Staff Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer

Company: The Coca-Cola Company

Location: Atlanta, GA, United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: Product Design / UX Design

Date Posted: 2026-08-18

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead strategic product design initiatives across a diverse portfolio of digital enterprise and consumer experiences, influencing product strategy and roadmaps from inception.

• Drive design craft and innovation by developing seamless, scalable solutions, contributing to and evolving a global design system, and championing new AI-assisted design methodologies.

• Build and govern design practices, including establishing design system governance, accessibility standards, and experience standards to ensure coherence and quality at scale.

• Foster a culture of growth and excellence by mentoring design talent, leading critique sessions, and promoting continuous improvement within the design team.

• Act as a key cross-functional influencer, building trusted relationships with senior product, engineering, and data partners to advocate for user-centered approaches and secure stakeholder buy-in.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant strategic influence and leadership responsibilities, operating at a "Staff" level. The focus is on shaping design strategy across multiple product areas rather than deep specialization in one. It requires a blend of exceptional design craft, strategic thinking, and the ability to build and scale design practices within a large, iconic organization. The emphasis on AI-assisted design and "agentic UX" indicates a forward-looking approach to product development.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Co-create product strategy and vision with product management and engineering partners, shaping roadmaps to ensure user-centricity and business impact.

• Craft user experience (UX) direction across multiple product areas, ensuring consistency, quality, and a cohesive user journey for diverse user types.

• Navigate ambiguity and organizational complexities, anticipating and overcoming resistance to design initiatives through sound judgment and strategic influence.

• Communicate design strategy effectively at the executive level, crafting compelling narratives that gain alignment and drive decision-making among senior leadership.

• Develop scalable design solutions that address complex, interconnected user needs, prioritizing customer value and business outcomes.

• Contribute to the establishment and evolution of the company's design system, ensuring it meets the demands of a global product portfolio and integrates AI components.

• Champion new design approaches, tools, and methodologies, including AI-assisted design, to enhance team efficiency and rigor.

• Establish and maintain governance practices for design systems, accessibility standards, and overall experience quality.

• Define and refine design team rituals, frameworks, and workflows to optimize effectiveness and scalability.

• Identify and address gaps in design practice maturity by building systems, workflows, or infrastructure that empower other designers.

• Mentor and develop design craft and experience strategy expertise within the team, investing in the professional growth of designers.

• Lead critique, feedback, and review processes to elevate the quality of design work and develop design judgment across the organization.

• Foster a culture of experimentation, reflection, and continuous improvement within the design team.

• Build deep, trusted relationships with senior-level product, engineering, data, and research partners.

• Secure stakeholder buy-in through compelling storytelling and a demonstrated track record of delivering measurable outcomes.

• Represent the design organization in strategic business conversations, advocating for user-centered approaches with clarity and credibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of individual contribution and practice leadership. The emphasis on "co-creating product strategy" and "executive-level communication" signifies a senior role that influences business direction. The inclusion of "AI-enabled and intelligent product experiences" and specific mentions of "Claude Code" and "Claude Design" point to a requirement for hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI tools in the design process.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 8-10 years of product design or UX experience, with a minimum of 2 years operating at a Staff, Principal, or Design Lead level.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to co-own product strategy alongside product management and engineering, shaping direction from the top down.

• Demonstrated experience contributing to or significantly evolving a design system and its governance practices, including embedded AI components.

• Deep understanding of traditional UX, AI in UX, and Agentic UX principles, with practical examples of their application.

• Exceptional storytelling and communication skills, with the ability to tailor messages to diverse audiences and consistently earn alignment from senior stakeholders.

• Proven success in mentoring or peer-coaching designers and influencing team capabilities beyond personal output.

• Deep fluency in user-centered design principles, accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG), and interaction design across web and mobile platforms.

• Proficiency in Figma.

• Proficiency in AI prototyping tools such as Claude Code and Claude Design, with clear examples of how AI is incorporated into workflows, evaluation of AI capabilities, and demonstrable improvements in input/output over the last 18 months.

• A portfolio demonstrating strategic design leadership on complex, high-impact digital products with measurable business and user outcomes. Preferred Skills:

• Background in complex B2B SaaS or enterprise software, CPG, retail, or e-commerce, particularly in building systems or connected platforms from the ground up.

• Expertise in designing for or alongside AI-enabled and intelligent systems, including agentic or generative experiences.

