Founding Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Founding Product Designer

Company: Murphy AI

Location: Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations Enablement

Date Posted: 2026-08-09T07:23:37

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end product design strategy for an AI-powered debt collection platform, focusing on user experience and interface design.

• Develop and own a comprehensive design system to ensure product consistency and high-craft interfaces across all user touchpoints.

• Transform complex internal tools and a service-based offering into a unified, user-friendly product that drives customer adoption and satisfaction.

• Leverage AI-native design principles and rapid prototyping to iterate on solutions and enhance the efficiency of the product development lifecycle.

• Drive product innovation in the fintech and AI space, contributing directly to the company's strategic vision and market leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is primarily a Product Designer position, its "founding" nature and the focus on transforming internal tools into a user-loved product, alongside the AI-native and self-service aspects, strongly align with GTM Operations Enablement principles. The designer will be instrumental in building the tools and interfaces that Sales and Customer Success teams will use to manage AI agents and configure client solutions, directly impacting go-to-market efficiency and scalability. The emphasis on "owning the craft" and "turning a service into a product" highlights a deep involvement in defining how the product functions operationally for clients and internal teams.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Architect, build, and maintain the company's design system, setting the standard for all product interfaces and user experiences.

• Conceptualize and design intuitive user interfaces for complex B2B applications, including back-office, front-office, and agent configuration tools.

• Translate intricate workflows, such as agent configuration and live call monitoring, into simple, elegant, and actionable UX.

• Design self-service product features that empower customers to set up and manage their own AI agents, reducing reliance on engineering hand-configuration.

• Utilize AI tools for rapid prototyping and iterative design, aiming to outpace traditional development cycles and enhance design velocity.

• Conduct in-depth user research and problem-solving to identify root causes of user friction and design effective, elegant solutions.

• Collaborate closely with engineering, product management, and GTM teams to ensure design solutions are technically feasible and strategically aligned with business objectives.

• Champion user-centric design principles throughout the organization, advocating for the needs of enterprise users and debtors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a hands-on, "build-it-yourself" approach common in early-stage startups, especially for founding roles. The "prototype with AI" and "turn a service into a product" points suggest a need for a designer comfortable with rapid iteration, potentially involving low-code/no-code tools or even light coding, to quickly validate concepts and deliver functional prototypes that mimic real-world application. This goes beyond traditional UI/UX and touches on operational enablement.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: 5-10 years of experience in product design, with a strong focus on taking products from 0 to 1 and shipping high-craft interfaces. Proven experience in B2B product design and desktop web applications is essential.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Leadership: Demonstrated ability to own and drive the entire product design lifecycle, from conceptualization to implementation.

• Design Systems Expertise: Proven experience in building, maintaining, and scaling robust design systems.

• UX/UI Design: Exceptional skills in creating intuitive, user-friendly interfaces for complex desktop web applications.

• Prototyping Proficiency: Advanced ability to create high-fidelity and interactive prototypes, ideally with experience using AI for design acceleration.

• B2B Design Acumen: Deep understanding of designing for enterprise users, translating complex business needs into elegant user experiences.

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a knack for identifying and addressing root causes of user issues.

• Quality & Craftsmanship: A rigorous approach to quality and attention to detail, ensuring polished and high-impact final products.

• AI-Native Mindset: Comfort and proficiency in leveraging AI tools and technologies within the design process.

Preferred Skills:

• Founding Team Experience: Previous experience as a founding designer or in a similar early-stage startup role.

• Fintech or Collections Domain Knowledge: Familiarity with the financial services, debt collection, or regulatory compliance landscape.

• User Research: Experience conducting user research, usability testing, and incorporating feedback into design iterations.

• Front-end Development Skills: Basic understanding or experience with front-end development (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to facilitate prototyping and collaboration with engineers.

• Workflow Automation Design: Experience in designing systems that automate complex business processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "a designer who builds" and "prototype with AI" strongly suggests a candidate who is not just a visual designer but also a problem-solver and builder. The emphasis on "AI-native" implies a proactive approach to incorporating AI into their workflow, not just designing for AI products. The "desktop web" experience is critical given the nature of B2B enterprise tools.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• 0-to-1 Product Case Studies: Showcase at least 2-3 comprehensive case studies detailing your journey in taking a product from concept to launch, highlighting your role, process, and impact.

• Design System Development: Include examples demonstrating your experience in building and scaling a design system, with clear articulation of its components and benefits.

• Complex B2B UX Solutions: Present case studies that illustrate your ability to simplify complex enterprise workflows and user needs into elegant, user-friendly interfaces.

• AI-Driven Design/Prototyping: If possible, include examples of how you've leveraged AI tools or designed for AI-powered products, or how you've rapidly prototyped solutions.

• Outcome-Oriented Projects: Demonstrate projects where your design contributions led to measurable business outcomes (e.g., increased user adoption, reduced support tickets, improved efficiency).

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your design process within your case studies, detailing user research methodologies, ideation techniques, prototyping tools, and iteration strategies.

• Explain how you manage design feedback, collaborate with cross-functional teams (engineering, product), and ensure quality control throughout the development cycle.

• Showcase your approach to translating business requirements into functional design specifications and user stories.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "founding" role, the portfolio needs to demonstrate not just design skill but also strategic thinking, ownership, and the ability to build from scratch. The emphasis on "shipping real, high-craft interfaces" means the portfolio should showcase polished, well-executed designs, not just wireframes. The "AI-native" aspect suggests looking for examples of how technology was integrated to improve the design process or the final product.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the "top of the benchmark" statement and the seniority of a "Founding Product Designer" role in a well-funded startup in Barcelona, a competitive salary range can be estimated. For a designer with 5-10 years of experience in a major European tech hub like Barcelona, the gross annual salary could range from €65,000 to €90,000, depending on exact experience and the company's specific compensation philosophy.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: Positioned at the top of industry benchmarks for similar roles and experience levels.

• Fair Equity: Significant stock options with substantial upside potential, reflecting the early-stage nature of the company.

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness:

  • Nora Foods Partnership: 50% subsidy on daily healthy meals, promoting well-being and convenience.
  • Cobee Card: Flexible compensation for transport and restaurants, enhancing net salary benefits.
  • Panot E-bike Subscription: 50% subsidy for e-bike subscriptions, encouraging sustainable and healthy commuting.

• Work-Life Integration:

  • Hybrid & Flexible Work Model: 3 days in the Barcelona office, 2 days remote, with a high degree of trust and autonomy in managing work schedules.

• Professional Development: Direct attention from the founding team, providing unparalleled learning and mentorship opportunities.

• Impactful Role: The chance to shape a category-defining product in a large, growing market.

Working Hours: While a standard full-time role (approximately 40 hours per week) is implied, the company emphasizes flexibility, allowing individuals to organize their time and space to achieve optimal productivity. This means while core hours might exist for collaboration, there's likely latitude for personal schedule management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior product designers in major European cities, adjusted for a startup environment with significant equity. The benefits package is detailed and reflects a modern startup's focus on employee well-being, flexibility, and growth. The "top of the benchmark" statement indicates a premium offering.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Fintech, Debt Collection, SaaS. Murphy AI operates at the intersection of cutting-edge AI technology and the established financial services sector, specifically addressing the critical need for efficient and compliant debt recovery. The company is disrupting a large, traditional market with innovative technology.

Company Size: As a fast-growing startup, Murphy AI is likely in the early to growth stage, potentially ranging from 20-50 employees, with a core team focused on product development, engineering, sales, and operations. This size offers the benefits of a close-knit team with significant individual impact.

Founded: Founded recently (implied by "fast-growing startup" and "less than a year in the market"), Murphy AI is in a dynamic phase, rapidly scaling its operations and product offerings. This suggests a culture of agility, innovation, and rapid execution.

Team Structure:

• The design function is likely integrated within the product and engineering teams, with the Founding Product Designer potentially being the first dedicated design hire or leading a nascent design function.

• Close collaboration with founders, engineering leads, and product managers is expected.

• Cross-functional collaboration with Sales, Customer Success, and Marketing is crucial for translating user needs and market feedback into product improvements. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Product Development: The emphasis on AI and performance metrics suggests a strong reliance on data to inform product decisions, iterate on features, and measure success.

• Agile & Iterative Design: The "prototype with AI," "ship them, and iterate" approach points to an agile development methodology with rapid feedback loops.

• User-Centric Design: Despite the technical focus, the role's core is to create a "product people love," indicating a commitment to understanding and serving user needs.

• Outcome-Focused Execution: The company values ownership and achieving results, meaning processes are geared towards delivering tangible impact.

Company Website: https://careers.getmurphy.ai

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on AI and Fintech within debt collection presents a unique market opportunity. The "founding" nature of the role implies a startup environment where individuals have significant influence and responsibility, but also require a high degree of adaptability and self-direction. The mention of Santander, Revolut, and BBVA as clients indicates significant traction and validation in a highly regulated industry.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Founding Product Designer," indicating a senior, lead-level position with significant ownership and strategic input. It's a critical early hire responsible for establishing the design foundation of the company's product. The scope extends beyond typical product design to influencing how the product functions operationally for clients and internal teams.

Reporting Structure: The Founding Product Designer will likely report directly to a Head of Product, CTO, or one of the Founders, given the early-stage nature of the company. This direct line of communication ensures high visibility and influence.

Operations Impact: The designer's impact is profound:

• Product Adoption & Retention: By creating a user-friendly and effective product, they directly influence customer satisfaction, retention, and expansion.

• GTM Efficiency: Designing intuitive tools for configuring and managing AI agents empowers sales and customer success teams, streamlining onboarding and support processes.

• Scalability: A robust design system and self-service features are critical for scaling the business without proportional increases in engineering or support headcount.

• Market Differentiation: A superior user experience can be a key differentiator in a competitive AI and fintech landscape.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: As the company grows, the opportunity to build and lead a design team, establish design processes, and mentor junior designers.

• Strategic Influence: Direct involvement in product strategy, roadmap planning, and company vision, with the potential to shape the future of AI in financial services.

• Domain Expertise: Deep dive into the complex and lucrative fintech and debt collection sectors, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Career Advancement: Potential to move into Head of Design, VP of Product, or other leadership roles as the company scales.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Founding" title signifies a high-impact, high-ownership role with significant potential for career acceleration. The candidate will be instrumental in shaping both the product and the company's design culture, offering a unique opportunity for growth beyond just design execution.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company offers a hybrid work model, combining in-office collaboration with remote flexibility. The office is located in Poblenou, Barcelona, a vibrant tech hub known for its innovation and startup ecosystem. This environment is designed to foster collaboration and community while respecting individual work preferences.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located at Carrer de Pamplona, 96, Barcelona, 08018, Spain, in the Poblenou district. This area is known for its dynamic tech scene, providing access to networking opportunities and a lively urban atmosphere.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office serves as a central point for team interaction, brainstorming, and building company culture, with 3 days per week dedicated to in-person work.

• Tech-Enabled: Expected to have modern office infrastructure and access to necessary tools and technology to support design and development work.

• Community & Networking: Being in Poblenou offers proximity to other tech companies, co-working spaces, and industry events, fostering a connected work environment.

• Flexibility: The 2 days of remote work per week acknowledge the importance of focused work and personal well-being, allowing for a balanced approach.

Work Schedule: The default setup is hybrid (3 days office, 2 days remote), but the company emphasizes flexibility. Employees are trusted to organize their time and space to do their best work, suggesting a results-oriented culture that values autonomy and output over strict adherence to traditional schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with a strong emphasis on flexibility is a key perk. The location in Poblenou is a significant draw for tech professionals, offering a modern and dynamic work environment. The company's trust-based approach to scheduling indicates a mature and employee-focused culture.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• 1️⃣ First Interview – Getting to Know You: An informal conversation with a future teammate to discuss your background, motivations, and career aspirations. Focus on genuine connection and understanding your fit.

• 2️⃣ Second Interview – Deep Dive: A more technical discussion with the Hiring Manager and potentially another team member. Expect to explore your design skills, problem-solving approaches, and discuss real-world scenarios.

• 3️⃣ Tech Assessment or Business Case: A practical, take-home exercise designed to assess your ability to tackle realistic challenges. This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your thinking process, problem-solving skills, and design execution without time pressure.

• 4️⃣ Call with the Founders: A final conversation with the company's founders, providing a chance for you to learn about the company's vision and direction, and for them to assess your alignment with the company's core values and strategic goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Impact: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that best demonstrate your ability to take a product from 0 to 1, build design systems, and solve complex B2B UX challenges.

• Highlight Ownership & Process: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, the design process you followed, and the rationale behind your decisions. Emphasize how you identified problems and drove solutions.

• Showcase Craftsmanship: Ensure your portfolio presents polished, high-quality designs and interfaces. This is crucial for a "high-craft" role.

• Quantify Results: Where possible, include metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the impact of your design work (e.g., improved conversion rates, user satisfaction scores, efficiency gains).

• Address AI & B2B: If you have experience designing for AI products or complex B2B applications, make sure these are prominently featured. If not, explain how your transferable skills apply.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with AI voice agents, debt collection processes, and the fintech industry. While domain knowledge isn't mandatory, understanding the context will be beneficial.

• Focus on Problem-Solving: The assessment will likely test your ability to dissect a complex problem, define requirements, and propose a well-reasoned design solution. Think about user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.

• Showcase Your Process: Be prepared to walk through your thought process, explaining why you made certain design choices and how you would iterate on the solution.

• AI Integration: Consider how AI could be leveraged within the problem you're solving, both for the end-user and potentially within the design/development process itself.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess both technical design skills and cultural fit. The "Tech Assessment or Business Case" is a key stage where candidates can truly showcase their problem-solving abilities and design thinking. Emphasizing the "0-to-1" and "high-craft" aspects in portfolio selection is critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, or similar. Given the emphasis on rapid prototyping and AI, tools that facilitate quick iteration and potentially AI-assisted design or prototyping (e.g., Framer, or integrations with AI design tools) would be highly advantageous.

• Design System Management: Experience with tools or methodologies for managing and scaling design systems (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook, or internal documentation platforms).

• Collaboration Tools: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Confluence, Asana, or Trello for project management and workflow tracking.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Pendo to understand user behavior and product performance.

• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for interpreting data and communicating insights.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a direct user, understanding the role and data flow of CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) can be beneficial for B2B product design.

• Workflow Automation Concepts: An understanding of how business processes can be automated, relevant to designing self-service and agent configuration tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools aren't listed, the requirements for design systems, rapid prototyping, and AI-native design suggest a modern, fast-paced tech stack. A candidate comfortable with Figma and its plugin ecosystem, or exploring emerging AI design tools, would be well-positioned. The emphasis on data-driven design implies the need to work with analytics platforms.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ownership & Accountability: Taking full responsibility for outcomes and driving projects to completion with a "never settle" attitude.

• High Craftsmanship & Quality: A relentless pursuit of excellence in design, ensuring polished, impactful, and user-loved products.

• AI-Native & Efficiency: Embracing AI and automation as default tools to streamline processes and enhance productivity, while rigorously controlling quality.

• User-Centricity: Deeply understanding and prioritizing the needs of enterprise users and debtors to create elegant and effective solutions.

• Agility & Speed: Operating with speed and adaptability in a fast-paced startup environment, iterating rapidly and delivering value quickly.

• Collaboration & Directness: Working closely with cross-functional teams with open communication and a focus on collective success.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The designer will work intimately with engineering, product management, and founders, requiring strong communication and collaboration skills.

• Feedback-Driven: An open culture for feedback exchange, with the expectation that designs will be iterated upon based on input from various stakeholders.

• Proactive Communication: Given the hybrid and flexible nature, proactive communication and transparency will be key to maintaining alignment and momentum.

• Building Culture: As a founding member, the designer will play a role in shaping the team's collaborative norms and design culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's values are strongly aligned with startup culture: agility, ownership, and a drive for excellence. The "AI-native" and "ruthless on quality" points highlight a commitment to leveraging technology while maintaining high standards. This role requires someone who is not only a skilled designer but also a proactive team player who thrives in a dynamic environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building from Scratch (0-to-1): Establishing a design system, core UX patterns, and brand identity for a product that is transitioning from a service to a widely usable product.

• Balancing Complexity and Simplicity: Designing intuitive interfaces for highly complex B2B workflows (agent configuration, monitoring) that are used by enterprise clients.

• AI Integration and Iteration: Effectively leveraging AI in the design process and designing for AI-powered features, while ensuring quality and avoiding AI-induced sloppiness.

• Rapid Scaling Environment: Adapting to a fast-paced startup where priorities can shift, and quick, effective design solutions are paramount.

• Domain Specificity: Quickly learning the nuances of the debt collection and fintech industry, including regulatory compliance, to inform design decisions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Design Leadership Development: Opportunity to grow into a leadership role, build and manage a design team, and define the future of design at Murphy AI.

• AI & Fintech Expertise: Deepen knowledge in cutting-edge AI applications and the complex financial services sector.

• Product Strategy Influence: Gain significant experience in shaping product strategy and company vision, working directly with founders.

• Rapid Iteration & Product Shifting: Master the art of rapid prototyping and iterative design in a high-stakes startup environment.

• Building Foundational Systems: Develop expertise in creating and scaling foundational design systems and product frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are significant but come with commensurate growth opportunities. This role is ideal for a designer who seeks to make a substantial impact, build something from the ground up, and develop expertise in a high-growth, technologically advanced industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Product Vision & Strategy: "How would you approach designing a self-service product for configuring AI debt collection agents, considering the needs of bank operations managers and the regulatory environment?" (Focus on user needs, workflow simplification, and compliance.)

• Design System & Scalability: "Describe your process for building a design system from scratch for a rapidly scaling B2B SaaS product. What are the key components, and how do you ensure its adoption and evolution?" (Emphasize process, governance, and collaboration.)

• Problem-Solving & AI: "Imagine a scenario where users are struggling to monitor thousands of live AI agent calls. How would you approach designing a solution to provide actionable insights and improve agent performance?" (Showcase analytical thinking, UX design for data, and potential AI applications.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Murphy AI's mission and our position in the AI/Fintech market?" (Demonstrate research and genuine interest.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with engineering and product teams, especially in a fast-paced startup environment where rapid iteration is key?" (Highlight communication, flexibility, and teamwork.)

• "Describe a time you had to compromise on a design to meet business or technical constraints. How did you navigate that situation, and what was the outcome?" (Assess adaptability and problem-solving under pressure.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: For each case study, frame it as a narrative: the problem, your approach, the solutions, the outcome, and your specific role.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively – mockups, prototypes, user flows, wireframes – to illustrate your design thinking.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. If exact metrics aren't available, discuss potential impact or user feedback.

• Highlight the "0-to-1" Aspect: For this role, emphasize projects where you built foundational elements or took a product from its initial stages.

• Demonstrate Your Process: Be ready to explain your decision-making process, from research and ideation to iteration and final implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skills but also strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and an understanding of the B2B/AI/Fintech context. The ability to articulate a clear design process and showcase tangible impact will be critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-enabling Product Design position:

• Submit your application through the careers portal at https://careers.getmurphy.ai/jobs/8195463-founding-product-designer.

• Curate your portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects that highlight your experience in building products from 0-to-1, creating design systems, and solving complex B2B UX challenges. Ensure your portfolio showcases high-craftsmanship and quantifiable outcomes.

• Tailor your resume: Emphasize your experience in product design leadership, B2B applications, AI-native design, and your ability to ship high-quality interfaces. Integrate keywords relevant to product design, AI, fintech, and B2B SaaS.

• Prepare for the interviews: Review the company's mission, products, and values. Practice articulating your design process and problem-solving approach, especially for the case study. Be ready to discuss how you would tackle key challenges outlined in the job description.

• Research the domain: Gain a basic understanding of AI voice agents, debt collection, and the fintech landscape to better contextualize your experience and questions during the interview process.

⚠️ 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.