Xero is a beautiful, easy-to-use platform that helps small businesses and their accounting and bookkeeping advisors grow and thrive.
At Xero, our purpose is to make life better for people in small business, their advisors, and communities around the world. This purpose sits at the centre of everything we do. We support our people to do the best work of their lives so that they can help small businesses succeed through better tools, information and connections. Because when they succeed they make a difference, and when millions of small businesses are making a difference, the world is a more beautiful place.
How you'll make an impact...
The community of product design practitioners at Xero spans multiple teams, disciplines and locations across the company. The GM of Design and Research Operations creates and enables the processes, systems, and behaviors required to execute world-class creative innovation at scale. They drive and deliver the foundational initiatives, operational effectiveness, and connectivity within the product design team, while growing the external brand presence and connections with universities and partners to attract top design talent. Much like a symphony conductor, the ideal candidate has experience in scaling global design and research teams, is highly creative and passionate, detail oriented, acutely aware of movements within their orchestra, and an integral part in the creation of something magical. This role supports and contributes to the overall design effectiveness and leadership of a global design team based in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, SIngapore and the UK.
What you'll do...
Implement and drive changes to enable designers and researchers work with optimum efficiency and manage complex workloads
Build and lead the design and research operations team within the product design organisation
Own and drive operational effectiveness of internal processes related to career growth frameworks, Xero design curriculum, design vision activation, headcount allocation, travel, budgeting, and forecasting
Create effective onboarding processes for new hires to help them land and thrive in the Xero world
Source, analyse, procure, and manage design and research tools and subscriptions that enhance team's productivity and deliver cost-savings through alignment on common toolkit
Curate and share key information to help the product design team deliver great product experiences and outcomes, and align on tools, processes
Lead global recruitment campaigns and processes to source and attract top design, writing and research talent
Work closely with People Experience (PX) on key initiatives for Product Design including career progression, compensation, benefits, rewards & recognition
Partner the graduate & intern programmes for product design in each region including the running of recruitment campaigns, relationship building with universities
Partner closely with the EGM Design, keeping on top of personnel initiatives, larger projects and communications
Partner with the Design Leadership team on key strategic issues and work with each portfolio to streamline processes and approach
Be acutely aware of the team's needs and make recommendations on how to ensure all members experience a happy and healthy work environment
Work closely with Research GM and team to oversee research budget, recruitment, tool management and maintenance. Help to lead and direct the research operations for the team including helping to set up and establish the processes for participant recruitment, incentives, and research library
Partner closely with our internal business stakeholders in PX, Recruiting, Finance, Procurement, and Legal
Lead activities and initiatives that support healthy org culture including all hands, offsites, internal surveys, recognition programs, change management, team norms, etc.
Cultivate a fun, rewarding, agile and results-driven culture
Hire and develop managers, leads, and designers to meet business demands and employee development needs
Develop programs and processes to foster work visibility, learning and inspiration, connection and external presence
What you'll bring...
The successful candidate will have at least 7 - 10 years leading design operations at scale. You will possess significant experience working with 100+ multidisciplinary design teams working on complex software.
Ideally you will have a background in a creative discipline with a general understanding of Design and User Research in a product development context. Essential will be your genuine eagerness to work with, mentor, encourage and learn from a diverse and talented team and lead with positivity and inspiration. You will be a strategic and critical thinker who brings passion, energy and drive to the team as well as strong organisational and program management skills. Excellent collaboration skills and the ability to create long-lasting trusted partnerships will be critical as will a passion for small business and the user experience.
This is an amazing opportunity to contribute to the overall design effectiveness and leadership of a global design team.
Xero is an NZ Immigration Accredited Employer and Rainbow Tick certified too.
Please include a cover letter in your application, telling us why you're a great fit for this position.
