Senior Product Design Manager (6-month Term)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Design Manager (6-month Term)

Company: CharacterStrong

Location: Lake Tapps, Washington, United States

Job Type: Full-Time, Contractor

Category: Product Design Leadership & Operations

Date Posted: May 29, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ years (with 3+ years in leadership)

Remote Status: Remote OK (within the United States)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end design strategy and execution for CharacterStrong's digital platform, focusing on user experience, information architecture, and scalable product design.

• Manage, mentor, and provide strategic coaching to a team of UX designers, ensuring high-quality, consistent, and user-centered design output.

• Govern and evolve the company's design system, ensuring adherence to accessibility standards (WCAG AA) and seamless integration into the product development lifecycle.

• Drive the simplification of complex product experiences through expert information architecture and workflow design, translating business goals and user needs into actionable design solutions.

• Act as a key cross-functional partner, collaborating with Product Development, Engineering, and Art Directors to align design with product strategy, technical feasibility, and brand consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a contract-to-hire position, initially for 6 months with potential for full-time conversion. The focus is on a "coach-player" model, requiring both strategic leadership and hands-on design contributions, particularly in areas of information architecture and design system governance. The target candidate will possess deep expertise in navigating ambiguity and driving clarity in complex product environments.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and direct product design initiatives across the digital platform, with a strong emphasis on information architecture, user journeys, accessibility, usability, and consistent design system execution.

• Define, refine, and evolve navigation systems, content hierarchy, interaction patterns, and comprehensive user flows to enhance platform intuitiveness and efficiency.

• Translate product priorities, user needs, "jobs to be done," and overarching business goals into clear UX direction and practical, actionable design solutions.

• Ensure all product experiences are intuitive, efficient, scalable, and meet WCAG AA accessibility standards and inclusive design principles.

• Manage and mentor UX designers, providing strategic coaching in information architecture and UX best practices to elevate the team's independent execution and design quality.

• Review UX design work regularly to guarantee quality, consistency, and alignment with product goals, business objectives, and user needs.

• Drive the simplification of complex or fragmented product experiences through strategic information architecture and robust workflow design.

• Collaborate closely with UX/UI designers, developers, and other stakeholders to integrate the design system into the product development process and enforce its governance.

• Partner with the Senior Director of Product Development to align design requirements with product strategy and user stories, ensuring evidence-based insights and prioritization reflect validated user needs.

• Foster a healthy, thoughtful, and accountable product design culture grounded in clarity, ownership, and continuous improvement, emphasizing the company's core values.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on leadership and hands-on execution. This includes strategic oversight of design quality and team development, alongside direct involvement in defining information architecture, user flows, and design system governance. The role emphasizes balancing design excellence with business timelines and technical constraints, a critical aspect of operations in fast-paced tech environments.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in design principles, user experience, and information architecture is expected, often acquired through formal education (e.g., Bachelor's/Master's in Design, HCI, Computer Science) or equivalent professional experience.

Experience:

• 8+ years of experience in product design.

Required Skills:

• Mastery in information architecture, interaction design, and navigation systems.

• Proven ability to define and evolve user journeys and end-to-end user flows.

• Deep expertise in designing scalable and intuitive product experiences for complex digital platforms.

• Strong understanding and practical application of Accessibility (A11y) standards, particularly WCAG AA compliance at scale within a design system.

• Demonstrated experience in managing, mentoring, or leading product designers, including providing strong design critique and setting clear standards.

• Proven track record of implementing and governing design systems, including adoption, scalability, and accessibility integration.

• Expertise in navigating ambiguity by framing problems, facilitating alignment across departments, and establishing a clear, structured design path forward.

• Excellent cross-functional partnership and communication skills, including the ability to explain design rationale, influence priorities, and drive collaborative progress.

• Proficiency in human-centered design processes, leveraging insights to inform design decisions.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the EdTech or Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) sectors.

• Familiarity with SaaS product development lifecycles and constraints.

• Experience with usability testing, translating user insights into actionable improvements.

• Ability to create high-level frameworks such as user flows, journey maps, wireframes, and prototypes.

• Strong judgment in using feedback, data, SME, and user input to inform design decisions effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements emphasize a blend of deep individual contributor expertise in core UX disciplines and proven leadership capabilities. The mention of "navigating ambiguity" and "problem-solving" points towards a need for strategic thinking and operational efficiency in how design challenges are tackled. The "coach-player" aspect means candidates must be comfortable both directing and doing.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing end-to-end ownership of complex product experiences, demonstrating mastery in information architecture, interaction design, and user journey mapping.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process followed, design decisions made, and the impact of your solutions.

