Founding Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Founding Product Designer

Company: Ceno Group Inc.

Location: New York, NY, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design (Fintech/Neobank)

Date Posted: July 30, 2026

Experience Level: Senior (8-10+ years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead end-to-end product design for a novel neobank targeting the US-to-Asia financial corridor, focusing on a direct-access brokerage for US investors in Korean and Japanese equities.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive design system from inception, ensuring scalability, consistency, and a high-quality user experience across mobile platforms (iOS and Android).

• Own the critical user journeys of onboarding, KYC, funding, and the initial trade execution, with a direct impact on key business metrics like funded accounts.

• Design intuitive and trustworthy trading and research surfaces that demystify foreign markets and present complex financial data (Korean and Japanese equities, filings, news) in a native, accessible format for a US audience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is explicitly for a "Founding Product Designer," indicating a high degree of autonomy, ownership, and responsibility for establishing the design function from scratch. The emphasis on "setting the vision and pushing the pixels" and "building Ceno's first design system" highlights the individual contributor nature of the role, especially in the initial 12 months. The "founder mentality" requirement further underscores the need for proactive, self-directed work.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the complete mobile app experience design for both iOS and Android, encompassing information architecture, interaction design, visual polish, and motion.

• Design and optimize the highest-stakes user flows: account creation, identity verification (KYC), bank linking and funding, and the crucial first trade, aiming to minimize friction and drop-offs.

• Develop user interfaces for browsing, evaluating, and trading Korean and Japanese equities, including search and discovery mechanisms, detailed equity pages, order entry/confirmation flows, and portfolio/position tracking.

• Conceptualize and build the foundational design system, including typography, color palettes, UI components, iconography, and motion principles, to ensure product consistency and enable rapid engineering development.

• Design clear, compliant, and trustworthy communication for disclosures, risk messaging, fees, FX rates, and confirmations, working in conjunction with legal counsel to adhere to FINRA/SEC regulations.

• Create a seamless cross-cultural and bilingual user experience, particularly for presenting Korean and Japanese financial data and content to a US-based audience, with an initial focus on Korean-American and Japanese-American investors.

• Collaborate with the growth team to align brand identity within the product, including App Store presence and launch moments, ensuring a cohesive brand experience from marketing touchpoints to the in-app interface.

• Conduct lightweight user research, usability testing, and analyze funnel/session analytics to inform iterative design improvements and product enhancements.

• Establish the design vision and hiring criteria, with the objective of recruiting the next 1-2 designers as the company scales post-launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are heavily weighted towards hands-on execution and foundational system building, aligning with the "founding" aspect of the role. The explicit mention of "design disclosures, risk messaging, fees, FX rates, and confirmations" and working with "US counsel so what ships stay within FINRA/SEC rules" indicates a significant focus on regulatory compliance within the design process, a critical aspect of fintech.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a background in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field is typically expected for senior product design roles.

Experience: 8 to 10+ years of dedicated product design experience, with a demonstrable track record in consumer mobile product development. Proven experience owning features end-to-end, from problem identification through to shipped product.

Required Skills:

• Extensive experience in end-to-end product design for consumer-facing mobile applications (iOS and Android).

• Proven ability to design and implement robust design systems, including component libraries, style guides, and best practices.

• High proficiency in design and prototyping tools, specifically Figma.

• Strong understanding of interaction design principles, information architecture, typography, layout, and visual design craft.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with engineers, understand technical constraints, and spec designs for faithful production implementation.

• A "founder mentality": self-directed, proactive, capable of setting direction, and maintaining high quality standards with minimal oversight.

• Experience conducting user research and usability testing to inform design decisions and iterate on product features. Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience designing products within the fintech, brokerage, banking, cryptocurrency, or investment sectors.

• Proficiency or deep familiarity with Korean and/or Japanese languages, or a strong understanding of Korean-American/Japanese-American communities, with experience designing bilingual or cross-cultural user experiences.

• Experience designing for entirely new product categories where established design patterns are scarce.

• Ability to contribute to brand and visual identity development, bridging product UI and broader brand expression.

