Confirmed Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Confirmed Product Designer

Company: Spendesk

Location: Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-08-12

Experience Level: Mid-Level (3-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design initiatives, from initial problem definition through to iterative delivery, with a strong emphasis on AI-powered and automation-driven workflows.

• Drive the evolution and scalability of Spendesk's design system, encompassing component definition, documentation, contribution processes, and governance.

• Collaborate closely within cross-functional squads, partnering with Product Managers and Engineers to craft user-centric experiences that solve complex financial and operational challenges.

• Conduct user research and validation to inform design decisions, ensuring solutions are grounded in evidence and align with business objectives.

• Contribute to the broader design team's growth by sharing knowledge, providing constructive feedback, and continuously improving design practices and product experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Product Designer with a significant focus on Design Systems and the integration of AI/automation into financial workflows. The "Confirmed" in the title suggests a mature role within the product design function, likely requiring a candidate who can operate with a high degree of autonomy and strategic input. The emphasis on AI and automation indicates a forward-looking product strategy, making candidates with experience in these emerging areas highly desirable.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete design lifecycle for assigned product areas, from initial problem framing and user discovery to solution design, prototyping, validation, and post-launch iteration.

• Develop a deep understanding of user needs, financial operational workflows, product context, and the business/technical constraints influencing design decisions.

• Partner effectively with Product Managers and Engineers to clarify project goals, define success metrics, and align on assumptions and technical feasibility.

• Execute appropriate user research methodologies (e.g., interviews, usability testing) to gather insights, validate design concepts, and mitigate project risks.

• Explore a range of design solutions, critically evaluate trade-offs, and articulate a clear rationale for design choices to stakeholders.

• Design intuitive, accessible, and consistent user interfaces and workflows that simplify complex financial tasks for various user personas (finance teams, managers, employees).

• Actively contribute to the enhancement of Spendesk's design system by defining reusable components and patterns, improving documentation, and establishing robust contribution models and governance frameworks.

• Leverage customer feedback and product data to assess design outcomes, identify areas for improvement, and feed learnings back into the design and product development processes.

• Participate in design critiques and knowledge-sharing sessions, contributing to the collective improvement of the design team's craft and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of individual design ownership and strategic contribution to the design system. The emphasis on "end-to-end design work" and "owning design work from problem definition through delivery and iteration" suggests a need for a proactive designer who can manage their own projects with minimal supervision. The explicit mention of evolving the design system, including governance and contribution models, indicates a senior-level expectation for this aspect of the role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience in product design, UX/UI design, or a related field is expected.

Experience: Minimum of three years of professional experience designing digital products within agile, cross-functional product teams.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in end-to-end product design, from problem definition to delivery and iteration, demonstrating autonomy and ownership.

• Strong proficiency in interaction design and information architecture, with a particular aptitude for designing complex workflows or data-intensive applications.

• Solid product thinking capabilities, enabling the connection of user needs, product objectives, business context, and technical limitations.

• Demonstrated experience in conducting user research, user testing, and validating design solutions with target audiences.

• Hands-on experience in building or significantly contributing to the evolution of a comprehensive design system, including defining components, patterns, documentation, and contribution processes.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with a track record of effectively partnering with Engineers and other designers to establish shared standards and workflows.

• High degree of organization and autonomy, with the ability to prioritize tasks, adapt to changing priorities, and drive projects forward proactively.

• Ability to design for accessibility and ensure inclusive user experiences.

• Familiarity with systems thinking and its application in product design. Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing workflows or conversational interfaces specifically for AI-assisted applications.

• Previous experience within the fintech sector, or with products related to spend management, procurement, or internal business tooling.

• Familiarity with A/B testing, experimentation frameworks, and data-informed product development methodologies.

• Experience working with coded component libraries and closely collaborating with front-end engineers on the implementation of design system elements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement is clearly stated as "three or more years." The emphasis on "hands-on experience building or significantly evolving a comprehensive design system" suggests that candidates who have been instrumental in creating or scaling design systems will be highly valued. The "nice to have" skills point towards specific industry or technical expertise that would make a candidate stand out.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your design process, key decisions, and measurable outcomes.

• Demonstrate expertise in interaction design and information architecture through detailed examples of complex workflows or data-heavy interfaces.

