Product Designer II, Growth - Retention

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer II, Growth - Retention

Company: Warner Bros. Discovery

Location: New York, NY; Atlanta, GA; Washington, DC

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: January 16, 2026

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: On-site (with potential for hybrid arrangements considered based on role needs and candidate location)

🚀 Role Summary

• User-Centric Product Development: Drive the design and evolution of engaging user experiences across CNN Digital web properties, native mobile applications, and OTT apps, with a primary focus on customer engagement and retention strategies.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with product managers, engineers, researchers, editors, and data scientists to translate user needs and business objectives into impactful digital product features.

• Strategic Design Execution: Contribute to the development and execution of large-scale, business-critical projects, ensuring design solutions align with broader company goals and push the boundaries of digital media experiences.

• Growth-Focused Design: Apply a deep understanding of user psychology and behavioral economics to design features and flows that foster user loyalty, increase engagement metrics, and directly impact CNN's bottom line.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the core role is listed as On-site, Warner Bros. Discovery's diverse locations and the nature of digital product design suggest a potential for hybrid work arrangements, especially for candidates located near one of the listed office hubs. The emphasis on "Growth - Retention" clearly positions this role within a GTM (Go-To-Market) strategy focus, requiring a strong understanding of user lifecycle management and feature adoption.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• End-to-End Design Process: Execute across all phases of the design lifecycle, including user research synthesis, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, visual design, and collaborating with engineering for implementation.

• Strategic Project Leadership: Drive significant, high-impact design initiatives that are critical to business success and user retention goals.

• Visionary Design Contribution: Contribute to and advocate for a forward-thinking design vision for CNN Digital products, implementing innovative and user-centric solutions.

• Concept to Reality: Transform abstract ideas and concepts into tangible, user-friendly flows, plans, and polished visual designs based on strong design fundamentals.

• Business Acumen: Understand and integrate the intersection of product design within a media organization and overarching business objectives, particularly concerning revenue growth and customer lifetime value.

• Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain collaborative relationships with key internal stakeholders, including Product Management, Engineering, Editorial, and Revenue teams, ensuring design consistency and alignment with company objectives.

• Process Adherence & Improvement: Demonstrate a strong understanding of internal design processes and actively contribute to their refinement and continuous improvement for greater efficiency and effectiveness.

• Complex Problem Solving: Provide thoughtful and innovative solutions to complex design challenges within the digital media landscape, prioritizing user needs and business impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a Product Designer who can operate semi-autonomously on strategic projects, influencing direction and collaborating effectively across departments. The "Growth - Retention" focus implies a deep dive into user behavior analysis and feature optimization for long-term engagement, a key GTM metric.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 2+ years of professional experience specifically as a Product Designer.

• Proven experience building world-class product experiences with a focus on user engagement and retention.

• Experience streamlining workflows through continuous iteration and improvement.

Required Skills:

• Design Portfolio: A strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional UX and visual design solutions, with an emphasis on identifying and solving user problems.

• Figma Mastery: Expertise in Figma for UX and prototyping.

• Prototyping: Proficiency in creating interactive prototypes to communicate design concepts.

• Visual Design Fundamentals: Strong grasp of visual design principles and their application in digital interfaces.

• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills for effective stakeholder engagement.

• User-Centered Design Principles: Ability to drive user experience design, including usability principles and interaction design.

• Problem-Solving: Aptitude for providing thoughtful solutions to complex design problems.

• Adaptability: Willingness to be hands-on and "roll up your sleeves" to get things done.

• Innovation: Ability to take smart risks and champion new ideas.

Preferred Skills:

• Foundational HTML & CSS: Basic understanding of HTML and CSS for better collaboration with engineering teams and awareness of front-end constraints.

• User Research & Testing: Experience with user research methodologies, usability testing techniques (A/B, Multi-Variant), and design theory.

• Media/News Environment Experience: Familiarity with the nuances of digital media consumption and content publishing workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a portfolio with an emphasis on "identifying and meaningfully solving true user problems" is critical. Candidates should prepare case studies that clearly articulate the problem, their approach, the solutions, and the measurable impact, especially concerning retention metrics. The "Growth - Retention" aspect suggests that projects demonstrating increased user engagement, reduced churn, or improved conversion funnels will be highly valued.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Problem-Solution-Impact Framework: Showcase case studies that clearly define the user problem, detail the design process and solutions implemented, and quantify the impact on key metrics (e.g., engagement, retention, conversion).

