Senior Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Design Manager
Company: Ledge Lounger Inc
Location: Katy, Texas, United States
Job Type: Full-time
Category: Product Design / Industrial Design Management
Date Posted: October 11, 2025
Experience Level: 10+ Years
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and mentor a team of designers, fostering a high-performing and collaborative design culture within the product development lifecycle.
• Drive the strategic design vision for innovative, high-quality product experiences that align with Ledge Lounger's brand identity and business objectives.
• Oversee the end-to-end product design process, from initial concept development and user research to final implementation and production oversight.
• Act as a key liaison, ensuring seamless cross-functional collaboration between Design, Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Research teams.
• Champion design excellence, innovation, and user-centered design principles throughout product development initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Senior Design Manager," the provided description strongly indicates a focus on Product Design and Industrial Design within a manufacturing context, particularly for furniture and plastic-based products. The role requires a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on design expertise, and team management, making it a crucial position for driving product innovation at Ledge Lounger.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and execute the overarching design vision and strategy for Ledge Lounger's product portfolio, ensuring alignment with brand identity and market positioning.
• Lead and mentor a team of designers, providing guidance on creative direction, professional development, and workload management to foster a high-performance culture.
• Oversee the complete product design lifecycle, including concept ideation, user research integration, prototyping, user testing, and final design handoff for manufacturing.
• Spearhead design discovery initiatives to identify unmet user needs, emerging trends, and innovative opportunities that can drive product growth and differentiation.
• Facilitate structured design reviews, critiques, and feedback sessions to uphold design quality, consistency, and brand standards across all product lines.
• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, and Marketing teams to translate business requirements and technical constraints into compelling and manufacturable product designs.
• Serve as the primary design advocate, ensuring clear communication and alignment between the design team and other functional departments.
• Translate complex user research insights and market analysis into actionable design strategies and innovative product concepts.
• Manage and optimize design processes, including sprint planning, retrospectives, and workflow improvements, to enhance team efficiency and project momentum.
• Ensure a consistent user experience and visual design language is maintained across all Ledge Lounger products and customer touchpoints.
• Proactively identify and champion design innovation opportunities, addressing user pain points and business objectives through creative problem-solving.
• Maintain and evolve Ledge Lounger's brand aesthetic and design principles, ensuring all design outputs reflect the company's commitment to modern, design-forward furniture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly delineate a strategic leadership role with significant influence over product direction and team performance. Emphasis is placed on the end-to-end design process, cross-functional collaboration, and brand stewardship, aligning with a senior management position in a product-centric organization.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a closely related design or engineering field is preferred.

Experience:

• A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in product or industrial design.
• At least 3 years of demonstrated experience in a team leadership or management role, overseeing design professionals.
• Proven track record of successfully leading the design and development of physical products from concept to market.

Required Skills:

• Strategic Design Leadership: Ability to define and articulate a compelling design vision and strategy that aligns with business goals and brand identity.
• Product & Industrial Design Expertise: Deep understanding of design principles, form, function, aesthetics, and manufacturing considerations for physical products, particularly furniture.
• Team Management & Mentorship: Proven ability to lead, mentor, develop, and motivate a team of designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performance environment.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Experience working effectively with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Research teams in an agile development setting.
• Design Process Management: Proficiency in managing the entire design lifecycle, including ideation, research, prototyping, testing, and implementation.
• User-Centered Design (UCD): Strong commitment to and practical application of UCD principles to ensure products meet user needs and expectations.
• Brand Stewardship: Ability to understand and uphold brand guidelines, ensuring design consistency and alignment with brand messaging.
• Design Tools Proficiency: Expertise in industry-standard design software such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), and potentially 3D modeling software (e.g., SolidWorks, Rhino).
• Communication & Presentation Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts effectively to diverse stakeholders.
• Organizational Skills: Strong project management and organizational abilities to handle multiple projects, manage timelines, and prioritize tasks efficiently.

Preferred Skills:

