UX Manager (Remote Eligible in Bulgaria)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Manager (Remote Eligible in Bulgaria) Company: Smartsheet Location: Remote, Bulgaria Job Type: Full-Time Category: User Experience (UX) / Product Design Management Date Posted: October 01, 2025 Experience Level: 5-10 Years (with specific emphasis on leadership and people management) Remote Status: Fully Remote within Bulgaria

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and mentor a team of UX designers and researchers to drive strategic initiatives and enhance the Smartsheet platform's user experience.
• Establish and articulate a compelling vision for the future of Smartsheet's user experience, ensuring it aligns with product strategy and business objectives.
• Oversee the end-to-end design process, from concept to high-fidelity execution, ensuring impeccable quality and intuitive user flows.
• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, UX Research, and Content Design within cross-functional pod teams to deliver innovative solutions.
• Act as a player-coach, actively contributing to design work in Figma when necessary, alongside leading and guiding the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a leadership position within the UX organization, requiring not only people management but also strategic thinking and hands-on design execution. The "player-coach" aspect is critical, indicating a need for a candidate who can both lead from a tactical perspective and contribute directly to design tasks. The remote eligibility within Bulgaria suggests a focus on attracting talent globally while adhering to local employment laws.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Vision & Strategy: Establish, articulate, and champion a forward-looking vision for Smartsheet's User Experience, driving its evolution towards a next-generation platform.
• Product Area Alignment: Strategically identify and prioritize product areas requiring UX focus, leading discussions and driving action with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure UX alignment.
• Team Leadership: Manage the day-to-day activities of UX designers, ensuring human-centered design processes are meticulously planned, followed, and documented, fostering a high-performing and inclusive team environment.
• Design Delivery: Own the delivery of critical design artifacts, including narratives, user flows, wireframes, mockups, and prototypes, either through direct contribution or by directing other designers.
• Craft & Quality: Deliver modern, intuitive, and delightful user experiences by embracing emerging methodologies and establishing robust quality assurance processes to ensure design intent is reflected in engineering implementation.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner effectively with Product Management, Engineering, and other UX disciplines to launch new features and refine existing ones, considering user needs, business goals, roadmaps, and technical feasibility.
• User-Centricity: Actively test design concepts and rapidly incorporate user feedback to iterate and improve the product.
• Hands-on Contribution: Work directly in Figma on key initiatives or to support designers and partners, demonstrating a practical understanding of design execution.
• Thought Leadership: Serve as a thought leader within Smartsheet and the broader UX community, contributing to shaping the culture of the UX and Product organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on strategic leadership and tactical execution. The emphasis on "human-centered design processes," "quality processes," and "user feedback" underscores a commitment to a mature and user-focused design practice within a complex SaaS environment. The explicit mention of working with "C-Suite" indicates the need for strong executive communication skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for roles of this seniority, demonstrating a foundational understanding of design principles and methodologies.

Experience:

• UX/Product Design Leadership: 7+ years of experience leading UX or Product Design initiatives, with a proven track record of shaping product strategy and execution.
• People Management: 5+ years of direct people management experience, demonstrating the ability to mentor, guide, and develop design talent.
• Systems Thinking: Demonstrated experience in systems thinking, understanding downstream impacts of design decisions, leveraging industry-standard tools and methodologies, and leading design strategy/execution for complex systems.
• UX Research Collaboration: Experience working closely with UX Research partners, including guiding the definition and execution of research studies to inform strategic design direction.
• Problem-Solving: Proven ability to find simple, innovative solutions for complex user problems.
• SDLC Integration: Experience with Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) models that holistically integrate user experience.

