At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team of product designers to create innovative AI-powered communication tools.
- Company: Join Dialpad, a leader in AI-native business communications.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and growth opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of a vibrant, inclusive culture that values collaboration and innovation.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AI in business communications while developing your design skills.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in product design and 1-2 years managing teams.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
About Dialpad
Dialpad is the AI-native business communications platform. We unify calling, messaging, meetings, and contact center on a single platform - powered by AI that understands every conversation in real time. More than 70,000 companies around the globe 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.
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.
- 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. 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 employer: Dialpad
Dialpad is an exceptional employer that places a strong emphasis on employee growth and collaboration, particularly in the vibrant city of London. With a commitment to cutting-edge AI tools and a culture that values inclusivity and innovation, employees are empowered to make meaningful contributions while enjoying competitive benefits and opportunities for professional development. Join us to be at the forefront of AI transformation in business communications, where your work truly matters.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Manager, Product Design
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry, especially those at Dialpad. A friendly chat can open doors that a CV just can't. Use LinkedIn to connect and engage with their posts.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio, make sure it’s polished and highlights your best work. Tailor it to showcase projects that align with Dialpad's focus on AI and product design.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by understanding Dialpad’s mission and values. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals, especially around AI and user-centric design.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Dialpad team.
We think you need these skills to ace Manager, Product Design
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Portfolio:Make sure to include a portfolio that highlights both your individual work and how you've helped your team shine. We want to see the impact you've made, so pick pieces that really showcase your leadership and design skills.
Tailor Your Application:When applying, don’t just send a generic application. Take the time to tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect how your experience aligns with our mission at Dialpad. We love seeing candidates who are genuinely excited about what we do!
Be Authentic:Let your personality shine through in your written application. We’re looking for curious and optimistic individuals, so don’t be afraid to show us who you are and what drives you. Authenticity goes a long way!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team at Dialpad!
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 think about how they can be applied in your design work. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your experience where you've integrated AI into your designs.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
As a Design Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead and mentor. Prepare to share stories about how you've developed your team in the past. Think about specific instances where you’ve pushed designers to excel and how you’ve balanced being a player/coach.
✨Prepare for Rigorous Critique
Expect to engage in discussions about design critique during the interview. Be ready to explain your approach to giving and receiving feedback. Share examples of how you've used critique to improve both your work and that of your team, showcasing your understanding of its importance in the design process.
✨Communicate Clearly Across Disciplines
You’ll need to collaborate with Product Management and Engineering, so practice articulating your design decisions clearly. Prepare to discuss how you’ve navigated complex projects and communicated effectively with different teams. Highlight your ability to bridge gaps between design and technical aspects.