Director, UX & Product Design · Orange County, CA
Making complex choices feel simple.
I'm Nate Manchester, a design leader who has launched and scaled customer experiences for Zillow, Trulia, Lexus, Hyundai, and Virgin America. I build high-performing teams and align them around a clear vision.
I build design teams, set multi-year vision and customer-journey roadmaps, and partner across product, engineering, operations, and marketing to align leadership on what matters most.
I bring rapid prototyping and user research into the everyday workflow, because the fastest way to clear direction and measurable outcomes is to put real ideas in front of real people. At Zillow, I led product design for Seller Services, helping homeowners make more confident decisions about selling while launching and scaling a new business line to profitability in two years.
- Skills
- Design leadership, product strategy, UX research, rapid prototyping, creative direction
- AI tools
- Claude, Cursor, Replit, Figma Make, Outset.ai, Firefly, ChatGPT
- Recognition
- Webby, Effie, CLIO, One Show, National ADDY, Digiday Mobi, IAB MIXX, APEX
- Education
- BFA, Conceptual & Information Design, San Francisco State University
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2019 – 2026
Zillow
Leading U.S. online real estate marketplace and housing app.
Sr. Manager, Product Design · UX Design Manager
My scope grew from managing one design team to directing design across Zillow Seller Services and Trulia, where I led annual strategic vision and roadmap planning with product, engineering, operations, and marketing. Along the way, my teams launched real estate's first natural-language search and a field iPad platform for Zillow Offers. In Seller Services, we built tools that help homeowners decide when and how to sell, including AI-powered Agent Shopping.
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2015 – 2019
Team One
Saatchi & Saatchi. LA agency specializing in premium and luxury brands.
Creative Director, Experience Design · Head of UX Design
I led UX strategy, research, and design for Lexus and other luxury clients, and founded The People Lab for eye-tracking, usability, and VR research. I built a team of UX specialists, including UX research and business analysis, to drive measurable results for clients. Our work included a modular redesign of Lexus.com, a personalized homepage, and experiential installations like the SEMA sound booth.
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2014 – 2015
CAKE
Global performance marketing software for 500+ advertisers, networks, and publishers.
Director, User Experience
I led product design for a SaaS analytics platform for affiliate marketers, growing the design function from a single designer into a team. I coordinated regular usability sessions and focus groups, turning customer feedback into roadmap decisions. I contributed to prioritization and planning with a shared rubric that defined value for customers and the business.
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2011 – 2014
Innocean USA
Global marketing agency founded in 2005 from Hyundai Motor Group's in-house advertising division.
Director, User Experience · Creative UX Lead
I established the UX practice at Innocean, defining its processes, methodologies, and design standards. I led UX strategy and design for Hyundai's campaigns, apps, websites, and shopping tools. Highlights include the award-winning Walking Dead Chop Shop app and the Azera Journey and Elantra Driveway Decision Maker campaigns.
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Earlier
Agency, consulting & studio work
Wunderman / Y&R · Deloitte · Eveo · Organic · Wired
At Wunderman / Y&R, I helped design Virgin America's RED in-flight entertainment system and check-in kiosks. At Deloitte, I led UI design for California's statewide court case management system. Before that, I designed and built interactive work at Eveo, Organic, and Wired in San Francisco.
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