• Experience operating across both consumer-facing products and internal tooling.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize strategic thinking, leadership, and a forward-thinking approach to design, particularly concerning AI. The specific mention of "Claude Code" and "Claude Design" indicates a preference for candidates familiar with these particular AI tools. The portfolio requirement is critical and must showcase strategic impact and measurable outcomes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate strategic design leadership on complex, high-impact digital products with measurable business and user outcomes.

• Showcase contributions to or significant evolution of a design system and its governance practices, including how AI components are integrated.

• Provide clear examples of how AI is incorporated into design workflows, how AI capabilities are evaluated, and improvements achieved in the last 18 months.

• Illustrate experience in co-owning product strategy with product management and engineering, shaping vision and roadmap from the outset.

• Present case studies of seamless, scalable design solutions addressing complex, interconnected needs. Process Documentation:

• Detail your process for co-creating product strategy, including how you collaborate with product management and engineering to define vision and roadmap.

• Document your approach to crafting UX direction across multiple product areas, ensuring coherence and quality.

• Showcase your methodology for introducing and championing new design approaches, tools, and methodologies, particularly AI-assisted design.

• Provide examples of how you establish and maintain governance practices for design systems, accessibility, and experience standards.

• Illustrate your process for mentoring and developing design craft and experience strategy within a team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount and must explicitly demonstrate strategic impact, measurable outcomes, and hands-on experience with AI in design workflows. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their process for strategy co-creation, system evolution, and team development, with specific examples tied to AI integration.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $202,000 - $229,000 USD per year.

• Base pay offered will vary based on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Annual Incentive: 30% of base pay (performance at target).

• This reference value is a market-based competitive value for the role. Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical insurance.

• A full range of financial benefits.

• Relocation assistance is provided for candidates open to moving to Atlanta.

• Other benefits may be available depending on the position.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to the United States. The annual incentive represents a significant component of total compensation, tied to performance. The inclusion of relocation assistance is a key benefit for candidates not currently based in Atlanta.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Beverages / Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)

Company Size: Over 10,000 employees (The Coca-Cola Company is a large, global corporation).

Founded: 1886.

Team Structure:

• The product organization is being modernized, bringing together Product, Engineering, Design, and Data into small, empowered teams with end-to-end ownership.

• Designers operate across product areas, acting as connective tissue and providing strategic oversight rather than focusing on a single product.

• The Staff Product Designer will work closely with Product Management, Engineering, Data, and Research partners at senior levels. Methodology:

• Emphasis on building modern products and platforms to shape how The Coca-Cola Company serves customers, accelerates growth, and operates in the future.

• Focus on designing experiences that improve customer interactions, provide better insights to sales and service teams, and connect complex operational workflows.

• Adoption of AI-enabled and intelligent product experiences, integrating emerging capabilities into the platform.

• Commitment to a growth mindset, continuous learning, and agile ways of working, characterized by curiosity, empowerment, inclusivity, and agility.

Company Website: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The Coca-Cola Company is a legacy brand undergoing a significant digital transformation. The product organization is being built with modern practices, emphasizing empowered teams and cross-functional collaboration. The culture encourages continuous learning and a growth mindset, with specific behavioral expectations (curious, empowered, inclusive, agile). The Staff Product Designer role is pivotal in this transformation, bridging strategic vision with execution across a vast global enterprise.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Product Designer. This is a senior individual contributor role, often considered one to two levels below Director, with significant autonomy and strategic impact. It requires deep expertise, thought leadership, and the ability to influence at senior levels.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to Design leadership and collaborates closely with Product Management and Engineering leadership. The Staff Designer acts as a bridge across multiple product teams.

Operations Impact: The Staff Product Designer's impact is measured by their ability to shape product strategy, elevate design craft and practice, drive adoption of user-centered and AI-driven approaches, and ultimately contribute to business outcomes such as customer experience improvement, sales acceleration, and operational efficiency at a global scale.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-assisted design, agentic UX, or specific domains like enterprise software or consumer experiences within the Coca-Cola ecosystem.

• Leadership: Transition into management roles (e.g., Design Manager, Director of Product Design) or continue as a senior individual contributor with increasing scope and influence.

• Skill Development: Gain experience in defining and scaling design systems for a global brand, leading practice-building initiatives, and influencing organizational change in a large enterprise.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Develop a comprehensive understanding of the global beverage industry and complex business operations through close collaboration with diverse business units.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity to influence the digital future of a globally recognized brand. Growth paths can lead to formal leadership or continued impact as a senior individual contributor. The focus on scaling design practices and integrating AI provides significant learning and development potential.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, with 3 days per week in the Atlanta, GA office. This is intentionally designed to foster a cohesive and collaborative team culture.

