Director, Product Design & Innovation

Director, Product Design & Innovation

NYC

Once upon a time in Seattle, two people set out to make incredible work (and make payroll). Now? We've grown, but we still believe in big dreams, close partnerships, and the tech that makes it all possible. Global? Absolutely. Diverse perspectives from 22 studios across 4 continents, but with strong local roots. Our diverse team sparks bold ideas and keeps us ready for whatever's next. What connects us? A focus on people, creative tech-driven collaboration, and real partnership where every voice counts. We believe co-creation with our clients is where the magic happens. As part of Infosys, a leading global technology innovator, we combine creative vision with technical strength—giving clients the confidence to scale securely and responsibly. Our work draws on Infosys' expertise in AI, data, and enterprise transformation, and its global leadership in Responsible AI, from governance frameworks to ethical model design. We build on this foundation with creativity, empathy, and design-led thinking—delivering ideas powered by technology, grounded in trust, and shaped for a future where human imagination and intelligent systems work seamlessly together. And with Infosys behind us, if we can dream it, we can build it.

Role Overview

The Director, Product Design & Innovation is a leadership role responsible for driving WongDoody's digital product experience and design practice, with a focus on promoting WD's positioning as a Creative Technology Agency. Reporting to the SVP Product Experience, Americas, this role will support the development and execution of product design initiatives as well as grow new and organic client opportunities in this space. The Director will blend strategic thinking with hands-on leadership in product design projects, leveraging emerging technologies and methodologies, to create cutting-edge user experiences. This role will be craft-focused, serving as a champion of innovation culture, and ensuring WongDoody stays on the bleeding edge of technology and forward-thinking strategies that lead to new client engagements.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Growth:

• The Director will oversee the East Region Product Experience teams, as well as oversee their own direct reporting line, collaborating closely with the West Region XD leadership to provide overall craft leadership for Product Experience North America (PXNA)
• Comfort working and leading within a globally distributed delivery model to deliver world-class digital product experiences while maintaining consistently high standards of design quality.
• Work closely with SVP Experience Design to support, define, and drive the Product Experience strategy for the Americas, aligning it with WongDoody's commitment to preserving the commercial value of Design.
• Partner with SVP, Experience Design and Global leadership on improved talent assessment and team performance management criteria

Business Growth:

• Support the SVP Experience Design in partnership with our Growth teams to build client relationships, expand the pipeline of work from Infosys and organic channels, and ensure revenue growth in digital product experience design.
• Provide primary support for estimation, sizing, casting, and process development conversations during pre-sales and other BD support efforts. This includes vision- and strategic direction-setting for pursuits as well as delivery.
• Act as an ambassador for WongDoody's Product Experience design expertise in client engagements.
• Continue to build and maintain strong relationships with Infosys stakeholders and external clients alike, demonstrating deep understanding of their needs and how cutting-edge product experiences can meet those needs.
• Collaborate in business development and pre-sales efforts by showcasing our design and tech capabilities.
• Help win new projects by formulating innovative proposals and proving the value of our solutions in solving clients' challenges.

Innovation & Emerging Technologies:

• The Director will serve as one of North America's AI Ambassadors, partnering closely with other AI Ambassadors around the world and supporting global AI Design leadership.
• Drive innovation in Experience Design and Product Experience by exploring and integrating emerging technologies into our clients' product-driven experience solutions.
• Educate and inspire internal teams and clients on the possibilities of new technologies, facilitating discovery workshops and rapid innovation streams to prototype new products and features. Advocate for forward-thinking, future-proof solutions that keep the agency and our clients ahead of industry trends.

Product Development & Delivery:

• Oversee the end-to-end execution of product design projects, especially those in collaboration with Infosys, from concept through launch.
• Coordinate seamlessly with onshore and offshore design teams, leveraging WongDoody's global casting pool to deliver integrated solutions.
• Ensure a human-centered design approach with a focus on enhancing usability, engagement, and customer satisfaction in every deliverable.
• Work closely with cross-functional North America teams – Creative, Strategy, and Engineering – to align product development with client objectives and deliver on innovative ideas (leveraging WongDoody's connection to Infosys to build whatever can be imagined).
• Establish consistent, tech-enabled ways of working that support rapid experimentation, prototyping, and iteration to refine digital experiences based on user feedback and data.
• Promote consultative selling and delivery approaches where co-creation with clients and teams leads to the best outcomes.

Team Leadership & Collaboration:

• Lead, mentor, and inspire the East Region Product Experience team, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous innovation.
• Provide guidance and support to XD team members through improved casting and team structures, maintaining clarity, morale, and confidence during transitions.
• Work in tandem with the West Region Product Experience lead to ensure consistency in vision and standards across regions.

Innovation Culture & Trend Spotting:

• Serve as an internal thought leader on emerging trends in technology, design, and customer engagement, including published pieces for marketing and communications efforts.
• Identify and assess new tools, platforms, and practices that could enhance our offerings.
• Cultivate an innovation culture by introducing frameworks for experimentation, knowledge-sharing, and agile thinking. Internally advocate for adopting new technologies responsibly and effectively – aligning with WongDoody's commitment to use AI and tech in ways that truly add value.
• Champion diversity of thought and creative tech-driven collaboration, fostering continuous research & development efforts to keep team members advised on emerging trends and tools and how they may inform our continuously evolving delivery models.
• Ensure WongDoody remains a creative technology leader, where creativity and technology combine to meet evolving client needs in product-led experiences.

Performance & Metrics:

• Develop clear success metrics for product experience initiatives and innovation programs.

Additional Qualifications & Experience

Digital Product Expertise:

• Proven track record of leading the design and launch of successful digital products or platforms.
• Deep understanding of user-centered design, UX research, and product development lifecycles.
• Proficiency in design systems, front-end development frameworks, and design-to-dev collaboration ceremonies
• Extensive experience in web and mobile technologies and standards (e.g. modern web frameworks, mobile OS guidelines) and how to apply them to create seamless experiences.
• Proficiency in Enterprise Product Delivery models, such as Agile, SAFe, Scrum

Emerging Tech & Innovation:

• Demonstrated expertise in emerging technologies, particularly GenAI tooling, methodologies, and workflows and how they can drive efficiency and innovation in an enterprise context.
• Proven experience in Claude Code/CoWork, prompt-based design, and design to code experimentation
• Ongoing research to stay abreast of current technology trends and how they may apply to real-world projects.

Culture, Leadership & Team Building:

• Serve as a leader, both for XD and across domains, for the New York office
• Exceptional leadership skills with experience managing and scaling multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to inspire creativity and innovation within teams while also providing clear direction and governance.
• Embodies WongDoody's values of creativity, teamwork, and bold thinking. Thrives at the intersection of creativity and technology, echoing our identity as a "creative technology" agency.
• Committed to fostering an inclusive, collaborative environment where diverse perspectives drive better ideas. A mentor and coach, eager to develop talent and champion the successes of the team.
• A collaborative leadership style that builds trust and strong rapport – especially important as this role will be filled by someone who can leverage existing relationships within the Product Experience team to provide stability and support through change.

Client & Stakeholder Management:

• Strong client engagement abilities – adept at understanding client needs, articulating visions, and building long