Senior Manager of Product Design

About the role

We are seeking a Senior Manager of Product Design to join our highly collaborative design team based in our Budapest office. In this role, you will lead a team of designers who work on Canvas by Instructure, partnering closely with Product Management and Engineering leaders to define and shape a holistic experience of how our users teach, learn, and manage courses across our platform. You will report to the Director, Product Design, also based in Budapest, and play a key role in the continued growth of our design team in this location. You will provide design guidance and feedback, identify gaps and inefficiencies, monitor team health, and implement process improvements for the team. Your work will leverage AI and other emerging technologies to create innovative and intuitive product design experiences that lead to measurable outcomes, while ensuring a strong focus on accessibility, quality, and user impact at every stage.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Partner closely with the Canvas Product and Engineering leaders to set the overall strategy for the end-to-end platform experience for Admins and Educators.
• Leverage AI and other emerging technologies to create innovative and intuitive product design experiences that lead to measurable outcomes.
• Oversee a team of designers that focuses on the Canvas product space and drive meaningful contributions across the product lifecycle.
• Provide feedback and direction on UX solutions, visual design and UI, and ensure high quality work that aligns with product goals.
• Provide professional growth coaching to elevate and retain top talent, fostering an environment where designers can thrive.
• Partner closely with your fellow design leaders to establish operational structures and best practices across our entire Product Design team and support the team as we evolve to an AI-first design workflow.
• Communicate and evangelize the overall product vision, roadmap, and priorities to focus both the design team and partners, ensuring alignment and clarity.
• Be a point person for designers based in Budapest; strengthen a culture that emphasizes high design quality, rapid iterations, and data-based decision making.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure design is an integral part of strategic discussions and decision-making.
• Champion user-centered design thinking by synthesizing research, feedback, and data to inform design decisions that drive engagement and satisfaction.
• Establish clear design systems and guidelines to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency across the Canvas platform.
• Identify opportunities for process optimization and implement tools and rituals that improve design team productivity and collaboration.
• Lead critique sessions and design reviews to foster constructive feedback and continuous improvement among team members.
• Translate complex requirements and constraints into clear design opportunities that balance user needs with business objectives.
• Mentor junior designers through hands-on coaching, helping them grow their skills and confidence in delivering high-quality design solutions.

Requirements

• At least 10+ years of experience designing for digital products with fluency in both UX/interaction design as well as UI/visual design.
• At least three years of managerial experience with strong experience mentoring and coaching designers in their professional growth.
• Previous experience collaborating with Product and Engineering to define the product roadmap and strategy.
• A portfolio representing you and/or your team's best design work (UX and visual) on complex digital products.
• Strong experience following AI-first design and development workflows.
• Strong experience leveraging AI to amplify the experience of product features.
• Experience using AI tools (in particular, Claude Cowork).
• Previous experience working in the EdTech space a bonus.
• Very strong storytelling skills; experience presenting to executive and senior leadership.
• Strong art direction skills and visual UI experience.
• Strong problem solving skills.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strong work ethic, sense of accountability and ownership.
• Strong attention to detail and a systematic thinker.
• Deep knowledge and experience designing for A11y best practices.
• Great team player who is comfortable working in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.
• Biased to action, with the ability to iterate rapidly.

Practical notes

Onsite Collaboration Requirement: This role requires working onsite on Tuesday and Wednesday, with Thursday strongly encouraged as part of our company's in-person collaboration model.

Get in on all the awesome at Instructure!

We offer competitive, meaningful benefits in every country where we operate. While they vary by location, here's a general idea of what you can expect:

• Competitive compensation, plus all full-time employees participate in our ownership program - because everyone should have a stake in our success.
• Flexible work culture. Our remote, hybrid and in-office collaboration spaces vary by role, team and location.
• Generous time off, including local holidays and our annual "Dim the Lights" period in late December, when teams are encouraged to step back and recharge based on departmental needs.
• Comprehensive wellness programs and mental health support
• Learning and development resources, including professional development tools and tuition reimbursement, to support your growth
• The technology and tools you need to do your best work
• Motivosity employee recognition program
• A culture rooted in inclusivity, support, and meaningful connection

We believe in hiring great people and treating them right. The more diverse we are, the better our ideas and outcomes.

Instructure is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We comply with applicable employment and anti-discrimination laws.