design teams, including collaboration with engineering and product.

• Design System Implementation: Provide examples of your involvement in establishing or scaling design systems and ensuring their consistent adoption across projects.

• User Research & Validation: Detail your approach to user research, testing, and incorporating feedback into the design process to ensure product-market fit and user satisfaction.

• Performance Analysis: Demonstrate your ability to analyze post-launch performance data and user feedback to identify areas for iterative improvement and future strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a management role, the portfolio should not only showcase individual design capabilities but also demonstrate leadership in process definition, team development, and strategic impact. The emphasis on metrics and system adoption is key for operations-minded candidates.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model: Flexibility to balance remote work with in-office collaboration.

• Employee Profit-Sharing: Direct participation in the company's financial success.

• Monthly/Quarterly Bonuses: Performance-based incentives tied to individual and company achievements.

• Skill Development & Training: Comprehensive support for continuous learning, including technical certifications, internal/external training programs, and opportunities for diverse project exposure.

• Equipment Provided: Choice of Mac or Windows equipment to suit individual work preferences and mission requirements.

• Global Network Access: Opportunities for international career development within Decathlon's global network.

• Health & Wellness Programs: (Assumed, common for large organizations) Access to health benefits and wellness initiatives.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility offered through the hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on market research for similar roles in France, considering experience level and location. The benefits package is detailed based on the provided information and common offerings for tech roles in large corporations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Sports & Recreation Retail / Digital Technology. Decathlon is a global leader in sports equipment and apparel, with a significant and growing digital presence. The "Decathlon Digital" arm focuses on leveraging technology to enhance customer experience, optimize operations, and drive innovation across the value chain.

Company Size: Over 5,000 digital experts across multiple locations, indicating a large, complex, and dynamic organization with ample opportunities for collaboration and impact.

Founded: Decathlon was founded in 1976. Decathlon Digital represents its modern, technology-focused expansion, aiming to integrate digital solutions into the core of its retail operations and customer engagement.

Team Structure:

• The "In-store Digital Design" team is part of a larger "Digital" organization comprising over 300 teammates across more than 40 digital product teams.

• This role will involve collaboration with Product Managers, Engineering leads, Data Scientists, and Business stakeholders within the in-store domain.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven & AI-Leveraged: The company is actively integrating data and AI to transform creative processes and business operations, aiming to move "beyond the art of creation" by freeing designers from technical constraints.

• User-Centric Approach: A strong emphasis on understanding and serving both teammates (store staff) and customers, ensuring digital solutions enhance efficiency and experience.

• Agile & Collaborative: While not explicitly stated for design, the digital product teams likely operate with agile methodologies, requiring close cross-functional partnership.

• Continuous Improvement: A focus on monitoring experience, measuring performance through KPIs, and iterating on designs to achieve excellence.

Company Website: https://www.decathlon.com/ (Global) / https://www.decathlon-technology.com/ (Technology focus)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights a strong focus on digital transformation within a traditional retail giant, emphasizing innovation, data, and customer experience. For operations professionals, this means opportunities to build and optimize processes that directly impact a massive user base and complex supply chain.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a mid-to-senior management level, equivalent to a Senior Product Designer or Lead Designer with significant team and strategic responsibilities. It requires not just design craft but also the ability to operationalize design processes, manage stakeholders, and contribute to business strategy.

Reporting Structure: The Digital Design Manager will report to a higher-level design or product leadership, likely a Director of Design or VP of Product. They will manage a team of designers, fostering a collaborative environment and ensuring their professional growth.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the efficiency of store operations, the effectiveness of store teams, and the overall customer experience within Decathlon's physical retail spaces. By leading the design of digital in-store solutions, the manager contributes to revenue generation, customer satisfaction, and operational cost optimization. Their work directly influences how technology supports business objectives in a critical customer touchpoint.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to grow into Director-level roles, overseeing larger design departments or broader product domains within Decathlon Digital.

• Specialization in Retail Tech: Deepen expertise in digital solutions for the retail sector, becoming a subject matter expert in in-store technology and customer experience.

• Cross-functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into Product Management, Program Management, or other GTM operational roles by leveraging a strong understanding of product development, user needs, and business objectives.

• Mentorship & Coaching: Develop leadership skills by mentoring and coaching junior designers, potentially leading to formal training and development roles.

