Staff Product Designer, Customer & Partner Experience (CPEX)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer, Customer & Partner Experience (CPEX)

Company: ServiceNow

Location: San Diego, California, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: August 12, 2026

Experience Level: 8+ years (with preference for 10+ years implied)

Remote Status: Flexible or Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design of complex information architectures and content navigation systems for customer and partner experiences, focusing on AI-mediated retrieval and structured content.

• Drive end-to-end design strategy from narrative development through high-fidelity execution for B2B SaaS and B2C platforms, ensuring a cohesive user journey.

• Collaborate intimately with Product Management and Engineering teams from project inception, leveraging a strong understanding of platform conventions and adjacent web experiences.

• Specialize in designing for large-scale content architecture, fragmented content libraries, and cross-property consolidation to enhance user discoverability and utility.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is explicitly stated as "not a standard product design role," emphasizing a specialization in content architecture, AI-mediated retrieval, and managing content across numerous sources. This requires a deep focus on information architecture and user experience design for content-heavy platforms, rather than purely UI or interaction design. The "Staff" title implies a senior individual contributor role with significant influence and leadership expectations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and execute the product design strategy for customer and partner experiences, with a specific focus on content discovery, navigation, and consumption across diverse digital touchpoints.

• Develop complex information architectures and UX systems that cater to varied user personas, including learners, administrators, and community members.

• Lead design initiatives for AI-native features, ensuring seamless integration of AI-mediated retrieval and structured content systems.

• Create high-fidelity mockups, prototypes, and detailed design specifications using Figma, adhering to and evolving design systems at scale.

• Synthesize user research, analytics, and feedback to inform design decisions and refine the overall user experience vision.

• Champion user-centered design principles by presenting design thinking to senior stakeholders, asking clarifying questions, and advocating for user needs.

• Manage feedback loops and design iteration cycles, maintaining high quality and consistency across parallel workstreams and diverse product initiatives.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Engineering, and Content Strategy, to ensure alignment and successful product delivery.

• Articulate and evangelize UX architecture frameworks that translate platform conventions into cohesive and scalable adjacent web experiences.

• Contribute to the development and refinement of brand-driven design systems and multi-property experience consolidation efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities highlight a deep dive into content strategy and information architecture, moving beyond typical UI/UX tasks. The emphasis on "AI-native design patterns," "multi-property experience consolidation," and "large-scale content architecture" indicates a need for a designer proficient in complex systems and data-driven user journeys. The "Staff" level suggests expectation for proactive problem-solving and strategic influence on product direction.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• BA/BS degree or higher in Design, Design Communication, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field.

• Equivalent combination of education and experience in other related fields will also be considered. Experience:

• Minimum of 8 years in digital product design, with a proven track record in both B2B SaaS and B2C design environments.

• Experience participating in the complete product development lifecycle of web and/or software applications.

• Demonstrated experience in user experience design within corporate, software, web, or agency settings. Required Skills:

• Digital Product Design Expertise: Deep understanding of end-to-end product design processes for digital platforms.

• B2B SaaS & B2C Design Fluency: Proven ability to design for both enterprise and consumer-facing applications.

• Information Architecture (IA) Mastery: Expertise in structuring and organizing complex information for intuitive user navigation.

• UX Systems Design: Ability to design cohesive and scalable user experience frameworks.

• Design Strategy & Vision: Strong portfolio demonstrating the ability to develop and execute comprehensive design strategies from concept to delivery.

• Figma Proficiency: Mastery of Figma and collaborative design workflows at scale, including component libraries and design system management.

• User-Centered Design Advocacy: Skill in synthesizing research and feedback into actionable design direction and championing user needs.

• Strategic Communication: Ability to present design thinking, refine scope, and influence senior stakeholders effectively.

Preferred Skills:

• Content Architecture Specialization: Experience with large-scale content architecture, fragmented content libraries, and structured content systems.

• AI-Mediated Retrieval Design: Familiarity with designing user experiences for AI-powered content discovery and retrieval.

• Cross-Property Consolidation: Experience in consolidating user experiences across multiple digital properties.

• Design Leadership: Demonstrated experience leading design teams, managing feedback, and overseeing parallel workstreams.

• UX Architecture Frameworks: Ability to articulate and apply frameworks that connect platform conventions to adjacent web experiences.

• Learning Platforms Experience: Familiarity with designing for learning management systems (LMS) or educational platforms.

• Brand-Driven Design Systems: Experience contributing to or managing design systems tied closely to brand identity.

• Matrixed Organization Navigation: Proven ability to thrive and manage priorities within complex, matrixed organizational structures.

