Manager, Product Design in London

Manager, Product Design in London

London Full-Time 70000 - 90000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Dialpad

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead a team of product designers to create innovative AI-powered business communication tools.
  • Company: Join Dialpad, a leader in AI-driven communications with a vibrant and inclusive culture.
  • Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and real growth opportunities.
  • Other info: Be part of a recognised Great Place to Work, fostering collaboration and creativity.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of AI in business communications while developing your design leadership skills.
  • Qualifications: 5+ years in product design, with experience managing teams and shipping impactful features.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.

About Dialpad

More than 70,000 companies around the globe, including WeWork, Asana, NASDAQ, AAA Insurance, COMPASS Realty, Uber, Randstad, and Tractor Supply, rely on Dialpad to build stronger customer connections using real-time, AI-driven insights. We’re now leading the shift to Agentic AI: intelligent agents that don’t just analyze conversations but take action by automating workflows, resolving customer issues, and accelerating revenue in real time. Our DAART initiative (Dialpad Agentic AI in Real Time) is redefining what a communications platform can do.

Being a Dialer

At Dialpad, AI isn’t just a feature; it’s how our teams do their best work every day. We put powerful AI tools in every employee’s hands so they can move faster, think bigger, and achieve more. We believe every conversation matters. And we’ve built the platform that turns those conversations into insight and action, for our customers and ourselves. We look for people who are intensely curious and hold themselves to a high bar. Our ambition is significant, and achieving it requires a team that operates at the highest level. We seek individuals who embody our core traits: Scrappy, Curious, Optimistic, Persistent, and Empathetic.

Your role

Help build the future of AI-powered business communications at Dialpad. The Dialpad Design team is an integral part of Dialpad’s success. We’re assembling a world-class team of curious problem-solvers who are passionate about keeping humans first in this new age of AI. We believe that great design is a strategic differentiator for Dialpad, but that differentiation doesn’t just happen. It takes a dedicated, collaborative team that works hard to advance Dialpad’s mission to empower businesses and their people to be wildly successful while doing career-defining work.

We’re looking for a Design Manager who leads as a true player/coach. This means that while you draw the best work out of the designers you manage—critiquing, mentoring, unblocking, and pushing them forward—you also take on work yourself. You know the craft well enough to teach it, and you're strong enough to demonstrate it when the moment calls for it. You don’t hide behind management. You’ll lead a team of product designers working across our ecosystem, shared services, and integrations areas—the connective tissue that makes Dialpad work with the rest of our customers’ tools and workflows. This is a high-leverage area: every customer touches it, the design problems are often the hardest in the product, and the work directly shapes how AI capabilities extend across the broader business communications landscape. This role is a great fit for someone who gets energy from both sides of the job—developing people and shaping pixels—and who sees AI not as a theme to reference but as a medium to design in. As our first design management hire in London, you’ll also be a foundational member of our growing Design team.

What you'll do

  • Lead an international team of product designers shipping features and integrations that connect Dialpad with the broader ecosystem of tools customers rely on every day.
  • Operate as a player/coach—most of your time is spent developing your team, but you’re expected to sit down and do the design work yourself when it’s the right call: pairing on a hard problem, fixing a rough flow, or raising the bar by example.
  • Draw the best work out of your designers through critique, pairing, stretch assignments, and candid feedback—pushing them further than they’d push themselves.
  • Set a high bar for the quality of work released and the pace at which it’s released.
  • Coach designers to think in systems, design for AI’s probabilistic nature, and build trust through transparent, well-considered interactions.
  • Partner closely with Product Management and Engineering counterparts in your area to set direction, schedules, and mark sharp tradeoffs.
  • Represent design leadership in our growing London location.
  • Use AI-assisted tools fluently in your own workflow and help your team adopt them in ways that compound their effectiveness.

Skills you'll bring

  • 5+ years of product design experience with a portfolio that demonstrates range, craft, and shipped impact.
  • 1-2+ years managing designers with portfolio pieces that clearly showcase not only your work but also ways you’ve helped your team’s work improve.
  • Experience shipping AI-powered or AI-adjacent features, or strong evidence you’re actively building that muscle.
  • Fluency with modern design tools (Figma, Lovable, Vercel, Claude Design, prototyping tools) and actively using AI tools in your design process.
  • Direct experience giving and receiving rigorous critique, and a clear point of view on how good critique works.
  • Strong written and verbal communication—you can explain your team’s work to senior leaders and your reasoning to skeptical engineers in the same week.
  • Clearly identify opportunities where the team is slow, misaligned, or under-communicating, and bring proposals, not just observations.
  • Be comfortable navigating ambiguity and leading complex, cross-functional initiatives end-to-end.
  • Think in systems, designing cohesive end-to-end experiences rather than isolated screens.
  • Communicate clearly and persuasively across disciplines, including with senior leadership.
  • Care deeply about craft, detail, usability, and measurable product outcomes.
  • Know how to set a high bar without becoming a bottleneck—and when to step in versus step back.

