Innovation Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Innovation Product Designer

Company: Brown Brothers Harriman

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-06-26

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design for an innovative AI-native platform transforming financial services data integration and transformation.

• Develop intuitive and trustworthy interfaces for complex, data-dense B2B financial workflows, balancing information density with clarity.

• Craft user experiences for AI-assisted transformation building, managing non-deterministic outputs, and feedback mechanisms to improve AI quality.

• Contribute significantly to the evolution and maintenance of a comprehensive design system within Figma, ensuring consistency and scalability across the platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as an early, foundational hire within an innovation initiative at Brown Brothers Harriman, suggesting significant autonomy and impact. The emphasis on AI-native platforms and financial services data transformation indicates a highly specialized and forward-thinking product. The target candidate must possess a strong portfolio demonstrating experience with complex B2B or data-intensive applications, rather than consumer-focused products.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete product design lifecycle from initial research and ideation through high-fidelity design deliverables and implementation support.

• Design user-friendly interfaces for critical platform functions including integration configuration, data transformation building, workflow monitoring, and results exploration.

• Develop clear and effective UX for communicating AI outputs, including confidence levels, transformation previews, and error states, to foster appropriate user trust.

• Act as a strong advocate for user needs and "jobs to be done," making informed UX tradeoffs, particularly concerning AI interaction patterns, information density, and diverse user types.

• Actively contribute to and maintain the design system in Figma, developing and refining components, design tokens, and reusable patterns.

• Design interaction patterns for AI-assisted transformation building, incorporating elements like streaming outputs, accept/reject/edit flows, and progressive disclosure of complex results.

• Address the unique challenges of designing for non-deterministic AI outputs where inputs may yield varying results over time.

• Design robust feedback mechanisms that capture user corrections and contribute to the continuous improvement of AI model quality.

• Design for complex, data-dense environments, creating interfaces for integration configuration screens, transformation preview panes, execution monitoring dashboards, and audit log views.

• Plan and conduct user research, including usability tests and user interviews with financial services personas, synthesizing findings into actionable design decisions.

• Collaborate closely with engineers and the Technical Product Manager to ensure high-quality design implementation and successful product delivery.

• Proactively identify and flag technical feasibility issues early in the design process and prototype in code when necessary to validate concepts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a designer who can bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI technology and the specific, demanding requirements of financial services professionals. The emphasis on "non-deterministic AI outputs" and "data-dense environments" points to a need for sophisticated UX problem-solving.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Not specified, but a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is often preferred for senior design roles.

Experience: 5+ years of professional product design experience, with a proven track record of designing and shipping features for web applications in production environments.

Required Skills:

• Expert proficiency in Figma, including advanced use of components, variables, auto-layout, and prototyping; ability to produce high-fidelity, handoff-ready deliverables independently.

• Strong interaction design skills, with the ability to think critically about flows, states, and edge cases within complex systems.

• Strong visual design sensibility, demonstrating mastery of typography, spacing, color theory, and information hierarchy.

• Proficiency in user research methodologies, including the ability to independently plan and conduct usability tests and user interviews.

• Technical fluency, enabling effective communication with engineers regarding implementation details, constraints, and feasibility.

• Proven experience designing end-to-end features for complex web applications, with a strong preference for B2B, data-heavy, or workflow-oriented products.

• Demonstrated ability to balance information density with clarity in user interfaces. Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for financial services, fintech, or data platforms.

• Experience designing data visualization, dashboards, or analytics interfaces.

• Experience with AI or ML product design, including familiarity with streaming interfaces, confidence indicators, and human-AI interaction patterns.

• Ability to prototype in code (e.g., HTML/CSS, Angular, or similar).

• Experience with motion and interaction design for complex state transitions.

• Experience as an early or founding designer in a startup environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for B2B or data-heavy product experience in the portfolio is a critical differentiator. Candidates should prepare to showcase projects that highlight complex problem-solving in enterprise contexts.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Must demonstrably showcase end-to-end design work for complex web applications.

• Prioritize portfolios featuring B2B, data-heavy, or workflow products; consumer-only portfolios are considered a weaker fit for this role.

• Must clearly exhibit both high-quality interaction design and strong visual design craft.

• Examples should illustrate the process of taking a feature from discovery through to implementation support. Process Documentation:

• Showcase the application of user research findings to inform design decisions and iterations.

• Demonstrate contributions to or creation of design systems, including components, patterns, and documentation.

• Provide examples of how complex data or AI outputs were translated into understandable and actionable user interfaces.

• Illustrate collaboration with engineering teams and the process for design handoff and implementation support.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount for this role. Candidates should curate their submissions to directly address the requirements for B2B, data-intensive, and AI-related design challenges, emphasizing their process and impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Massachusetts: $100,000 - $150,000 base salary per year, plus an annual target bonus.

• New York: $105,000 - $155,000 base salary per year, plus an annual target bonus. Benefits:

• Annual Target Bonus: Performance-based bonus opportunity.

• Profit-sharing: Participation in company profits.

• Comprehensive Healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Income Protection: Long-term disability and life insurance.

• Long-term Savings: Retirement savings plans (e.g., 401k).

• Professional Development Budget: Funds for continuous learning and skill enhancement.

• Private Healthcare (Poland): For Poland-based team members (Medicover or Luxmed).

