Manager, UX Design Operations - Hybrid - Acton, MA or San Diego, CA

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Manager, UX Design Operations

Company: Insulet Corporation

Location: Acton, Massachusetts, United States or San Diego, California, United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: UX/Design Operations & Leadership

Date Posted: 2026-09-21

Experience Level: 8+ years (with 3+ years in leadership)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and develop a team of UX designers and researchers focused on the Omnipod® 5 sustaining business, driving operational excellence within UX delivery.

• Establish and refine scalable processes, governance, and operating models for UX intake, prioritization, resource allocation, and capacity planning.

• Drive standardization of UX workflows, tools, templates, documentation, and governance to ensure consistency and efficiency across product enhancements and maintenance releases.

• Create and manage key UX performance metrics and dashboards to demonstrate operational health, team effectiveness, and business impact.

• Partner closely with Product Management, Engineering, Clinical, Regulatory, Quality, Customer Care, and Marketing to align UX initiatives with business priorities and regulatory compliance.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned at a managerial level within UX Design Operations, emphasizing the establishment and scaling of processes and governance for a specific product line (Omnipod 5 sustaining business). The focus is on operational efficiency, cross-functional alignment, and ensuring UX deliverables meet both customer needs and stringent quality/regulatory requirements within the medical device industry.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Manage and mentor a team of UX designers and researchers, fostering professional development and high performance.

• Define, implement, and continuously improve the UX operating model for the Omnipod 5 sustaining business.

• Develop scalable processes for UX intake, prioritization, resource allocation, capacity planning, and roadmap alignment.

• Establish and maintain operational frameworks to enhance delivery predictability and overall team effectiveness.

• Drive standardization of UX workflows, tools, templates, documentation, and governance across the UX function.

• Create, track, and report on UX performance metrics and dashboards to showcase operational health and business impact.

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to identify and eliminate inefficiencies, rework, and delivery bottlenecks.

• Collaborate with Product Management and Engineering leadership to align UX work with business objectives and release schedules.

• Manage UX capacity forecasting, quarterly planning, and portfolio prioritization activities.

• Facilitate planning discussions to balance customer needs, business value, technical constraints, and regulatory commitments.

• Provide clear visibility into UX resource allocation, dependencies, risks, and delivery forecasts to stakeholders.

• Establish governance mechanisms to support informed decision-making and prioritization processes.

• Define and evolve effective engagement models between UX and its cross-functional partners, fostering strong working relationships.

• Ensure UX processes and deliverables comply with medical device quality system requirements.

• Partner with Quality and Regulatory Affairs teams to maintain essential usability, human factors, and design documentation.

• Support audits, regulatory submissions, post-market activities, and risk mitigation efforts from a UX perspective.

• Establish repeatable workflows that balance innovation, efficiency, compliance, and customer experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a blend of people management, process ownership, strategic alignment with other departments, and a strong emphasis on compliance within a regulated industry (medical devices). The role requires a leader who can operationalize UX practices to support a specific product lifecycle phase (sustaining business).

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Human Factors, Human-Computer Interaction, Design, Psychology, Engineering, Business, or a related field.

Experience: 8+ years of experience in UX Design, UX Research, Service Design, Design Operations, or related disciplines. 3+ years of people leadership experience managing UX teams.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience building or scaling Design Operations practices within an organization.

• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives in complex, matrixed organizations.

• Strong understanding of UX methodologies, user research practices, design systems, accessibility standards, and customer-centered design principles.

• Expertise in resource planning, prioritization frameworks, operational management, and process improvement methodologies.

• Excellent people leadership skills, with a track record of developing and motivating UX teams.

• Ability to translate business objectives into actionable UX strategies and operational plans.

• Proficiency in managing operational budgets and resource allocation.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven approach.

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the healthcare, medical device, digital health, or other highly regulated industries.

• Experience specifically supporting sustaining or post-market product development lifecycles.

• Experience implementing and managing UX metrics and operational performance measurement frameworks.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and their integration with UX processes.

• Experience with common UX design and collaboration tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, Jira, Confluence).

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a strong foundation in UX principles combined with significant operational and leadership experience. The preference for regulated industry experience highlights the critical nature of compliance and quality systems in this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated examples of establishing or significantly improving operational processes for UX teams, showcasing efficiency gains, improved predictability, or enhanced collaboration.

• Case studies detailing how you've managed UX resources, capacity, and prioritization for product roadmaps, especially in sustaining or post-market environments.