• Highlight your experience in building or evolving a design system, including examples of components, patterns, documentation, and governance strategies.

• Provide evidence of user research conducted, how insights informed design decisions, and how solutions were validated.

• Illustrate your ability to collaborate effectively with engineering and product teams, with examples of how you navigated technical constraints or implemented designs. Process Documentation:

• Clearly outline your design process for each case study, emphasizing how you move from problem definition to discovery, ideation, validation, and iteration.

• Detail your approach to design system development, including how you establish documentation, contribution guidelines, and governance models for scalability and sustainability.

• Showcase how you use customer feedback and product data to evaluate design impact and drive continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is implicitly required for a Product Designer role, especially one emphasizing design systems and complex workflows. The interview process explicitly mentions a "Portfolio presentation and discussion," underscoring its critical importance. The portfolio should not just display final designs but also the thought process, research, and iterative steps taken, with a clear focus on impact and collaboration.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Product Designer with 3-5 years of experience in a major European tech hub like Barcelona, the estimated annual salary range would be €45,000 - €65,000. This is an estimate and may vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and the company's compensation philosophy.

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation package.

• Equity options, providing ownership and a stake in the company's success.

• Comprehensive learning and growth opportunities, supporting professional development.

• Flexible hybrid work model, offering a balance between in-office collaboration and remote work.

• Contribution to the future of AI-powered financial operations, working on cutting-edge product development.

• Opportunities to work on complex challenges at the intersection of finance, operations, AI, and user experience.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is not explicitly stated but is implied to be competitive. Benefits are clearly listed and align with standard offerings for tech companies in Europe, with a specific emphasis on growth and learning opportunities relevant to a design role. The estimated salary range is based on typical mid-level Product Designer compensation in Barcelona, considering the company's industry and growth stage.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech / SaaS (Software as a Service) - Specifically focused on business spend management solutions.

Company Size: Spendesk is a growing Series C funded company, indicating a dynamic, scale-up environment. The team size is likely in the range of 200-500 employees, offering a balance between established processes and agility.

Founded: Spendesk was founded in 2016, giving it a solid track record and established market presence while still being in a growth phase.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team operates within a broader Product organization, working in close partnership with Product Management and Engineering.

• Designers are embedded within cross-functional "squads," each focused on specific product areas or strategic initiatives.

• This structure fosters close collaboration and shared ownership of product outcomes.

• The design team likely has a lead or manager who oversees the team's craft, processes, and professional development. Methodology:

• Data-informed product development and design decisions, leveraging qualitative and quantitative evidence.

• Agile and Lean methodologies for product development and design iteration.

• Emphasis on systems thinking and the strategic use of a design system to ensure consistency and scalability.

• Collaborative approach involving regular feedback loops, design critiques, and cross-functional workshops.

• Focus on user-centricity, with direct user research and validation integrated into the design process.

Company Website: https://career.spendesk.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Spendesk is presented as a fast-growing fintech company with a strong emphasis on product innovation, particularly in AI and automation. The culture appears to be collaborative, data-driven, and focused on user experience and efficiency. The "scale-up" environment suggests opportunities for impact and growth, but also the potential for rapid change.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a mid-level (3-5 years of experience) Product Designer, with strong potential for growth into a Senior Product Designer role. The responsibilities related to design system ownership and autonomy suggest a candidate who is ready to take on more complex challenges and potentially mentor junior designers.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Head of Design, while being embedded within a cross-functional Product Squad reporting functionally to the Product Manager of that squad.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer has a direct impact on the usability, efficiency, and adoption of Spendesk's platform. By designing intuitive and automated workflows, they directly contribute to increasing customer satisfaction, reducing operational friction for finance teams, and driving business growth through product adoption and retention. The focus on AI and automation also positions the role at the forefront of product innovation, influencing the future direction of financial operations technology.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in AI-assisted design, complex workflow design, and advanced design system strategy (governance, contribution models).

• Leadership Potential: Opportunities to mentor junior designers, lead design initiatives for key product areas, and contribute to the strategic direction of the design team and product roadmap.

• Industry Specialization: Develop deep knowledge in fintech, spend management, and procurement operations, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain extensive experience working with Product, Engineering, Data, and Marketing teams, understanding the broader business context.

