Design Strategy Manager

About the role

The Design Strategy Manager leads the identification, articulation and development of strategic design opportunities across the end‑to‑end guest journey. Working closely with brand, guest insights, ground operations and crew & service teams, you will translate brand strategy into tangible experience‑design initiatives at every touch point.

Key responsibilities

• Translate brand positioning into a holistic guest‑experience design strategy aligned with Etihad’s hospitality philosophy.
• Identify design opportunities using guest data, market analysis and industry trends across digital, physical and service touch points (booking, airport, cabin, post‑flight).
• Create a prioritized roadmap with business impact, delivery timelines and clear implementation plans.
• Develop tangible solutions that improve NPS and other guest performance metrics in partnership with internal stakeholders.
• Design and introduce new tools, methods and processes to capture trends, insights and ideas across the organization.
• Document experience‑design principles and strategic guidelines that serve as guardrails for product and service development.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Design (Industrial, Interior, Transportation) with a focus on user research and design strategy, or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience creating experience‑design strategies, preferably in aviation, hospitality or guest‑experience‑driven industries.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to see the big picture and communicate narratives across multiple touch points.
• Solution‑oriented approach that balances operational realities with long‑term vision.
• Highly collaborative and proactive in aligning multiple stakeholders.

Required skills

• Design research and strategy
• Guest‑insight analysis
• Experience‑design methodology
• Roadmap planning and prioritisation
• Cross‑functional collaboration