Required Skills:

• Information Architecture: Strong foundation in organizing and structuring complex information for intuitive navigation and usability.
• Interaction Design: Expertise in designing user interactions that are efficient, effective, and engaging.
• Visual Design: Proficient in creating aesthetically pleasing and functional visual interfaces that align with brand guidelines.
• Figma Mastery: Expert proficiency in Figma for design, prototyping, and collaboration.
• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in other relevant UX and prototyping tools beyond Figma.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and advocate for the user at all organizational levels, including C-Suite executives.
• Interpersonal Skills: Strong ability to build rapport and collaborate effectively with diverse teams and leaders across the company.
• Human-Centered Design: Deep understanding and application of human-centered design principles and methodologies.
• Design Strategy: Proven ability to develop and execute design strategies that align with business objectives.
• User Feedback Integration: Skill in gathering, analyzing, and incorporating user feedback into the design iteration process.
• Task Flows & Wireframing: Ability to create comprehensive task flows, wireframes, and other interaction design deliverables.
• Mockups & Prototypes: Proficiency in creating high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes.
• Pitch Decks: Skill in developing compelling pitch decks to present design concepts and strategies.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with emerging design methodologies and technologies.
• Familiarity with enterprise-level SaaS platforms and their unique UX challenges.
• Experience in agile development environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of deep design craft, strategic leadership, and strong interpersonal skills. The explicit mention of Figma and other prototyping tools, alongside "systems thinking," points to the need for a candidate who can manage complex design challenges within a mature product. The requirement for experience with "SDLC models that holistically incorporate user experience" is crucial for a SaaS company like Smartsheet.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: A portfolio showcasing detailed case studies that demonstrate a progression from problem identification to solution implementation, highlighting strategic thinking and design execution.
• Process Optimization: Evidence of improving user workflows, enhancing efficiency, and simplifying complex user journeys through design interventions.
• System-Level Impact: Examples of how your design decisions have positively impacted complex systems, considering downstream effects and scalability.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Demonstrations of effective collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, and Research teams, showcasing how you integrated diverse perspectives into the design process.
• Metrics & Outcomes: Clear articulation of design impact, ideally supported by quantitative data or qualitative user feedback that demonstrates measurable improvements (e.g., increased user adoption, reduced task completion time, improved satisfaction scores).

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase examples of how you've mapped, analyzed, and optimized user workflows for clarity and efficiency.
• Implementation & Automation: Illustrate your experience in translating design concepts into implementable specifications and your understanding of how design integrates with development processes.
• Measurement & Analysis: Provide examples of how you've defined metrics for design success, conducted post-launch analysis, and used data to inform design iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UX Manager role, the portfolio needs to go beyond individual design artifacts. It should demonstrate strategic leadership, the ability to manage complex projects, and a deep understanding of how design contributes to business outcomes. Case studies should clearly articulate the "why" behind design decisions and the measurable impact achieved.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a UX Manager role with 7+ years of experience, including 5+ years of people management, in a remote capacity within Bulgaria, the estimated salary range would be €55,000 - €85,000 per year (gross). This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior UX leadership roles in Western and Eastern Europe, considering the cost of living in Bulgaria and Smartsheet's position as a leading SaaS company.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Generous Paid Time Off: Including vacation days, public holidays, and sick leave.
• Remote Work Stipend: Potential for a stipend to support home office setup and connectivity.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for continued learning, including access to conferences, workshops, and online courses.
• Stock Options/Equity: Potential for participation in company stock plans.
• Retirement Savings Plan: Contributions to a pension or retirement fund.
• Life and Disability Insurance: Standard coverage for employee well-being.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential support services for personal and professional challenges.

Working Hours: A standard full-time work week of approximately 40 hours is expected. While remote, adherence to core business hours for collaboration with teams (potentially across different time zones) will be necessary. Flexibility may be offered outside of core collaboration times.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate for Bulgaria. Salaries in Sofia, the capital, tend to be at the higher end of this range. Smartsheet is a well-established company, so benefits are likely to be competitive. The inclusion of "remote eligible in Bulgaria" means adherence to Bulgarian labor laws and tax regulations is expected.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / SaaS (Software as a Service), specifically focused on Work Management and Collaboration. Smartsheet operates in a competitive market, emphasizing enterprise-grade solutions for productivity and workflow automation. Company Size: Smartsheet is a publicly traded company with over 3,000 employees globally, indicating a structured organization with established processes and significant resources. This size suggests opportunities for impact within a large, established entity. Founded: Smartsheet was founded in 2005. This long history implies a mature product, a stable business model, and established cultural norms.