• User Flow & Wireframing: Provide examples of detailed user flows and wireframes that illustrate strategic thinking behind information architecture and task completion.

• Visual Design & UI Systems: Include examples of polished visual design, demonstrating adherence to design principles and, ideally, contributions to or utilization of established UI design systems.

• Prototyping & Interaction Design: Demonstrate proficiency in interactive prototyping, showcasing complex interactions and user flows that enhance usability and engagement.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Evidence: Highlight projects where collaboration with Product, Engineering, and other stakeholders was crucial to successful product delivery.

Process Documentation:

• Design Process Walkthrough: Be prepared to articulate your personal design process, including how you approach discovery, ideation, validation, and iteration.

• Tool Proficiency Demonstration: Be ready to demonstrate your skills within Figma, explaining your workflow and how you leverage its features for efficiency and collaboration.

• A/B Testing & Iteration: Provide examples of how you have utilized A/B testing or other iterative methods to optimize user experiences and drive specific outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "Growth - Retention" focused role, the portfolio must emphasize quantifiable results related to user engagement, feature adoption, and churn reduction. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how their design decisions directly contributed to these growth metrics. Experience with experimentation frameworks and data analysis for design validation is highly desirable.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Estimated Range: $88,900 - $165,100 USD per year.

• Methodology: This range is based on the provided explicit salary disclosure and aligns with industry benchmarks for Product Designer II roles in major US metropolitan areas like New York City, Atlanta, and Washington D.C., considering the experience level (2-5 years) and the specialized focus on growth and retention within a large media organization.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance Coverage

• Employee Wellness Program

• Life Insurance

• Disability Insurance

• Retirement Savings Plan (e.g., 401k)

• Paid Holidays

• Sick Time

Working Hours:

• Standard 40 hours per week.

• Flexibility may be available for certain tasks or project deadlines, but the role is primarily on-site, requiring consistent presence during core business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is quite broad, suggesting that compensation will be heavily influenced by the candidate's specific experience, demonstrated impact, and location within the US. Candidates should be prepared to negotiate based on their proven track record in driving growth and retention through product design.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Media & Entertainment, Digital News & Information. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is a global leader in creating and distributing premium content across all genres and platforms. CNN Digital is at the forefront of delivering news and information to a massive, engaged audience worldwide.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (10,000+ employees). This signifies a structured environment with established processes, but also opportunities for impact within specialized teams.

Founded: Formed in 2022 through the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc., WBD represents a significant consolidation of iconic media assets. CNN has a long-standing history in journalism and digital media.

Team Structure:

• Product Design Team: Operates within the broader CNN Digital Product organization, likely comprising multiple Product Designers, UX Researchers, UI Designers, and Design Leads.

• Reporting Structure: The Product Designer II will likely report to a Design Manager or Director, with close collaboration with Product Managers and Engineering Leads for specific product initiatives.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: A key aspect of the culture is deep collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, Editorial, Data Science, and Revenue teams to ensure a cohesive and effective product strategy.

Methodology:

• User-Centric Approach: A strong emphasis on putting users at the center of product development, driven by data and research.

• Agile Development: Likely operates within an agile or hybrid agile framework, emphasizing iterative development, continuous feedback, and rapid deployment.

• Data-Informed Decisions: Reliance on data analytics, user research, and A/B testing to inform design choices and measure success, particularly for growth and retention initiatives.

• Cross-Disciplinary Teams: Encourages collaboration and shared ownership across different disciplines to achieve user delight and business goals.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Working within a large media conglomerate like WBD, especially for a brand like CNN, means operating at scale. The "Growth - Retention" focus will require a deep understanding of audience segmentation, engagement loops, and the competitive digital media landscape. The company culture emphasizes innovation and storytelling, which can be leveraged in design solutions.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Product Designer II, indicating an intermediate level of experience (2-5 years). It requires independent execution on projects and the ability to contribute strategically, moving beyond junior-level task completion.

Reporting Structure: Typically reports to a Design Manager or Lead Product Designer. Will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific feature development or product areas.