• Examples of how you have simplified complex product flows and improved usability for intricate digital platforms.

Process Documentation:

• Portfolio examples should highlight your approach to defining and evolving navigation systems, content hierarchy, and interaction patterns.

• Showcase instances where you've translated product priorities, user needs, and business goals into actionable design solutions.

• Include examples of how you've ensured accessibility (WCAG AA) standards are met within your design process and design systems.

• Demonstrate your ability to balance design quality with business timelines and engineering constraints, illustrating how you've managed trade-offs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on information architecture, design systems, and leading UX designers, the portfolio should prominently feature examples of large-scale design projects, system governance, and team mentorship. The ability to demonstrate a structured approach to complex problem-solving and process optimization within design will be crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on the role's senior level, contract-to-hire nature, and location in the Washington D.C. metro area, the estimated weekly compensation for a Senior Product Design Manager is typically between $3,500 - $5,500 USD. This translates to an annual equivalent of approximately $182,000 - $286,000 USD.

📝 Enhancement Note: This salary range is an estimate based on industry benchmarks for senior-level product design leadership roles in the United States, considering the contract nature, potential for full-time conversion, and the specific skills required (Information Architecture, Design Systems, UX Leadership). Actual compensation will be determined by experience, qualifications, and negotiation. The provided AI data suggests a weekly pay of $4,615, which falls within this estimated range.

Benefits:

• Company laptop and other necessary equipment provided.

• 401k Savings Plan with employer contribution.

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance.

• Life, AD&D, and Disability Insurance.

• Access to Employee Assistance Program, Mental Health Support, and Well-Being Programs.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility expected given the remote nature of the role. The contract assignment is for an initial 6-month term.

📝 Enhancement Note: The benefits package is robust, typical for a full-time role, and includes comprehensive health, retirement, and wellness support. The flexible time off and paid holidays are standard for employees, and this will likely extend to the contract period or be prorated. The remote work arrangement offers significant flexibility in managing work hours, crucial for optimizing personal productivity and aligning with team collaboration needs.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / EdTech / Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

Company Size: 90+ full-time employees and 30+ contractors/interns.

Founded: Less than 10 years ago.

Team Structure:

• The role will report into the Senior Director of Product Development, indicating a strong connection to the product roadmap and strategic execution.

• You will directly manage a team of UX designers, acting as their primary leader, mentor, and quality overseer.

Methodology:

• Produce Excellence: A core value emphasizing timely, quality results and a continuous improvement mindset ("How can we make this 1% better?"). This translates to a focus on high-quality design output and iterative refinement.

• Take Full Ownership: Encourages initiative, responsibility, and proactivity in closing gaps. For this role, it means taking full responsibility for design outcomes and driving solutions forward independently.

• Practice Kindness: Promotes inclusion, care, empathy, and well-being. This fosters a supportive and collaborative work environment where diverse perspectives are valued.

• Problem-Solve: Focuses on identifying issues, analyzing them thoroughly, and implementing effective solutions. This aligns with the need for strong UX problem-solving skills to simplify complex product experiences.

Company Website: CharacterStrong.com

📝 Enhancement Note: CharacterStrong is a mission-driven company focused on improving social-emotional learning in education. Its rapid growth and ranking as one of the fastest-growing private companies suggest a dynamic, results-oriented environment. The company values are deeply integrated into daily operations, emphasizing a culture of high performance, accountability, and empathy.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Management position within Product Design, operating at a strategic and operational level. It involves direct people management, setting design direction for a significant portion of the platform, and governing critical design assets like the design system.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Design Manager reports to the Senior Director of Product Development. This structure places the role within the core product leadership team, bridging design strategy with overall product direction.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the usability, scalability, and user experience of CharacterStrong's digital platform. By improving product design, information architecture, and design system consistency, this role will contribute to:

• Enhanced user engagement and retention for educators and students.

• Streamlined product development cycles through clear design direction and a robust design system.

• Improved accessibility and inclusivity of the platform, aligning with educational equity goals.

Growth Opportunities:

• Full-Time Conversion: Successful performance in the 6-month contract period can lead to a permanent full-time position, offering long-term career stability and deeper integration into the company.

• Leadership Development: The role provides opportunities to hone management and coaching skills by leading a team of UX designers, developing their capabilities in information architecture and UX best practices.

• Strategic Influence: Direct involvement in shaping the product strategy through design ensures significant influence on the company's educational technology offerings and market positioning.