Team Structure:

• Pod Teams: UX leaders operate within "pod teams," which are cross-functional units comprising Product Management, Engineering, Product Design, UX Research, and Content Design. This structure fosters close collaboration and shared ownership of product development.
• Reporting: This UX Manager will report to a higher-level UX leader (e.g., Director or VP of UX) and will manage a team of individual contributor designers and researchers.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Expect extensive collaboration with Product Managers to define roadmaps and feature requirements, Engineers for implementation feasibility and technical constraints, and UX Researchers for user insights.

Methodology:

• Human-Centered Design: A core methodology emphasizing understanding user needs and building solutions around them.
• Data-Driven Decisions: While qualitative feedback is key, quantitative data and metrics are used to inform design choices and measure success.
• Iterative Development: Design and development follow an iterative process, allowing for continuous improvement based on feedback and testing.
• Agile Practices: Likely to be integrated within the broader SDLC, focusing on flexibility and rapid response to changing requirements.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Smartsheet's established presence and size suggest a professional, process-oriented environment. The pod team structure is a standard practice in modern tech companies to ensure alignment and efficient product development. The emphasis on "magic at work" in their description hints at a culture that values innovation and employee passion.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a senior management position within the User Experience discipline. It signifies a transition from an individual contributor (IC) or junior management role to leading a team and influencing product strategy. The scope includes direct people management, strategic vision setting, and significant cross-functional influence.

Reporting Structure: The UX Manager will report to a Director or VP of UX, who likely oversees multiple UX teams or a larger domain. This provides a clear hierarchy for guidance, performance reviews, and career development discussions. The manager will, in turn, be responsible for the growth and performance of their direct reports.

Operations Impact: The UX Manager has a direct impact on the usability, intuitiveness, and overall adoption of the Smartsheet platform. By leading the design strategy for specific product areas, they influence customer satisfaction, retention, and the company's ability to attract new users. Their work directly contributes to the product's market competitiveness and perceived value.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to grow into a Director of UX role, managing larger teams or broader product areas, and taking on more strategic oversight.
• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX, such as enterprise design systems, complex workflow design, or user research strategy.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Develop skills in leading strategic initiatives that span across multiple departments, influencing broader company product direction.
• Mentorship & Coaching: Further develop coaching abilities by mentoring designers and researchers, contributing to their professional development and career growth within Smartsheet.
• Industry Influence: Opportunities to contribute to the broader UX community through speaking engagements, writing, or participating in industry events, enhancing personal and company brand.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role represents a significant step up in leadership and strategic responsibility. The "player-coach" model means growth can come from both people leadership and continued hands-on strategic design contribution. Career progression is likely tied to the success of the team and the impact of their design strategies on the Smartsheet product.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: While the role is remote, Smartsheet operates with a hybrid model in many locations, suggesting an emphasis on flexibility. For this specific remote role within Bulgaria, the primary "office" will be a home-based setup. The company culture likely supports remote collaboration tools and practices.

Office Location(s): Although the role is remote in Bulgaria, Smartsheet has global offices (e.g., Bellevue, WA; Boston, MA; London, UK; Sydney, Australia). This indicates a global operational footprint and potential for interaction with colleagues in different regions.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: The environment will heavily rely on digital collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Smartsheet itself, Figma) for communication, project management, and design reviews.
• Tooling & Technology: Access to industry-standard design and communication software is expected, likely provided or supported by Smartsheet.
• Team Interaction: Regular virtual meetings, design critiques, and team syncs will be crucial for maintaining connection and fostering a cohesive team spirit despite the remote setup.