• Adaptability: Comfort with evolving priorities, dual-track workstreams, and ambiguity in transformational initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Preferred Qualifications" section is crucial. It elevates this role beyond a general product designer to a specialist in content architecture and AI-driven experiences. Candidates must highlight experience in these specific areas, alongside their general design skills. The "10+ years" implied by "Staff" level and the mention of "8+ years" in the description suggests a strong preference for deeply experienced candidates.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Design Strategy: Showcase a minimum of 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating the full design lifecycle, from initial problem definition and user research to high-fidelity execution and post-launch iteration.

• Information Architecture & Content Design: Present specific examples of complex information architectures you've designed, including site maps, user flows for content discovery, and structured content models. Highlight how you organized and presented content for diverse user groups.

• AI-Driven Experience Design: Include projects where you designed for AI-mediated retrieval, personalization, or other AI-powered content features. Explain the user problems addressed and the AI components integrated.

• B2B SaaS & B2C Platform Examples: Demonstrate experience designing for both enterprise-level SaaS products and consumer-facing applications, showcasing adaptability in design approach and user needs.

• Systemic Design & Scalability: Provide examples of how your designs scale across multiple products or properties, demonstrating an understanding of design systems and consistency.

Process Documentation:

• User Research Synthesis: Detail how you synthesized qualitative and quantitative research findings into actionable design insights and strategic recommendations for content and experience design.

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase how you mapped, analyzed, and optimized user workflows, particularly those involving content consumption, partner interaction, or complex information retrieval.

• Collaboration & Iteration: Illustrate your collaborative design process, including how you managed feedback loops with engineering, product management, and stakeholders, and how you iterated on designs based on input.

• Design System Contribution: If applicable, present examples of how you contributed to or leveraged design systems, including component design, pattern definition, and ensuring brand consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "Staff" level role with a specialization in content architecture and AI, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond visual design and showcase strategic thinking around information structure, user journeys for content, and the integration of advanced technologies like AI. Emphasis should be placed on demonstrating problem-solving for complex information challenges.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $149,800 - $262,200 per year (Base Pay)

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health plans, including flexible spending accounts.

• 401(k) Plan with company match.

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP).

• Matching donations for charitable contributions.

• Flexible time away plan.

• Family leave programs.

• Equity (when applicable). Working Hours:

• The job description implies a standard 40-hour work week, typical for full-time roles.

• With a "Flexible or Remote" work persona, there's an expectation of flexibility in managing work hours to meet project deadlines and team collaboration needs, while maintaining a productive output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is for the San Diego, California location. The total compensation package includes base pay, potential equity, variable/incentive compensation (especially for sales roles, though this is a design role, so it might be performance-based bonuses or annual increases), and a robust benefits package. The "Flexible or Remote" work persona indicates a degree of autonomy in managing work hours, provided deliverables are met.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (Software as a Service - SaaS)

Company Size: ServiceNow is a large enterprise, indicated by its significant employee count and widespread presence, serving "85% of the Fortune 500®". This implies a structured yet innovative environment.

Founded: Founded by Fred Luddy, the company's origin story emphasizes freeing people from busywork through automation and AI, fostering a culture of innovation and meaningful work.

Team Structure:

• Product Design Team: This team is integral to ServiceNow's product development, working closely with Product Management and Engineering from the "get-go."

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Designers are expected to collaborate closely with engineering and product management, indicating a highly integrated and collaborative product development process.

• Diversity & Inclusion: ServiceNow actively embraces diversity, believing it inspires passion, creativity, and innovation.

Methodology:

• AI-Centric Approach: The company is building an "AI-native culture" and positions its platform as an "AI control tower for business reinvention," integrating AI into its core strategy and product offerings.

• User-Centric Design: The Product Design team's mission is to create product experiences users love, driven by empathy and understanding user needs.

• Process & Automation: The company's founding principle revolves around automating tedious tasks, suggesting a culture that values efficiency, automation, and freeing up human potential.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: ServiceNow's culture is deeply rooted in innovation, AI, and improving work. For a designer, this means being part of a team that has a significant impact on how businesses operate, with a strong emphasis on leveraging technology to solve complex problems. The "Staff" designation suggests a culture that empowers senior individuals to drive strategic initiatives.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Product Designer. This is a senior individual contributor role, implying significant autonomy, responsibility for complex projects, and the expectation to mentor junior designers. It sits at a high level within the design hierarchy, often preceding Principal or Distinguished Designer roles.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly detailed, the role collaborates closely with Product Management and Engineering. The designer likely reports into a Design Manager or Director of Product Design, with functional reporting lines to product leads for specific initiatives.

Operations Impact: This role directly influences the user experience for ServiceNow's customers and partners, which is critical for adoption, retention, and satisfaction. By designing intuitive and effective content discovery and interaction systems, the designer contributes significantly to the overall value proposition of the ServiceNow platform, impacting revenue and market competitiveness.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Design: Opportunities to lead design strategy for major product initiatives, mentor junior designers, and influence the overall design direction of the Customer & Partner Experience (CPEX) domain.

