Design Manager

Nicely Co.; Tulsa (OK); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Nicely Co. is seeking a Design Manager to strengthen accessible research-led experiences, interaction quality, visual systems, prototyping, and design collaboration. This is an early-stage company, so you will help create processes and internal systems behind the work, not merely inherit a mature playbook.

The successful candidate will use sound judgment, communicate tradeoffs, and operate with appropriate autonomy. Responsibilities may evolve as the company grows.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering accessible, research-led experiences.
• Ability to own scope and make decisions with limited guidance.
• Strong written and verbal communication across specialists and non-specialists.
• Ability to organize ambiguous work and document decisions.
• Experience building processes in an early-stage environment.
• Commitment to ethics, confidentiality, security, accessibility, and inclusive collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day work across accessible research-led experiences, interaction quality, visual systems, prototyping, and design collaboration.
• Translate priorities of the Design Manager role into documented plans, decisions, and measurable outcomes.
• Build lightweight, repeatable processes that fit an early-stage company and can mature over time.
• Collaborate across functions to resolve dependencies and deliver complete outcomes.
• Identify risks early, recommend proportionate solutions, and escalate consequential decisions.
• Maintain accurate documentation and handle company, customer, and employee information responsibly.
• Use relevant evidence and feedback to improve quality, efficiency, and stakeholder experience.
• Communicate progress, constraints, priorities, and results clearly to affected teammates.

Skills

Accessible design

Research-led design

Visual systems

Prototyping

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Ownership

Education

Bachelor's degree in design or related field

Tools

Figma

Sketch

Job description

Help build Nicely Co.'s accessible research-led experiences, interaction quality, visual systems, prototyping, and design collaboration as Design Manager, with meaningful ownership in an early-stage company.

Position overview

Nicely Co. is seeking a Design Manager to strengthen accessible research-led experiences, interaction quality, visual systems, prototyping, and design collaboration. This role will turn company priorities into clear, dependable work while partnering directly with colleagues across functions.Nicely Co. is an early-stage company, so this position will help create the processes and internal systems behind the work, not merely inherit a mature playbook. The successful candidate will use sound judgment, communicate tradeoffs, and operate with appropriate autonomy.Responsibilities may evolve as the company grows. This is an opportunity to influence how the Design function develops, establish useful standards, and leave behind systems that scale responsibly.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day work across accessible research-led experiences, interaction quality, visual systems, prototyping, and design collaboration.
• Translate the priorities of the Design Manager role into documented plans, decisions, and measurable outcomes.
• Build lightweight, repeatable processes that fit an early-stage company and can mature over time.
• Collaborate across functions to resolve dependencies and deliver complete outcomes.
• Identify risks early, recommend proportionate solutions, and escalate consequential decisions.
• Maintain accurate documentation and handle company, customer, and employee information responsibly.
• Use relevant evidence and feedback to improve quality, efficiency, and stakeholder experience.
• Communicate progress, constraints, priorities, and results clearly to affected teammates.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated capability relevant to accessible research-led experiences, interaction quality, visual systems, prototyping, and design collaboration.
• Judgment and ownership appropriate for the Design Manager scope.
• Strong written and verbal communication with both specialists and cross-functional partners.
• Ability to organize ambiguous work, make progress independently, and document decisions.
• Comfort building systems in an early-stage environment where priorities may evolve.
• Commitment to ethical conduct, confidentiality, security, accessibility, and inclusive collaboration.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with modern methods and tools used in Design.
• Experience in a startup, small business, or other resource-conscious environment.
• Evidence of improving a workflow, standard, product, service, or measurable outcome.
• Relevant education, certification, portfolio, or equivalent practical experience.
• Flexible work arrangements where applicable.
• Opportunity to help build an early-stage company.
• Direct impact on company growth and operating quality.
• Cross-functional collaboration and professional development opportunities.
• Significant ownership over assigned responsibilities.
• Opportunity for responsibilities to expand as the company grows.