• Familiarity with financial marketing and disclosure regulations, or a strong aptitude for quickly learning and applying these rules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "8 to 10+ years" and "complex consumer flows" suggests a need for seasoned designers who can handle significant ambiguity and drive foundational work. The "founder mentality" is a key cultural and operational requirement, signaling a need for someone comfortable with high levels of ownership and scrappiness typical of early-stage startups.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design processes for complex consumer mobile applications.

• Detailed case studies demonstrating how you identified user problems, defined solutions, made design decisions (explaining the rationale), and the tangible outcomes achieved.

• Examples of your contribution to the design system, including its evolution, component usage, and impact on product consistency and development speed.

• Prototypes and interactive designs that clearly communicate user flows, interactions, and visual intent.

• Evidence of collaboration with engineering teams and how technical constraints were addressed. Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly outline the design process followed, from discovery and research through to implementation and iteration.

• Showcase how user feedback and data analytics were incorporated to refine designs and improve user experience metrics.

• Demonstrate a structured approach to problem-solving, workflow design, and the creation of intuitive user interfaces for financial products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description explicitly states, "A portfolio you can walk us through: complex consumer flows you designed, the decisions you made, and the outcomes. We care more about how you think than how many screens you can show." This indicates a strong focus on the thought process, decision-making, and impact demonstration within the portfolio, rather than just a collection of polished visuals.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $125,000 - $200,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Equity in a seed-stage startup with significant growth potential.

• Health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Opportunity to build and lead the design function for a groundbreaking fintech product.

• Direct collaboration with the founding team and a high degree of autonomy.

• Potential for significant career growth as the company scales.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with the understanding that startup environments may require flexibility and dedication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided as $125,000 to $200,000 annually. This is a competitive range for a senior/founding product designer role in a high-cost-of-living area like New York City, especially within the fintech sector. The inclusion of equity is a standard and attractive component for early-stage startup roles, reflecting the high impact and risk associated with founding team positions.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech, Neobanking, Retail Brokerage, AI-Native Technology. Ceno is disrupting the US-to-Asia financial corridor by offering a unified account for investing in global equities and managing multi-currency finances.

Company Size: Seed-stage startup. This implies a small, agile, and highly collaborative team environment where each member's contribution is critical.

Founded: The company is in its early stages, with the founding team being built now. This suggests a dynamic, fast-paced, and entrepreneurial culture focused on rapid innovation and market penetration.

Team Structure:

• As a founding team member, the Product Designer will work directly with the CEO and CTO.

• Collaboration will be cross-functional, involving engineering, growth, and potentially legal/compliance teams.

• The design team is currently nonexistent, with the hired designer responsible for building it out. Methodology:

• AI-native and agentic backend to handle complex financial operations like FX, custody, KYC, and tax reporting.

• Focus on "true localization" – making unfamiliar global equity trading feel native and seamless for US investors.

• Data-driven iteration, utilizing user research, funnel analysis, and session analytics.

• Agile development processes to facilitate rapid prototyping, shipping, and learning.

Company Website: https://ceno-group-inc.breezy.hr (This appears to be the ATS portal, not a public-facing company website.)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company is positioning itself as an AI-native fintech disruptor. The "AI-native, agentic back end" suggests a modern technology stack and an innovative approach to operational efficiency. The "AAPI community is our beachhead; US retail is the market" indicates a strategic go-to-market approach, leveraging specific cultural demographics for initial traction.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Founding Product Designer" role, placing it at a very senior individual contributor level. It's the genesis of the design function within the company, implying a significant leadership opportunity in shaping design strategy, processes, and future hires. The role requires a blend of strategic vision and hands-on execution.

Reporting Structure: The designer will report directly to the CEO and work in close partnership with the CTO. This direct access to leadership is typical of early-stage startups and offers high visibility.

Operations Impact: The role's impact is paramount, as the product's interface and user experience are described as "the product" itself. Success in design directly translates to user acquisition (onboarding), engagement (trading/research), trust (regulatory compliance), and ultimately, business viability. The designer is instrumental in defining the core value proposition and user trust.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Opportunity to build and lead a design team from the ground up, setting the hiring bar and establishing the design culture.