Work Schedule: The role requires approximately 40 hours per week. While flexibility is inherent in remote work, core hours will be critical for real-time collaboration with cross-functional teams, particularly Product Management and Engineering, who may be in different time zones. This requires strong time management and proactive communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of this role means the candidate must be highly self-motivated and adept at virtual collaboration. The effectiveness of the work environment will depend on Smartsheet's established remote work infrastructure and the individual's ability to create a productive home workspace.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Recruiter Screen: Initial conversation to assess general fit, experience, and alignment with the role's core requirements.
2. Hiring Manager Interview: Deep dive into your leadership experience, strategic thinking, team management philosophy, and hands-on design capabilities. Expect behavioral questions and scenario-based discussions.
3. Design Team/Peer Interview: Interaction with other UX leaders, designers, or researchers to evaluate collaboration style, technical skills, and cultural fit.
4. Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: A critical stage. You will likely present a curated selection of your work, focusing on strategic impact and leadership. A design challenge (potentially case-study based or a problem-solving exercise) might be incorporated to assess your approach to complex problems and your hands-on skills in Figma.
5. Stakeholder Interview (Product/Engineering): Conversation with key cross-functional partners to assess your ability to collaborate, communicate, and influence across different disciplines.
6. Executive/VP Interview: Final discussion with senior leadership to assess strategic alignment, executive presence, and overall fit with Smartsheet's vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest projects that best showcase your leadership, strategic thinking, and hands-on design skills. Prioritize projects with measurable impact.
• Focus on the "Why": For each case study, clearly articulate the business problem, user need, your strategic approach, design decisions, and the resulting outcomes.
• Highlight Leadership: Emphasize your role in guiding teams, influencing stakeholders, and driving design strategy. Use "I" for your individual contributions and "we" for team efforts.
• Demonstrate Figma Proficiency: Be prepared to walk through your Figma files, showcasing your process, component usage, and prototyping capabilities.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present data-driven results (e.g., "increased conversion by X%," "reduced task time by Y minutes"). If quantitative data isn't available, use strong qualitative insights.
• Address Ambiguity: Be ready to discuss how you handle ambiguity and complex problems, a key aspect of this role.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Product: Familiarize yourself thoroughly with Smartsheet's platform, its core functionalities, and its target audience.
• Practice Design Thinking: Be prepared to articulate your design process, from discovery and ideation to prototyping and iteration.
• Systems Thinking: Practice thinking about the broader ecosystem of the product and how design decisions have ripple effects.
• Figma Skills: Ensure your Figma skills are sharp, particularly for rapid prototyping and demonstrating design rationale.
• Communication: Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, whether written or verbal.

