Product Designer II, New Business

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer II, New Business

Company: Warner Bros. Discovery

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

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-06-10

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design of innovative, standalone non-news digital products and features for CNN's New Business team, focusing on subscription growth and user enrichment.

• Execute end-to-end design processes, encompassing discovery, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, visual design, user testing, and implementation across web, mobile, and connected platforms.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Product, Engineering, Research, Editorial, Growth, and Analytics to deliver user-centered experiences that align with business objectives.

• Contribute to and leverage established design systems, patterns, and brand guidelines while identifying opportunities for enhancement within the CNN brand ecosystem.

• Drive design iteration based on user feedback, usability findings, experimentation results, and market insights to continuously improve product experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's focus on "New Business" and "subscription growth," this position likely involves significant strategic thinking around user acquisition, retention, and monetization within a digital media context. The emphasis on "ambiguity" and "strategically complex initiatives" suggests a need for a designer comfortable with evolving requirements and a forward-thinking approach to product development.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the design of smaller standalone features or contribute significantly to larger product initiatives within the emerging New Business experiences for CNN.

• Produce comprehensive design artifacts, including detailed user flows, interactive wireframes, high-fidelity prototypes, polished visual designs, and compelling presentation materials for stakeholder buy-in.

• Actively participate in user research and product discovery activities to gain a deep understanding of user needs, core business goals, and emerging market opportunities.

• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with cross-functional partners across Product Management, Engineering, User Research, Editorial, Growth Marketing, and Data Analytics teams.

• Clearly articulate and defend design decisions, rationale, and strategic recommendations to diverse audiences, including senior leadership and cross-functional teams.

• Engage proactively in collaborative workshops, brainstorming sessions, and rigorous design critiques to foster innovation and collective problem-solving.

• Apply and adhere to established design systems, reusable patterns, and brand guidelines, while also identifying and proposing improvements to enhance consistency and efficiency.

• Iterate on design solutions by effectively integrating feedback from usability testing, A/B testing outcomes, A/B testing results, and business insights.

• Support and contribute to testing and validation efforts, translating key learnings into actionable improvements for product experiences.

• Build productive, positive relationships across various teams and contribute to a healthy, collaborative design culture that encourages innovation and knowledge sharing.

• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and evolving user expectations to inform and inspire future product development opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a designer who can operate autonomously on specific features while also contributing to larger, more complex projects. The emphasis on communication and collaboration suggests that strong interpersonal skills are as critical as design execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or equivalent professional experience.

Experience: 2+ years of experience as a product designer creating digital experiences across web, mobile, or connected platforms.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A robust portfolio demonstrating strong UX and visual design skills, with clear examples of solving meaningful user and business problems.

• Design Software Proficiency: Expert proficiency in Figma for design and prototyping.

• User-Centered Design Principles: Deep understanding of user-centered design methodologies, interaction design, information architecture, and fundamental visual design principles.

• Design System Application: Experience designing within established design systems and consistently applying brand standards.

• Research & Iteration: Familiarity with user research methods, usability testing, and iterative design practices for continuous improvement.

• Communication: Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale effectively.

• Collaboration: Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners and incorporate feedback into design solutions.

• Technical Awareness: Basic understanding of web and mobile technologies and platform capabilities to inform design decisions.

• Project Management Tools: Experience with collaboration and project management tools such as Jira and Confluence.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working on subscription-based products.

• Experience designing for consumer-facing digital products.

• Experience designing for media or news-related products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "2+ years" experience level, combined with the requirement for a portfolio demonstrating problem-solving, suggests they are looking for a designer who can move beyond basic execution and contribute strategically. Proficiency in Figma is a critical technical requirement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 comprehensive case studies that detail the end-to-end product design process for digital products.

• Each case study should clearly articulate the problem statement, user research findings, design challenges, iterative design process, and final solutions.

• Highlight your specific contributions and role within team projects, distinguishing individual efforts from group outcomes.

