Product Design Lead, Marketplace at Propel

About Propel Propel is on a mission to build technology that strengthens the social safety net. We’re a passionate team of ~100 Propellers who envision a future where every American has the tools and resources they need to thrive. Position Overview We’re looking for a Marketplace Design Lead to own and elevate the end-to-end Marketplace product experience at Propel, reporting into our VP of Design. This person will set a clear design strategy and long-term vision for Marketplace, while also staying close to execution as a player/coach. Marketplace is a critical surface area for Propel — it’s where we help millions of low-income Americans discover and access products and services that can meaningfully improve their lives. This role will partner closely with senior leaders across Business, Product, Engineering, and Brand to build a Marketplace that feels personalized, opinionated, and high-trust, while driving measurable outcomes across engagement and revenue. What you’ll do: - Own the end-to-end Marketplace user experience — from discovery and strategy through detailed execution — shipping high-quality, accessible product experiences. - Define and drive Marketplace design strategy and vision, aligning cross-functional partners on what “great” looks like in the short-term and long-term. - Build a Marketplace that feels personalized and opinionated, helping users quickly find the right offers with clarity and confidence — not just browse a generic catalog. - Design for trust, clarity, and decision-making, ensuring Marketplace experiences are credible, easy to understand, and built for real-world constraints. - Partner deeply with Product, Engineering, and Data to define goals, prioritize the roadmap, run experiments, and iterate quickly based on performance and user insights. - Scale Marketplace into new verticals and categories, including Propel-branded products and services, while keeping the experience coherent and consistent. - Raise the bar on craft and quality, through strong design direction, critique, and hands-on contributions to key flows and experiences. - Help shape the Marketplace design team over time, including identifying skill gaps, supporting hiring, and setting a strong operating rhythm for execution. What you need: - 10+ years of product design experience, including ownership of complex product areas from strategy through launch - Strong track record designing consumer experiences centered on discovery and browsing (e.g., marketplaces, commerce, travel, media, content-heavy products, etc.) - Proven ability to set a clear product/design vision and translate it into shippable work in fast-moving, ambiguous environments - Excellent judgment balancing user needs, business goals, and long-term trust - High craft bar — strong interaction design, visual polish, and attention to detail that raises the quality of what ships - Strong cross-functional leadership skills — you can operate as a senior partner to Product and Engineering, align stakeholders, and move decisions forward - Clear, compelling communicator — you can tell the story, make tradeoffs understandable, and bring teams along - High ownership and autonomy — you operate like an owner, look around corners, and make smart local decisions Big plus: - People management experience (leading small teams, player/coach roles) - Comfort prototyping and vibe coding with emerging design and AI tools At Propel, you'll enjoy: - Meaningful work and a strong shared sense of mission - Remote-friendly work environment with a dog-friendly office in Downtown Brooklyn. The team meets in-person for optional retreats. - 20 Days of PTO - 4% 401K match - $10k lifetime spend towards Carrot Fertility - Excellent Medical, Dental and Vision options - A strong equity package that reflects the leveling and anticipated impact of this role - Propel builds compensation bands referencing the 75th percentile of compensation for companies like us. Expected compensation for the role as scoped is $215,000 - $265,000 and will be based on how a candidate matches to our internal leveling guide. Bands may be expanded if someone is leveled more senior than the role was initially scoped.   Additional Considerations: - We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team, and welcome applicants from all backgrounds and abilities. - We're currently accepting applications from the states we have an established entity in, which includes California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. - Background Check Requirement: For roles with access to confidential employee or customer information, a background check may be conducted following a conditional offer. All background checks are handled in accordance with applicable laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). More About Propel Propel is a technology company that’s strengthening the social safety net for people who receive government benefits. Over 5 million Americans trust the free, modern Propel app to manage their government benefits, save money, and get updates when their benefits change. We’ve also partnered with renowned institutions and organizations like Vote.org, GoFundMe, and GiveDirectly. Propel is a for-profit, venture-backed company that holds its social mission at its core. We're proud to be supported by a blend of nonprofits, impact investors, and world-class investors including the Robin Hood Foundation, Andreessen Horowitz, Nyca Partners, Financial Health Network, JPMorganChase, Kevin Durant, Serena Williams, and Nas. Learn more about our impact from the press - Fintech Company Propel Announces $10 Million Fund For Food Stamp [Upgrade to PRO to see link] - Late Show With Stephen Colbert [Upgrade to PRO to see link] - How to Propel the Fight Against Poverty in America [Upgrade to PRO to see link] - How Tech is Helping Poor People Get Government Aid [Upgrade to PRO to see link] - How one tech startup is giving cash to SNAP recipients [Upgrade to PRO to see link] - Recipients Affected By Government Shutdown [Upgrade to PRO to see link] - How hunger relief groups say you can help feed your neighbors during the shutdown and beyond [Upgrade to PRO to see link] Join us, and let's build something amazing together!