Product Design Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

ABOUT US

At TTC, we are Enriching lives by connecting people and places. For over 100 years, we’ve been bringing the world closer together by crafting journeys that create lasting memories, lifelong friendships and meaningful cultural connections. Across more than 70 countries and our award-winning brands, we design and deliver travel experiences that go beyond sightseeing - they change perspectives. Behind every unforgettable journey is a passionate team making it happen. That’s where you come in.

OUR VALUES

Everything we do is guided by our five shared commitments:

• Value Every Voice - We put people first.
• Act with Integrity - We do what’s right.
• Explore Beyond Boundaries - We’re driven by curiosity.
• Own the Outcome - We take responsibility for our decisions.
• Succeed Together - We’ve got each other’s backs

POSITION SUMMARY

Seeking a Product Design Manager for North America. In this role, you will be assigned specific regions of expertise and will be responsible for developing commercially successful, differentiated itineraries and experiences, drawing on ongoing market research, competitive analysis, and your regional knowledge to support trip development across TTC brands and inform Destination America business development.

The role is largely project-based, following an annual calendar spanning development, costing, brochure production, product maintenance, and review, while also flexing to support ongoing business needs as new product is developed. As owner of your region, you will be responsible for the trips you oversee, including overall commercial viability and the regularly reviewed profitability of optional experiences, while also supporting Marketing, Sales, and Operations through product training and presentations.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Itinerary & Product Development

• Take ownership of assigned regions and itineraries.
• Approves itinerary changes at a series level and exceptions for brand pillars at a departure level
• Develop innovative and exciting itineraries and experiences for each of the relevant brands you support.
• Negotiation/Contracting and initial set up of experiences including collaboration with the Ops Team prior, during & post tour operation
• Cost analysis for new itineraries in order to create commercially viable programs
• Work to identify & fill brand pillar gaps across assigned tours

Market & Product Research

• Research and analyze industry trends and market competitors in the relevant regions you are responsible for. You need to aspire to be a subject matter expert.
• Review guest and market feedback – monitor FEEFO, TD reports, and Guest Questionnaires across your assigned tours
• Travel required - To be a subject matter expert you must be available to travel regularly to experience existing product, to seek improvements and to create new experiences. Approximately 4-8 weeks, may vary.

Planning, Documentation & Annual Cycle

• Collate data and prepare the documents used for planning, contracting and product development
• Prepare the annual capacity review and new product proposals for Senior Product Design Manager and Director of Product Design.
• Participate in the annual brochure production process, working closely with the brochure production/content/brand team to ensure your itineraries and experiences are attractive and accurately portrayed.
• Create and maintain Master Travel Experience Files Airtable and liaise with various stakeholders, both internal and external, to ensure accurate information for internal team use.

Data & Systems Maintenance

• Carry out regular web health checks and report anything that needs correcting
• Keep product records consistent across our systems so the wider business can rely on them
• Assess, approve and action changes through the ticketing system

Cross-Functional & Stakeholder Support

• Prepare product information requested by Sales, Marketing and Sustainability
• Work with Operations and Contracting to track the success of existing itineraries and identify problems and opportunities.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with the Contracting Team (hotel, meal & experiences) to ensure the Travel Experiences briefs are met.
• Support knowledge sharing cross-departmentally to ensure all staff are well informed on your region’s product.
• Work with the Content Team to ensure all systems speak the same language: what we brief, what we contract, what we have on sale, and what we say about it is all aligned.
• Represent the company at various trade shows, travel events, on webinars and other events as necessary

Team Collaboration & Coverage

• Work within a creative travel experiences development team.
• Pick up cross team tasks at busy points in the cycle and provide cover during absence
• Provides backup support during crisis

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

• 3+ years of travel industry related experience required
• Willing and able to travel regularly, approx. 4 – 8 weeks per year
• Strong oral and written skills
• Organized and flexible with a strong attention to detail
• Confident use of Microsoft Applications
• Comfortable managing a high volume of regular tasks and working to fixed deadlines
• Able to work independently and manage own priorities, as well as part of a team

NICE TO HAVE

• Negotiation & contracting experience
• Previous travel operations or on road experience is a plus
• Experience of database or workflow tools such as Airtable or Salesforce is an advantage

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Communication & Influence Clearly communicates ideas, builds rapport, and influences others to achieve effective outcomes.
• Collaboration Works effectively across teams, building strong relationships to deliver shared goals.
• Customer Focus Understands customer needs and delivers solutions that create a high-quality, consistent experience.
• Adaptability Builds strong relationships and works cross-functionally with a consultative, co-creative approach to influence and align others in a fast-paced environment.
• Quality & Attention to Detail Ensures accuracy, consistency, and high standards in all work, minimizing risk and rework

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Itineraries and experiences within your regions are commercially viable, differentiated, and consistently well received by guests, as measured by guest feedback from FEEFO and NPS as well as YOY sales figures
• Contracting and set-up of new experiences is completed accurately and on time, with strong collaboration with Ops before, during, and after tour operation
• Regional expertise stays current, informed by regular travel, competitor research, and market trend analysis
• Guest and market feedback is reviewed regularly and translated into tangible product improvements
• Annual capacity review and market gap analysis, planning documents, and brochure/web/guest documentation content are delivered accurately and on schedule
• Product records, systems, and ticketing are consistently accurate and well maintained
• Strong working relationships are maintained across Contracting, Content, Marketing, Sales, Key Accounts and Operations, with information kept aligned across all teams
• Reliable coverage and support are provided during colleague absences, crises, and busy points in the annual cycle

OTHER:

• Work Location: Fully remote within the U.S. or hybrid in Costa Mesa, CA for local candidates.
• Travel: approximately 4-8 weeks of domestic and international travel required.

The Travel Corporation is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against race, color, creed, sex, gender, religion, marital status, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws or ordinances. The Travel Corporation is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We not only encourage and support diversity in the workplace, we celebrate it! If you feel you have the skills and experience to thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment, we want to hear from you!