Office Location(s): The role is based at The Coca-Cola Company's global headquarters in Atlanta, GA.

Workspace Context:

• A hybrid environment designed for intentional collaboration, balancing in-office interaction with remote flexibility.

• Access to modern design tools and technologies, including Figma and AI-powered prototyping tools (Claude Code, Claude Design).

• Opportunities for frequent interaction with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Data, Research) at senior levels.

• The environment encourages experimentation, continuous learning, and a focus on delivering high-impact design solutions.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, with flexibility expected to meet project deadlines and collaborative needs. The hybrid model allows for strategic planning of in-office days for collaborative activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of the work environment, emphasizing intentional collaboration. Atlanta offers a competitive cost of living compared to major tech hubs, with relocation assistance provided. The workspace is geared towards fostering innovation and cross-functional synergy.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Resume and portfolio review to assess experience, strategic thinking, and AI proficiency.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion on experience, leadership approach, and alignment with role requirements, particularly regarding AI integration and strategic influence.

• Design/Cross-functional Team Interviews: Deeper dives into design craft, problem-solving skills, collaboration style, and ability to influence product strategy. This may involve case studies or portfolio walkthroughs.

• Executive/Leadership Interview: Final assessment of strategic vision, executive communication, and overall fit with the company's transformation goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Strategic Impact: Clearly articulate the business and user outcomes achieved through your design work, not just the visual or functional aspects.

• Showcase AI Integration: Provide specific, detailed examples of how you've used AI tools (Claude Code, Claude Design) in your design process, the benefits realized, and your evaluation of AI capabilities.

• Demonstrate Design System Evolution: If applicable, show how you've contributed to or evolved design systems, including governance and the integration of AI components.

• Narrate Your Process: Explain your approach to co-creating strategy, leading critiques, mentoring designers, and influencing stakeholders. Use storytelling to make your case studies compelling.

• Focus on Measurable Results: Quantify impact wherever possible (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion times, improved user satisfaction scores).

• Include Credentials: Ensure your portfolio link is easily accessible on your resume, along with any necessary access credentials.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss your strategic approach to complex design problems, especially those involving large-scale systems or AI integration.

• Practice articulating your design philosophy, leadership style, and how you mentor other designers.

• Prepare to walk through specific case studies from your portfolio, detailing your role, process, challenges, solutions, and outcomes, with a strong emphasis on AI's contribution.

• Anticipate questions about how you build consensus, handle disagreements, and drive alignment with senior stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process heavily emphasizes the portfolio, particularly its demonstration of strategic thinking, leadership, and practical application of AI in design. Candidates should prepare to articulate their processes and outcomes with specific, quantifiable examples.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

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

• AI Prototyping Tools: Claude Code and Claude Design are specifically mentioned, indicating a strong preference for candidates experienced with these or similar AI-driven design and coding tools.

• Design System Tools: Familiarity with tools used for managing, documenting, and distributing design systems (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook) is beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) and data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) to understand user behavior and measure design impact. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding how design integrates with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and automation platforms can be beneficial for enterprise and B2B SaaS contexts. Other Relevant Tools/Concepts:

• AI-enabled Systems: Experience designing for or alongside AI, including generative AI and agentic UX principles.

• Web and Mobile Platforms: Deep understanding of design principles across various digital platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a baseline requirement. The explicit mention of Claude Code and Claude Design signifies a key area of technical focus for this role, suggesting that candidates with experience in AI-assisted design workflows will be highly regarded.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Curiosity: A drive to understand user needs, business challenges, and emerging technologies (like AI) to uncover new opportunities.

• Empowerment: Taking ownership of design initiatives, driving strategy, and making informed decisions to deliver impact.

• Inclusivity: Designing experiences that are accessible and usable by diverse global audiences, and fostering an inclusive design practice.

• Agility: Adapting to evolving business needs and technological advancements, embracing experimentation, and iterating quickly.

• User-Centricity: A steadfast commitment to understanding and advocating for the user, ensuring their needs are at the forefront of design decisions.

• Excellence: Upholding high standards of design craft, quality, and strategic thinking.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Partnership: Deep collaboration with Product Management, Engineering, Data, and Research teams at senior levels.

• Influence and Alignment: Earning trust and driving consensus through compelling communication, data-driven insights, and a track record of delivering outcomes.