• Demonstrate proficiency in creating user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs.

• Quantify the impact of your design solutions whenever possible, using metrics related to user engagement, conversion rates, task completion, or business objectives. Process Documentation:

• Examples of wireframes and user flows that illustrate complex user journeys and information architecture.

• Prototypes demonstrating key interactions and user flows, showcasing your ability to translate concepts into interactive experiences.

• Visual design mockups that adhere to established design systems and brand guidelines.

• Documentation of user research insights, usability testing findings, and how these informed design iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to demonstrate not just aesthetic skill but a clear, logical design process that solves problems and achieves business goals, particularly within a media and subscription context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $83,993.00 - $155,987.00 USD per year

Benefits:

• Health Insurance coverage

• Employee Wellness Program

• Life Insurance

• Disability Insurance

• Retirement Savings Plan

• Paid Holidays

• Sick Time

• Vacation time

• Annual Bonuses

• Short-term Incentives

• Long-term Incentives

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with potential for flexibility depending on project needs and hybrid work arrangements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is broad, reflecting potential variations based on location (e.g., NYC vs. Atlanta/DC), specific experience within the 2-5 year bracket, and negotiation. The extensive benefits package is typical for a large media organization like Warner Bros. Discovery.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Media & Entertainment, Digital News, Technology. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is a global leader in creating and distributing premium content across all genres and platforms. The CNN New Business team operates within this vast ecosystem, focusing on innovation in digital news and adjacent product development.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (over 10,000 employees). This scale implies structured processes, significant resources, and opportunities for impact across a broad organization.

Founded: The current entity, Warner Bros. Discovery, was formed in 2022 through the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. CNN itself has a long history, established in 1980. This blend of established legacy and recent integration suggests a dynamic environment with a focus on future growth.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer II will be part of the CNN New Business team, a specialized unit focused on developing innovative, standalone digital products beyond traditional news.

• This team likely consists of product managers, engineers, researchers, designers, and editorial specialists, working in a highly collaborative, agile environment.

• Reporting structure will likely be within a design leadership hierarchy, with dotted lines to product leads for specific initiatives. Methodology:

• Agile Development: Expect a fast-paced, iterative approach to product development, common in digital media and tech.

• User-Centricity: A strong emphasis on understanding and addressing user needs through research and testing.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing analytics, A/B testing, and user feedback to inform design choices and product strategy.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Close partnerships between design, product, engineering, and business stakeholders are essential for success.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: WBD's culture is described as emphasizing "storytellers," "creators," and "dreamers," suggesting an environment that values innovation and passion. The inclusion of CNN's mission to be "the world's most essential and engaging source of digital news" highlights the impact and purpose of the work.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a Product Designer II, indicating an intermediate level of experience. It requires the ability to execute design tasks independently, contribute to larger projects, and begin to own design for smaller features. It's a step beyond an entry-level position, demanding a solid understanding of design principles and practical application.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer II will report to a design lead or manager within the CNN New Business team. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific product initiatives, fostering a collaborative, cross-functional reporting dynamic.

Operations Impact: The New Business team is central to CNN's future growth strategy, aiming to develop innovative, standalone products that drive subscription revenue and enrich user lives. The Product Designer II will directly influence the user experience of these new offerings, impacting user acquisition, engagement, retention, and overall business success. Their work will contribute to CNN's evolution into a more diversified digital media and subscription-based entity.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX/UI design, such as interaction design, visual design, or user research methodologies.

• Product Ownership: Potential to take on greater ownership of design for larger or more complex product features and initiatives as experience grows.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Development of skills in leading design strategy and collaborating effectively with product and engineering teams, potentially leading to opportunities in senior design roles or design management.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining valuable experience in the dynamic digital media and subscription product landscape, working with a globally recognized brand like CNN.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Product Designer II" title implies a clear career progression path within WBD's design organization. The role offers exposure to strategic initiatives that are critical for the company's future, providing a strong foundation for future growth in product design and potentially product management.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. The role is based in major US cities with offices (New York, Atlanta, Washington DC), but the "TELECOMMUTE" location type and description suggest a hybrid model where employees are expected to be in the office for a portion of the week, likely for collaboration and team meetings.