• Furniture Design Experience: Prior experience specifically in the design of residential or outdoor furniture.
• Plastic Manufacturing Experience: Familiarity with plastic molding processes, material properties, and manufacturing constraints relevant to Ledge Lounger's product lines.
• Technical Understanding of Plastics: In-depth knowledge of various plastics, their thermal properties, durability, and suitability for specific applications in outdoor furniture.
• Agile Methodology: Experience working within agile development frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "8+ years of design experience, with 3+ years in a team leadership or management role" and the "strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design leadership" are critical indicators for this role. The inclusion of specific software like Figma and Sketch, alongside Adobe Creative Suite, points to a modern design workflow. The "plus" points for furniture design, plastic manufacturing, and thermal properties are strong differentiators for candidates.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design leadership, demonstrating ownership from concept ideation through to final production-ready designs.
• Include detailed case studies that highlight user-centered design thinking, problem-solving methodologies, and the impact of design decisions on product success.
• Present a range of projects that demonstrate proficiency in industrial design principles, form, function, and aesthetic considerations for physical products.
• Clearly articulate your role in cross-functional collaboration, illustrating how you’ve partnered with engineering, product management, and marketing teams.
• Demonstrate experience with design process management, including ideation, prototyping, user testing, and iteration cycles.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you have defined, implemented, and optimized design workflows to improve team efficiency and output quality.
• Case studies that illustrate your approach to managing design sprints, critiques, and design reviews within a team setting.
• Evidence of how you translate user research and market insights into tangible design strategies and product concepts.
• Documentation or visual representation of how you ensure brand consistency and a cohesive user experience across multiple product offerings.
• If applicable, include examples related to material selection and manufacturing considerations, particularly concerning plastics and their thermal properties.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Design Manager role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing finished products; it must demonstrate leadership, strategic thinking, process management, and collaboration. The inclusion of specific manufacturing knowledge (plastics, thermal properties) suggests that a candidate's portfolio should ideally touch upon these aspects, even if it's through problem-solving or material research examples.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Design Manager roles in the Katy, Texas area with 10+ years of experience, the estimated salary range is between $120,000 and $170,000 annually. This estimate accounts for the leadership responsibilities, specialized skills in industrial and furniture design, and the competitive market for experienced design managers in the Houston metropolitan area.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Retirement savings plan (e.g., 401(k)) with potential company match.
• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Opportunities for professional development, training, and attending industry conferences.
• Employee discounts on Ledge Lounger products.
• A vibrant and collaborative work environment focused on innovation and design excellence.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work hours are typically 40 hours per week, with potential for overtime based on project demands and deadlines. The role is primarily on-site, requiring consistent presence in the Katy, Texas office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on typical compensation for similar roles in the specified location and experience level. Benefits are standard for a full-time position and tailored to what a company like Ledge Lounger might offer. The on-site nature of the role is confirmed.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry:

• Outdoor Living Products & Furniture Manufacturing. Ledge Lounger operates in a dynamic consumer lifestyle market, focusing on high-end, design-forward furniture and accessories for poolside and outdoor spaces. The industry demands innovation in material science, durability, aesthetics, and user experience to stand out in a competitive landscape.

Company Size:

• Ledge Lounger is part of a growing company, indicated by its established presence and award-winning reputation. This suggests a size that balances the agility of a smaller firm with the structure and resources needed for significant growth and market impact. For operations professionals, this often means opportunities for direct impact, less bureaucracy, and the chance to shape processes.

Founded:

• Over a decade ago. This history provides a foundation of established expertise and brand recognition, while also indicating a company that has successfully evolved and grown beyond its startup phase into a recognized industry leader.

Team Structure:

• The Senior Design Manager will lead a team of designer(s), implying a small to medium-sized design department.
• This role requires close partnership with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Research teams, indicating a matrixed or highly collaborative organizational structure.
• The design team likely reports into a senior leadership position within Product Development or a similar functional area.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on "collaboration and innovation" and "unwavering belief in the importance of design distinction."
• The company values a "strategic vision," "user-centered design," and "design excellence from concept through execution."
• A "hands-on leader" approach is preferred, suggesting a culture where leaders are actively involved and contribute to the creative process.
• Agile methodologies are implied through the mention of working with teams in an "agile environment" and leading "sprint planning, critiques, reviews, and retrospectives."

Company Website:

• https://ledge.co/ (Derived from domain_derived)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is deeply rooted in design excellence and innovation. For an operations role, understanding this would mean prioritizing solutions that enhance design quality, streamline product development workflows, and support creative initiatives. The emphasis on collaboration is key for any cross-functional operations role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level:

• This is a senior management position focused on leading and shaping the product design function. It sits at a critical intersection of creative vision, product strategy, and manufacturing reality. The role requires a blend of strategic oversight and tactical execution, positioning the individual as a key contributor to Ledge Lounger's product innovation pipeline.

Reporting Structure:

• The Senior Design Manager will likely report to a Director or VP of Product Development, Design, or a similar senior executive responsible for the company's product strategy and execution.
• They will manage a team of designer(s), providing direct leadership and mentorship.