Operations Impact: The role directly impacts CNN's bottom line by designing experiences that drive user engagement and retention. Success in this role contributes to increased user lifetime value, subscription renewals (if applicable), and overall platform growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in growth-focused design, user retention strategies, and data-driven product optimization.

• Leadership Potential: Progression to Senior Product Designer or Lead Product Designer roles, with increased responsibility for strategic direction and mentoring junior designers.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Potential to move into Product Management or other strategic roles within the digital product organization, leveraging design expertise.

• Industry Exposure: Working on a high-visibility platform like CNN provides exposure to cutting-edge digital media trends and large-scale user behavior.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Growth - Retention" specialization is a highly sought-after skill in Product Design. Candidates demonstrating success in this area can expect strong career progression opportunities within WBD or the broader tech/media industry. The role provides a solid foundation for specializing in product-led growth strategies.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job posting indicates on-site work at specific locations (New York, Atlanta, Washington D.C.). Warner Bros. Discovery offices are typically modern, collaborative professional environments designed to foster innovation and teamwork.

Office Location(s):

• New York, NY: 30 Hudson Yards

• Atlanta, GA: 1050 Techwood Drive NW

• Washington, DC: 820 1st Street NE

Candidates are expected to work from one of these primary hubs.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Offices likely feature open work areas, meeting rooms, and project spaces designed for team collaboration.

• Technology & Tools: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma), collaboration tools (Slack, Jira), and potentially advanced prototyping or research platforms.

• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for in-person collaboration with design peers, product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders, facilitating rapid feedback loops and idea sharing.

Work Schedule:

• Standard professional work schedule, likely Monday-Friday, with an expectation of 40 hours per week.

• While the role is on-site, WBD values work-life balance, but project deadlines may occasionally require extended hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on on-site work suggests that direct collaboration and team synergy are highly valued. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they thrive in a collaborative office environment and contribute to team dynamics. The specific office locations offer a choice for candidates within those regions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A key stage where candidates present their portfolio, discussing specific projects and their impact. A practical design challenge, potentially focused on growth or retention, may be assigned.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interviews: Interviews with the Design Manager, Product Managers, and Engineering Leads to assess technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and collaborative approach.

• Cross-Functional Stakeholder Interviews: Discussions with individuals from Editorial, Revenue, or other relevant departments to gauge understanding of business context and cross-functional collaboration.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader for final assessment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, the user problem, your specific role and contributions, the solutions you designed, and the measurable outcomes (especially retention/growth metrics).

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentations as compelling narratives that highlight your problem-solving process, design thinking, and ability to drive results.

• Showcase Figma Skills: Be prepared to walk through your Figma files, explaining your process, component usage, and prototyping techniques.

• Address Growth/Retention: Prioritize projects that demonstrate your ability to influence user behavior, increase engagement, or reduce churn. Quantify this impact whenever possible.

• Prepare for Design Challenges: Practice solving design problems under timed conditions, focusing on articulating your thought process and design rationale clearly.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, thoroughly research CNN's digital products and audience to understand the specific context.

• Focus on User Needs & Business Goals: Ensure your solutions address both user pain points and WBD's objectives for growth and retention.

• Communicate Your Thinking: Clearly articulate your assumptions, design decisions, and the trade-offs you considered.

• Propose Metrics: Be ready to suggest key metrics to measure the success of your proposed solution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to evaluate not just design skills but also strategic thinking, collaboration, and the ability to deliver measurable business impact. A strong portfolio that clearly demonstrates success in growth and retention is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UX, UI design, and prototyping. Mastery is required.

• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency with Figma's prototyping capabilities and potentially other tools like InVision or Principle.

• Collaboration Tools: Slack, Jira, Confluence for team communication, task management, and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar platforms to understand user behavior and track key metrics.

• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools like Tableau, Looker, or internal dashboards for interpreting data and presenting insights.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a direct CRM role, understanding how user data is managed in systems like Salesforce (or similar) is beneficial for context.

• A/B Testing Platforms: Experience with tools like Optimizely, VWO, or internal experimentation platforms to run and analyze A/B tests.

