Staff Design Program Manager

Hi there! Thanks for stopping by 👋

Are you actively looking for a new opportunity? Or just checking the market? Well… you might just be in the right place!

We’re looking for a Staff Design Operations to join our Design Operations team in Canada focusing on supporting our Retail product vertical. Scaling design effectively relies on trust, partnership, and collaboration—and that’s where you come in. You'll help the team focus on designing and shipping great products, while maintaining a high bar for quality. This role is key to shaping strategy, streamlining execution, and evolving our operational practices to support a modern, high-performing design organization.

You will be reporting to the Director of Design Operations and will work closely with Design and Product Leadership to develop strategies, optimize workflows, and enable the team to do their best work.

What you’ll be doing:

• Leading strategy and execution: Shape and drive the global vision for operational excellence, ensuring that workflows, tools, and systems support a high-performing, scalable design organization. Partner cross-functionally to align on shared strategies that streamline the entire design lifecycle—from concept to launch.
• Building scalable programs: Establish and scale programs that elevate the design practice such as developing training, onboarding, and standardizing methodologies, with the ability to scope and prioritize projects independently.
• Driving operational excellence: Identify challenges within workflows, propose improvements, and implement solutions that increase efficiency, minimize bottlenecks, and deliver quality results. For example Agile improvements, AI/Design best practices and hiring guidelines for managers
• Optimizing tools: Research, advocate for and implement innovative technologies (including AI) to enhance collaboration and productivity ensuring the team is at the forefront of the industry
• Documenting best practices: Create scalable playbooks, templates, and process documentation that align teams, encourage consistent practices, and drive efficiency.
• Defining success and impact: Develop impact measurements for design with high-level of fidelity and feasibility, while identifying levers to socialize the impact of design
• Shaping team culture and growth: Foster a positive and inclusive culture, surfacing feedback to ensure morale stays high

What you need to bring:

• Experience: At least 7 years of industry experience in UX Design or related fields, with a proven ability to influence culture in large matrix organizations
• Operational knowledge: Deep understanding of how product, engineering and design teams collaborate within agile environments.
• Strategic mindset: Hands-on experience implementing programs (e.g., Dual Track Agile) and scaling operations effectively.
• Organized and proactive: Self-motivated with excellent organizational skills, a commitment to quality, and strong attention to detail.
• Communication skills: Exceptional interpersonal and communication abilities to build and maintain relationships across teams.
• Tech proficiency: Expertise in AI tooling and collaboration software (Jira, Figma, Miro, Monday).

We know that people are more than what’s on their CV. If you’re unsure that you have the right profile for the role... hit the ‘Apply’ button and give it a try!

Be a changemaker

You’ll enjoy:

• A flexible work environment that empowers you to do your best work
• A culture that celebrates performance
• The chance to make an impact in a team that’s big enough for career growth, but lean enough to make your voice heard
• Career-defining opportunities

Plus benefits designed to keep you happy, healthy and fulfilled.

• Flexible paid time off and remote work policies
• Equity options, because this is your company too
• Contributions to your pension plan. Your future matters
• Training opportunities to grow your skills and career
• Health and wellness credit so you feel your best
• Time off to volunteer and give back to your community
• Interest groups, employee led networks, social committees to sponsored sports teams
• Computer purchase program to get your personal Macbook
• Enhanced parental leave to support growing families

Fuel your growth. Find your people.

At Lightspeed, we carefully consider a wide range of factors when determining compensation, including your skill set, qualifications, experience, and market data. These considerations can cause your compensation to vary. We reasonably expect the total compensation for this position to be in the range of $150,000 - $170,000 CAD. Lightspeed also provides a variety of employee benefits including, but not limited to, medical, dental, wellness, life and disability insurance, RRSP plan and match, paid parental leave top-up, and paid time off.Please note that this compensation information is solely for candidates hired to perform work within Ontario and reflects the amount Lightspeed is willing to pay at the time of this posting. This role represents an existing vacancy at Lightspeed. Lightspeed uses artificial intelligence–enabled tools to support certain aspects of the recruitment process; all hiring decisions are made by our recruiting and hiring teams.

#LI-DS1