2020-2023
Design Leadership
Grew the team from 0 to 30+, built a design community, and led design operations across 50+ internal products for one of Russia’s largest retail companies
Leadership
Mentoring
Management
Culture
Strategy
Context
When I joined X5 Group, one of the largest retail companies in Russia, it was entering an active phase of digital transformation. The organization began launching new platforms and services to digitize and automate a wide range of internal processes.
I joined as a Senior Product Designer and quickly transitioned into a Design Manager / Design Lead role. Over time, I became responsible for hiring, developing, and supporting designers, building team structure, and scaling design operations across the company.
Design at X5
When I joined, product designers were scattered across different departments. There was no centralized team or leadership for design, and no internal community.
At the same time, the company was scaling rapidly — launching dozens of internal tools and services to support digital transformation. We needed to hire fast, build strong cross-functional teams, and unify design practices from scratch.
My first steps were:
Identified and mapped all product designers across departments.
Created a virtual community to unify scattered design efforts.
Facilitated the transition of designers and projects into a centralized design team under the technology department.
Partnered with another design lead (later Design Director) to co-lead and grow the newly structured team.
Team Building & Management
I handled hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, and continuous support through regular 1-on-1 and feedback sessions. I hired over 10 designers, personally conducted interviews, and matched designers to projects based on product needs, team fit, and workload. At different times, I led a team of 5–8 designers.
I also supported team members throughout their journey — planning their growth, identifying areas for development, and facilitating transitions between products if needed.
👩💻
Hiring & Onboarding
Recruited 10+ designers and built structured onboarding processes
🌱
Team Growth
1-to-1, personal development plans, leveling framework
🤝
Cross-functional support
Aligned designers with over 15 product teams across business areas
🛠
Design Ops
Created Notion & Confluence hubs for knowledge, processes,
and team support
Cross-Functional Collaboration
X5 used a cross-functional team model, where each product team operated like a mini-startup. When a new product required a designer, I coordinated directly with stakeholders to understand their needs, timelines, and complexity. Based on this, I would allocate resources from my team, coordinate with other leads, or start the hiring process.
During my time at X5, I worked with over 15 product teams and helped staff each of them with the right designer. Thanks to close collaboration with an excellent HR team, we were able to close most design hiring needs within 1–2 months.
Building the Design Community
At the time, there was no unified space for designers across the department (around 30 people).
Initiated and built the internal design community — starting with a Telegram.
Scaled that into regular internal meetups every 2–4 weeks, where designers shared case studies, side projects, and personal passions — strengthening team bonds.
Organized and spoke at company-wide meetups, explaining the role of product design and advocating for our team's value within the broader organization.
Encouraged designers to take active roles in shaping the team culture by mentoring, presenting, and leading discussions.
Held regular meetups focused on professional and personal exchange.
Design Ops & Processes
Co-created leveling system and skill matrix for designers.
Ran surveys and interviews to understand aspirations and build training plans.
Helped introduce a consistent approach to compensation and growth.
Supported designers across the entire lifecycle — from first day setup to ongoing process improvement and cross-team collaboration.
Helped establish a shared understanding of design operations across newly unified product teams and leadership.
Culture & Growth Infrastructure
Together with other design leads and our design director, I shaped the department's culture and development structure. We held weekly leadership syncs to align on goals, design maturity, and people operations.
I led efforts to:
Collect feedback on team needs and growth interests.
Define growth tracks and skill matrices.
Build a transparent leveling and compensation system.
Create training plans based on survey data.
These initiatives helped establish a clearer path for career progression, fostered engagement, and empowered designers to take leadership roles.
I also created and maintained onboarding resources for new designers. This included:
A Notion-based guide for navigating internal access and getting set up in the company infrastructure.
A comprehensive Confluence with all critical information about the design department.
Tough Calls & Success Stories
One of the most difficult moments was letting go of a designer I had hired. Despite multiple conversations and attempts to resolve collaboration issues, it became clear that the misalignment couldn’t be resolved: communication had broken down, and the designer was unwilling to adapt. I stepped into the product, stabilized it, and found a new designer who is still thriving in the team.
This experience pushed me to grow as a leader. My ability to make tough leadership decisions has increased while staying focused on the health of the team and the success of the product.
On the positive side, I mentored a Mid-level designer who eventually became a Design Lead herself and joined our leadership team — a moment of real pride and validation of our growth strategy.
Personal Insight
Leadership taught me to face difficult conversations early and directly. Avoiding conflict only delays progress. It also showed me the value of structure — in onboarding, in growth, and in culture. That structure is what allows people to feel confident, capable, and supported.
I learned to approach these situations with transparency and empathy, to engage in open conversations with the designer, the product team, and my leadership peers. In cases where no resolution could be found, I accepted the responsibility to act decisively and with care.
Outcome
My time at X5 was defined by building not just product design, but a design culture: uniting fragmented teams, nurturing individual designers, and embedding design leadership at scale. The systems and structures we put in place continue to support the department’s evolution today.
Other Projects
Mobile application for test driving
and buying a car
Digital platform that connects car brands, dealerships, and customers in one system.
