Director - Design Operations

At American Express, our culture is built on a 175-year history of innovation, shared values and Leadership Behaviors, and an unwavering commitment to back our customers, communities, and colleagues. As part of Team Amex, you'll experience this powerful backing with comprehensive support for your holistic well-being and many opportunities to learn new skills, develop as a leader, and grow your career.

Here, your voice and ideas matter, your work makes an impact, and together, you will help us define the future of American Express.

The Enterprise Design & Research team is a global team of highly talented multi-disciplinary designers and researchers. We are highly embedded within the digital product management organization and lead design efforts from concept through to production for the largest servicing channels for American Express, across web, mobile and push.

About the Role

We’re looking for a strategic and systems-minded Director of Design Operations to join our Enterprise Acquisitions Design team . This role is pivotal in scaling our design practice, optimizing cross-functional collaboration, and enabling our designers to do their best work in a fast-paced, high-impact environment.

As the operational backbone of the design org, you’ll partner closely with design, product, engineering , and business leaders to drive clarity, efficiency, and alignment across initiatives that shape the future of enterprise acquisitions.

You will also be responsible for managing and leading the Enterprise Design and Research Scorecard —a key performance framework that tracks team health, delivery velocity, and impact across the portfolio. This includes defining success metrics, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring the scorecard drives actionable insights and continuous improvement.

What You’ll Do

• Operational Strategy & Execution: Architect and implement scalable systems, processes, and tools that support design planning, prioritization, and delivery across multiple workstreams and lines of business.
  
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Act as a strategic partner to design leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to align on goals, timelines, and resource allocation.
  
• Team Leadership: Build and lead a high-performing DesignOps team. Mentor program managers and operations specialists to drive excellence in execution.
  
• Design Systems & Tooling: Oversee the evolution and adoption of internal platforms (e.g., design systems, intake portals, design product tracking) to support consistency and efficiency.
  
• Scorecard Ownership: Lead the development and ongoing refinement of the Enterprise Design and Research Scorecard. Ensure it reflects team priorities, drives accountability, and supports strategic planning.
  
• Data-Driven Insights: Establish and track KPIs to measure design impact, team health, and operational effectiveness. Use insights to inform strategic decisions.
  
• Culture & Communication: Foster a culture of transparency, inclusion, and continuous improvement. Champion rituals that support team cohesion and creative momentum.

What You’ll Bring

• 7+ years of experience in design operations, program management, or related roles—preferably in enterprise or agency environments.
  
• Proven success in scaling design teams and operational frameworks in complex, matrixed organizations.
  
• Deep understanding of design and research practices, including UX, content design, user research and accessibility.
  
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
  
• Experience with tools like Figma, Jira, Airtable, Mural, and design system platforms.
  A strategic mindset with a bias for action and a passion for enabling creative teams to thrive.

Why Join Us

You’ll be joining a mission-driven team that’s shaping the future of enterprise experiences. We value curiosity , collaboration , and craft —and we’re building a culture where design is a strategic advantage .

Salary Range: $150,000.00 to $225,000.00 annually + bonus + equity (if applicable) + benefits

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we’ll consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors.

We back you with benefits that support your holistic well-being so you can be and deliver your best. This means caring for you and your loved ones' physical, financial, and mental health, as well as providing the flexibility you need to thrive personally and professionally:

• Competitive base salaries
• Bonus incentives
• 6% Company Match on retirement savings plan
• Free financial coaching and financial well-being support
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability benefits
• Flexible working model with hybrid, onsite or virtual arrangements depending on role and business need
• 20+ weeks paid parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender, offered for pregnancy, adoption or surrogacy
• Free access to global on-site wellness centers staffed with nurses and doctors (depending on location)
• Free and confidential counseling support through our Healthy Minds program
• Career development and training opportunities

For a full list of Team Amex benefits, visit our Colleague Benefits Site .

American Express is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other status protected by law. American Express will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, in accordance with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including, but not limited to, the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. For positions covered by federal and/or state banking regulations, American Express will comply with such regulations as it relates to the consideration of applicants with criminal convictions.

We back our colleagues with the support they need to thrive, professionally and personally. That's why we have Amex Flex, our enterprise working model that provides greater flexibility to colleagues while ensuring we preserve the important aspects of our unique in-person culture. Depending on role and business needs, colleagues will either work onsite, in a hybrid model (combination of in-office and virtual days) or fully virtually.

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Employment eligibility to work with American Express in the United States is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for these positions.