Design Manager

Overview

At IBM Infrastructure & Technology, we design and operate the systems that keep the world running. From high‑resiliency mainframes and hybrid cloud platforms to networking, automation, and site reliability, our teams ensure the performance, security, and scalability that clients and industries depend on every day. Working in Infrastructure & Technology means tackling complex challenges with curiosity and collaboration. You’ll work with diverse technologies and colleagues worldwide to deliver resilient, future‑ready solutions that power innovation.

With continuous learning, career growth, and a supportive culture, IBM provides the opportunities to build expertise and shape the infrastructure that drives progress.

We are seeking a Design Manager to join our Design and Content organization. In this leadership role, you will create the conditions for designers to deliver high‑quality, differentiated outcomes. You will balance talent management with hands‑on strategic leadership, leveraging service design, program management, and business savvy to collaborate with peers in development and product management. This role will oversee talent shaping our AI strategy and transforming product teams to boost efficiency and accelerate innovation.

Your work will ensure that our design practices are client‑focused and user‑centered, enabling co‑creation of meaningful solutions that address real‑world needs.

Strategic

• Apply systematic thinking to understand the big picture and critical details as it applies to internal and external audiences.
• Define design strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Track metrics, monitor progress, and drive continuous improvement.
• Set a high bar for design excellence by monitoring team progress toward milestones and metrics.
• Guide project roadmaps and design methods to align with business priorities.

Cross‑functional

• Collaborate with Design, Product Management, and Development leaders to advocate for design value and integrate frameworks across teams.
• Partner with product teams and leadership to review design outcomes to inform a cohesive user experience across our enterprise of products.
• Allocate design resources effectively across projects based on priorities and business needs.
• Foster connections across projects to ensure alignment and knowledge sharing.

Functional

• Drive talent growth through coaching, mentoring, and career development.
• Align designer goals with project objectives and skills development needs.
• Manage employee engagement, performance reviews, and training completion.
• Regularly review design work and provide feedback.
• Develop clear, consistent communications to shape a unified way of working.

• Bachelor’s degree in Design, Human‑Computer Interaction, or related field.
• Strong design portfolio showcasing user‑centered solutions, design systems, and examples of leading design teams or projects.
• 7+ years of experience in design roles, with at least 2 years in a leadership or management position.
• Proven track record of delivering high‑quality design outcomes in complex, enterprise environments.
• Deep understanding of design disciplines, user‑centered design, and design systems.
• Ability to grasp and embrace deeply technical products and complex ecosystems including advanced AI technologies.
• Experience applying design thinking and agile methodologies.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills to articulate design value to stakeholders, both executive and technical.
• Strong facilitation skills for workshops, playbacks, and design reviews.
• Comfortable tracking metrics, monitoring progress, and driving continuous improvement.
• Proven ability to mentor, coach, and develop design talent.
• Experience managing performance, setting goals, and driving engagement.
• Skilled at resource allocation and balancing priorities across multiple projects.
• Familiarity with product lifecycle processes.

Mid‑Senior level

Full‑time

Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology

IT Services and IT Consulting

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