# James Smet

> Product Design Manager | Building & Scaling Product Design Teams in SaaS | Embracing AI to Scale Systems, Craft & Clarity

Location: San Francisco Bay Area, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/jamessmet

I’m a Product Design Manager who builds high-performing design teams and scalable product systems in SaaS environments.

I lead designers across product initiatives end-to-end—balancing hands-on design craft with coaching, systems thinking, and cross-functional alignment. My focus is helping teams navigate ambiguity, raise design quality, and deliver work that clearly ties to business outcomes.

At Vagaro, I’ve led initiatives spanning design systems, growth & retention surfaces, AI-powered product experiences, and operational frameworks like career ladders, skills matrices, and design workflows—supporting both individual growth and org-level clarity.

I’m especially drawn to roles where design leaders are expected to be player-coaches, build trust across product and engineering, and bring order to complex problem spaces.

Currently open to conversations around Product Design Manager roles in design-led SaaS companies.

## Work Experience
### Product Design Manager @ Vagaro
Jan 2024 – Present | San Francisco Bay Area
Vagaro · SaaS platform serving salon, spa, fitness & wellness businesses

Lead and mentor a team of product designers across core platform, growth, and AI-driven initiatives, supporting both IC craft and career development.

Drive design quality and consistency through ownership of the product design system, workflows, and cross-team design standards.

Partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Executive stakeholders to shape roadmap priorities, clarify ambiguous problem spaces, and align design outcomes to retention and revenue goals.

Introduced team frameworks including a design skills matrix, career ladder, onboarding buddy program, and critique rituals to improve clarity, growth, and execution.

Contributed hands-on to complex initiatives including AI assistant concepts, campaign creation flows, and platform redesigns.

### Senior Product Designer @ Vagaro
Jan 2024 – Jan 2024 | Dublin, California, United States

### Product Designer @ Vagaro
Jan 2019 – Jan 2024 | Dublin, California, United States
Building a robust scheduling and business solution software through thoughtful design that delights and empowers.

Currently leading the development and implementation of a Design System to ship products faster and more efficiently to produce a consistent and trustworthy product.

### Visual and Product Designer @ Doctor On Demand
Jan 2015 – Jan 2019 | San Francisco, CA
Building a patient-centered brand through compassionate care and innovation.

### Graphic Design Intern @ J3 Productions, Inc
Jan 2013 – Jan 2013 | Irvine, CA
- Coordinate with Mattel, Barbie, and Monster High to develop package design, product catalogs, and  media products
- Create design projects for client companies
- Utilize Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to develop designs


## Education
### Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Graphic Design
San José State University

### Servite High School


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jamessmet

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Source: https://flows.cv/jamessmet
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/jamessmet/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-04-13