Manager, Product Designer

Job description

Company Description

SPORTS NEXT

NBC Sports Next is where sports and technology intersect. We’re fueled by our mission to innovate, create larger-than-life events and connect with sports fans through technology. We’re a subdivision of NBC Sports and home to leading technology platforms and digital applications for Youth & Recreational Sports; Golf; and Emerging Media.

At NBC Sports Next, we equip more than 30MM players, coaches, athletes, sports administrators and fans in 40 countries with more than 25 sports solution products, including SportsEngine, the largest youth sports club, league and team management platform; SportsEngine Play, the first ever streaming service for youth and amateur sports, GolfNow, the leading online tee time marketplace and provider of golf course operations technology; and GolfPassthe ultimate golf membership that connects golfers to exclusive content, tee time credits, instructional content and more.

SPORTS ENGINE / YOUTH REC SPORTS

This role is part of our Youth & Recreational Sports group, comprised of technology platforms such as SportsEngine HQ, SportsEngine Motion, SportsEngine Play and SportsEngine Tourney. We enable athletes, parents, coaches and team administrators in the youth and recreational space to manage their organizations, collect payments, share schedules, find programs to participate in and connect with other families. Additionally, NCSI enables leagues and organizations to properly screen and train coaches in an effort to keep kids safe.

Job Description

Description:

We are seeking a strategic and hands-on Manager of Product Design to lead our product design efforts within the Product Experience team at SportsEngine. You will guide a talented group of designers to deliver visually stunning, intuitive, and accessible experiences across our digital products. This role requires close collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers, and other cross-functional stakeholders to define the product vision, influence strategy, and elevate design craft.

The ideal candidate has a sharp eye for UI detail, a passion for pushing visual design boundaries, and a track record of delivering innovative, high-quality design solutions across web and mobile platforms. You’re a conceptual thinker, creative problem-solver, and inspiring leader who thrives on evolving design systems, mentoring others, and fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and forward-thinking design culture.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of product designers, fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and continuous improvement.
• Define and drive the design strategy in close partnership with Product and Engineering leaders to align with business objectives and user needs.
• Own and evolve the design vision for SportsEngine’s products, ensuring visual excellence, usability, and accessibility across platforms.
• Champion high-quality UI craft and thoughtful, user-centered solutions that balance innovation with performance and scalability.
• Uphold and evolve a robust design system to ensure consistency across touchpoints while enabling innovation.
• Guide the team in balancing near-term execution with long-term strategic vision, helping prioritize for impact.
• Foster a collaborative, feedback-rich environment where designers thrive, grow, and feel connected to the product’s impact.
• Collaborate closely with Engineering to ensure seamless execution and uphold design intent in implementation.
• Influence and evolve the product design process, advocating for scalable systems and operational best practices.
• Effectively communicate design decisions and strategies to executives and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Stay current with industry trends and competitive insights to proactively identify opportunities for product innovation.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in product design, with at least 2 years in a leadership role managing designers and shaping product direction.
• Demonstrated success designing and shipping large-scale, complex products across web and mobile surfaces.
• Exceptional UI design skills with a strong eye for visual detail, layout, hierarchy, and interaction patterns.
• Advanced proficiency in Figma and a deep understanding of design systems, accessibility best practices, and cross-platform consistency.
• Strong understanding of platform guidelines including Apple HIG, Material Design, and WCAG accessibility standards.
• Experience with experimentation-led design, including A/B testing, rapid iteration, and data-informed product development.
• Excellent communication and storytelling abilities — able to explain design rationale, influence stakeholders, and advocate for users effectively.
• Proven ability to partner closely with Product Management, Engineering, Research, and Data teams to shape strategy and deliver impactful solutions.
• Strong product intuition and the ability to navigate ambiguity, balancing visionary thinking with pragmatic execution paths.
• Portfolio that demonstrates design leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and high-impact user-facing work.
• Bachelor’s degree in Design, HCI, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).

Preferred:

Familiarity with sports-related platforms or apps

• Fully Remote: This position has been designated as fully remote, meaning that the position is expected to contribute from a non-NBCUniversal worksite, most commonly an employee’s residence.

Salary Range: $145-160,000 (bonus eligible)

Additional Information

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. NBCUniversal’s policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access nbcunicareers.com as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by emailing [email protected].

Although you’ll be hired as an NBCU employee, your employment and the responsibilities associated with this job likely will transition to Versant in the future. By joining at this pivotal time, you’ll be a part of this exciting company as it takes shape.

For LA County and City Residents Only:  NBCUniversal will consider for employment  qualified applicants with criminal histories, or arrest or conviction records, in a manner  consistent with relevant legal requirements, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative For Hiring Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, where applicable.