Daniel Slowacek

User Experience & Product Leadership

Hi, I’m Daniel, a Vienna-based UX and Product Leader with 14+ years in tech and 7+ years leading cross-functional teams across design, research, writing, and engineering. I’ve scaled user experiences, experimentation programs, and product ops at companies like refurbed, adidas Runtastic, and Novomatic Greentube.

I focus on outcomes over outputs and believe how we build is just as important as what we build. I lead with clarity, empathy, and a bias for action, helping teams and organizations move with purpose - not just speed.

🔍 I’m currently exploring full-time UX & Product leadership roles (hybrid, Vienna-based) where I can drive impact through better teams, systems, and products.

💬 Curious or hiring? Let’s talk

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Areas of expertise

Leading People

I’ve led orgs of 7-12 across design, research, writing, and frontend, managing junior ICs to leads. My toolkit includes growth frameworks, critiques, and team charters to align and empower.

I believe high-performing teams thrive on clarity, curiosity, and psychological safety. I lead with intention – blending Leading by Example, Joyful Collaboration, and Intentional Transparency.

At refurbed, I restored trust with a UX team post-leadership turnover. I’ve coached experts into leads, built teams, and established rituals that helped people do their best work across orgs.

User Experience

UX is my core craft. I’m fluent in cross-platform design patterns, mixed-method research, and goal-oriented product design.

Great products should look and feel delightful, yet most experiences are negatively impacting their brand. I don’t just talk about UX maturity - I roll up my sleeves to raise it - leading from the front.

I established UX benchmarking initiatives, coached teams on research, and aligned UX efforts to strategic goals across Gambling, Fitness, and E-Commerce industries.

Conversion Rate Optimization

My CRO approach blends hypothesis-based testing, product development lifecycle integration, and strong data discipline. I focus on clear roadmaps, well-scoped experiments, and reliable results.

Good A/B Testing isn’t about button colors or quick wins - it’s about learning through evidence and supporting a trustworthy build-measure-learn cycle.

At Greentube, I scaled the CRO program from scratch – delivering €5M+ in additional revenue, internalizing development, hiring a dedicated team to reduce costs and accelerate iteration.

Product Operations

I'm skilled at improving how teams work - from OKRs and roadmapping to process design, role clarity, and scalable design and research operations.

I believe great product work needs operational clarity – without it, strategy drifts and teams burn out. I'm the person who says, “how we do things matters”, and then drives the sensemaking.

At refurbed, I led a cross-functional Design System group to clarify governance. I’ve also scaled research practices, evolved Product rituals, and introduced prioritization frameworks.

What Others Say

“Due to his kind, open minded and loyal personality, as well as the ability to create a positive working environment, he was both recognized and appreciated by our line managers and colleagues alike.”

Alexandar Kalchmann
Director Product Management & Development RMG
“I joined the design team at a time when the team needed a better understanding of their goals, values and processes. Daniel drove the initiative of defining the team charter, which helped unify all the designers with a shared purpose.”

Vivek Arun
Senior Product Designer
"Daniel is also incredibly open to feedback and always looking to improve. While he and I had very different communication styles at the beginning, we worked together to streamline our interactions, ultimately becoming a highly effective and efficient duo."

Yasmin Azadegan
Director of Product
“He always worked the environment to provide the best one possible, so his staff was enabled to be their best selves. When you're looking for a passionate, mindful and knowledgeable Design Leader, I can only highly recommmend Daniel.”

Christoph Winter-Moser
Engineering Manager
“As a Hiring Manager he was reliable, innovative, challenged the status quo and went the extra mile not only once in order to convince candidates to accept the offer. Several new hires cited Daniel as a key factor in their decision to join our team.”

Bianca Tietz
Recruiter
"Daniel is an amazing design leader who has made a huge impact on the team. He’s beyond proactive, a strong advocate for the team’s growth, always pushing for improvements, fostering a culture of learning and collaboration, and is constantly sharing valuable feedback."

Debora Sperandio
Senior Product Designer

User Experience & Product Leadership

Areas of expertise

Leading People

User Experience

Conversion Rate Optimization

Product Operations

“Due to his kind, open minded and loyal personality, as well as the ability to create a positive working environment, he was both recognized and appreciated by our line managers and colleagues alike.”

“I joined the design team at a time when the team needed a better understanding of their goals, values and processes. Daniel drove the initiative of defining the team charter, which helped unify all the designers with a shared purpose.”

"Daniel is also incredibly open to feedback and always looking to improve. While he and I had very different communication styles at the beginning, we worked together to streamline our interactions, ultimately becoming a highly effective and efficient duo."

“He always worked the environment to provide the best one possible, so his staff was enabled to be their best selves. When you're looking for a passionate, mindful and knowledgeable Design Leader, I can only highly recommmend Daniel.”

“As a Hiring Manager he was reliable, innovative, challenged the status quo and went the extra mile not only once in order to convince candidates to accept the offer. Several new hires cited Daniel as a key factor in their decision to join our team.”

"Daniel is an amazing design leader who has made a huge impact on the team. He’s beyond proactive, a strong advocate for the team’s growth, always pushing for improvements, fostering a culture of learning and collaboration, and is constantly sharing valuable feedback."

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