• Evidence of implementing governance frameworks, standard operating procedures (SOPs), or quality system documentation related to UX deliverables.

• Examples of developing and presenting UX performance metrics and dashboards to leadership, demonstrating impact on business objectives or customer experience.

• Documentation showcasing experience with workflow optimization, tool standardization, or the implementation of design systems. Process Documentation:

• Examples of documented UX intake processes, including intake forms, initial assessment criteria, and handoff procedures.

• Workflow designs illustrating the stages of UX delivery from concept to execution, highlighting iterative improvements or automation.

• Process maps detailing how UX research findings are integrated into product development and how user feedback loops are managed.

• Documentation on UX governance models, including decision-making frameworks, review processes, and stakeholder engagement protocols.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on Design Operations, a portfolio must showcase not just design work, but the management and optimization of the design process itself. This includes demonstrating the ability to build, document, and measure operational frameworks, particularly in a regulated context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $144,500 - $216,800 annually.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance plans.

• 401(k) retirement plan with a company match.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) accrual.

• Employee Wellness Programs designed to support overall health and well-being.

• Potential for incentive compensation based on individual and company performance.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, approximately 40 hours per week. This role is eligible for hybrid working arrangements, requiring a balance of on-site presence and remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to U.S.-based positions. The benefits package is standard for a large corporation and includes health, retirement, and time-off benefits, with an emphasis on employee wellness, which is increasingly important for roles requiring operational excellence and consistent performance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Medical Devices, Diabetes Care Technology. Insulet operates in a highly regulated and rapidly evolving sector, requiring a strong focus on innovation, quality, compliance, and patient outcomes. This context necessitates robust operational processes to ensure product safety and efficacy.

Company Size: Insulet is a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: PODD) with a significant global presence, indicating a mid-to-large enterprise structure with established departments and a need for standardized, scalable operations.

Founded: Founded in 2000, Insulet has a history of innovation in insulin delivery systems, specifically the Omnipod platform. This long-standing presence suggests a culture that values continuous improvement and adaptation to market needs, particularly in developing advanced automated insulin delivery systems.

Team Structure:

• The UX Design Operations team will likely be part of a larger Product Development or R&D organization, working closely with UX Design, UX Research, Product Management, Engineering, Quality Assurance, and Regulatory Affairs.

• This role manages a team of UX Designers and Researchers, indicating a direct reporting line for individual contributors focused on product enhancement and maintenance.

• Cross-functional collaboration is critical, requiring strong partnerships with departments responsible for product strategy, technical development, and compliance. Methodology:

• The company emphasizes data-driven decision-making, customer-centered design, and operational excellence, as evidenced by its focus on innovation, revenue growth, and quality systems.

• UX processes are expected to integrate seamlessly with Agile development cycles and adhere to medical device quality system requirements, balancing speed with rigor.

• Continuous improvement and a focus on efficiency are key, particularly for the sustaining business operations where optimizing existing processes is paramount.

Company Website: insulet.com and omnipod.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on diabetes care technology within a regulated industry means that operational roles like UX Design Operations must prioritize compliance, quality, and patient safety alongside efficiency and user experience. The hybrid work model suggests a modern approach to work-life balance while maintaining essential in-person collaboration.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Managerial role, overseeing a team and responsible for establishing and scaling critical operational processes within UX. It sits at the intersection of individual contributor UX expertise and strategic operational leadership. The scope extends to ensuring the efficient delivery of UX for a significant product line (Omnipod 5 sustaining business).

Reporting Structure: The Manager, UX Design Operations will likely report to a Director or VP of UX, Product, or Operations, depending on the specific organizational structure. They will directly manage a team of UX designers and researchers.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of UX delivery, which in turn influences product quality, customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance for the Omnipod 5. By optimizing processes, this role contributes to faster, more predictable product enhancements and maintenance, ultimately supporting Insulet's business objectives and patient outcomes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to grow into Director-level roles within UX Operations or broader Product Operations, managing larger teams and more complex portfolios.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in DesignOps, process optimization, and operational strategy within the medical device or healthcare technology sectors.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Opportunities to lead broader operational initiatives that span multiple departments beyond UX, leveraging established process improvement skills.

• Mentorship: Develop leadership and coaching skills by mentoring direct reports and potentially contributing to broader talent development programs within Insulet.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth potential is tied to demonstrating successful operational scaling, leadership effectiveness, and strategic impact within a critical product area. The regulated nature of the industry also presents opportunities for specialization in compliance-driven operations.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work arrangement, requiring on-site presence in either the Acton, MA or San Diego, CA office. This suggests a blend of in-office collaboration and remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): Acton, Massachusetts, United States and San Diego, California, United States. These locations offer access to talent pools and may serve as hubs for R&D and operational functions.

