Hybrid - 2 days a week onsite in either Dallas,TX or Bothell, WA
12-18 months
Optomi has partnered with a telecommunications leader to find their next Product Designer (Design Lead). This is an exciting opportunity to drive innovation and problem-solving within the organization, focusing on non-core business areas (beyond 5G and wireless). You'll be at the forefront of a new way of working, inspired by the Silicon Valley model, helping to generate new ideas and tackle complex customer problems that could drive net-new or unexpected revenue within the companies products and services.
Key Responsibilities
Lead Product Design Efforts: Take ownership of the end-to-end design process, from ideation to MVP delivery, working closely with Product and Tech Leads.
Research & Customer Insights: Lead and participate in generative research, concept testing, usability testing, and rapid prototyping. Work closely with a dedicated Researcher and other designers to gather insights and validate concepts.
Product Strategy & Execution: Define product pitches for leadership councils (including the CEO) to secure funding for new product ideas. Help craft and iterate product strategies to launch new MVPs (Minimum Viable Products) in a fast-paced environment.
Collaborative Leadership: Work cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, and Research teams. Influence the direction of product development with data-driven design decisions and creative problem-solving.
Ownership of Design Decisions: Act as the design authority on the team, making firm recommendations and challenging both leadership and team members to make customer-centric decisions.
Documentation & Communication: Produce clear, well-organized documentation of design concepts, user flows, and decisions. Be comfortable presenting design ideas and recommendations to executives and stakeholders.
Innovative Thinking: Proactively identify new opportunities, ideas, and product solutions outside of the companies traditional product scope.
Skills & Qualifications
Must-Have Skills:
Generative Research Expertise: Strong focus on rapid user research, including concept testing, usability testing, and customer validation. Comfortable with guerilla research and using insights to iterate quickly.
MVP Development & Launch: Proven experience in launching MVPs and defining product strategy. Comfortable with both execution and strategy-hands-on with product development and able to lead a team of designers.
Executive-Facing: Ability to present to and influence senior leadership, including C-suite executives. Comfortable leading discussions around design decisions with strong documentation and persuasive communication skills.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong leadership and collaboration skills to work with diverse teams, including Product Leads, Tech Leads, and Research teams.
Creative Problem Solving: Ability to navigate ambiguity and complex challenges with creative solutions. Comfortable with iteration and adapting ideas when something doesn't work.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Able to make firm recommendations backed by data and insights. Can challenge teams to push forward on customer-centric design decisions.
Resilience & Adaptability: Comfortable with failure and willing to move quickly to iterate on new ideas.
Nice to Have Skills:
Familiarity with tools like UserZoom for research, and other design tools (beyond Figma) that could help in rapid prototyping and design validation.
Experience leading teams of designers or mentoring junior designers in a collaborative environment.
Logistics & Additional Information
Type: Contract (12-18+ months, with potential to convert to full-time)
Location: Flexible (Dallas, TX or Bothell, WA preferred, with hybrid flexibility)