Senior UX Research Program Manager, Payments

At Google, we "Focus on the user and all else will follow." UX Programs & Operations drives projects by increasing communication, streamlining the UX design process, and fostering a culture of user-centered development. You will join our multi-disciplinary UX team, collaborating with Engineering and Product Management, to create industry-leading products based on user insights.

As a UX Program Manager, you will combine expert project management with a passion for user experience to improve the design of products used by billions. Your role is to plan projects, define milestones, assess risks, create actionable insights, and ensure deadlines are met. You will harmonize the work of various UX disciplines and cross-functional partners to drive team objectives and create innovative experiences.

The Payments UX Research (UXR) team is seeking a UXR Program Manager (PgM) to act as the operational cornerstone, horizontal connector for the Payments UXR organization. UX Research operates as a vital horizontal engine across the entire Payments UX business unit, establishing deep strategic partnerships with Product Management (PM), Engineering, and Design.

In this role, you will scale the reach and velocity of the organization by managing complex cross-functional stakeholders, driving operational excellence, and steering the execution of Payments UX Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). As a team multiplier for the Director of Research, you will oversee the team's operational machinery, institutionalize accountability through a rigorous Rhythm of the Business (RoB), and ensure that high-value user insights directly shape our overall product roadmaps.

Whether it is paying online with Autofill, using tap and pay in stores, or using the Google Pay app, the Payments team at Google is focused on making payments simple, seamless, and secure. In addition to consumer payment technologies, the Payments team also powers the money movement between Google and its consumers and businesses.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $159000 - $231000 (USD) + 15% bonus target + bonus + equity + benefits

Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities

• Direct team efforts, own project outcomes, contribute to project scoping, and oversee resourcing logistics across a broad portfolio of high-impact, horizontal initiatives.
• Drive the coordination, strategic planning, and operational execution for complex, cross-functional programs. Ensure integration of the team's activities and deliverables by drawing connections between related timelines, goals, and objectives across pillars.
• Prioritize and delegate work, setting team/project standards and repeatable processes to drive progress towards achieving organizational objectives and key results beyond expectations.
• Own the end-to-end lifecycle orchestration of all Payments UX OKRs for the research team. Synthesize complex, multi-team efforts into clear, executive-ready progress updates for high-profile corporate milestones.
• Own and facilitate the monthly state of programs, establishing a rigorous governance framework to track project health, identify resource bottlenecks, and mitigate delivery risks early. Manage and optimize Operational Expenditure (OpEx) spending.

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
  
• 6 years of experience in program management.
• Experience with user research, or research focused tools and methodologies.

Preferred qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience managing end-to-end OKR lifecycles, operational budgets (OpEx), and complex governance models within a horizontal corporate structure.
• Deep expertise in UX research methodologies and lifecycle frameworks, with a track record of scaling UX maturity within a matrixed enterprise environment.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing cost center budgets, resource mapping, and tool allocations.
• Exceptional executive presence, with a demonstrated ability to influence executive leadership and align cross-functional partners (e.g., product management, engineering) on resource constraints and program risks.
• Demonstrated capacity to thrive under highly complex, rapidly changing circumstances, while inspiring teams to implement pioneering, scalable solutions.