• Specialization Development: Deepen expertise in specialized areas like AI-native design, complex information architecture, structured content systems, and large-scale design systems.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Develop stronger relationships and influence across Product Management, Engineering, and other GTM functions, potentially leading to broader product strategy roles.

• Advancement to Principal/Distinguished Designer: A successful tenure as Staff Designer can pave the way for promotion to higher individual contributor levels, recognized for deep expertise and broad impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title is a key indicator of career trajectory. It signifies a high level of individual contribution and expertise, with clear paths for further growth into principal or leadership roles within the design organization, or potentially into product management with a design specialization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: ServiceNow offers a "Flexible" work persona, meaning employees may be required in the office some days, or fully remote. The specific office location mentioned is San Diego, California.

Office Location(s):

• Primary Mentioned: 4810 Eastgate Mall, San Diego, California, 92121, United States.

• Global Presence: ServiceNow has offices worldwide, indicated by "AMS - North America and Canada" region.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The culture fosters close collaboration between design, engineering, and product management, suggesting open communication and team-based problem-solving.

• Tools & Technology: Mastery of Figma and collaborative design workflows at scale is a requirement, indicating a modern, digitally-enabled workspace.

• AI Integration: The role is deeply involved in designing AI-native experiences, implying exposure to cutting-edge technology and data-driven design approaches.

Work Schedule:

• The role is Full-time, with an implied standard 40-hour work week.

• The "Flexible or Remote" work persona suggests a degree of autonomy in managing work hours to balance project demands and personal needs, with an emphasis on deliverables rather than strict time tracking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Flexible or Remote" work persona is a significant aspect of the work environment, offering a blend of in-office collaboration and remote flexibility. Candidates should be prepared for a hybrid model or fully remote work, depending on the specific assignment within the "Flexible" category.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

• Portfolio Review & Design Exercise: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, potentially accompanied by a take-home design challenge or an in-person/virtual whiteboard session focusing on information architecture, content strategy, or AI-driven experience design.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Management, Engineering leads, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and strategic thinking.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Final discussion with the hiring manager to evaluate leadership potential, strategic alignment, and overall fit for the Staff Designer role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Specialization: Clearly showcase projects demonstrating expertise in content architecture, AI-mediated retrieval, and designing for complex information systems.

• Quantify Impact: For each case study, present metrics and outcomes that demonstrate the impact of your design decisions (e.g., improved content findability, increased user engagement, reduced support queries).

• Showcase Process: Detail your thought process, research methodologies, and how you navigated design challenges, especially those involving large-scale systems or evolving priorities.

• Figma Mastery: Be prepared to walk through your Figma files, demonstrating proficiency in complex workflows, component usage, and design system implementation.

• Narrative Storytelling: Structure your portfolio presentations as compelling narratives that articulate the problem, your solution, and the measurable results.

Challenge Preparation:

• Information Architecture Exercises: Practice designing information hierarchies, navigation structures, and content models for complex datasets or platforms.

• AI Design Scenarios: Consider how you would approach designing user interfaces for AI-powered search, recommendation engines, or content generation tools.

• Stakeholder Communication: Prepare to articulate your design rationale clearly and concisely, defending your choices with user data and business objectives.

• Cross-functional Collaboration Scenarios: Be ready to discuss how you would collaborate with engineers and product managers on complex features, managing competing priorities and technical constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Staff Designer role will be rigorous, focusing heavily on strategic thinking, deep domain expertise in content and AI, and proven ability to lead and influence. The portfolio is the primary tool for demonstrating these capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Mastery is explicitly required for collaborative design workflows at scale. This includes proficiency in component libraries, design systems, prototyping, and team collaboration features.

• Design Systems: Experience contributing to, managing, or leveraging established design systems for consistency and efficiency across multiple products.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed, expect to utilize analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Amplitude) to understand user behavior, track content consumption, and measure the impact of design changes.

• Dashboarding tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Looker) may be used for reporting on key UX metrics. CRM & Automation:

• Experience with CRM platforms is beneficial for understanding customer journeys and partner interactions, though direct CRM design may not be a primary focus.

• Familiarity with workflow automation concepts is relevant given ServiceNow's core business and the role's focus on efficiency. Specialized Tools/Concepts:

• Content Management Systems (CMS): Understanding of how content is structured and managed is crucial.

• AI/ML Platforms: Familiarity with the principles and application of AI in user experience, particularly for content retrieval and personalization.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other prototyping tools might be advantageous for specific use cases.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma is critical. Candidates should be prepared to showcase advanced Figma skills and experience managing large-scale design systems within the tool. Understanding the broader ServiceNow ecosystem and how customer/partner experiences integrate with core platform functionalities is also important.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & AI Leadership: A strong drive to leverage cutting-edge technology, particularly AI, to redefine business processes and user experiences.