• International Exposure: Leverage Decathlon's global presence for international assignments or collaborations, expanding professional horizons.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth analysis emphasizes the strategic and operational aspects of the role, highlighting pathways that are attractive to operations professionals looking to leverage their skills in a design leadership context.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, combining remote work with in-office presence at Decathlon Digital offices in Lille or Paris. This suggests a modern workplace designed to support flexible working arrangements and foster collaboration.

Office Location(s):

• Lille (Villeneuve-d'Ascq): A key hub for Decathlon's digital operations.

• Paris: Another significant location for Decathlon's digital presence.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Offices are likely equipped with modern collaboration tools, meeting rooms, and open spaces designed to facilitate teamwork and idea sharing among designers, product managers, and engineers.

• Technology & Tools: Access to high-performance Mac or Windows workstations, along with standard design and productivity software. The environment encourages the use of cutting-edge tools and technologies, including AI-driven platforms.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for frequent interaction with design colleagues, product teams, and other digital experts, fostering a community of practice and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week), with the flexibility afforded by the hybrid model allowing for better work-life integration. This schedule supports continuous engagement with ongoing projects and team activities, crucial for effective operations and design execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment description focuses on flexibility, collaboration, and access to technology, which are key considerations for operations professionals seeking roles that offer a good balance between autonomy and team engagement.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio by a recruiter to assess alignment with the role's core requirements and experience level.

• Hiring Manager Interview: An in-depth discussion with the hiring manager (likely a Director of Design or Product) focusing on your leadership style, strategic thinking, team management philosophy, and relevant design experience. Be prepared to discuss your approach to vision setting and roadmap influence.

• Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with designers from the team and key cross-functional stakeholders (e.g., Product Manager, Engineering Lead). This stage assesses your collaborative skills, ability to work with diverse personalities, and your fit within the team's operational dynamic. Expect questions about how you handle conflict and drive consensus.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Presentation: A significant part of the process will involve presenting your portfolio. This may include a specific case study or a broader overview of your work, focusing on your strategic approach, process, and impact. Be ready to articulate your design decisions and how they align with business objectives and user needs.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader in the digital organization to confirm cultural fit and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Leadership & Strategy: Beyond individual design execution, highlight projects where you led teams, influenced strategy, and drove operational improvements.

• Detail Your Process: Clearly articulate your design process, emphasizing how you collaborate with product, engineering, and data teams. Show how you use data and user research to inform decisions.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics and KPIs to demonstrate the business impact of your design work (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores, enhanced operational efficiency).

• Focus on "In-store Digital": Tailor your presentation to showcase relevant experience or a strong understanding of the challenges and opportunities in retail and in-store digital experiences.

• Prepare for "Why Decathlon?": Articulate your passion for sports, Decathlon's mission, and how your skills can contribute to their digital transformation.

Challenge Preparation:

• Think Strategically: Be prepared for hypothetical scenarios related to defining design vision for new in-store features, managing conflicting stakeholder priorities, or improving design team efficiency.

• Operationalize Design: Frame your answers around process, collaboration, and measurable outcomes. How would you implement a new design ritual? How would you track the success of design initiatives?

• User-Centricity & Business Acumen: Demonstrate a balanced approach, showing how user needs can be met while also achieving business goals and operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process and portfolio review are critical for roles that bridge creative and operational functions. Emphasizing strategic thinking, process optimization, and quantifiable impact will be key for operations-minded candidates.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable for modern design teams), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello (for tracking design tasks, sprints, and project progress).

• User Research & Testing: Tools for user interviews, surveys, usability testing (e.g., Maze, UserTesting.com, Lookback).

• Design Systems Management: Tools or platforms for maintaining and distributing design system components.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/App Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude (to understand user behavior and product performance).

• Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Tableau, Power BI, Looker (for creating dashboards and reporting on design KPIs and business metrics).

• A/B Testing Platforms: Optimizely, VWO (for experimental design and performance optimization).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Salesforce, HubSpot (understanding how design impacts customer journeys managed within these systems).

• Prototyping & Handoff Tools: Zeplin, InVision (for seamless collaboration and handoff to engineering).

📝 Enhancement Note: While this is a design management role, proficiency with or understanding of the relevant tools used in the product development lifecycle, especially those related to analytics, project management, and design systems, is crucial for effective operations and cross-functional collaboration.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of both Decathlon's customers and its store teammates, ensuring digital solutions are intuitive and valuable.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing data, analytics, and user feedback to inform design strategy, measure impact, and drive continuous improvement in operational efficiency and user experience.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Fostering a supportive environment where designers, product managers, engineers, and business stakeholders work together cohesively towards common goals, valuing diverse perspectives.

