Manager, Product Design (UGC)
Scribd
Location
San Francisco; Atlanta; Austin; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Houston; Jacksonville; Los Angeles; Mexico City; Miami; New York City; Ottawa; Phoenix; Portland; Sacramento; Salt Lake City; San Diego; Seattle; Toronto; Vancouver; Washington, D.C.
Employment Type
Full time
Department
Product, Design, & AnalyticsDesign
Scribd, Inc. is on a mission to advance human understanding. Our four products — Scribd®, Slideshare®, Everand™, and Fable — help billions of people across the globe move beyond access and into insight, application, and expertise.
Culture at Scribd, Inc.
We support a culture where our employees can be real and be bold; where we debate and commit as we embrace plot twists; and where every employee is empowered to take action as we prioritize the customer.
We believe the best work happens when individual flexibility is balanced with meaningful community connection. Scribd Flex empowers employees to choose the workstyle and location that support their best performance, while committing to intentional in-person moments that strengthen collaboration and culture. Occasional in-person attendance is required for all Scribd, Inc. employees, regardless of location.
So what are we looking for in new team members? At Scribd, Inc., we hire for “GRIT.” Traditionally defined as the intersection of passion and perseverance toward long-term goals, GRIT reflects the mindset we expect from every employee. For us, it also serves as a practical framework for how we work: setting and achieving Goals, delivering Results within your role, contributing Innovative ideas and solutions, and strengthening the broader Team through collaboration and attitude.
This posting reflects an approved, open position within the organization.
The team
Scribd's Design team is a 23-person group spanning Product Design, Research, and Brand Design—working across Scribd, Everand, Fable, and Slideshare.
We have high standards, give real feedback, and always bias toward action.
We debate openly, hold high expectations, and keep raising the bar.
Everyone owns their work end-to-end. There's high trust, low hand-holding, and a genuine expectation that you'll push the people around you toward sharper thinking and better outcomes.
We celebrate wins, learn from our losses, and laugh through both.
Join us!
The role
We're hiring a Design Manager to lead our UGC Product Design team at a critical moment.
UGC is one of Scribd's most strategically important and rapidly evolving spaces—spanning trust, discovery, creation tools, and the full user lifecycle across both Scribd and Slideshare. It's also where AI is opening up opportunities for richer discovery, smarter content experiences, and new ways for people to engage with knowledge at scale.
This role owns team performance, clarity, and execution across that space. You'll set the bar for thinking and delivery, bring focus to complex problems, and translate ambitious ideas into product impact that reaches millions of people. You'll also help shape what's next—contributing to strategy, influencing how the team works, and building the kind of environment where senior designers do their best work.
If you enjoy leading smart, curious designers through messy problem spaces and turning big ideas into experiences people actually use, you'll have a lot of fun here.
Lead and develop the UGC design team
Manage and mentor a team of senior product designers working across content trust, multi-doc discovery, and core experiences across Scribd and Slideshare.
Define what “great” looks like at each level and reinforce that bar consistently.
Provide direct, specific feedback that sharpens thinking and improves outcomes.
Own career development and performance management—including addressing gaps early and clearly.
Partner closely with the Principal UGC Design Lead—challenging thinking, aligning on standards, and making sure great craft direction translates into great execution.
Improve systems, not just features
Bring clarity and focus to ambiguous problems, and drive simplification.
Translate strategy into clear priorities, resourcing, and sequencing.
Strengthen planning, handoff, and cross-team alignment—without adding unnecessary process.
Help the team raise the bar for how we work as tools evolve—including how we use AI to move faster, prototype more ambitiously, and expand what design can do.
Ensure consistency and quality across surfaces, tools, and workflows.
Strengthen culture and accountability
Shape team rituals that reinforce clarity, ownership, and high standards.
Hold designers accountable to role expectations and impact.
Create an environment of psychological safety paired with high performance.
Contribute to Design org hiring, calibration, and bar-raising efforts.
The essentials
Track record of raising the bar for senior designers—including direct, consequential performance conversations.
8+ years of product design experience, including 3+ years people management experience.
Comfort operating in ambiguous, cross-functional spaces where the problem definition is part of the work.
Experience leading teams in complex or system-heavy product areas.
Strong product judgment and strategic thinking, especially in ambiguity.
Ability to partner effectively across functions and stakeholders.
Clear communicator who can align teams and move decisions forward.
The application
Resume.
Portfolio with 3+ case studies that show strategic leadership, measurable impact, and a point of view grounded in the why.
Password, if applicable.
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At Scribd, Inc. your base pay is one part of your total compensation package and is determined within a range. Our pay ranges are based on the local cost of labor benchmarks for each specific role, level, and geographic location. San Francisco is our highest geographic market in the United States.
In the state of California, the reasonably expected salary range is between $137,000 [minimum salary in our lowest geographic market within California] to $214,500 [maximum salary in our highest geographic market within California].
In the United States, outside of California, the reasonably expected salary range is between $113,500 [minimum salary in our lowest US geographic market outside of California] to $204,000 [maximum salary in our highest US geographic market outside of California].
In Canada, the reasonably expected salary range is between $144,000 CAD[minimum salary in our lowest geographic market] to $191,000 CAD[maximum salary in our highest geographic market].
We carefully consider a wide range of factors when determining compensation, including but not limited to experience; job-related skill sets; relevant education or training; and other business and organizational needs. The salary range listed is for the level at which this job has been scoped. In the event that you are considered for a different level, a higher or lower pay range would apply. This position is also eligible for a competitive equity ownership, and a comprehensive and generous benefits package.
Working at Scribd, Inc.
Are you currently based in a location where Scribd, Inc. can employ you?
Employees must have their primary residence in or near one of the following cities. This includes surrounding metro areas or locations within a typical commuting distance:
United States:
Atlanta | Austin | Boston | Dallas | Denver | Chicago | Houston | Jacksonville | Los Angeles | Miami | New York City | Phoenix | Portland | Sacramento | Salt Lake City | San Diego | San Francisco | Seattle | Washington D.C.
Canada:
Ottawa | Toronto | Vancouver
Mexico:
Mexico City
Benefits at Scribd, Inc.
Scribd Flex (flexible work model)
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
Mental health support and disability coverage
Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick time, holidays, winter break, volunteer time, and sabbaticals
Paid parental leave and family support benefits
Retirement matching and employee equity
Learning and development programs and professional growth opportunities
Wellness and home office stipends
Complimentary access to the Scribd, Inc. suite of products
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Enterprise access to leading AI tools
Get to Know Scribd, Inc.
About Scribd, Inc.
Life at Scribd, Inc.
We want our interview process to be accessible to everyone. You can inform us of any reasonable adjustments we can make to better accommodate your needs by emailing accommodations@scribd.com about the need for adjustments at any point in the interview process.
Scribd, Inc. is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply, and believe that a diversity of perspectives and experiences create a foundation for the best ideas. Come join us in building something meaningful.