Product Designer

Our Mission and Vision

Philanthropy University is a free online learning platform that uses technology to train, connect and fund leaders of local social impact organizations in under-resourced communities.

Our strength is our ability to scale disruptive technology to deliver practical learnings where it matters most. We take a three-pronged approach to facilitate capacity development: practical, world-class online courses, peer-to-peer knowledge exchange and funding opportunities.

Ultimately, we act as a catalyst for long-term systemic change by bringing measurable efficiency to the frontlines, globally. Read more about our approach here. Learn more about our values here, and why our employees think this is a great place to work here. 

Role Overview

As a Product Designer at Philanthropy U, you will be the primary driver of the user experience for our flagship product. Our target market are leaders of NGOs and social enterprises in under-resourced countries. Think international and distributed but also some of the most inspirational, tenacious and committed people you can imagine. Your work will be used by hundreds of thousands of these leaders, all around the world. 

Just over a year old, the product is at a critical juncture in its development, with a huge number of exciting design problems to solve. Your ability to successfully tackle these challenges is of paramount importance to the growth of the organization, and our ability to achieve our mission of supporting capacity building globally. 

You will be the founding full-time designer on the Product team, and reporting to the VP of Product. This is a full-time role based in Oakland, California. While the hiring process will start immediately, we expect this role to begin in July, 2019

Sample Key Design Challenges

1. How do we deliver the best low-bandwidth mobile experience? 
2. How do we balance the needs of data collection against the user experience?
3. How do we optimize the registration flow in order to convert as many users as possible? 
4. How could/should it work for users to create courses?
5. What feature(s) could we create in order to help users connect with the right courses, tools, and members of the community?
6. And many more!

Responsibilities

Your day to day responsibilities will cover the following:

Research

• Dive into Google Analytics to derive actionable insights
• Use data (e.g., from the Analytics team or Google Analytics) to conceive, set up, and analyze experiments using Convert A/B testing tool 
• Contribute questions to, and support the execution of, user research Interviews
• Synthesize research findings into product enhancements or new feature recommendation, and socialize with the Product team

Roadmap

• Synthesize results across user research efforts in order to conceive of new product features, and prioritize existing ones
• Contribute to features validation process by offering perspective on design implications of assorted features, and potentially driving the validation of themes
• Support delivery of quarterly features by executing on all design-related stories

Implement

• Create clickable prototypes on Invision for user testing purposes
• Create high-fidelity user experience mockups using Sketch and Zeppelin
• Create design-related user stories and acceptance criteria
• Coordinate w/ the engineering team to answer user experience related questions, and ensure designs are implemented correctly

Collaborate

• Plan and implement design sprints, leading other team members to prototype and test product ideas
• Support the instructional design team in creating seamless and intuitive learning experiences
• Collaborate cross-functionally to drive results, including coordinating with Learner Operations, Instructional Design, Analytics, and Marketing
• Identify areas for process improvement, and proactively propose and implement solutions 

Qualifications

As a small technology organization with ambitious goals, we need a multifaceted designer who is able to hit the ground running and start contributing at a high level immediately. You are passionate about creating impact, thrive in uncertain, fast-paced environment, and are looking to make an outsized contribution in a high-growth organization.

Requirements 

Role

• 5+ years of experience design, including prototyping and creating design frameworks
• 3+ years of user research experience, including qualitative and quantitative research
• Demonstrated track record of using data and experimentation to drive measurable results in user experience
• Comfort working in an agile startup environment, and collaborating directly with the engineering SCRUM team

Culture 

• Demonstrated passion for the impact space
• Thrives in ambiguity and change: We are a startup, so things frequently change significantly. 
• Entrepreneurial: Eager to identify challenges, craft solutions, and drive implementation
• Some sense of humor. Or at least a strong catalogue of memes. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Visual design and user interface design experience
• Experience working in the education technology sector
• Authorization to work in the U.S.

Tools

Applications 

Deep understanding required

• Jira (required)
• Sketch (required)
• Zeppelin (required)
• Google Analytics (required)

Optional

• InVision
• Slack
• Hotjar or similar heatmapping tool
• Convert or similar A/B testing platform
• Google Tag Manager (optional)

Languages

• HTML/CSS (preferred)

Benefits and Perks

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits package
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Optional FSA/HSA plans, short- and long-term disability insurance, and commuter benefits
• 401(k) plan with company match of up to 5%
• Paid holidays (12 days), vacation (15 days), and sick days (10 days)
• 6-month paid parental leave
• Flexible working arrangements (including team-wide “Work from Home Wednesdays”) 
• Individual learning and development budget ($1,500)
• Office snacks, coffee, and tea
• Pet-friendly office