Overview
Join to apply for the Group Design Manager role at Intercom.
Intercom is the AI Customer Service company on a mission to help businesses provide incredible customer experiences. Our AI agent Fin lets businesses deliver always-on, impeccable customer service and transform customer experiences. Fin can be combined with our Helpdesk to form the Intercom Customer Service Suite, providing AI-enhanced support for complex queries that require a human agent. Intercom was founded in 2011 and is trusted by thousands of global businesses. We push boundaries, move fast, and consistently deliver value to our customers. Intercom is hiring a Group Design Manager who can lead from the front—raising the bar on craft, building high-performing teams, and moving fast through ambiguity.
We are a design-driven, AI-first technology company. Fin is the best performing AI service agent on the market, and our product is used by millions. Our design team plays a critical role in shaping world-class experiences.
Why this role exists
This year we’re doubling down on craft, execution, and design leadership. We’re tearing up old playbooks, shipping faster, deepening our attention to detail, and raising the bar on everything we present to customers. We’re hiring a Group Design Manager to lead a high-performing design team building the future of AI Customer Support. This is a build-and-scale role, partnering with product and engineering to define and ship the next generation of AI Agents for Customer Support. You’ll lead with design excellence, creativity, and hands-on collaboration in tools like Figma, Loveable, and Cursor as needed.
Responsibilities
* Lead, coach, and inspire a team of designers working across multiple product surfaces.
* Partner with Group PM and Group EM counterparts to lead a product group—align strategy, drive decisions, and unblock delivery.
* Set and uphold a very high bar for craft—from UX flow to pixels to polish.
* Solve problems from first principles, not templates.
* Help your team make hard decisions, move fast, and focus on outcomes over process.
* Be a design quality amplifier—notice the details others miss and push work to the highest level.
* Build a healthy, high-trust team culture grounded in feedback, growth, and ownership.
* Stay hands-on in the work—review designs, participate in critiques, and drive clarity.
Must Have Experience
* Leading and growing high-performing design teams in product-first companies.
* Hiring, coaching, and developing designers at all levels—from IC to senior leads.
* Owning execution across a portfolio of product areas and driving design excellence in every detail.
* Partnering deeply with Product and Engineering leadership to align on priorities, make tradeoffs, and move fast.
* Thriving in ambiguous, fast-changing environments and turning chaos into clarity.
* A track record of shipping great software, not just making decks about it.
* Strong visual sensibility, high standards for craft, and an eye for detail.
* Demonstrated product taste—knowing what great looks like and helping teams achieve it.
Who This Role Is Not For
* People who need certainty, full specs, or clear org charts to get started.
* Leaders who lean back and wait for direction, rather than leaning in and making things happen.
* Those who settle for “good enough”—this role seeks the extra 10% that makes a product unforgettable.
* Anyone wedded to structures and systems that worked five years ago. We’re rewriting how software gets built and you’ll help define the next 10 years.
Day-to-Day Responsibilities
* Lead, coach, and inspire a team of designers working across multiple product surfaces.
* Partner with Group PM and Group EM counterparts to lead a product group—align strategy, drive decisions, and unblock delivery.
* Set and uphold an extremely high bar for craft—from UX flow to pixels to polish.
* Solve problems from first principles, not templates.
* Help your team make hard decisions, move fast, and focus on outcomes over process.
* Be a design quality amplifier—notice the details others miss and push the work to where it needs to be.
* Build a healthy, high-trust team culture grounded in feedback, growth, and ownership.
* Stay hands-on in the work—review designs, participate in critiques, and drive clarity.
What Success Looks Like
* Your team delivers high-quality product work at speed—consistently.
* You’ve hired exceptional talent and helped your existing team grow.
* Product managers and engineers enjoy working with you; you unlock forward progress and raise ambition.
* Designers solve meaningful customer problems and polish the final 10% of craft.
* You’re a key player in shaping how Intercom builds product in the AI era—writing new playbooks, not just following old ones.
Interview Process
We aim to be thorough, speedy and transparent. The process is designed to be completed in about 4 weeks from start to finish. You’ll meet with various team members to validate fit for you and for Intercom.
Ready to build something great? If you’re driven to push the boundaries of product design with craft, autonomy, and taste, we want to hear from you.
Benefits
* Competitive salary and equity in a fast-growing start-up
* Lunch weekdays, snacks, and a fully stocked kitchen
* Regular compensation reviews
* Pension scheme with up to 4% match
* Comprehensive health and dental insurance for you and dependents
* Flexible paid time off
* Maternity leave plus 6 weeks paternity leave
* Cycle-to-Work Scheme with secure bike storage
* MacBooks provided or equipment to suit your needs
Policies
Intercom has a hybrid working policy. Employees are expected to be in the office at least three days per week. We value a respectful, inclusive culture and maintain a commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity. Intercom will not discriminate on protected characteristics at any stage of employment.
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