• Mentorship and Growth: Actively investing in the development of fellow designers through critique, feedback, and knowledge sharing.

• Systemic Thinking: Designing not just individual experiences but also the systems and frameworks that ensure coherence and scalability across a large portfolio.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's core behaviors (curious, empowered, inclusive, agile) are central to the team culture. The role requires a collaborative approach that emphasizes influencing stakeholders and building consensus, alongside a strong commitment to user advocacy and design excellence.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scale and Complexity: Designing for a global enterprise with diverse user groups, complex business processes, and a vast product portfolio presents significant challenges in achieving coherence and impact.

• Digital Transformation Pace: Keeping pace with rapid technological advancements, particularly in AI, and integrating them effectively and responsibly into design workflows and product offerings.

• Organizational Navigation: Influencing stakeholders across a large, established organization and driving alignment on design strategy and best practices.

• Balancing Craft and Strategy: Maintaining high design craft standards while also contributing significantly to product strategy and practice building.

• AI Integration Nuances: Effectively designing for and with AI, understanding its limitations, and ensuring ethical and user-friendly implementation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Becoming a leader in AI-assisted design and agentic UX within a major consumer brand.

• Design System Leadership: Gaining deep experience in scaling and governing a design system for a global organization.

• Strategic Impact: Directly influencing the digital strategy and product roadmap of one of the world's most iconic companies.

• Mentorship & Practice Building: Developing leadership skills by mentoring designers and shaping the future of the design practice at Coca-Cola.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining insights into complex CPG, retail, and enterprise software domains.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers substantial challenges related to scale, complexity, and cutting-edge technology integration. However, these challenges are coupled with significant growth opportunities in specialized areas like AI design and design system leadership within a globally recognized brand.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you co-created product strategy with product and engineering. How did you ensure user needs were prioritized?" (Preparation: Focus on your collaborative process, how you synthesized inputs, and demonstrated strategic thinking beyond just UI design.)

• "How would you approach designing an AI-enabled feature for our sales teams? What are the key considerations for agentic UX?" (Preparation: Be ready to discuss your framework for evaluating AI opportunities, ethical considerations, user trust, and iterative development.)

• "Walk us through your portfolio. Select a project that demonstrates your strategic influence and a measurable business outcome." (Preparation: Have 1-2 key projects ready to present in detail, emphasizing your strategic role, process, challenges, solutions, and quantifiable results. Specifically highlight any AI integration.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about designing for The Coca-Cola Company and its digital transformation?" (Preparation: Research their current digital initiatives, growth culture, and express enthusiasm for shaping the future of an iconic brand.)

• "How do you foster a culture of continuous learning and experimentation within a design team?" (Preparation: Share examples of how you've mentored others, led critiques, or introduced new methodologies.)

• "How do you ensure your design decisions align with business goals and drive measurable value?" (Preparation: Discuss your approach to defining success metrics, collaborating with business stakeholders, and demonstrating ROI.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically, starting with the business context and user problem, moving through your strategic approach, design process, key decisions (especially AI-related ones), challenges, solutions, and culminating in measurable outcomes.

• AI Focus: Clearly articulate where and how AI was used in your process, the specific tools (e.g., Claude Code, Claude Design), the impact on your workflow, and any improvements in efficiency or output. Be prepared to discuss the evaluation of AI capabilities.

• Storytelling: Weave a narrative that highlights your strategic thinking, leadership, and problem-solving skills. Explain why you made certain decisions.

• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals to showcase your work. For AI-assisted work, consider showing how AI contributed to specific outputs or accelerated parts of the workflow.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Focus on the most impactful projects and be prepared to answer questions concisely.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess strategic capability, practical AI application, and leadership potential. Candidates must be ready to demonstrate their impact with concrete examples, especially concerning AI integration and strategic influence.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on The Coca-Cola Company's careers portal.

• Portfolio Integration: Ensure your resume prominently features your portfolio link. Include any necessary access credentials (password, etc.) directly on your resume for easy reviewer access.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in strategic design leadership, AI-assisted design workflows, design system contributions, cross-functional influence, and measurable outcomes. Use keywords from the job description such as "Staff Product Designer," "AI-assisted design," "design systems," "product strategy," and "Figma."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, strategic thinking, and leadership philosophy. Prepare detailed case studies from your portfolio, focusing on how you've driven impact and incorporated AI.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with The Coca-Cola Company's current digital transformation efforts, their growth culture, and their approach to innovation, particularly regarding AI and user experience.

⚠️ 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.