Design Program Manager, Systems at Discord

Discord

San Francisco Bay Area·3d ago

ManagerFull-timeRustReactAI

Salary Range

$81,600 - $110,400 /year

Estimated

This salary is estimated based on similar roles. The actual salary may vary.

About the Role

We are looking for a Design Program Manager to partner closely with our Systems teams. This is a high-impact, high-trust role that sits at the intersection of design craft, systems thinking, and cross-functional execution.

Key Responsibilities

→Drive the Systems roadmaps and intake process, ensuring both Design and Engineering capacity stay aligned with incoming requests
→Track program health proactively, surfacing blockers early, and keeping stakeholders informed
→Serve as a connector between Systems and their partners, facilitating conversations that surface dependencies
→Support Systems leadership in shaping operating rhythms, including planning and capacity decisions
→Identify and implement improvements to how the team plans, shares knowledge, and operates
→Drive large-scale system initiatives like migrations, visual refreshes, and platform upgrades
→Align Systems' efforts to broader organizational goals and contribute to longer-term planning cycles

Requirements

✓5+ years of experience in design program management, design operations, or a closely related role
✓A genuine understanding of how design systems work, including both the design craft and the technical dimensions
✓Experience leading complex, cross-functional programs with multiple workstreams and stakeholders
✓A builder's mentality: you create processes because you understand the people who will use them
✓An instinct for collaboration over control: you influence through trust, and you know when to lead and when to listen
✓The ability to thrive in ambiguity and bring structure to situations where none previously existed
✓Experience managing vendor relationships or budgets
✓Strong written and verbal communication skills