• Domain Expertise: Deepening expertise in EdTech and SEL product design, contributing to a high-impact mission.

📝 Enhancement Note: The contract-to-hire nature is a significant growth opportunity, offering a trial period for both the candidate and the company. The role is positioned for impactful contributions, leading to potential advancement within the product organization or deeper specialization in design operations and leadership.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is specified as "Remote OK" and the company is headquartered in Lake Tapps, Washington. While there may be an office, the primary mode of work for this position is remote within the United States.

Office Location(s): CharacterStrong's headquarters is in Lake Tapps, Washington. The company also has a presence in other locations, as indicated by their company data. However, for this role, remote work within the US is permitted.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: Expect to work with a distributed team, requiring strong digital communication and collaboration tools. Proficiency in virtual meeting platforms and collaborative design software will be essential.

• Operations Tools: The role will likely leverage a suite of design and project management tools, including design software (e.g., Figma, Sketch), prototyping tools, and potentially project management platforms (e.g., Jira, Asana) to manage workflows and team assignments.

• Team Interaction: While remote, fostering strong relationships with direct reports, peers, and stakeholders will be key. This involves proactive communication, virtual design critiques, and team-building activities.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week) are expected.

• Flexibility is inherent in a remote role, allowing for adaptation to personal productivity peaks and cross-time zone collaboration.

• The contract assignment is for an initial 6-month term, with the potential for conversion to a regular full-time role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote work arrangement necessitates a high degree of self-discipline, proactive communication, and proficiency with digital collaboration tools. The company's culture values ownership and problem-solving, which are critical for success in a remote operations-focused role.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A review of your application, resume, and portfolio to assess qualifications and fit.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the Senior Director of Product Development focusing on experience, leadership approach, strategic thinking, and fit with CharacterStrong's values.

3. Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: This stage will likely involve a deep dive into your portfolio, focusing on case studies of complex product experiences, information architecture, and design system work. You may be asked to present specific projects and discuss your process, decision-making, and impact. A practical design challenge related to information architecture or complex workflow simplification might be assigned.

4. Team/Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders (e.g., Product Managers, Engineering Leads, other UX Designers) to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate into the team.

5. Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership, to discuss overall fit, long-term vision, and confirm contract-to-hire terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Complexity: Showcase projects that demonstrate your ability to untangle and design for complex information architectures and user flows.

• Emphasize Leadership: Clearly define your role in leading design teams, mentoring designers, and providing strategic direction. Use examples of how you've elevated the team's output.

• Design System Governance: Include detailed examples of your experience building, managing, and evolving design systems, with a focus on adoption, scalability, and accessibility.

• Process & Rationale: For each case study, clearly articulate your thought process, the "why" behind your design decisions, and how you leveraged user insights or data.

• Impact & Metrics: Quantify the impact of your work whenever possible, using metrics related to usability, efficiency, adoption, or user satisfaction.

• Accessibility Focus: Ensure examples of WCAG AA compliance integration are evident and well-explained.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a challenge that tests your information architecture skills and ability to structure complex content or workflows.

• Practice articulating your design process and rationale concisely and persuasively.

• Understand CharacterStrong's mission and how design contributes to their social-emotional learning goals.

• Prepare to discuss how you would approach managing a remote UX team and fostering a strong design culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess both leadership capabilities and deep product design expertise, particularly in information architecture and design systems. A strong, well-curated portfolio that demonstrates hands-on experience with complex problems and a strategic leadership approach will be critical. The contract-to-hire nature means they will be evaluating for both immediate contribution and long-term potential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision (or similar industry-standard tools for wireframing, high-fidelity design, and interactive prototyping).

• Information Architecture Tools: Tools for creating sitemaps, user flows, journey maps (e.g., Miro, Whimsical, Lucidchart, or native features within design software).

• Design System Management Tools: Experience managing design systems, often involving tools like Storybook, or integrated within design platforms.

• Collaboration Platforms: Slack, Microsoft Teams for daily communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While the role doesn't have formal research ownership, familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) to understand user behavior and inform design decisions is beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Familiarity with how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and automation tools might interface with the product, although direct management is unlikely for this role. Understanding user data flows is key.

• Project Management Tools: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for tracking design tasks, sprints, and project progress.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in industry-standard design tools, especially those facilitating collaborative workflows and robust prototyping, is essential. Experience with tools for information architecture visualization and design system management is a significant advantage. The ability to interpret user data, even without direct ownership of analytics, is crucial for an operations-minded designer.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Produce Excellence: Expect a high bar for quality in design output and process. This means attention to detail, iterative refinement, and a drive to consistently improve products and experiences.

