Design Program Manager

Robert Half • Contract • Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, US • $80 - $83 / hour • 5d ago

Robert Half is partnering with our client, a global leader in digital entertainment and streaming, to identify a Senior Design Program Manager to support a high-impact Experience Design organization. This role is a force multiplier across the design studio, providing strategic and operational leadership to studio-wide programs, rhythms, and initiatives that amplify team effectiveness, creative impact, and internal community.

Location: Culver City, CA (Hybrid / Remote Flexible)

Duration: 9-month contract

Hours: 40 hours/week with potential for overtime (approximately 5 hours/week for studio open houses and events)

Pay Rate: $80–83/hour

Position Overview:

The Senior Design Program Manager will play a critical role in driving the rhythm of the business for a large, multidisciplinary design studio. This role is ideal for a program leader who has built internal programs from the ground up and thrives at the intersection of operations, community development, and thought leadership.

You will partner closely with studio leadership, business strategy, design operations, and cross-functional stakeholders to design and scale internal programs, events, and experiences that strengthen studio culture, elevate design craft, and foster a strong internal design community. This role requires a highly organized, ownership-driven leader who can translate vision into action in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Oversee and manage day-to-day operations for the Design Studio in partnership with studio leadership, business strategy, UX leadership, and Design Operations
Design, build, and scale internal studio programs from scratch, including frameworks for engagement, learning, and community
Drive planning and execution of monthly studio meetings, annual studio summits, and large-scale, in-person internal events hosted within the design organization
Lead studio-wide community-building and design thought leadership initiatives, including internal design programming, speaker series, and studio open houses
Own studio communications, including a monthly newsletter and evergreen documentation such as internal wikis, org charts, and shared resources
Act as a central connector across the broader product, design, and employee engagement communities
Foster studio culture through onboarding programs, learning series, studio rituals, and organizational health initiatives
Oversee third-party budget management (outsourcing, tooling, research), including PO creation, budget tracking, and reporting to finance and leadership
Plan and execute special projects aligned with executive priorities and long-term strategic goals
Manage intake and planning for executive-level visual design resources, including sprint planning and prioritization

Qualifications:

6+ years of experience in design program management, program management, or operations
Demonstrated experience supporting design, UX, or creative organizations
Proven ability to create and run internal programs, ideally within a design or creative department
Strong experience planning and executing large-scale internal events, including physical, in-person programming
Strong command of project and program management tools, with the ability to ramp quickly on new systems
Experience managing budgets, vendors, and third-party partners

Preferred Experience:

Experience building or shaping a design program, team, or community from the ground up
Background in community development, internal engagement, or design evangelism
Partnering closely with executive and senior design leadership
Strong cross-functional stakeholder management skills
Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling abilities
Understanding of UX design processes and software development lifecycles
Experience working with distributed teams across multiple time zones