• Strategic Influence: Direct involvement in product strategy and roadmap, influencing the direction of a novel fintech product.

• Skill Development: Gaining deep expertise in fintech product design, cross-cultural UX, regulatory compliance, and working with AI-driven financial technologies.

• Equity Ownership: Significant potential for financial upside through equity in a high-growth startup.

• Category Creation: Being part of a team that aims to create a new category in global equity investing for retail investors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is framed as a "founding team seat with full ownership." This indicates that while the initial focus is individual contribution, the trajectory includes building and leading the design function, offering a clear path to design leadership within the company. The emphasis on "setting the vision" and "hiring the next 1 to 2 designers" solidifies this growth potential.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job is listed as "On-site" with a primary location in New York, NY. This suggests a traditional office-based work environment, which is common for early-stage startups needing close collaboration.

Office Location(s): New York, NY. This implies working within a major financial and tech hub, offering access to talent and industry networks.

Workspace Context:

• A highly collaborative environment where close interaction with the CEO, CTO, and engineering teams is expected.

• Access to modern design tools (Figma is explicitly mentioned) and the opportunity to shape the technology stack and design infrastructure.

• The environment will likely be fast-paced, dynamic, and require adaptability, typical of a seed-stage company.

Work Schedule: While listed as full-time (approx. 40 hours/week), startup environments often demand flexibility and a willingness to go the extra mile to meet critical deadlines, especially during the founding and launch phases.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" designation is a key indicator of the expected work environment. For a founding role in a seed-stage company, being physically present is often crucial for fostering team cohesion, rapid ideation, and efficient problem-solving.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, craft, and alignment with the "founder mentality."

• Portfolio Walkthrough: A deep dive into selected case studies, focusing on your thought process, decision-making rationale, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your designs. Expect to discuss complex consumer flows and design system contributions.

• Founder/CEO Interview: Discussion about your vision for product design at Ceno, your approach to building a design function, and cultural fit.

• CTO/Engineering Interview: Assessment of your collaboration skills with engineers, understanding of technical constraints, and ability to spec designs effectively.

• Potential Final Round: May involve a design challenge or further discussion on strategic product direction.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Process, Not Just Pixels: Clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your research methodology, design iterations, and the metrics that demonstrate success or learning.

• Highlight Decision-Making: Be prepared to defend your design choices with logical reasoning and data. Explain why you chose a particular solution over others.

• Showcase Impact: Quantify the outcomes of your work whenever possible (e.g., "reduced onboarding drop-off by X%", "increased conversion by Y%").

• Demonstrate Design System Expertise: Include examples of design system components, their usage, and how they contribute to efficiency and consistency.

• Emphasize Collaboration: Show how you worked with stakeholders (engineers, product managers, etc.) and managed feedback.

• Tailor to Fintech/Neobanking: If you have relevant experience, highlight how you've designed for trust, security, regulatory compliance, and complex financial data.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready for a potential design exercise that mirrors real-world challenges, such as designing a critical onboarding flow or a trading interface element.

• Focus on rapid ideation, clear communication of your thought process, and presenting a well-reasoned solution within a limited timeframe.

• Practice articulating your design strategy and how it aligns with business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "how you think" and "decisions you made" in the portfolio review suggests that candidates should be prepared to go beyond surface-level presentations and engage in deep, analytical discussions about their design process and strategic thinking.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as the required design tool for creating user interfaces, prototypes, and design systems. Proficiency is a must.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma has robust prototyping capabilities, familiarity with other tools for more complex or specific prototyping needs might be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Funnel Analysis Tools: Experience with tools used to track user journeys and identify drop-off points (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics).

• Session Recording Tools: Familiarity with tools that record user sessions to observe behavior and identify usability issues (e.g., Hotjar, FullStory).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not directly a design tool, understanding how user data flows from design-driven acquisition channels (like App Store) into CRM systems is advantageous.

• Project Management Tools: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for managing design tasks and collaborating with