Product Design Lead, Marketplace

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.

Propel is a technology company strengthening the social safety net for people who receive government benefits. Over 5 million Americans trust the Propel app to manage their government benefits, save money, and get updates when benefits change. Propel is a for-profit, venture-backed company supported by nonprofits, impact investors, and world-class investors.

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.

• 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.

• 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

• People management experience (leading small teams, player/coach roles)
• Comfort prototyping and vibe coding with emerging design and AI tools

• 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…