Workspace Context:

• The work environment is expected to be collaborative, with significant interaction with cross-functional teams (Product Management, Engineering, Quality, Regulatory).

• Access to modern UX design and collaboration tools will be essential for efficient workflow management and team communication.

• The office environment likely supports team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and structured planning activities crucial for operational alignment.

Work Schedule: The role follows a standard 40-hour work week, with flexibility inherent in a hybrid model. However, given the critical nature of product delivery and regulatory compliance, the role may require adaptability and occasional extended hours to meet project deadlines or address urgent issues.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model indicates a commitment to work-life balance, but also underscores the need for strong asynchronous communication skills and proactive engagement from remote team members. The office locations are key R&D and operational centers for Insulet.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, salary expectations, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion about experience, leadership style, operational philosophy, and specific examples related to the job responsibilities. This is where you'll likely discuss your approach to building DesignOps.

• Panel Interview(s): Interviews with key stakeholders from Product Management, Engineering, and potentially Quality/Regulatory. These will focus on cross-functional collaboration, understanding of regulated environments, and problem-solving abilities.

• Portfolio Presentation/Case Study: Candidates will likely be asked to present a case study or walk through their portfolio, focusing on their experience in establishing or scaling Design Operations, process improvements, and team leadership. Emphasis will be on demonstrable impact and operational thinking.

• Final Round: May involve senior leadership or a final assessment of strategic fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Process, Not Just Output: Showcase how you've designed, implemented, and optimized operational processes for UX teams. Use diagrams, flowcharts, and metrics to illustrate improvements.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your initiatives (e.g., reduced delivery time, improved team efficiency, increased stakeholder satisfaction).

• Highlight Leadership and Collaboration: Provide examples of how you've led teams, managed resources, and collaborated effectively with diverse stakeholders, especially in a regulated environment.

• Tailor to Insulet: Research Insulet's Omnipod product and its position in the medical device market. Frame your experiences in terms of how they align with Insulet's operational needs and challenges, particularly regarding compliance and sustaining product development.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by type of operational challenge or by project lifecycle. Make it easy for interviewers to find and understand key examples.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach building a DesignOps function from scratch or scaling an existing one.

• Anticipate questions about how you manage competing priorities, allocate limited resources, and handle challenging stakeholder dynamics.

• Practice articulating your leadership philosophy and how you develop and motivate UX professionals.

• Prepare specific examples of how you've ensured UX processes meet regulatory requirements and quality standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Managerial DesignOps role will heavily scrutinize operational expertise, leadership capabilities, and the ability to navigate complex, regulated environments. A strong portfolio demonstrating process-oriented achievements is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, XD), InVision.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Monday.com. These are critical for managing workflows, tracking progress, and facilitating cross-functional communication.

• Design Systems: Experience with managing or contributing to design systems (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook) for consistency and efficiency.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Performance Metrics Tools: Excel, Google Sheets for data analysis; Tableau, Power BI, Looker for dashboard creation and visualization.

• UX Analytics: Tools like UserTesting.com, Hotjar, Google Analytics, or specific product analytics platforms for understanding user behavior and product performance.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM, understanding how UX integrates with CRM data for customer feedback and journey mapping is beneficial.

• Familiarity with workflow automation tools or scripting (e.g., Zapier, basic Python) can be advantageous for streamlining operational tasks.

• Documentation Management: SharePoint, Google Drive, or other document management systems for organizing design documentation, process guides, and quality system records.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with standard UX design tools is expected, but the emphasis for this role will be on project management, documentation, and analytics/reporting tools that support operational oversight and performance measurement. Experience with systems that support regulated documentation is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: Ensuring that all operational processes and UX outcomes ultimately serve the needs of patients using Insulet's products.

• Operational Excellence: A commitment to efficiency, predictability, and continuous improvement in all UX-related processes.

• Collaboration: Fostering strong partnerships across Product, Engineering, Quality, and Regulatory to achieve shared goals.

• Accountability: Taking ownership of UX delivery, process ownership, and team performance, especially in a regulated environment where accountability is paramount.

• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Utilizing metrics and analytics to inform operational strategies, prioritize work, and demonstrate impact.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively engaging with and supporting Product Management and Engineering to ensure seamless integration of UX into development lifecycles.