• Meaningful Work: A focus on freeing people from busywork to concentrate on impactful tasks, fostering a sense of purpose in daily work.

• User Empathy: A deep commitment to understanding and addressing the needs of customers and partners to create beloved product experiences.

• Collaboration & Integration: A belief in the power of cross-functional teamwork, with design having an intentional seat at the table alongside engineering and product management.

• Diversity & Inclusion: An active embrace of diverse backgrounds and perspectives to fuel creativity and innovation.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Product Teams: Designers work hand-in-hand with Product Managers and Engineers from the outset of product development, fostering a shared ownership mentality.

• Strategic Communication: Open and transparent communication is expected, with an emphasis on presenting design thinking, asking clarifying questions, and advocating for user-centered approaches.

• Feedback-Driven Iteration: A culture that values constructive feedback loops, enabling rapid iteration and continuous improvement of designs.

• Systemic Thinking: Encouragement to think holistically about user journeys and experience across multiple products and properties, ensuring consistency and coherence.

📝 Enhancement Note: ServiceNow's emphasis on AI and "meaningful work" suggests a culture that values forward-thinking individuals who can translate complex technological capabilities into tangible user benefits. For a designer, this means being comfortable with ambiguity, embracing new technologies, and contributing to strategic product direction.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Scale: Managing the complexity of information architecture and user experience across dozens of content sources, teams, and systems requires robust systemic thinking and meticulous execution.

• AI Integration Complexity: Designing intuitive and effective interfaces for AI-mediated retrieval and AI-native features can be challenging due to the evolving nature of AI and user understanding.

• Matrixed Organization Navigation: Balancing competing priorities and stakeholder needs within a large, matrixed organization requires strong diplomacy, negotiation, and strategic alignment skills.

• Evolving Priorities: The role requires comfort with ambiguity, dual-track workstreams, and adapting to changing project scopes and strategic directions inherent in transformational initiatives.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Specialization: Opportunities to become a recognized expert in AI-native design, advanced information architecture, and large-scale content strategy within a leading SaaS company.

• Leadership Development: Mentorship from senior design leaders and opportunities to lead design initiatives, honing leadership and strategic influence skills.

• Industry Exposure: Learning about cutting-edge AI technologies and their application in enterprise software, potentially attending industry conferences or workshops.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gaining deeper insights into product management, engineering processes, and go-to-market strategies within a major technology organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the seniority and complexity of the role. Successfully navigating these challenges will be key to growth, offering significant opportunities for professional development and specialization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing an information architecture for a platform with fragmented content libraries across multiple teams and systems, aiming for AI-mediated retrieval?"

• "Describe a time you had to synthesize complex user research and stakeholder feedback to define a product vision. What was your process, and what was the outcome?"

• "How do you balance the need for a cohesive, brand-driven design system with the creation of adjacent web experiences that might have unique requirements?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about ServiceNow's mission to 'put AI to work for people,' and how does that align with your design philosophy?"

• "How would you contribute to our AI-native culture as a Staff Product Designer, particularly in the context of customer and partner experiences?"

• "Describe your experience working in a matrixed organization with competing priorities. How do you ensure your design vision is understood and supported?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Content & AI: For each relevant case study, clearly articulate the information architecture challenges, the content strategies employed, and how AI was integrated (or could have been integrated) to enhance the user experience.

• Demonstrate Systemic Thinking: Show how your designs scale and maintain consistency across different user segments or product areas. Use Figma walkthroughs to illustrate your design system approach and complex component usage.

• Highlight Leadership & Influence: Discuss how you led design efforts, managed feedback, and influenced product decisions, particularly when dealing with ambiguity or complex technical constraints.

• Quantify Results: Be prepared to discuss metrics related to content discoverability, user engagement, task completion rates, and overall user satisfaction tied to your design work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily focus on the specific nuances of this role: content architecture, AI integration, and large-scale B2B/B2C SaaS design. Candidates should be ready to discuss their strategic thinking and leadership capabilities in depth.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on SmartRecruiters.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to prominently feature projects that demonstrate your expertise in information architecture, content design, AI-mediated retrieval, and designing for complex B2B SaaS/B2C platforms. Ensure at least 2-3 detailed case studies are included.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to highlight keywords such as "information architecture," "content architecture," "AI-native design," "Figma," "B2B SaaS," "UX systems," "design strategy," and "design leadership." Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, strategic thinking, and how you would approach the specific challenges of this role. Prepare to walk through your portfolio with confidence, focusing on your problem-solving methodologies and impact.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research ServiceNow's products, mission, and recent developments in AI. Understand their customer and partner ecosystems to better tailor your responses and demonstrate cultural alignment.

⚠️ 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.