At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a talented design team to create innovative consumer products for urban mobility.
- Company: Join Citymapper, a mission-driven company transforming how people navigate cities worldwide.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, stock options, hybrid work, and a vibrant office culture with team lunches.
- Why this job: Be part of a team that values creativity, collaboration, and making cities more accessible and sustainable.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in product design, leadership experience, and a passion for user-centric solutions.
- Other info: Transportation experience is a plus, but not mandatory; we welcome diverse backgrounds.
The predicted salary is between 54000 - 84000 ÂŁ per year.
At Citymapper (powered by Via), we’re on a mission to help make cities easier to navigate. Our app helps millions of people around the world make the best decision on how they want to travel. Whether it's on foot or by bicycle, above ground or underground, or a combination of modes, our real-time data ensures that users have the most accurate and up-to-date information available.
We’re looking for a Director of Product Design who can think strategically and craft great consumer products. You’ll be leading a world-class product design team and collaborating closely with some of the best product managers and engineers in the industry to deliver elegant solutions needed by humans all over the world. Smarter mobility leads to better cities, making them less congested, more affordable, and environmentally sustainable. This is an opportunity to be part of a small, mission-driven team reinventing a category, building both consumer products and enterprise technology to improve mobility in cities around the world. We use what we design, every day. We move fast. We like green.
What You’ll Do:
- Lead, inspire and nurture Citymapper’s product design team.
- Help the team deliver best-in-the-world interactive design.
- Champion user research: seek and analyze quantitative and qualitative feedback to inform decisions.
- Balance user needs and business needs.
- Partner with Product Managers to define the roadmap, project milestones and priorities.
- Collaborate with Engineers to understand constraints and opportunities, and design with data.
- Work through the entire project lifecycle: at no point do designers “hand over” to another team. We follow through delivery, QA, and iterate.
- Test and use the product you build. Every day.
Who You Are:
- Able to deliver world-class consumer products: 10+ years of experience in designing and building products.
- Experience leading design projects and managing people.
- Experience working with executive leaders.
- Able to create designs that trigger emotions and have a human touch.
- Experience in abstracting complexity behind simple messages and interfaces.
- Design with real data. Ship quick moves, learn & iterate.
- You understand tech constraints and opportunities. You appreciate that engineers are designers in their own right.
- Able to scale & handle complexity: Deep understanding of the Citymapper app - as a user.
- Able to handle complexity (messy data, scale of the product).
- Able to foster quality and velocity at scale.
- Organized and knows how to prioritize features and tasks.
- Understands the dynamics of 0 → 1 and 1 → Scale.
- Comfortable combining a lean and iterative approach, with deadline-driven commercial commitments.
- Transportation experience is welcome to speed up the learning curve, but not mandatory.
- A great communicator and empathic leader: Lead, inspire and nurture the product design team.
- Enable each teammate to become the best version of themselves.
- You see building products as a team sport.
- Able to lead by example with low ego as well as delegating.
- Great presenter and communicator. Design has the ability to inspire and energize the team, and you use this superpower.
- Assertive: Can ask the hard questions, knows when to push back elegantly.
Compensation and Benefits:
- Becoming part of a company that was awarded for its commitment to social good.
- Competitive compensation including stock options.
- A hybrid working model and a spacious office near Chancery Lane, where you can enjoy weekly team lunches.
- Comprehensive health scheme offered through AXA.
We’re Via, and we build technology that changes the way the world moves. We’re driven by a simple mission: to create modern and efficient public transportation systems that provide far greater access to jobs, healthcare, and education. With our best-in-class suite of products, we make transit thrive.
If you’re excited to be at the forefront of modernizing the future of transportation, are up for solving tough problems, and willing to become/already are a transit nerd, we are the place for you. Even if your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description for this role, we encourage you to apply. You may be just the right candidate for this or other opportunities.
Ready to join the ride? Via is an equal opportunity employer.
Director of Product Design (Citymapper) employer: Via
Contact Detail:
Via Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Director of Product Design (Citymapper)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Citymapper app inside and out. As a potential Director of Product Design, understanding the user experience and identifying areas for improvement will be crucial. Use the app regularly to spot any pain points or features that could enhance user satisfaction.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the transportation and product design sectors. Attend industry events or webinars where you can meet people who work at Citymapper or similar companies. Building these connections can provide valuable insights and potentially lead to referrals.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your leadership style and how you inspire teams. Citymapper values empathy and collaboration, so think of examples from your past experiences where you've successfully led a team through challenges while fostering a positive environment.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay updated on the latest trends in product design and mobility solutions. Being knowledgeable about current technologies and methodologies will not only help you in interviews but also demonstrate your passion for the role and the industry.
We think you need these skills to ace Director of Product Design (Citymapper)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, take the time to thoroughly understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Director of Product Design position at Citymapper. Tailor your application to highlight how your experience aligns with their mission and values.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that not only showcases your qualifications but also expresses your passion for improving urban mobility. Mention specific aspects of Citymapper's work that resonate with you and how you envision contributing to their goals.
Showcase Your Portfolio: Include links to your online portfolio that demonstrate your design process and the impact of your previous projects. Highlight any relevant experience in leading design teams or working on consumer products that align with Citymapper's focus.
Provide Thoughtful Feedback: When asked to suggest an improvement to the current app, ensure your response is well thought out. Use this opportunity to showcase your analytical skills and understanding of user needs, as well as your ability to think strategically about product design.
How to prepare for a job interview at Via
✨Showcase Your Design Philosophy
Be prepared to discuss your design philosophy and how it aligns with Citymapper's mission. Highlight your experience in creating user-centric designs that balance both user needs and business goals.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a Director of Product Design, you'll need to inspire and nurture your team. Share examples of how you've successfully led design projects and managed teams, focusing on your ability to empower others and foster collaboration.
✨Prepare for Technical Discussions
Understand the technical constraints and opportunities that come with product design. Be ready to discuss how you collaborate with engineers and use data to inform your design decisions, showcasing your ability to work through the entire project lifecycle.
✨Engage with User Research
Citymapper values user research highly. Prepare to discuss how you've championed user research in your previous roles, including how you've used both quantitative and qualitative feedback to drive design improvements.