• Process-Oriented Feedback: Encouraging a culture of constructive feedback on processes and workflows, with mechanisms for continuous iteration and improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: Promoting the sharing of best practices, learnings, and operational insights across the UX team and with partner departments.

• Proactive Communication: Maintaining transparent and regular communication with all stakeholders regarding UX capacity, priorities, risks, and progress.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a blend of patient-focused innovation and rigorous operational discipline, essential for a medical device company. Collaboration is key, and the ability to operate effectively within a structured, quality-conscious environment will be highly valued.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Speed and Compliance: Ensuring efficient UX delivery for sustaining product enhancements while strictly adhering to medical device quality system requirements and regulatory standards.

• Resource Allocation & Prioritization: Managing competing demands from various stakeholders (product, engineering, regulatory, quality) for limited UX resources.

• Scaling Operations: Establishing and scaling DesignOps processes that can effectively support a growing product portfolio and evolving business needs.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Navigating complex organizational structures and ensuring consistent understanding and execution of UX processes across diverse departments.

• Measuring Impact: Developing and demonstrating the tangible business value and operational impact of DesignOps initiatives in a complex product environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced DesignOps Strategy: Deepening expertise in building mature DesignOps functions, including advanced metrics, AI in design operations, and global team management.

• Regulated Industry Operations: Gaining specialized knowledge in human factors engineering, usability for medical devices, and navigating FDA/global regulatory landscapes from an operational perspective.

• Leadership Development: Participating in Insulet's leadership training programs to enhance people management, strategic planning, and executive communication skills.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Opportunities to attend relevant UX, DesignOps, or medical device industry conferences, and pursue certifications in project management or quality systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant opportunities for growth by tackling complex operational challenges within a high-stakes industry. The ability to master the intersection of UX efficiency and regulatory compliance is a key development area.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to building and scaling a Design Operations function within a regulated industry like medical devices." (Focus on process, governance, compliance integration.)

• "How would you prioritize UX requests from Product Management, Engineering, and Regulatory Affairs when resources are limited?" (Highlight prioritization frameworks, stakeholder negotiation.)

• "Walk me through a time you successfully improved a UX process or workflow. What was the impact?" (Prepare a STAR method example demonstrating operational improvement and quantifiable results.)

• "How do you ensure that UX deliverables meet quality system requirements and regulatory standards?" (Discuss documentation, collaboration with QA/Regulatory, validation processes.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Insulet and the Omnipod platform, and how does that inform your approach to UX Design Operations?" (Research company mission, products, and market position.)

• "How do you foster a collaborative environment between UX and cross-functional teams like Engineering and Product Management?" (Provide examples of successful cross-functional partnerships.)

• "Describe your leadership style and how you motivate and develop UX teams." (Highlight your approach to mentorship, performance management, and team building.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation around 2-3 key operational challenges you've solved. For each, describe the problem, your solution (process/framework developed), the implementation, and the measured results.

• Metrics Focus: Clearly present the operational metrics you used to track success, such as: reduction in design cycle time, improvement in resource utilization, increase in stakeholder satisfaction scores, or reduction in rework.

• Visuals: Use flowcharts, diagrams, dashboards, and examples of documentation to visually represent your operational strategies and their outcomes.

• Storytelling: Frame your experiences as compelling narratives that demonstrate your ability to think strategically, solve complex problems, and drive tangible operational improvements.

• Audience Awareness: Tailor your presentation to the likely audience—focus on aspects relevant to operations, leadership, and the medical device context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a deep understanding of DesignOps principles, strong leadership capabilities, and the ability to apply these in a highly regulated medical device environment. Quantifiable achievements and process-centric examples are key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the Insulet Careers site via the provided Workday link.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to highlight specific examples of building, scaling, or optimizing Design Operations processes. Focus on case studies demonstrating resource planning, workflow standardization, metric development, and cross-functional collaboration, especially within regulated environments.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your experience in Design Operations, people leadership, process improvement, and working within complex organizations. Use keywords from the job description such as "DesignOps," "UX Design," "Resource Planning," "Capacity Forecasting," and "Quality Systems."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your operational strategies, leadership philosophy, and problem-solving approaches. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method and rehearse your portfolio presentation, focusing on demonstrating measurable impact and operational thinking.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Insulet Corporation, its Omnipod product line, its mission, and its values. Understand the company's position in the medical device industry and prepare to discuss how your operational expertise can contribute to their goals, particularly concerning product enhancements and regulatory compliance.

⚠️ 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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