Principal, Design

eBay; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 224,800 - 300,100; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) eligibility

Paid time off benefits

Parental leave

Job summary

eBay is looking for a Principal Designer based in San Jose, CA to lead the user experience strategy. In this role, you will collaborate with executive leadership to shape multi-year initiatives that enhance the platform's usability for buyers and sellers.

This position requires over 15 years of experience, strong strategic thinking, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders. Embrace the opportunity to be a part of a transformative team in the world of ecommerce.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in design and user experience.
• Experience leading large-scale initiatives with measurable outcomes.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive strategic decisions.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead user experience vision for eBay.
• Drive initiatives to improve core commerce experiences.
• Align with senior leaders across various teams.

Skills

Strategic thinking

User experience design

Communication skills

Collaboration

Leadership

Job description

Overview

At eBay, we're more than a global ecommerce leader — we’re changing the way the world shops and sells. Our platform empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world. We’re committed to pushing boundaries and leaving our mark as we reinvent the future of ecommerce for enthusiasts. Our customers are our compass, authenticity thrives, bold ideas are welcome, and everyone can bring their unique selves to work — every day. We're in this together, sustaining the future of our customers, our company, and our planet. Join a team of passionate thinkers, innovators, and dreamers — and help us connect people and build communities to create economic opportunity for all.

About The Team And The Role

eBay’s Design organization creates seamless, end-to-end experiences that connect millions of buyers and sellers globally. The team is customer-focused, collaborative, and driven by curiosity—working across product, engineering, and business to solve complex problems and deliver meaningful impact.

As a Principal Designer (director-level), you will define eBay’s long-term experience vision, working closely with executive leadership to shape strategy, drive alignment, and lead multi-year, enterprise-wide initiatives that scale innovation and impact.

What You Will Accomplish

• Define and lead a long-term vision for the user experience that guides executive decisions and shapes eBay’s multi-year strategy across buyers, sellers, and the platform.
• Lead annual strategic initiatives that rethink core commerce experiences—such as auctions, live commerce, and end-to-end journeys—through hands-on design exploration, prototyping, and execution that deliver clear business and customer impact.
• Drive design quality across the organization by actively crafting user experiences, setting a high bar for interaction and visual design, and building scalable frameworks, systems, and platforms that increase speed, consistency, and quality across global teams.
• Build scalable frameworks, systems, and platforms that increase speed, consistency, and quality across global teams.
• Explore and apply AI tools in workflows, modeling new ways of working through both strategic leadership and direct experimentation in design practice.
• Align senior leaders across Product, Engineering, Legal, and Operations to deliver complex solutions that no single team can achieve alone.
• Balance user needs, business goals, ambition, and regulatory requirements while making practical product and design decisions in execution.

What You Will Bring

• A maker mindset with 15+ years of experience moving fluidly between strategic thinking and detailed execution, including creating concepts, flows, prototypes, and polished user experiences.
• Demonstrated experience leading large-scale, ambiguous initiatives and delivering measurable outcomes across multiple teams or business domains.
• Strong ability to influence senior stakeholders (VP+), using clear communication, storytelling, and tangible design work to align on strategy and drive decisions.
• Expertise in designing and scaling systems, platforms, or end-to-end experiences within complex, global organizations, with a portfolio that demonstrates exceptional hands-on UX, interaction, and product design craft.
• Solid understanding of technical concepts, platform constraints, and how design decisions connect to business impact
• Proven ability to navigate uncertainty, define strategic direction, and secure alignment without direct authority
• Experience working across global teams; ability to operate effectively in a hybrid environment and collaborate across time zones

Additional Details

The base pay range for this position is expected in the range below:

$224,800 - $300,100

Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including location, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a target bonus and restricted stock units (as applicable) in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as PTO and parental leave). Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

If hired, employees will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Disclaimer: Please note that by applying to this role, you are agreeing to be considered for multiple positions. This is a general description of the qualifications and skills required for positions of this type of role.

Remote roles are not eligible for U.S. visa sponsorship.

eBay is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, and disability, or other legally protected status. If you have a need that requires accommodation, please contact us at [e-mail]. We will make every effort to respond to your request for accommodation as soon as possible. View our accessibility statement to learn more about eBay's commitment to ensuring digital accessibility for people with disabilities. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

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