Design Program Manager

The Software Design team defines the soul of our products. We are responsible for the "feel" of Nothing—from the OS and native apps to the AI features that thread through our ecosystem. We operate at the intersection of rigorous engineering and pure aesthetic intuition. To build products that feel different, we need to work differently. We need a backbone that protects the creative process while driving the operational reality. That’s where you come in. You ensure our designers can do their best work and that the rest of the company moves in lockstep with our vision.

• Own and drive the end-to-end project rhythm for Software Design across OS, native apps, audio, watch, and AI experiences, taking initiatives from initial brief to final launch.
• Act as the primary liaison between Software Design, Engineering, Industrial Design, Product, and Marketing, running the rituals and reviews that ensure total alignment.
• Translate complex team roadmaps into concrete, executable plans with clear milestones and dependencies that allow cross-functional partners to build effectively.
• Protect the quality of the work by tracking design decisions against technical feasibility and scope, escalating immediately if timelines threaten the user experience.
• Maintain the "source of truth" by ensuring all initiatives have crisp, accessible artifacts—including briefs, design specs, RFCs, and release notes.
• Proactively manage risks by identifying potential blockers—whether technical, resource-based, or market-driven—and driving mitigation strategies with owners before they impact the critical path.
• Manage team bandwidth and resource allocation, ensuring we have the right talent on the right problems while optimizing our internal tools and processes for speed.

• Deeply Design-Literate: You care about craft and interaction quality. You can understand and defend a design rationale rather than just enforcing a deadline.
• Technically Fluent: You understand modern product development (Android/OS, APIs, AI features) well enough to challenge engineering assumptions and map complex dependencies.
• Operational Excellence: You build realistic plans and hold people accountable. You can keep multiple fast-moving tracks organized without dropping details or stifling creativity.
• Clear Communication: You act as a filter for noise, consolidating input and ensuring Software Design’s intent is accurately translated to Engineering and Leadership.
• High Ownership: You create clarity from ambiguity. You don't wait for permission to fix a broken process or facilitate a difficult decision; you do what is needed to make the team excellent.
• Experienced: You bring 5+ years of program management experience in design-led software or consumer electronics environments, having shipped complex, multi-team work.
• Pragmatic Adaptability: You are comfortable making explicit trade-offs in a fast-paced environment, refining workflows to improve speed without adding unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Nice to have: Chinese speaking, isn't a must, but would be advantageous. 

We build better tech by moving fast. That speed demands direct collaboration and shared creative energy. We believe the best work happens when we're together.

• Location: London (Kings Cross & Farringdon offices).
• Working Pattern: This is a full-time, in-office role (5 days a week). We move fast, and that means being physically present. We design flexibility around personal needs, but we focus on the magic that sparks when we’re all in the same room.
• Commute: We ask that you live within a 60-minute commute of your home office location.