📝 Enhancement Note: This interview process is typical for senior leadership roles in tech. The portfolio review is paramount, serving as the primary vehicle to demonstrate your capabilities. The "player-coach" aspect implies a hands-on component, so preparing for a design challenge or a deep dive into your Figma work is essential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for design, prototyping, and collaboration. Expert proficiency is required.
• Smartsheet: Familiarity with Smartsheet's own platform is highly advantageous, as you will be using it for project management and potentially contributing to its design.
• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other prototyping or animation tools may be beneficial depending on specific project needs.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar for tracking user behavior and feature adoption.
• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools that can help present design impact data, potentially including Tableau or Power BI, or Smartsheet's own reporting capabilities.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a direct CRM role, understanding how UX impacts CRM usage (e.g., sales workflows, customer support) is helpful. Familiarity with Salesforce or similar could be beneficial.
• Project Management Tools: Beyond Smartsheet, experience with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for managing design tasks and workflows within development cycles.
• Collaboration Tools: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom for daily communication and virtual meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis is heavily on Figma. Given Smartsheet's product, understanding how design integrates with workflow automation and project management tools is key. Experience with user analytics platforms will be crucial for demonstrating design impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Empowerment: Fostering an environment where individuals and teams can achieve their full potential ("empower everyone to achieve more").
• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on teamwork and cross-functional partnerships ("working with flow," "space to think big").
• Innovation: Encouraging exploration, pushing boundaries, and embracing new ideas ("unlock the kind of work that truly matters").
• Impact: Focusing on delivering meaningful work that makes a difference for customers and the company ("unlock the kind of work that truly matters").
• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs throughout the product lifecycle.
• Continuous Improvement: A culture that embraces learning, iteration, and evolving best practices.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Design is deeply embedded within product pods, working side-by-side with Product and Engineering.
• Open Communication: Encouraging direct and transparent communication across all levels.
• Feedback-Oriented: A culture that values constructive feedback to drive improvements in design and processes.
• Shared Ownership: Pod teams often share ownership of product outcomes, fostering a collaborative rather than siloed approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: Smartsheet's stated values and descriptions point towards a dynamic, collaborative, and user-focused culture. The emphasis on "magic at work" suggests an environment that appreciates passion and drives towards significant achievements. For a UX Manager, integrating effectively into this collaborative ecosystem and championing user needs will be critical.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: The role involves working with significant complexity and ambiguity in a rapidly evolving SaaS landscape. Developing strategies to bring clarity and direction will be key.
• Balancing Vision and Execution: Effectively translating a long-term UX vision into actionable, short-term design deliverables while managing a team and meeting deadlines.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Persuading and aligning stakeholders across different departments, including senior leadership, on design strategy and priorities.
• Scaling Design Practices: Evolving design processes and standards to meet the growing complexity and scale of Smartsheet's user base and product offerings.
• Remote Team Management: Building and maintaining a cohesive, high-performing, and engaged design team in a fully remote setting.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic UX Leadership: Gaining experience in setting long-term product vision and influencing company-wide strategy.
• Enterprise SaaS Design: Deepening expertise in designing for complex enterprise workflows and a large user base.
• Industry Trends: Staying abreast of emerging design methodologies, tools, and technologies relevant to work management and collaboration platforms.
• Leadership Development: Access to internal and external training programs focused on people management, strategic leadership, and executive communication.
• Mentorship: Opportunities to be mentored by senior leaders within Smartsheet and to mentor emerging talent.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior UX leadership roles involving complex products and remote teams. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering a clear path for career advancement within a leading SaaS company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you established a vision for a product area's UX. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on strategic thinking, articulation, and impact).
• "How do you balance the need for user-centered design with business objectives and technical constraints?" (Demonstrate pragmatism and understanding of trade-offs).
• "Walk me through a complex problem you solved using design. What was your approach, and how did you ensure your solution was adopted?" (Highlight problem-solving, process, and influence).
• "How do you manage and mentor designers to ensure high-quality output and professional growth?" (Focus on people management philosophy and practical approaches).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Smartsheet's mission and product? How do you see UX contributing to our future success?" (Show research and genuine interest).
• "How would you foster a strong team culture within a fully remote UX team?" (Address remote management strategies and team cohesion).
• "Describe a situation where you had to influence senior leadership (C-suite) on a design decision. How did you approach it?" (Demonstrate executive communication and persuasion skills).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, your strategic approach, key design decisions, challenges faced, and measurable outcomes.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively (flows, wireframes, mockups, prototypes) to illustrate your process and solutions.
• Highlight Leadership: Explicitly discuss your leadership contributions, how you guided your team, and how you collaborated with stakeholders.
• Quantify Impact: Present data or user feedback to support the success of your projects. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss the intended impact and how you would measure it.
• Be Ready for Figma Deep Dive: Prepare to navigate your Figma files, explain your design system approach, and discuss your prototyping techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic leadership, strong people management skills, a deep understanding of UX principles, and the ability to execute hands-on design work. The "player-coach" aspect means interviewers will probe both your leadership style and your individual design craft.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Manager position:

• Submit your resume and a link to your online portfolio through the Smartsheet careers portal.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating leadership, strategic UX thinking, and hands-on design execution in complex product environments. Focus on case studies relevant to SaaS or enterprise software.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your years of experience in UX/Product Design leadership and people management. Use keywords from the job description, such as "User Experience," "Product Design," "Figma," "Systems Thinking," and "People Management." Quantify achievements whenever possible.
• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly research Smartsheet, its product, and its culture. Prepare to discuss your leadership philosophy, design process, and how you handle complex challenges. Practice presenting your portfolio and articulating your strategic thinking.
• Company Research: Understand Smartsheet's mission, values, and recent product developments. Be ready to discuss how your skills and experience align with their goals and how you can contribute to their "magic at work" culture.

⚠️ 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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