Bonus points for:

  • Have experience designing AI-native products, conversational interfaces, voice UI, or automation workflows.
  • Be fluent enough in front-end code or AI-assisted development to meaningfully pair with engineers—even ship code into production.
  • A background as a strong individual contributor who moved into management deliberately, not by default.

All applicants must provide a portfolio that demonstrates both their leadership impact and their individual craft. We want to see the work you did alongside your team's—and understand how you moved between the two.

Why Join Dialpad

  • Work at the center of the AI transformation in business communications.
  • Build and ship agentic AI products that are redefining how companies operate.
  • Join a team where AI amplifies every employee’s impact.
  • Competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and real opportunities for growth.

We believe in investing in our people. Dialpad offers competitive benefits and perks, cutting-edge AI tools, and a robust training program that help you reach your full potential. We have designed our offices to be inclusive, offering a vibrant environment to cultivate collaboration and connection. Our exceptional culture, repeatedly recognized as a Great Place to Work, ensures that every employee feels valued and empowered to contribute to our collective success.

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role and possess the fundamental traits, drive, and strong ambition we seek, but your experience doesn’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply.

Dialpad is an equal-opportunity employer. We are dedicated to creating a community of inclusion and an environment free from discrimination or harassment.

Manager, Product Design in London employer: Dialpad

Dialpad is an exceptional employer that places a strong emphasis on employee growth and collaboration, particularly in the vibrant London location. With a commitment to cutting-edge AI tools and a culture that values curiosity and empathy, employees are empowered to make meaningful contributions while enjoying competitive benefits and a supportive work environment. As a foundational member of the growing Design team, you will have the unique opportunity to shape the future of AI-powered business communications alongside a passionate and talented group of individuals.

Dialpad

Contact Details:

Dialpad Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Manager, Product Design in London

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Dialpad on LinkedIn or other platforms. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for the interview process. This insider info can give you a leg up!

Tip Number 2

Prepare for your interview by diving deep into Dialpad's products and AI initiatives. Show us that you're not just familiar with our offerings but also passionate about how they can transform business communications. Bring your ideas to the table!

Tip Number 3

Practice your design critique skills! Since you'll be leading a team, being able to give and receive feedback effectively is crucial. Run mock sessions with friends or colleagues to sharpen your approach and ensure you can articulate your thoughts clearly.

Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to showcase your portfolio! Make sure it highlights not only your individual work but also how you've helped your team grow. We want to see your leadership impact alongside your design craft—so make it shine!

We think you need these skills to ace Manager, Product Design in London

Product Design
Team Management
AI-Powered Feature Development
Figma
Prototyping Tools
Communication Skills
Critique and Feedback

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Off Your Portfolio:Make sure to include a portfolio that highlights your design work and leadership impact. We want to see how you've contributed to your team's success, so showcase those projects that really demonstrate your skills!

Tailor Your Application:When applying, take the time to tailor your application to the role. Use language from the job description to show us you understand what we're looking for. It helps us see how you fit into our team!

Be Authentic:We love seeing your personality shine through in your application. Don’t be afraid to let us know what makes you tick and why you're passionate about design and AI. Authenticity goes a long way!

Apply Through Our Website:For the best chance of getting noticed, make sure to apply through our website. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and get back to you quickly!

How to prepare for a job interview at Dialpad

Know Your AI Inside Out

Since Dialpad is all about AI-driven insights, make sure you understand how AI impacts product design. Brush up on AI concepts and be ready to discuss how you've integrated AI into your past projects. This will show that you're not just familiar with the technology but can also leverage it creatively.

Showcase Your Leadership Style

As a Design Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead and mentor. Prepare examples of how you've developed your team in the past. Be ready to discuss specific instances where your feedback helped a designer grow or how you tackled challenges as a player/coach.

Prepare for Rigorous Critique

Expect to engage in discussions about design critique during your interview. Bring along examples from your portfolio that highlight your design process and how you handle feedback. Show that you value constructive criticism and can articulate your design decisions clearly.

Communicate Clearly Across Disciplines

You'll be working closely with Product Management and Engineering, so practice explaining your design work in a way that resonates with non-designers. Think of examples where you've successfully collaborated across teams and how you navigated any communication hurdles.