Sr Staff Experience Designer

The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy. 

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards.  Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade. 

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day.  We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Summary:

This job involves leading complex projects that enhance user experiences across various platforms. They participate in problem resolution by applying functional We are seeking a Senior Staff Designer with exceptional visual craft skills, strong storytelling abilities, and a solid foundation in systems thinking to join our core Design Systems team. In this role, you will drive the evolution of PayPal's visual language and interaction patterns, working closely with the Principal Designer and cross-functional partners. You will design high-impact components, craft narratives that bring the design system to life, and collaborate with designers across the organization to ensure seamless, end-to-end experiences. You will help steward our brand, ensuring that every customer interaction is beautiful, intuitive, and unmistakably PayPal.

Job Description:

Essential Responsibilities:

• Develop and articulate clear objectives in enhancing user and customer experiences that deliver results and meet organizational goals
• Influence decision-making at the senior leadership level
• Perform the most highly complex digital and physical products and services using domain knowledge and extensive business expertise
• Develop and deliver innovative strategies that benefit customers and product users
• Lead major business projects which impact the Experience Design job family
• Design, evaluate, and select process, product, and service improvements based on thorough understanding of user and customer needs and industry trends
• Mentor and guide junior team members in user-centered design practices.

Expected Qualifications:

• 8+ years relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Your Day-to-Day Responsibilities will include:

· Advance the Visual Language: Contribute to the evolution of our design system's visual foundation, including color, typography, iconography, and motion. Push the boundaries of our aesthetic while ensuring scalability, accessibility, and brand alignment across our global product ecosystem.

· Enable through Storytelling: Create compelling narratives, presentations, and documentation that communicate the vision, purpose, and value of the design system. Inspire designers, engineers, and product managers to adopt and champion the system.

· Apply Systems Thinking to End-to-End Experiences: Use a holistic, systems-based approach to solve complex design challenges. Partner with Experience Designers (XD) across diverse workstreams to ensure the design system effectively supports seamless customer journeys.

· Deliver Exceptional Craft: Set a high bar for design quality through hands-on work on critical system components and patterns. Deliver pixel-perfect specifications and comprehensive documentation that enables teams to build with confidence.

· Influence and Guide: Mentor designers across PayPal through critiques, workshops, and collaborative design sessions. Help elevate the visual and interaction design skills of the broader team.

· Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Work in close partnership with Engineering, Product Management, Brand, and Accessibility teams to ensure our design system is not only beautiful but also technically sound, scalable, and inclusive.

· Support Governance and Scale: Contribute to the governance and contribution model of the design system, helping it remain a living, evolving resource that adapts to the needs of our customers and our business.

What You Need to Bring:

· Significant Experience: Bachelor's degree in a design-related field or equivalent practical experience, with 8+ years in product design and a minimum of 3+ years specializing in design systems.

· A Strong Portfolio: A portfolio showcasing your expertise in visual design, systems thinking, and storytelling. We want to see your ability to contribute to and evolve design systems, with clear examples of components, documentation, and how those systems support complete user experiences. Your portfolio must demonstrate strong visual craft and attention to detail.

· Systems-Oriented Approach: Solid experience in creating, maintaining, and scaling design systems for complex, multi-platform product environments. You think in patterns and bring structure to ambiguity.

· Strong Visual Design Skills: Mastery of the formal elements of design, including typography, color theory, layout, and motion. You have a keen eye for detail and an aesthetic sensibility that inspires others.

· Clear Communicator: The ability to articulate the "why" behind your design decisions and bring stakeholders along on the journey. You are comfortable creating beautiful components and presenting your work to leadership and cross-functional teams.

· Collaborative Mindset: A proven track record of working effectively with cross-functional partners to ship high-quality products. You lead with empathy and value diverse perspectives.

· Proficiency with Modern Design Tools: Expert-level skills in Figma, particularly with features like libraries, variants, and Auto Layout. Familiarity with design-to-code workflows and tools is a plus.

We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don't hesitate to apply.

Subsidiary:

PayPal

Travel Percent:

0

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PayPal is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices.

Actual Compensation is based on various factors including but not limited to work location, and relevant skills and experience.

The total compensation for this practice may include an annual performance bonus (or other incentive compensation, as applicable), equity, and medical, dental, vision, and other benefits. For more information, visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com.

The US national annual pay range for this role is $169,500 to $291,500

PayPal does not charge candidates any fees for courses, applications, resume reviews, interviews, background checks, or onboarding. Any such request is a red flag and likely part of a scam. To learn more about how to identify and avoid recruitment fraud please visit https://careers.pypl.com/contact-us.

For the majority of employees, PayPal's balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in-person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

Our Benefits:

At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can’t do this without our most important asset—you. That’s why we offer benefits to help you thrive in every stage of life. We champion your financial, physical, and mental health by offering valuable benefits and resources to help you care for the whole you.

We have great benefits including a flexible work environment, employee shares options, health and life insurance and more. To learn more about our benefits please visit https://www.paypalbenefits.com.

Who We Are:

Click Here to learn more about our culture and community.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion 

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.  In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.  If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at [email protected].

Belonging at PayPal: 

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.

Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please Join our Talent Community.

We know the confidence gap and imposter syndrome can get in the way of meeting spectacular candidates. Please don’t hesitate to apply.