• Take Full Ownership: This value fosters accountability. As a leader, you'll be expected to own the design outcomes for your team and critical product areas, proactively identifying and addressing issues.

• Practice Kindness: CharacterStrong emphasizes empathy and care. This translates to fostering a supportive team environment where constructive feedback is delivered compassionately and well-being is prioritized.

• Problem-Solve: A core operational value that requires a proactive approach to identifying design challenges, analyzing root causes, and implementing effective, scalable solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Collaboration is key, especially with Product Management and Engineering. The role requires bridging communication gaps and ensuring design is a central voice in the "Iron Triangle" (Product, Design, Engineering).

• Design Critique Culture: Expect regular design reviews and critiques, fostering an environment of shared learning and constructive feedback among designers.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: While not a formal research role, using available data, customer feedback, and SME input to inform design decisions is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values are directly applicable to an operations-focused role. They promote a high-performance culture underpinned by accountability, continuous improvement, and a people-centric approach. Successful candidates will embody these values in their leadership and design practices.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Leadership and Execution: As a "coach-player," managing time effectively between leading the team, providing strategic direction, and contributing directly to design work (especially IA and design system governance) will be a primary challenge.

• Navigating Ambiguity in a Growing Company: CharacterStrong's rapid growth means processes and product areas may still be evolving. Adapting to this ambiguity and bringing structure through design leadership will be crucial.

• Scaling the Design System: Ensuring the design system remains robust, accessible, and scalable as the product expands requires ongoing effort and strategic governance.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Effectively managing priorities and trade-offs with Product and Engineering, especially when design needs may conflict with technical constraints or shorter-term business goals.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership Skill Enhancement: Direct experience managing and mentoring a design team provides invaluable leadership development.

• Strategic Product Influence: Opportunity to shape the direction of an EdTech platform with a strong social mission.

• Design System Expertise: Deepen expertise in designing, implementing, and governing scalable design systems.

• Contract-to-Hire Pathway: Successful completion of the contract offers a stable, full-time role within a growing, mission-driven organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior leadership roles in fast-paced tech environments. They offer significant opportunities for professional growth, particularly in organizational design, strategic implementation, and scalable process development within design operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to simplify a highly complex product experience through information architecture. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on process, problem-solving, and impact).

• "How do you lead and mentor UX designers, particularly in areas like information architecture and design system best practices? Provide specific examples of your coaching style." (Highlight leadership, team development, and technical guidance).

• "Walk us through your experience with designing and governing a design system. What were the key challenges, and how did you ensure adoption, scalability, and accessibility (WCAG AA)?" (Demonstrate systems thinking and operational rigor).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do you see your leadership style aligning with CharacterStrong's values of Produce Excellence, Take Full Ownership, Practice Kindness, and Problem-Solve?" (Connect your approach to their core principles).

• "What excites you about CharacterStrong's mission to create a more loving world through social-emotional learning?" (Demonstrate genuine interest and alignment with their purpose).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Structure your case studies as narratives. Clearly define the problem, your role, the process, key decisions, and the measurable impact.

• Focus on IA & Systems: Dedicate significant time to showcasing your most complex information architecture projects and your design system work.

• Demonstrate Leadership: When discussing team projects, clearly articulate your leadership contributions, how you guided the team, and their collective achievements under your direction.

• Accessibility Integration: Explicitly call out how accessibility was integrated into your design process and design system.

• Conciseness & Clarity: Be prepared to present your work concisely, focusing on the most impactful elements. Tailor your presentation to the specific requirements of this role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should emphasize demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, and operational excellence in design. Candidates should be ready to articulate their process for tackling complex design problems, managing teams, and governing critical design assets like design systems, all within the context of CharacterStrong's mission and values.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided BambooHR link.

• Customize your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience in product design leadership, information architecture, design systems, accessibility (WCAG AA), and team management. Use keywords from the job description and focus on quantifiable achievements.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Prepare a digital portfolio that prominently features case studies demonstrating your expertise in complex product design, information architecture, user journey mapping, and design system governance. Ensure it clearly articulates your leadership approach and impact.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your experience and leadership philosophy, specifically how you align with CharacterStrong's values and mission. Be ready to discuss your approach to a contract-to-hire role and your long-term career aspirations.

• Research CharacterStrong: Familiarize yourself with their mission, products, and company culture. Understand their position within the EdTech and SEL markets.

⚠️ 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.