Lead Program Manager Design

You’ll be part of Airbnb’s Design Operations team, which ensures the Design organization runs effectively and at scale, enabling teams to deliver products that are usable, lovable, and globally impactful. This team partners closely with Design, Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Creative, fostering strong alignment and seamless day-to-day operations. The environment is highly collaborative, fast-moving, and focused on scaling design impact through operational excellence.

As a Lead Design Program Manager, you will own the end-to-end program management of a design team focused on delivering critical product initiatives. You will scope, plan, execute, and launch programs that directly impact Airbnb’s hosts and guests while aligning closely with roadmap commitments. Success in this role means ensuring cross-functional alignment, proactively managing risks, and driving operational consistency that enables Design to deliver measurable outcomes at scale.

• Partner with Design Managers, Directors, and cross-functional leaders to align on program scope, timelines, and deliverables.
• Establish operating rhythms across design teams, including communication cadences, resource planning, and leadership check-ins.
• Lead the planning and execution of large product launches, ensuring design workstreams are delivered with quality and on time.
• Serve as the bridge across Design, Engineering, Product Marketing, and Business teams, ensuring visibility, communication, and risk management.
• Drive continuous improvement by running internal initiatives to strengthen operational excellence and cross-functional collaboration.
• Anticipate and resolve obstacles across teams, proactively elevating risks and implementing solutions.

• 12+ years of experience in Consulting, Program Management, Product/Project Management, or related fields.
• Proven ability to manage and deliver impactful design initiatives in large digital product organizations.
• Strong track record in navigating ambiguity, structuring solutions, and driving initiatives from conception through launch.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to balance long-term thinking with near-term execution.
• Demonstrated leadership in mediation, negotiation, and conflict resolution, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Experience establishing systems and scalable processes where little exists, with a flexible, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Passion for organizational excellence, detail orientation, and thriving in a fast-paced, hyper-growth environment.

Deep appreciation for the Product Design process and experience working within cross-functional, product-driven organizations.

Your Location:

This position is US - Remote Eligible. The role may include occasional work at an Airbnb office or attendance at offsites, as agreed to with your manager. While the position is Remote Eligible, you must live in a state where Airbnb, Inc. has a registered entity. Click here for the up-to-date list of excluded states. This list is continuously evolving, so please check back with us if the state you live in is on the exclusion list. If your position is employed by another Airbnb entity, your recruiter will inform you what states you are eligible to work from.