• Design System Ownership: Grow into a lead role for the design system, influencing its adoption and evolution across the entire organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path for this role is clearly defined, moving from a mid-level individual contributor to a more senior or specialized role. The emphasis on design system ownership and AI/automation suggests specialized growth paths. The company's growth stage provides ample opportunities for advancement and increased responsibility.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Spendesk offers a hybrid work model, indicating a combination of in-office collaboration and remote work. The office is located in a modern co-working space ("Cloudworks El Born").

Office Location(s): Barcelona, Spain (Cloudworks El Born, 08003).

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model is designed to balance focused individual work with collaborative sessions in the office, fostering team cohesion and knowledge sharing.

• Tools & Technology: Access to modern design tools and technology stack necessary for product design, prototyping, and collaboration. The company's focus on AI and automation suggests a forward-thinking approach to technology adoption.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for frequent interaction with Product Managers, Engineers, and fellow designers within cross-functional squads and the broader design team. This promotes a dynamic and engaging work environment.

Work Schedule: A flexible hybrid schedule is provided, allowing for a balance between in-office days and remote work. This supports efficient workflow management and personal work-life integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the work environment is a key aspect, suggesting a need for strong self-management and communication skills. The co-working space location in Barcelona implies a vibrant, urban work setting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Step 1: Introductory Conversation: Initial screening with Talent Acquisition to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and career aspirations.

• Step 2: Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A dedicated session with the Hiring Manager to present your design portfolio, discuss your experience, and delve into your design philosophy and approach. This is a critical stage for showcasing your work and understanding your capabilities.

• Step 3: Collaborative Live Workshop: A practical, hands-on workshop designed to evaluate your thinking across key areas: product thinking, systems thinking, design systems, and cross-functional collaboration. Expect problem-solving exercises and design challenges.

• Step 4: Final Conversations: Interviews with Product and Design leadership to assess strategic alignment, leadership potential, and overall fit within the company's vision and culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 of your strongest end-to-end product design case studies that best represent your skills in interaction design, complex workflows, and ideally, design system contributions.

• Focus on Process & Impact: Clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process (research, ideation, iteration, validation), key decisions, and measurable outcomes/impact. Quantify results where possible.

• Highlight Design System Experience: Dedicate a section or case study to your experience with design systems, detailing your contributions to components, patterns, documentation, and governance. Show how you've driven adoption.

• Showcase Collaboration: Explain how you partnered with Product Managers and Engineers, demonstrating your ability to communicate effectively and navigate constraints.

• Prepare for Discussion: Be ready to discuss your design choices in depth, justify your rationale, and answer questions about your approach to AI/automation and complex financial workflows.

Challenge Preparation:

• Product Thinking: Practice framing problems, defining user needs, and aligning solutions with business goals.

• Systems Thinking: Be prepared to discuss how different parts of a system interact and how your designs fit into the larger ecosystem.

• Design Systems: Understand how to design, document, and govern reusable components and patterns for scalability and consistency.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Prepare examples of how you've worked effectively with engineering and product management, including how you've handled disagreements or technical limitations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to thoroughly assess a candidate's design skills, strategic thinking, and collaborative abilities. The emphasis on a portfolio presentation and a live workshop indicates a practical, skills-based evaluation. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just their design output but also their problem-solving process and strategic thinking.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, given industry trends and the focus on collaboration and design systems). Adobe Creative Suite may also be used for specific tasks.

• Design System Management: Tools for documenting and managing design system components and guidelines. This could be integrated within Figma or use dedicated platforms.

• Collaboration Tools: Slack, Jira, Confluence (common in tech environments for team communication and project management).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Tools for product analytics (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) to understand user behavior and measure design impact.

• Data visualization tools may be used to present findings. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly designing the CRM, understanding how product designs integrate with CRM functionalities and potentially automated workflows is beneficial. Familiarity with how Spendesk's platform automates financial processes is key.

• Experience with tools that facilitate design-to-code handoff or integration with front-end development pipelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Specific tools are not listed, but Figma is a very common tool for product designers, especially those working on design systems. The role's focus on AI and automation suggests an interest in how design integrates with sophisticated backend systems and data analytics for informed decision-making.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and solving user problems, ensuring products are intuitive and valuable.