• Innovation & Continuous Learning: Encouraging exploration of new technologies (like AI) and design methodologies to push creative boundaries and stay ahead of industry trends, with a focus on adapting and evolving processes.

• Excellence & Craftsmanship: A dedication to high-quality design execution, attention to detail, and the pursuit of best practices in user experience and digital product development.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The team actively collaborates with Product, Engineering, and Data teams, ensuring design is integrated early and throughout the development process. This involves regular syncs, joint workshops, and shared understanding of objectives and challenges.

• Constructive Feedback Culture: Design reviews and critiques are used as opportunities for collective learning and improvement, encouraging open, honest, and constructive feedback to elevate the quality of work.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing best practices, learnings from user research, and insights from performance data across the design team and with broader stakeholder groups.

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding the company's values and collaboration style is crucial for operations professionals to gauge cultural fit and assess how efficiently they can integrate into the existing workflows and decision-making processes.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Innovation with Operational Constraints: Integrating cutting-edge technologies like AI while ensuring solutions are practical, scalable, and maintainable within existing retail operations and infrastructure.

• Driving Adoption of Design Systems & Principles: Ensuring consistent application of design standards and principles across a large and diverse set of in-store digital touchpoints and teams.

• Influencing Stakeholders in a Large Organization: Navigating a complex stakeholder landscape to champion user-centric design and secure buy-in for strategic initiatives, especially when balancing competing business priorities.

• Measuring Impact in a Hybrid Environment: Quantifying the impact of digital design on both online and offline (in-store) customer experiences and operational efficiency, which can be complex to track.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Leadership: Opportunities to hone strategic leadership skills, manage larger teams, and contribute to the overall design vision and operational framework of Decathlon Digital.

• Specialization in Retail Technology: Deep dive into the specific challenges and opportunities of digital transformation within the retail sector, becoming an expert in in-store customer journeys and operational tech.

• AI & Emerging Technology Integration: Hands-on experience in leveraging AI and other emerging technologies within design processes to drive innovation and efficiency.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Gaining deeper insights into Product Management, Engineering practices, and Data Analytics through close collaboration, expanding your operational toolkit.

• Mentorship and Coaching: Opportunities to develop leadership and coaching skills by guiding and developing junior designers, potentially leading to formal mentorship programs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying potential challenges and growth areas helps candidates prepare for the realities of the role and align their career aspirations with the opportunities offered. For operations-minded individuals, focusing on process improvement and strategic impact within these challenges is key.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you define the design vision for a new digital self-checkout experience in Decathlon stores, considering both customer convenience and operational efficiency for staff?" (Focus on articulating a strategic process, user needs, and operational considerations.)

• "Describe a time you had to influence a cross-functional team (e.g., engineering or business) to adopt a design recommendation that initially faced resistance. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Demonstrate stakeholder management, communication, and persuasion skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Decathlon's mission and its approach to digital transformation in the sports retail industry?" (Research Decathlon's brand, values, and digital strategy.)

• "How do you foster a user-centric design culture within a team and across different departments?" (Provide examples of initiatives and communication strategies.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process (including collaboration), your key design decisions, and the measurable results (ROI, user satisfaction, efficiency gains).

• Emphasize Operational Impact: Highlight how your design solutions improved operational efficiency for store staff or streamlined customer journeys, directly contributing to business goals.

• Showcase Leadership & Collaboration: Demonstrate your ability to lead design efforts, mentor designers, and collaborate effectively with product, engineering, and business teams.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs made, and how you would approach future challenges specific to Decathlon's in-store environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing for these types of questions will help candidates demonstrate their strategic thinking, operational acumen, and ability to lead design initiatives effectively within a corporate environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Design Manager position:

• Submit your application through the Decathlon Digital careers portal via the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight relevant case studies that demonstrate leadership in product design, team management, strategic influence, and a focus on user experience within a retail or complex digital environment. Emphasize projects where you've driven operational efficiencies or improved customer journeys.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience in design management, strategic planning, cross-functional collaboration, and team leadership. Quantify achievements with specific metrics wherever possible, focusing on outcomes relevant to business operations and user satisfaction.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design philosophy, leadership approach, and problem-solving methodologies. Be prepared to discuss your experience with design systems, user research, and data-driven decision-making, and how you would apply these to Decathlon's in-store digital domain.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Decathlon's mission, values, digital strategy, and current initiatives. Understand their commitment to sports, sustainability, and customer experience to articulate your alignment and enthusiasm during interviews.

⚠️ 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.