Senior Design Ops
Interview Stages
| Stage | Interviewer(s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiter Screen | [Recruiter Name] | 30 min |
| Hiring Manager Screen | [Hiring Manager Name] | 45 min |
| Case Study Presentation | All Hiring Team | 60 min |
| Round 2: Design Leadership | [Design Leader] | 45 min |
| Round 2: Design Team | [Designer Interviewers] | 45 min |
| Round 2: Cross-functional | [Cross-functional Partners] | 45 min |
| Final/Culture Round | Executive or Culture Team Member | 30 min |
Recruiter Screen
Focus Areas: Communication, Strategic Thinking, Leadership
- What drew you to design operations, and what excites you about this opportunity?
- Tell me about a time when you led a significant operational improvement for a design team.
- How do you approach balancing strategic initiatives with day-to-day operational needs?
Hiring Manager Screen
Focus Areas: Strategic Planning, Team Leadership, Problem-solving
- How do you approach creating a strategic roadmap for design operations?
- Tell me about a time you led a team through a significant operational change.
- How do you measure the impact of design operations on team effectiveness?
Case Study Presentation
Focus Areas: Strategic Thinking, Process Design, Impact Measurement
The candidate should present a case study of a significant design operations initiative they led. The presentation should cover the problem they identified, their approach to solving it, how they implemented the solution, and the measurable impact it had on the design team and business. The case study should demonstrate their ability to think strategically, lead change, and measure outcomes.
Round 2 Interviews
Design Leadership Interview
Focus Areas: Strategic Alignment, Resource Management, Team Development
- How do you align design operations with broader design and business strategy?
- Tell me about a time you had to make difficult resource allocation decisions.
- How do you approach developing and mentoring more junior design ops team members?
- What frameworks or methodologies do you use to evaluate and improve design operations?
Design Team Interview
Focus Areas: Designer Advocacy, Process Improvement, Change Management
- How do you balance designer needs with operational efficiency?
- Tell me about a time you implemented a significant process change. How did you get buy-in?
- How do you gather and incorporate feedback from designers at different levels?
- What approaches have you used to scale design operations as teams grow?
Cross-functional Interview
Focus Areas: Collaboration, Stakeholder Management, Organizational Influence
- How do you build strategic partnerships across the organization?
- Tell me about a time you had to influence without authority to drive an operational change.
- How do you align design operations with the needs of other departments?
- What's your approach to managing complex cross-functional initiatives?
Final/Culture Round
Focus Areas: Cultural Leadership, Strategic Vision, Organizational Impact
- How do you contribute to building a positive team culture?
- What's your vision for how design operations can drive organizational success?
- How do you approach balancing immediate needs with long-term strategic goals?