• Collaboration: Valuing teamwork, open communication, and cross-functional partnership to achieve shared goals.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Using evidence, research, and analytics to inform design choices and measure impact.

• Efficiency & Automation: Striving to simplify complex processes and leverage technology (like AI) to enhance user productivity and business outcomes.

• Continuous Improvement: A mindset of ongoing learning, iteration, and refinement of both product experiences and design practices.

Collaboration Style:

• Embedded within Squads: Designers work as integral members of cross-functional teams, fostering close alignment with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Design System Advocates: Actively promoting the adoption and consistent use of the design system across teams.

• Knowledge Sharing: Engaging in design critiques, sharing best practices, and contributing to a culture of learning and mutual feedback.

• Transparent Communication: Openly discussing design rationale, challenges, and trade-offs with all stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes collaboration, data-driven decisions, and a strong focus on user experience and efficiency, particularly through AI and automation. The values align well with the core tenets of modern product design and operations.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complexity: Simplifying intricate financial and operational workflows for a diverse user base requires deep empathy and strategic design thinking.

• Balancing Design System Evolution and Feature Delivery: Managing the ongoing development of a comprehensive design system while simultaneously delivering new product features and improvements.

• Integrating AI/Automation Seamlessly: Designing user experiences that effectively leverage AI and automation without sacrificing user control, transparency, or trust.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent understanding and adoption of design principles and system standards across multiple engineering and product teams.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Training: Opportunities to deepen expertise in AI/ML applications in UX, advanced interaction design for complex systems, and comprehensive design system governance.

• Industry Engagement: Potential to attend relevant conferences (e.g., UX, Design Systems, Fintech) and pursue certifications.

• Mentorship: Access to experienced design leaders and the opportunity to mentor junior designers as your career progresses.

• Impactful Projects: Working on significant product initiatives that have a direct impact on Spendesk's growth and the financial operations landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a growing SaaS company in the fintech space, particularly those focusing on innovation like AI and automation. The growth opportunities are well-aligned with the role's responsibilities and career progression.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to simplify a highly complex workflow for a digital product. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your problem-solving, interaction design, and impact measurement.)

• "How do you approach balancing the needs of a growing design system with the demands of rapid feature development?" (Demonstrate your understanding of design system strategy, governance, and collaboration.)

• "Can you walk us through a design challenge where you had to integrate AI or automation into a user experience? What were the key considerations and trade-offs?" (Highlight your forward-thinking approach and ability to design for emerging technologies.)

• "How do you ensure your designs are accessible and inclusive for a diverse range of users?" (Showcase your commitment to ethical and user-centered design principles.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Spendesk and our mission to transform financial operations?" (Research Spendesk's product, market position, and recent news.)

• "How do you envision contributing to our design system and ensuring its adoption across teams?" (Relate your design system experience to their stated goals.)

• "Describe your ideal collaboration dynamic with Product Managers and Engineers." (Emphasize your teamwork and communication skills.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each case study as a narrative – the problem, your journey, the solution, and the impact.

• Visual Clarity: Use high-quality visuals, mockups, and prototypes. Clearly label stages of your process.

• Data & Metrics: Quantify the impact of your designs whenever possible (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction scores).

• Focus on "Why": Be prepared to explain the rationale behind every significant design decision you made.

• Design System Integration: If applicable, show how your product designs adhere to or contribute to the design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong grasp of product thinking, design systems, and collaborative problem-solving, especially within the context of fintech and AI/automation. The portfolio is central to the evaluation, so candidates must be able to articulate their work effectively.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Spendesk career page.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight relevant case studies demonstrating end-to-end design, design system contributions, and experience with complex workflows or AI-driven features.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 3+ years of experience, focusing on achievements in product design, interaction design, and design system development, using keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio and prepare thoughtful answers to strategy, company, and collaboration-focused questions. Rehearse your approach to problem-solving and design system thinking.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Spendesk's product, mission, values, and recent developments. Understand their position in the fintech market and their focus on AI and automation.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details, particularly regarding salary, benefits, and specific interview processes, should be verified directly with Spendesk's Talent Acquisition team before making application decisions.