Office Location(s):

• New York, NY (30 Hudson Yards)

• Atlanta, GA

• Washington, DC

These are major hub locations for Warner Bros. Discovery, offering access to state-of-the-art facilities and a vibrant professional environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Offices are designed to facilitate teamwork, brainstorming, and cross-functional interaction, which is crucial for agile product development.

• Technology & Tools: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma), project management tools (Jira, Confluence), and other WBD-provided technology infrastructure.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for in-person collaboration with product managers, engineers, researchers, and fellow designers, fostering a strong team dynamic.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week). While hybrid, the emphasis on "rapid transformation" and "leading and driving growth" may necessitate occasional flexibility to meet project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role suggests a balance between focused individual work and collaborative team engagement. The choice of major city locations indicates a commitment to providing professional environments with access to talent and resources.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and portfolios to assess basic qualifications and fit.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, discussing 1-2 key case studies in detail. A design exercise or challenge may be administered, either take-home or live, to evaluate problem-solving skills, design thinking, and proficiency with tools like Figma.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other Designers to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to articulate design decisions.

• Hiring Manager/Leadership Interview: A final interview with the design lead or hiring manager to discuss strategic thinking, career aspirations, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Clearly narrate the problem, your process, your contributions, and the impact of your design solutions.

• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your design decisions, referencing user research, business goals, or design principles.

• Showcase Process: Include sketches, wireframes, prototypes, and final visuals to demonstrate your end-to-end design journey.

• Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. If metrics are unavailable, articulate the intended business impact.

• Tailor to Role: Highlight projects that are most relevant to media, subscription products, and digital innovation.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: Carefully read and dissect any design challenge prompt, identifying key constraints and objectives.

• Time Management: Allocate time for research (if applicable), ideation, sketching, prototyping, and presentation.

• Communicate Your Thinking: Verbally walk through your process, even if you don't reach a perfect solution. Explain your trade-offs and assumptions.

• Focus on Process: The interviewer is often more interested in how you approach a problem than the final deliverable itself.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and potential design challenges indicates a strong focus on practical design skills and problem-solving abilities. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their design process and defend their decisions.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is a must.

• Prototyping Tools: Figma's prototyping capabilities are key; familiarity with other tools like InVision or Principle might be beneficial but not primary.

• Design Systems: Experience working with and contributing to design systems is highly valued.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Jira: For project tracking, task management, and collaboration with engineering teams.

• Confluence: For documentation, knowledge sharing, and team wikis.

• **Analytics Platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics - implied):**Understanding how to interpret analytics to inform design decisions is beneficial.CRM & Automation:

• Not explicitly mentioned as primary tools for this role, but familiarity with how design impacts user journeys within CRM or marketing automation platforms would be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is clearly the core design tool. The inclusion of Jira and Confluence highlights the need for seamless integration with engineering and product workflows.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Storytelling: A core value at WBD, encouraging the creation of compelling content and experiences that resonate with audiences. For this role, it means pushing creative boundaries for new digital products.

• Collaboration: Working effectively across diverse teams (product, engineering, editorial, growth) is crucial for success, fostering an environment of shared ownership and mutual respect.

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs, ensuring that all design decisions are grounded in user research and feedback.

• Impact & Growth: A focus on driving business results, particularly subscription growth, and contributing to the evolution of CNN's digital presence.

• Integrity: Upholding high standards in content and operations, reflecting CNN's reputation as a trusted news source.

Collaboration Style:

• Agile & Iterative: Expect a dynamic work environment where teams collaborate closely, iterate rapidly, and adapt to changing requirements.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Design is seen as an integral part of the product development lifecycle, working hand-in-hand with Product Management and Engineering from conception to launch.

