Staff Design Operations Program Manager

About the role

Mercury is building a new kind of banking service, and Design Operations is crucial to our success. We are seeking a Staff Design Operations Program Manager to establish and lead our Design Ops function. This role will be instrumental in scaling our design team's effectiveness and output.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Define and execute the strategic vision for Design Operations, determining its future direction and priorities.
• Lead the adoption of AI tools within the design process, establishing frameworks and building workflows for designers.
• Develop and maintain scalable systems and lightweight processes to support the growth of the design organization.
• Create and implement strategies for design culture, team rituals, and quality standards.
• Manage Mercury Design's external presence, focusing on employer branding and community engagement.
• Oversee the onboarding and enablement programs for new designers.
• Act as a central point of contact for cross-functional initiatives, resolving ambiguous problems with multiple stakeholders.
• Provide strategic counsel to the VP of Design and design managers on team health, quality, and priorities.
• Establish success metrics and reporting for design programs to inform future investments.

Requirements

• Proven experience independently setting strategy for a horizontal function, not just executing predefined tasks.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to build trust and influence senior leaders.
• A high standard for quality and a history of fostering accountability within teams.
• Ability to break down organizational silos and influence without direct authority across diverse teams.
• Comfort in making decisions and driving them to completion, even without full consensus, while managing expectations.
• A builder's mindset, capable of owning both strategy and execution from inception to delivery.
• Experience representing a function or company externally through community engagement or industry presence.
• Skill in anticipating and mitigating risks related to people, processes, and tools, and adapting to changing priorities.

Skills & tools

• Program Management
• Strategic Planning
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• AI Tool Adoption
• Process Improvement
• Team Culture Development
• Employer Branding
• Stakeholder Management

Practical notes

• US employees in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, or the San Francisco Bay Area: $199,900 - $249,900 base salary.
• US employees outside of these major metro areas: $179,900 - $224,900 base salary.
• Canadian employees: CAD $189,000 - $236,200 base salary.
• Total compensation includes base salary, equity (stock options), and benefits.
• Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services are provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N, Members FDIC.
• Mercury is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and values diversity. Reasonable accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities.