Founding Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Founding Product Designer

Company: Ceno Group Inc.

Location: New York City, New York, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / Fintech Operations

Date Posted: July 13, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead end-to-end product design for a groundbreaking neobank targeting the US-to-Asia financial corridor, with an initial focus on a retail brokerage for US investors accessing Korean and Japanese equities.

• Define and execute the product vision, user experience, and visual design for a novel mobile-first platform, ensuring it is intuitive, trustworthy, and localized for target demographics.

• Establish the foundational design system, brand identity within the product, and a high-quality design bar for a regulated financial product.

• Drive critical user journeys such as onboarding, KYC, funding, and trading, focusing on minimizing friction and maximizing conversion rates for a data-driven business.

• Collaborate closely with executive leadership, engineering, and growth teams to translate business objectives into exceptional user experiences that build trust and drive adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is titled "Product Designer," the emphasis on building a regulated financial product, driving critical business metrics (onboarding, funding, trading), establishing design systems for scalable operations, and collaborating with compliance and legal teams indicates a strong intersection with operational excellence and GTM strategy enablement within the fintech space. The "Founding" aspect implies significant strategic input and ownership beyond typical design execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete mobile app user experience (iOS and Android), from information architecture and user flows to detailed interaction design and final visual polish, ensuring seamless execution from concept to shipped product.

• Design and optimize high-stakes onboarding, KYC, and funding flows, aiming to reduce drop-off rates and increase the number of funded accounts, directly impacting key business performance indicators.

• Develop intuitive and compelling trading and research surfaces for Korean and Japanese equities, including search, discovery, equity detail pages, order entry, portfolio views, and an AI-driven research feed.

• Build Ceno's inaugural design system, encompassing typography, color palettes, interactive components, iconography, and motion design, to ensure product consistency, scalability, and accelerated engineering velocity.

• Design clear, compliant, and trustworthy disclosures, risk messaging, fee structures, and transaction confirmations in partnership with legal counsel to meet FINRA and SEC regulatory requirements.

• Craft a cross-cultural and bilingual user experience that effectively presents Korean and Japanese market data and content to a US audience, with a specific focus on Korean-American and Japanese-American communities.

• Partner with the growth team to ensure brand consistency across marketing touchpoints and in-product experiences, contributing to App Store presence and launch campaigns.

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

• Set the design vision and hiring bar for the design function, and recruit the next 1-2 designers as the company scales post-launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a deep need for understanding financial product operations, regulatory compliance, and user acquisition funnels. The emphasis on "funded accounts," "friction reduction," and "conversion rates" points to a role that directly impacts revenue operations and go-to-market strategies. The "cross-cultural and bilingual UX" requirement suggests a nuanced approach to user segmentation and localization, critical for successful market entry.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 8 to 10+ years of experience in product design, with a significant focus on consumer mobile applications and end-to-end feature ownership from problem definition to shipped product.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated experience owning and shipping complex consumer mobile product flows across iOS and Android.

• Proven ability to create and maintain robust design systems, ensuring scalability and consistency.

• Expertise in interaction design, typography, layout, and meticulous attention to detail in states and visual polish.

• Fluency with design and prototyping tools, specifically Figma, for effective communication of design intent.

• Strong collaboration skills, with a demonstrated ability to work closely with engineers and ship designs into production faithfully, understanding technical constraints.

• A founder mentality: self-directed, proactive, able to set direction, move fast, and maintain a high quality bar without constant supervision.

• Ability to articulate design decisions and strategic thinking through a compelling portfolio. Preferred Skills:

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

• Korean and/or Japanese language proficiency, or deep familiarity with Korean-American/Japanese-American communities, with comfort in designing bilingual, cross-cultural user experiences.

• Experience designing products in entirely new categories with no established design patterns.