📝 Enhancement Note: While Figma mastery is explicitly stated, familiarity with analytics platforms and A/B testing tools is crucial for a "Growth - Retention" focused role. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they use data to inform their design decisions and measure the success of their work.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs, ensuring that all design decisions prioritize the user experience.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working effectively with cross-functional teams, fostering open communication and shared ownership.

• Innovation & Curiosity: Encouraging the exploration of new ideas, technologies, and design approaches to push the boundaries of digital media.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing analytics and research to inform design strategies and measure the impact of product features.

• Impact & Accountability: A focus on delivering tangible business results and taking ownership of outcomes, particularly in driving growth and retention.

• Inclusion: A commitment to creating diverse and inclusive experiences for all users and fostering an inclusive team environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership: Works closely with Product Managers to define strategy and roadmaps, and with Engineers to ensure feasible and high-quality implementation.

• Feedback-Oriented: Engages in constructive critique and feedback sessions with fellow designers and stakeholders to refine solutions.

• Transparent Communication: Maintains open lines of communication, sharing progress, challenges, and insights regularly.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Actively seeks alignment with Editorial, Revenue, and Marketing teams to ensure a cohesive user journey and business strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core values of user-centricity, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making are central to success in this role. Candidates should be able to articulate how they embody these values in their daily work and how they contribute to a positive and productive team dynamic.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Navigating the complexities of designing for a large, diverse audience while meeting aggressive growth and retention targets.

• Evolving Media Landscape: Staying ahead of rapid changes in digital media consumption, competitive offerings, and technological advancements.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent vision and execution across multiple departments with potentially competing priorities.

• Scalability: Designing solutions that are effective and performant across a wide range of devices and platforms for millions of users.

• Measuring Retention Impact: Clearly attributing design changes to specific improvements in user retention metrics can be challenging.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Growth Design Training: Opportunities to attend workshops, conferences, or pursue certifications in product-led growth and user retention strategies.

• Mentorship: Access to senior designers and product leaders within WBD for guidance and career development.

• Industry Exposure: Working on high-profile CNN digital products provides invaluable experience in the fast-paced digital media industry.

• Advanced Tooling & Techniques: Exposure to and training on new design tools, A/B testing methodologies, and data analysis techniques.

• Leadership Development: Potential for formal leadership training as career progression occurs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Embracing the challenges and actively seeking out learning opportunities will be key to thriving in this role. The company's investment in employee development, coupled with the inherent learning curve of a dynamic industry, provides a fertile ground for professional growth.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed a feature specifically to improve user retention. What was the problem, your approach, and the measurable outcome?"

• "How do you balance user needs with business objectives when designing for a product like CNN Digital?"

• "Walk me through a complex design problem you solved. What was your process, and how did you collaborate with engineering and product management?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about working for CNN Digital and Warner Bros. Discovery?"

• "How do you approach collaboration with non-design stakeholders (e.g., editors, revenue teams)?"

• "Describe a time you had to champion a design idea that faced resistance. How did you handle it?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame your projects as narratives with a clear beginning (problem), middle (process/solution), and end (impact).

• Quantify Everything: For retention/growth projects, emphasize metrics like increased session duration, reduced churn rate, higher feature adoption, or improved conversion rates.

• Showcase Figma Workflow: Be prepared to share your Figma files and explain your process, component usage, and how you ensure design consistency.

• Focus on Strategic Thinking: Clearly explain the "why" behind your design decisions, connecting them to user needs and business goals.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your process, challenges, and how you would approach hypothetical scenarios related to CNN's products.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare specific examples that highlight their expertise in growth and retention. Demonstrating an understanding of the media industry and CNN's specific challenges will also be beneficial. Practice articulating your design process and the impact of your work concisely.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer II, Growth - Retention position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating success in user engagement, retention strategies, and measurable growth outcomes. Specifically, emphasize your experience with Figma and any relevant media/news industry projects.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly lists your years of experience, key skills (Figma, UX, UI, Prototyping, User Research), and quantifiable achievements related to product design impact. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, presenting your portfolio case studies with a focus on impact, and preparing for potential design challenges or strategy questions related to growth and retention. Research CNN's digital products deeply.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Warner Bros. Discovery's mission, values, and CNN's position in the digital news landscape. Understand their current product offerings and potential areas for growth.

⚠️ 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.