Operations Impact:

• The design team's output directly influences Ledge Lounger's product innovation, brand perception, and market competitiveness. A successful Senior Design Manager will drive the creation of desirable, functional, and manufacturable products that enhance customer satisfaction, expand market reach, and contribute to revenue growth. Their strategic direction can shape the future of Ledge Lounger's product offerings.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to grow into a Director or VP of Design/Product role, overseeing broader product portfolios or multiple creative disciplines.
• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to play a more significant role in overall product strategy, market positioning, and business development through innovative design solutions.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like sustainable design, advanced material science (especially plastics), or user experience innovation within the outdoor furniture sector.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Transition into broader product leadership roles that encompass more than just design, leveraging a deep understanding of the product lifecycle.
• Mentorship & Team Building: Develop and scale the design team, establishing best practices and a robust design culture that supports Ledge Lounger's long-term growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth trajectory for a Senior Design Manager in a product-focused company often involves increased strategic responsibility, team expansion, and greater influence on the company's product roadmap and overall business direction.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type:

• This is an on-site role in Katy, Texas, indicating a physical office environment. Given the company's focus on design and manufacturing, the workspace is likely to be collaborative, potentially including design studios, prototyping areas, and meeting rooms conducive to creative work and cross-functional discussions.

Office Location(s):

• 616 Cane Island Pkwy, Katy, TX 77494. This location places the office within the greater Houston metropolitan area, offering accessibility and proximity to a diverse talent pool.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on cross-functional teams and design reviews suggests a workspace designed to facilitate interaction, brainstorming, and feedback exchange. Expect spaces that encourage collaboration among designers, engineers, and product managers.
• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite), potentially 3D modeling tools, and prototyping resources will be integral to the workspace.
• Team Interaction: The role involves daily interaction with a team of designers and frequent collaboration with other departments. The workspace should support both focused individual work and group activities.

Work Schedule:

• The role is full-time, typically 40 hours per week, with an on-site requirement. While standard business hours apply, the nature of creative management may involve flexibility to meet project deadlines, but the core expectation is consistent in-office presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement is a key aspect. For operations candidates, this means understanding the dynamics of a physical workspace, the importance of in-person collaboration for design teams, and the company's investment in its physical infrastructure to support creative processes.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or HR representative will likely conduct an initial call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A meeting with the hiring manager (likely a Director/VP of Product/Design) to delve deeper into your leadership style, strategic thinking, and relevant experience.
• Portfolio Review & Presentation: This is a critical stage where you'll present your portfolio to a panel, likely including design team members, engineering leads, and product managers. Be prepared to walk through 2-3 key projects, detailing your process, challenges, solutions, and impact.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Discussions with key stakeholders from Product, Engineering, and Marketing to assess your collaboration skills and ability to integrate design into broader product development efforts.
• Team Meet-and-Greet: Potentially an informal session to meet the design team and assess cultural fit from both sides.
• Final Interview/Executive Review: A final conversation with senior leadership to confirm alignment on vision and strategic contributions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Select Projects: Choose 2-3 diverse projects that best showcase your leadership, end-to-end process, and impact. Prioritize projects relevant to furniture, outdoor products, or manufacturing.
• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role and responsibilities, the design process you followed, key challenges and how you overcame them, your design decisions and rationale, and the final outcome/impact (quantifiable if possible).
• Highlight Leadership & Collaboration: Emphasize your role in mentoring designers, managing workloads, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Show how you facilitated decision-making and drove consensus.
• Demonstrate Technical Understanding: If possible, include projects that showcase your understanding of materials (especially plastics), manufacturing processes, and thermal properties, explaining how these informed your design decisions.
• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design philosophy, leadership style, how you handle conflict, how you measure design success, and your experience with specific tools and methodologies.

Challenge Preparation:

• Some companies may present a design challenge or ask you to critique an existing product. Be prepared to think on your feet, apply your design process, and articulate your reasoning clearly. Focus on user needs, brand alignment, and manufacturability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is the most crucial component for this role. Candidates must prepare a compelling narrative that not only showcases their design skills but also their leadership capabilities, strategic thinking, and understanding of the manufacturing and business context relevant to Ledge Lounger.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign). These are essential for UI/UX design, visual design, wireframing, and creating mockups.
• 3D Modeling & Rendering (Preferred/Plus): Software like SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360, or similar for creating detailed 3D models, prototypes, and renderings of physical products.
• Project Management: Tools like Asana, Jira, Trello, or Monday.com for managing design tasks, workflows, and team capacity.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding how user analytics and market research data inform design decisions is key. Familiarity with tools or processes that provide insights into user behavior and product performance.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the core design function, but awareness of how product design feeds into marketing and sales channels is beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core tools are standard for product and industrial design. The emphasis on Figma and Sketch, along with Adobe Creative Suite, indicates a modern digital design workflow. The inclusion of 3D modeling as a "plus" strongly suggests the need for industrial design capabilities.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Design Excellence: A fundamental commitment to creating high-quality, aesthetically pleasing, and functional products. This value drives the pursuit of innovative solutions and attention to detail.
• Innovation: A culture that encourages creative thinking, exploration of new ideas, and pushing the boundaries of product design in the outdoor living space.
• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on teamwork and effective communication across departments (Design, Product, Engineering, Marketing) to achieve common goals.
• User-Centricity: A dedication to understanding and addressing the needs, desires, and pain points of the end-user in every design decision.
• Brand Integrity: Upholding and enhancing the Ledge Lounger brand through consistent, high-quality design that resonates with the target market.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Teams: Design is not siloed but works closely with Product and Engineering from concept through production, ensuring feasibility and alignment.
• Open Communication: Encourages open dialogue, constructive feedback, and iterative design processes.
• Proactive Problem-Solving: Teams are expected to identify challenges early and work together to find innovative solutions.
• Shared Ownership: A sense of collective responsibility for the success of the product, fostering a partnership approach between design and other functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding these values is crucial for a candidate to demonstrate how their leadership and design approach align with Ledge Lounger's ethos, particularly regarding innovation, collaboration, and user focus.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Innovation with Manufacturability: The primary challenge will be to develop groundbreaking designs that are also cost-effective, technically feasible, and efficiently manufacturable, especially with materials like plastics.
• Managing Diverse Stakeholder Needs: Effectively aligning the design vision with the varied priorities of Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and executive leadership.
• Leading and Mentoring a Growing Team: Developing a robust design team, fostering talent, and ensuring consistent quality as the company scales.
• Staying Ahead of Market Trends: Continuously innovating and adapting designs to evolving consumer preferences, competitor offerings, and material science advancements in the outdoor furniture market.
• Integrating New Technologies/Materials: Exploring and potentially integrating new materials or manufacturing techniques, particularly those related to plastics and their thermal properties, into the design process.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Material Science: Opportunity to deepen knowledge in polymer science, thermal dynamics, and sustainable materials relevant to furniture manufacturing.
• Product Strategy: Gaining exposure to broader product strategy, market analysis, and business development initiatives.
• Leadership Development: Enhancing leadership, team management, and strategic planning skills through hands-on experience and potential company-sponsored training.
• Industry Exposure: Attending relevant trade shows, design conferences, and potentially engaging with material suppliers to stay abreast of industry innovations.
• Cross-Functional Expertise: Expanding understanding of engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and sales operations to become a more holistic product leader.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying these challenges allows candidates to prepare thoughtful responses about how they would address them, showcasing their problem-solving skills and strategic thinking. Growth opportunities highlight the potential for long-term career development within the company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to developing a design vision for a new product line that aligns with a brand's established identity."
• "How do you balance creative innovation with the practical constraints of manufacturing, cost, and timelines?"
• "Walk me through your process for translating user research insights into actionable design concepts."
• "How do you foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning within a design team?"
• "Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders with differing opinions on a design direction. What was your strategy?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Ledge Lounger's brand and product offerings?"
• "How do you see your leadership style contributing to our collaborative and innovative culture?"
• "What are your thoughts on the importance of design in the outdoor furniture market?"
• "How do you ensure brand consistency across a diverse product portfolio?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each project as a narrative, highlighting the problem, your journey, and the successful resolution.
• Focus on Process: Detail your methodology, including research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration. Show your thinking.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased sales, improved user satisfaction, reduced manufacturing costs).
• Highlight Leadership: Clearly articulate your role in managing the project, mentoring team members, and collaborating with other departments.
• Address Technical Aspects: Be prepared to discuss material choices, manufacturing considerations, and any technical challenges you overcame.

📝 Enhancement Note: Tailoring responses to Ledge Lounger's specific industry (outdoor furniture, plastics) and their stated values (innovation, collaboration, design excellence) will be key. Demonstrating an understanding of both the creative and business aspects of product development is essential.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Design Manager position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on recruiting.paylocity.com.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your experience in product/industrial design leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and any relevant manufacturing (especially plastics) or furniture design experience.
• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your leadership achievements, team management successes, and impact on product development using strong action verbs and quantifiable results. Integrate keywords such as "Design Leadership," "Product Design," "Industrial Design," "Team Management," "User-Centered Design," and "Manufacturing."
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, leadership philosophy, and problem-solving skills. Prepare your portfolio presentation to be concise, engaging, and focused on demonstrating end-to-end design ownership and impact.
• Company Research: Thoroughly review the Ledge Lounger website (ledge.co) to understand their brand, product lines, design aesthetic, and company values. Prepare thoughtful questions about their design direction, team structure, and future product initiatives.

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

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