• Versatility in brand and visual identity design, capable of bridging product UI and brand expression.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Founder mentality" and "self-directed" requirements are crucial for a founding role, indicating an expectation for proactive problem-solving and strategic contribution beyond typical design tasks. The preference for fintech experience and cross-cultural UX expertise directly aligns with the company's specific market and product. The "Not the right fit" section strongly signals that this is an individual contributor role initially, focused on hands-on execution rather than management.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A walk-through of complex consumer mobile flows you have designed, clearly articulating the problem, your design process, the decisions made, and the resulting outcomes.

• Demonstrations of how you have built or significantly extended a design system, showcasing component libraries, design tokens, and their application across a product.

• Case studies highlighting your ability to design for regulated financial products, emphasizing clarity, trust, and compliance.

• Examples of your interaction design craft, including motion design, micro-interactions, and attention to states and edge cases.

• Evidence of collaborative workflows with engineers, including how you spec designs, provide assets, and ensure faithful implementation. Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you approach user research and usability testing to inform design decisions and iterate on product features.

• Documentation of your process for translating user needs and business requirements into tangible design solutions, from wireframes to high-fidelity prototypes.

• Demonstrations of how you use analytics data (funnel, session) to identify friction points and drive design improvements.

• Experience in establishing design quality standards and processes for a product.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "outcomes," "design systems," and "user research" points to a need for a portfolio that showcases not just aesthetic output but also strategic thinking and measurable impact. For a regulated financial product, demonstrating an understanding of compliance and trust-building in design is paramount. The requirement to "ship designs into production faithfully" suggests that process documentation should also cover collaboration with engineering and QA.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $125,000 - $200,000 USD per year. This range reflects the senior nature of the role, the "founding" aspect, and the high demand for experienced product designers in the competitive New York City tech and fintech market.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

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

• Flexible paid time off (PTO) policy.

• Opportunity to shape the product, culture, and future of a mission-driven fintech company.

• Professional development budget for conferences, courses, and learning resources.

• Direct collaboration with executive leadership and a chance to build a design practice from the ground up.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected to meet project deadlines and launch schedules, especially in a startup environment. While the role is on-site, there may be occasional flexibility for remote work as needed, though the primary expectation is in-office collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is typical for a senior or principal-level Product Designer in a high-cost-of-living area like New York City, especially for a founding role in a well-funded startup. The inclusion of stock options is a standard incentive for early-stage companies to attract and retain key talent. The note on working hours reflects the reality of a startup environment where dedication beyond standard hours might be necessary.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech / Neobanking / Brokerage Services. Ceno is entering a rapidly evolving financial technology landscape, aiming to disrupt traditional cross-border financial services by leveraging AI and direct market access. This industry demands innovation, rigorous compliance, and a strong focus on user trust.

Company Size: Seed-stage startup. As a founding team member, you will be integral to shaping the company's direction, culture, and operational processes from the ground up. This environment offers high impact and broad responsibility.

Founded: The company is in its early stages, meaning processes are still being defined, and there is a significant opportunity to influence how Ceno operates. This phase requires adaptability, a proactive approach, and a willingness to build systems from scratch.

Team Structure:

• You will be the first dedicated designer, reporting directly to the CEO.

• You will collaborate closely with the CTO and engineering team on product development.

• You will partner with the growth team on user acquisition and conversion strategies.

• As the company scales, you will be responsible for hiring and mentoring additional designers. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making, with a strong emphasis on user analytics and conversion funnels to inform product development and optimization.

• Agile development practices are implied, requiring rapid iteration and close collaboration between design, engineering, and growth.

• AI-native approach to backend operations and user research tools, suggesting a forward-thinking technological stack.

• Focus on building trust and clarity in a regulated environment, necessitating meticulous process and clear communication.

