Design Experience Manager

Etihad Airways | Abu Dhabi

Introduction

Are you passionate about UX, digital products, AI-driven customer experiences, and ecommerce innovation?

Etihad Airways is seeking a Design Experience Manager to join its Revenue & Commercial Division in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of Etihad’s digital ecosystem by designing intelligent, customer-centric experiences across web and mobile platforms.

The position combines digital strategy, UX/UI design leadership, AI-enabled innovation, customer experience optimization, and commercial growth responsibilities.

Job Overview

Job Title: Design Experience Manager

Company: Etihad Airways

Division: Revenue & Commercial Division

Location: Abu Dhabi

Employment Type: Full-Time

Industry: Aviation, Digital Experience & Ecommerce

Experience Required: 5+ Years

About the Role

The Design Experience Manager is responsible for defining and delivering high-impact digital experiences across Etihad’s web and mobile applications.

The role focuses on creating intelligent customer journeys powered by user-centered design, data insights, AI capabilities, and continuous experimentation.

You will work closely with product, technology, commercial, loyalty, marketing, and operational teams to improve customer engagement, increase digital revenue, and enhance overall customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

Digital Experience Strategy

  • Define experience vision and design strategy
  • Lead customer experience initiatives across digital platforms
  • Align design solutions with business objectives
  • Drive customer-centric innovation

End-to-End Experience Ownership

Manage the complete lifecycle of digital experiences:

  • Discovery and research
  • Problem definition
  • Experience design
  • Development collaboration
  • User testing
  • Product launch
  • Performance optimization

AI-Enabled Experience Design

Design intelligent digital experiences including:

  • Personalization engines
  • Predictive recommendations
  • Conversational interfaces
  • AI-powered customer journeys
  • Intelligent automation solutions

Customer Research & Optimization

  • Conduct user research
  • Lead usability testing
  • Create journey maps
  • Analyze customer behavior
  • Run experimentation programs
  • Validate design improvements

Performance Management

Monitor and improve key metrics including:

  • Conversion rates
  • Customer engagement
  • Retention
  • Revenue contribution
  • Customer satisfaction
  • Digital adoption

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with:

  • Product teams
  • Technology teams
  • Commercial departments
  • Loyalty programs
  • Marketing teams
  • Operations teams
  • Brand teams

Design Governance

  • Contribute to design systems
  • Establish UX best practices
  • Maintain design consistency
  • Promote accessibility standards
  • Support security and customer trust initiatives

Required Qualifications

Experience

  • Minimum 5 years of Digital Experience Design experience
  • Experience in large-scale digital ecosystems
  • Proven track record delivering measurable business results
  • Strong experience managing end-to-end design projects

Portfolio Requirements

Candidates should possess:

  • Strong UX/UI portfolio
  • Examples of complex digital products
  • Evidence of measurable business impact
  • Demonstrated ownership from concept to launch

Required Skills

Successful candidates should demonstrate:

UX & Product Design

  • User Experience (UX) Design
  • User Interface (UI) Design
  • Product Design
  • Customer Journey Mapping
  • User Research
  • Information Architecture
  • Design Systems

AI & Data-Driven Design

  • AI-powered experience design
  • Personalization strategies
  • Data-informed decision making
  • Customer behavior analysis
  • Experimentation methodologies

Business & Commercial Skills

  • Commercial awareness
  • Revenue optimization understanding
  • Customer lifecycle management
  • Business strategy alignment
  • Performance measurement

Collaboration & Leadership

  • Stakeholder management
  • Cross-functional teamwork
  • Communication skills
  • Strategic thinking
  • Influencing capabilities

Preferred Industry Experience

Experience in any of the following sectors is highly desirable:

  • Ecommerce
  • Travel
  • Aviation
  • Loyalty Programs
  • Fintech
  • High-conversion digital platforms

Why Join Etihad Airways?

Working with Etihad Airways provides the opportunity to influence digital experiences used by millions of travelers worldwide.

Benefits include:

  • International work environment
  • Exposure to large-scale digital transformation
  • AI-driven innovation projects
  • Career development opportunities
  • Strategic impact on customer experience
  • Participation in Etihad’s Journey 2030 growth strategy

Career Growth Opportunities

This role can lead to positions such as:

  • Senior Experience Design Manager
  • Head of Customer Experience
  • Head of Product Design
  • Director of Digital Experience
  • Digital Transformation Lead
  • VP Customer Experience
  • Chief Experience Officer (CXO)

Ideal Candidate Profile

The strongest candidates typically have:

  • UX/UI leadership experience
  • Product design expertise
  • Strong ecommerce background
  • Experience with AI-powered products
  • Excellent stakeholder management skills
  • Strong analytical capabilities
  • Experience working in Agile environments

Application Tips

To strengthen your application:

Highlight Quantifiable Results

Examples:

  • Increased conversion rate by 20%
  • Improved customer engagement by 30%
  • Reduced checkout abandonment by 15%
  • Increased app retention by 25%

Showcase Portfolio Projects

Include examples that demonstrate:

  • End-to-end ownership
  • AI-enabled experiences
  • Customer journey redesigns
  • Revenue impact
  • Experimentation and optimization

Emphasize Collaboration

Demonstrate experience working with:

  • Product managers
  • Engineers
  • Marketing teams
  • Business stakeholders
  • Executive leadership

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AI experience required?

Yes. Experience designing AI-enabled and data-driven digital experiences is an important aspect of the role.

Is this a UX or Product Design position?

It combines UX, UI, Product Design, Customer Experience Strategy, and Digital Innovation responsibilities.

What industries are preferred?

Ecommerce, travel, aviation, fintech, loyalty programs, and other digital-first industries.

Is coding required?

The role focuses on design leadership and collaboration with engineering teams rather than software development.

What is the most important qualification?

A strong portfolio demonstrating end-to-end ownership of digital experiences with measurable business impact.

Final Thoughts

The Design Experience Manager role at Etihad Airways is an excellent opportunity for experienced UX and Product Design professionals who want to shape the future of digital travel experiences.

By combining customer-centered design, AI innovation, data-driven decision-making, and commercial strategy, this position offers the chance to influence digital products at scale while contributing to one of the aviation industry’s most ambitious transformation programs.

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To apply for this job please visit jobs.smartrecruiters.com.

Author

  • Zoya-Content Writer-alkareer.com

    Content Writer with 10+ years of experience in Content Writing, SEO, and Digital Marketing. Master in Business, born in Kerala and currently settled in Dubai. Experienced in working with various IT firms and as a freelance content specialist, delivering creative and result-driven content solutions.

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