Sr. Director, Product Design
Microsoft
Product, Design
San Francisco, CA, USA · Redmond, WA, USA
USD 165,600-296,400 / year
Xbox Design is a growth and investment area within XBOX. The team is raising the bar on design quality across the XBOX ecosystem, from hardware to software to services. This is a unique opportunity to shape the player experience for one of the world's most recognized gaming brands, working alongside a passionate, world-class team committed to craft, innovation, and inclusivity.
You will join a leadership team that values operational discipline, tight communication loops, and protecting craft time for deep design work. Every design ships with leadership review and a commitment to quality that players can feel.
Xbox Design is looking for a Sr. Director, Product Design to lead and shape the product design vision across key Xbox experiences. Reporting to the CVP, Design, this role will drive design strategy, build and scale high-performing teams, and elevate the quality bar for player-facing products across the Xbox ecosystem.
This candidate brings deep experience leading product design at scale in a platform or developer tools environment, with a track record of shipping world-class digital products and building inclusive design cultures. This is a strategic leadership role with significant organizational scope and direct impact on how millions of players experience Xbox.
Responsibilities
Design Leadership & Strategy
Define and drive the product design vision and strategy for major Xbox product areas, ensuring alignment with broader Gaming and Microsoft goals.
Set the design quality bar across your portfolio, establishing design principles, systems, and review processes that scale.
Lead end-to-end design from concept through launch, balancing craft quality with execution velocity.
Champion player-centered design thinking, ensuring all products are grounded in research, accessibility, and real-world player needs.
Team Building & People Leadership
Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing product design organization, including hiring, developing, and retaining top design talent.
Create an inclusive, collaborative team culture where designers do their best work and grow their careers.
Coach and develop design managers and senior individual contributors, fostering a pipeline of future design leaders.
Drive organizational health, performance management, and succession planning within your teams.
Cross-Functional Partnership
Partner closely with Engineering, Product Management, Research, and Brand to deliver cohesive, high-quality player experiences.
Represent design at the executive level, contributing to strategic planning, product roadmaps, and investment decisions.
Collaborate across Microsoft Gaming and the broader Microsoft design community to share best practices and drive consistency.
Engage with external partners and industry peers to stay at the forefront of product design innovation.
Operational Excellence
Participate in the Design Leadership Team rhythm of business, including Workshop Wednesdays (weekly design reviews), DLT standups, and cross-functional forums.
Oversee resource allocation, vendor management, and budget planning for design investments within your portfolio.
Drive measurable improvements in product quality, player satisfaction, and team velocity through design.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
Master's Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience, Interaction Design, or related field AND 7+ years experience working in product or service design
OR Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience, Interaction Design, or related field AND 9+ years experience working in product or service design
OR equivalent experience (e.g., demonstrated experience working in product or service design or using design thinking to solve problems).
Preferred Qualifications
Experience leading product design for developer tools, platforms, or AI-powered products (e.g., GitHub Copilot, developer ecosystems, creative tools).
Familiarity with gaming, entertainment, or consumer subscription ecosystems.
Experience driving design transformation during periods of organizational growth or change.
Track record of building design culture and elevating design influence within engineering-led organizations.
International or distributed team leadership experience.
15+ years of experience in product design, UX design, or a related discipline, with 5+ years in a senior design leadership role (Director or above).
Demonstrated track record of leading and shipping product design at scale for consumer or platform products used by millions.
Experience building and managing multi-layered design organizations (30+ people), including hiring and developing design managers.
High-quality portfolio of work demonstrating design excellence across digital products, platforms, or developer tools.
Deep fluency in user research, design systems, interaction design, visual design, and accessibility.
Proven ability to influence at the executive level and drive alignment across engineering, product, and business stakeholders.
Product Design IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $165,600.00 - $296,400.00 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $220,800.00 - $331,200.00 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.