Company Website: https://ceno-group-inc.breezy.hr (Note: this appears to be an ATS link, not a direct company website)

📝 Enhancement Note: The "seed-stage startup" context is critical. It implies a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment where the founding designer must be hands-on, strategic, and comfortable with ambiguity. The direct reporting line to the CEO signifies high visibility and influence. The industry focus on fintech and regulation means design must be not only user-friendly but also compliant and trustworthy.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Founding" role, positioned at a senior individual contributor level with significant strategic influence. It represents an opportunity to establish and lead the design function within a nascent company. The scope extends beyond typical product design to include setting design vision, strategy, and team-building.

Reporting Structure: You will report directly to the CEO, providing a unique opportunity for high-level strategic input and direct impact on business direction. This close proximity to leadership will foster accelerated learning and professional development.

Operations Impact: The product design is the product itself, especially in a new category. Your work will directly influence user acquisition, conversion rates (funded accounts), customer trust, regulatory compliance, and ultimately, the company's success in capturing market share in the US-to-Asia financial corridor. Your designs will be instrumental in making complex financial actions feel accessible and ordinary.

Growth Opportunities:

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

• Product Strategy: Direct involvement in shaping the product roadmap and business strategy, influencing what Ceno builds and how it evolves.

• Fintech Specialization: Deep expertise development in designing for regulated financial products, cross-border transactions, and AI-driven financial services.

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Gain invaluable experience in a startup environment, understanding the full lifecycle of product development and business growth.

• Market Impact: Be at the forefront of a new market opportunity, creating the default way Americans invest in Asia.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Founding" title is key here, signifying a trajectory from individual contributor to potential design leader. The direct reporting to the CEO offers unparalleled visibility and influence, accelerating career growth far beyond a typical senior role. The impact on "user acquisition, conversion rates, and customer trust" directly ties design to core business operations and revenue generation.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is explicitly stated as "On-site," indicating a preference for in-person collaboration, which is common for founding teams in early-stage startups to foster strong team cohesion and rapid idea exchange.

Office Location(s): New York City, New York. This location places Ceno within a major global financial and technology hub, offering access to talent, investors, and a vibrant startup ecosystem.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a dynamic and fast-paced startup environment where close collaboration with the CEO, CTO, engineers, and growth team is essential for rapid iteration and problem-solving.

• Tooling: Access to industry-standard design tools like Figma will be provided, with the expectation of establishing and maintaining the broader design system and any supporting tools.

• Team Interaction: As the first designer, you will be a central figure in cross-functional discussions, influencing product direction and operational workflows through design thinking.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is mentioned, startup environments often require flexibility and a commitment that can extend beyond typical hours, especially during critical launch phases or for key milestones. The on-site expectation reinforces the need for availability and presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" requirement in a startup context emphasizes the need for hands-on, embedded collaboration. The New York City location suggests a demanding but rewarding environment with access to resources and talent crucial for fintech operations and growth.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess foundational skills and experience alignment. Be prepared to articulate your career trajectory and key achievements.

• Portfolio Walkthrough: A deep dive into your portfolio with the CEO and potentially other early team members. Focus on your design process, strategic decision-making, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss specific case studies related to complex consumer flows, design systems, and regulated products.

• Design Challenge/Workshop: You may be asked to participate in a design exercise or workshop, potentially involving problem-solving for a specific user journey (e.g., onboarding, trading) or a design system challenge. This will assess your on-the-spot thinking, craft, and collaboration style.

• Cultural Fit & Vision Discussion: Conversations to assess your "founder mentality," comfort with ambiguity, and alignment with Ceno's mission and values. Discussions about your vision for design at the company and your approach to building a team will be key.

• Final Rounds: Meetings with potential key stakeholders or advisors, and potentially a final discussion with the CEO to confirm alignment and offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio around narratives that highlight problem identification, your strategic approach, design execution, and quantifiable outcomes.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: For each case study, clearly demonstrate the "before" state (problem) and the "after" state (solution and impact). Use visuals, prototypes, and data to support your points.