• Open Communication: Encouraging open feedback, design critiques, and transparent communication to ensure alignment and continuous improvement.

• Data-Informed: Decisions are often informed by data, user research, and performance metrics, fostering a culture of informed experimentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "storytellers," "creators," and "dreamers" suggests a culture that values creativity and passion. The inclusion of "Guiding Principles" on their website indicates a structured approach to culture, likely focusing on integrity, collaboration, and impact.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: The "New Business" focus means working on projects with evolving requirements and less defined paths, requiring adaptability and proactive problem-solving.

• Balancing Innovation with Brand: Designing new, standalone products while ensuring they align with the established CNN brand identity and quality standards.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Effectively managing diverse stakeholder needs and perspectives from product, engineering, editorial, and business teams.

• Demonstrating ROI for New Ventures: Proving the value and impact of new product initiatives in terms of user acquisition, engagement, and subscription growth.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen Design Expertise: Opportunities to hone skills in specific areas of product design, user research, and interaction design.

• Strategic Product Development: Gaining hands-on experience in shaping new digital products from concept to launch within a major media organization.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Developing a strong understanding of product management, engineering processes, and business strategy through close collaboration.

• Industry Trends: Staying at the forefront of digital media, subscription models, and emerging technologies in the content space.

• Career Advancement: Potential to grow into senior design roles, lead design efforts on larger initiatives, or move into product management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents an opportunity to be part of defining the future of CNN's digital offerings, which comes with the challenge of pioneering new territory but also significant growth potential.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a product with significant ambiguity. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process for defining problems and solutions in unclear situations.)

• "How do you balance user needs with business goals and technical constraints when designing a new feature or product?" (Prepare examples that show your ability to find optimal solutions.)

• "Walk me through a project where you had to influence stakeholders or gain buy-in for your design decisions. What was your strategy?" (Highlight your communication and persuasion skills.)

• "How do you incorporate user feedback and data into your design process, especially when iterating on a product?" (Showcase your iterative design methodology.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about working for CNN and Warner Bros. Discovery, particularly in the 'New Business' area?" (Research WBD's mission, CNN's role, and the strategic importance of new ventures.)

• "How do you contribute to a positive and collaborative team culture?" (Provide examples of your teamwork and communication style.)

• "How do you stay current with design trends and emerging technologies in the media and digital product space?" (Demonstrate your passion for continuous learning.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 2-3 Strong Projects: Choose projects that best showcase your process, problem-solving skills, and impact, ideally relating to digital products or media.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, follow a clear story arc: Problem -> Your Role -> Process & Solutions -> Impact & Learnings.

• Highlight Your Contributions: Be clear about what you specifically did, especially in team projects.

• Explain Your "Why": Articulate the rationale behind your design decisions, referencing user research, business objectives, or design principles.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, challenges faced, and how you measured success.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to discuss your design process in detail and how you translate user needs and business objectives into tangible product experiences. Emphasize your ability to navigate ambiguity and collaborate effectively.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer II position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link: https://warnerbros.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/global/job/NY-New-York-30-Hudson-Yards/Product-Designer-II--New-Business_R000106197

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 high-impact case studies that demonstrate your full design process, problem-solving skills, and quantifiable results. Tailor your selection to highlight experience relevant to digital media, subscription products, and innovation.

• Optimize Your Resume: Ensure your resume clearly lists your 2+ years of experience, proficiency in Figma, and relevant skills like UX/UI design, prototyping, user research, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your chosen portfolio case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, explaining your design rationale, and articulating the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your process for handling ambiguity and collaborating with teams.

• Research WBD & CNN: Understand Warner Bros. Discovery's mission, CNN's position in digital news, and the strategic importance of their "New Business" initiatives. This will help you articulate your interest and understand the company's goals.

⚠️ 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.