• Focus on Process & Rationale: Explain why you made certain design decisions. Discuss trade-offs, constraints (technical, regulatory), and how you navigated them.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify the success of your designs whenever possible (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced drop-offs, improved user satisfaction).

• Demonstrate Craft: Showcase your attention to detail in interaction design, typography, layout, and states. Ensure your prototypes are clear and effectively communicate your intended user experience.

• Address Regulatory Context: If you have fintech or regulated product experience, explicitly discuss how you incorporated compliance and trust-building into your designs.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research the fintech landscape, neobanks, cross-border payments, and equity brokerage. Familiarize yourself with concepts like KYC, AML, FINRA/SEC regulations, and FX.

• Embrace Ambiguity: Be comfortable working with incomplete information and defining problems as you go.

• Think Strategically: Connect design solutions to business objectives, user needs, and operational efficiency.

• Articulate Your Process: Be ready to explain your thinking process clearly and concisely, even under pressure.

• Focus on Core User Journeys: Anticipate challenges related to onboarding, funding, and trading, as these are central to Ceno's business model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "founder mentality," "strategic decision-making," and "quantifiable outcomes" in the interview process indicates that candidates will be evaluated not just on design skills but also on their business acumen and ability to drive results in a startup environment. The specific mention of "regulatory context" and "trust-building" for fintech is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for interface design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is a must.

• Prototyping Tools (within Figma or standalone): Essential for communicating interaction design intent, user flows, and motion.

• Design System Management Tools: Experience with or ability to establish tools for managing design tokens, components, and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/Mobile Analytics Platforms (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics): Ability to interpret user behavior data (funnel analysis, session recordings) to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Data Visualization Tools: While not explicitly mentioned, familiarity with how design data is presented and used by business stakeholders is beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of CRM principles: While not directly a CRM role, understanding how user data flows from acquired users into CRM systems (even if indirectly) is helpful.

• Collaboration Tools: Proficiency with tools like Slack, Jira, Confluence for seamless communication and workflow management with engineering and growth teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma highlights its centrality. The emphasis on analytics and interpretation points to a data-informed design approach, crucial for optimizing conversion funnels and operational efficiency in a fintech context.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of US investors looking to access Asian markets, with a particular focus on localization and ease of use.

• Integrity & Trust: Paramount in a regulated financial services environment. Designs must instill confidence and ensure clarity in all communications regarding money, investments, and compliance.

• Innovation & Agility: A drive to build a novel product in a rapidly evolving market, requiring continuous learning, experimentation, and rapid iteration.

• Data-Driven Excellence: Using analytics and user feedback to inform design decisions, optimize processes, and measure the impact of design on business outcomes.

• Collaboration & Ownership: A culture where team members take initiative, collaborate effectively across functions, and feel a strong sense of ownership over the product and company success.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Partnership: Expect close, integrated collaboration with engineering, product leadership (CEO), and growth teams. Design is not a silo but an integral part of the product development lifecycle.

• Transparent Communication: Open dialogue and feedback loops are essential for navigating the challenges of a startup and ensuring alignment on design and product strategy.

• Iterative Process: A willingness to embrace feedback, iterate quickly, and adapt designs based on learnings and evolving business needs.

• Shared Vision: Working collectively towards the company's mission of simplifying global investing and building a trusted financial ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values emphasize the critical balance between innovation and regulatory compliance in fintech, and the need for a highly collaborative, ownership-driven culture essential for a founding team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building from Scratch: Establishing a design function, design system, and brand identity for a new company requires immense initiative and creativity.

• Navigating Regulation: Designing within strict FINRA and SEC guidelines while maintaining a delightful user experience is a significant challenge that requires careful balance and attention to detail.

• Cross-Cultural UX: Effectively designing for a US audience while presenting Korean and Japanese market data and content requires deep empathy and nuanced understanding.

• Defining a New Category: Creating a product in a space with few established patterns means significant user education and trust-building are required through design.

• Startup Pace: Working in a fast-paced, resource-constrained environment demands adaptability, resilience, and efficient prioritization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Influence: Direct impact on product strategy and business direction, offering unparalleled learning in entrepreneurship and executive decision-making.

• Fintech Expertise: Deep dive into the complexities of financial products, regulatory environments, and cross-border financial operations.

• Design Leadership Development: Opportunity to shape and grow the design team, learning management and mentorship skills.

• Cutting-Edge Technology: Working with AI-native backend systems and pioneering new ways to access global markets.

• Industry Exposure: Potential to attend relevant fintech conferences and engage with the broader startup community.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the demanding nature of a founding role, particularly in a regulated industry. The growth opportunities underscore the significant potential for professional advancement and specialized skill development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a highly regulated industry. What were the key challenges, and how did you ensure compliance while creating a good user experience?" (Focus on your process for balancing regulation and usability; mention specific examples of disclosures or risk communication.)

• "How would you approach designing the onboarding flow for a new user who has never invested in international markets before? What are the critical steps and potential friction points?" (Think about KYC, funding, and initial user education; emphasize clarity, trust, and ease of use.)

• "Walk us through your process for creating a design system from scratch. What are the essential components, and how do you ensure its adoption and maintenance by engineering?" (Highlight your methodology for defining foundational elements, components, and collaboration with developers.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Ceno's mission and the specific challenge of building a neobank for the US-Asia corridor?" (Show you've researched the company and understand its market opportunity and challenges.)

• "How do you approach working in a fast-paced, ambiguous startup environment where you might be the sole designer initially?" (Emphasize your proactive, self-directed approach and comfort with ambiguity.)

• "How will you ensure your designs build trust with users handling their money, especially when dealing with unfamiliar markets and currencies?" (Discuss your strategies for clear communication, transparency, and visual design that instills confidence.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio around 2-3 key case studies that best represent your skills for this role (e.g., complex consumer flow, design system build, fintech product).

• Narrative Flow: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role and process, key decisions and rationale, challenges overcome, and the measurable outcomes.

• Visual Clarity: Use high-quality visuals, interactive prototypes (if possible), and concise explanations. Avoid overwhelming detail; focus on the most impactful aspects.

• Highlight Collaboration: Mention how you worked with engineers, product managers (or CEO/CTO in this case), and other stakeholders.

• Address the "Why": Be prepared to defend your design choices and articulate the strategic thinking behind them. Demonstrate how your designs solved specific business or user problems.

• Showcase Craftsmanship: Pay attention to the details in your presentation itself – clear typography, consistent branding, and smooth transitions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The question examples are tailored to assess critical skills for this role: regulatory design, complex user journey optimization, design system development, startup fit, and trust-building in fintech. The portfolio advice emphasizes demonstrating strategic impact and clear communication.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Breezy HR link: https://ceno-group-inc.breezy.hr/p/c242b2e9d5d7-founding-product-designer

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your 8-10+ years of experience in consumer mobile product design, specifically mentioning any fintech, brokerage, or regulated product experience. Use keywords from the job description such as "design system," "onboarding flows," "KYC," "trading surfaces," and "cross-cultural UX." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that best align with the requirements: complex consumer flows, design system creation, and ideally, experience with regulated products or complex financial transactions. Ensure each case study clearly articulates the problem, your process, design rationale, and measurable outcomes. Be prepared to present these virtually or in person.

• Prepare for the Interview: Research Ceno Group Inc., its mission, and the US-to-Asia fintech market. Practice articulating your design philosophy, strategic decision-making process, and how you would approach building a design function from scratch within a startup environment. Prepare specific examples for common interview questions related to regulated design and complex user journeys.

• Understand the Business Context: Familiarize yourself with key fintech concepts like KYC, AML, FX, and the regulatory landscape (FINRA/SEC). This will enable you to engage in more informed discussions about product strategy and design challenges.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.