• Multisport Card (Poland): For access to fitness and wellness facilities.

• Home Office Setup Budget (Poland): To support remote work environments.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, standard full-time engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary ranges provided are specific to Massachusetts and New York and reflect a competitive market rate for a senior product designer with specialized B2B and AI experience in the financial services sector. The total compensation package includes base salary, bonus, profit-sharing, and a robust benefits suite.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (specifically focused on data integration and transformation technology).

Company Size: Brown Brothers Harriman is a large, established global financial services firm. However, the description implies this role is within a new, fast-paced innovation initiative that operates with startup-like speed and a founding team structure.

Founded: 1797 (for Brown Brothers Harriman overall). The specific innovation initiative is likely much newer, implied by the "founding team" and "early hires" language.

Team Structure:

• This role is part of a lean, founding team within an innovation unit at BBH.

• You will work directly alongside the Head of Design and collaborate closely with a Technical Product Manager and engineers.

• The structure emphasizes direct collaboration and cross-functional interaction, typical of early-stage product development. Methodology:

• The team is focused on rebuilding data integration and transformation processes using an AI-native platform.

• Emphasis is placed on user-centric design, data-driven decisions, and rapid iteration.

• Agile development methodologies are likely employed, given the startup speed and innovation focus.

Company Website: https://www.bbh.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should understand that while BBH is a large, established institution, this specific role is within a dynamic, forward-thinking initiative that prioritizes innovation and agility over traditional corporate structures.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer / Innovation Designer. This is a critical early hire role with significant ownership and influence on the product's direction and design system.

Reporting Structure: Reports to the Head of Design within the innovation initiative. Direct collaboration with engineers and Technical Product Manager.

Operations Impact: Directly impacts the usability, adoption, and perceived trustworthiness of a new platform critical to financial services operations. The design will influence how major financial institutions manage their data, directly affecting efficiency, cost, and risk.

Growth Opportunities:

• Foundational Impact: Opportunity to shape the design architecture, culture, and standards of a new product from the ground up.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in human-AI interaction, complex data visualization, and B2B enterprise design within the financial services domain.

• Leadership Potential: As an early hire, there's potential for growth into design leadership roles within the innovation unit as the team expands.

• Domain Expertise: Develop deep understanding of financial services data integration and transformation challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity for a designer to have a substantial impact and grow significantly within a new, innovative product area backed by a stable financial institution.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role, implying a traditional office environment. Given the innovation context, it may feature collaborative workspaces.

Office Location(s): Boston, Massachusetts.

Workspace Context:

• Expect a collaborative environment where direct interaction with design, product, and engineering teams is encouraged.

• Access to modern design tools and technologies, with a strong emphasis on Figma and potentially coding for prototyping.

• Opportunities for deep engagement with complex financial data and AI technologies.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, likely with flexibility common in innovative tech environments, though the role is not remote.

📝 Enhancement Note: While on-site, the emphasis on innovation suggests a dynamic and collaborative workspace, distinct from a purely traditional corporate setting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio for alignment with requirements, particularly B2B/data-heavy experience.

• Portfolio Presentation: A deep dive into your portfolio, focusing on end-to-end design process, problem-solving, and impact for complex web applications. Be prepared to discuss specific projects in detail.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: Likely a practical exercise or case study to assess design thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to handle complex requirements (e.g., designing an AI output interface).

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Discussions with the Head of Design, Technical Product Manager, and engineers to assess technical fluency, collaboration style, and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: Potentially with leadership to discuss strategic fit and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate your portfolio to prominently feature 2-3 complex B2B, data-intensive, or workflow-related projects.

• For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your design process (research, ideation, iteration, testing), the solutions, and the measurable impact.

• Highlight your expertise in Figma, interaction design, visual craft, and user research.

• Be prepared to discuss your approach to designing for AI, data density, and enterprise users.

• If you have experience with financial services or AI product design, ensure those projects are well-represented. Challenge Preparation:

• Anticipate challenges related to designing for AI (e.g., explaining AI outputs, handling uncertainty).

• Prepare to address scenarios involving complex data visualization and information architecture.

• Practice articulating your design decisions, tradeoffs, and the rationale behind them, especially in the context of enterprise and financial services needs.

• Be ready to discuss how you would contribute to and maintain a design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize your portfolio and your ability to articulate your design process and decision-making, especially in the context of complex B2B and AI applications.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expert proficiency is a strict requirement for UI design, component creation, prototyping, and design system management.

• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in Figma's native prototyping is essential; additional experience with tools like ProtoPie or other advanced prototyping methods may be beneficial.

• User Research Tools: Experience with tools for conducting and analyzing user interviews and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with how design impacts key metrics (e.g., conversion rates, task completion times, user satisfaction). Understanding of analytics platforms (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel) is a plus. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly responsible for CRM, understanding how design integrates with backend systems and workflows is crucial for B2B products. Other Potential Tools:

• Code Prototyping: HTML/CSS, Angular, or similar for prototyping in code (nice to have).

• Motion Design Tools: For advanced interaction design (nice to have).

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma proficiency is non-negotiable. Candidates should also be prepared to discuss their understanding of how design translates into measurable business outcomes, even if they don't directly manage analytics tools.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Partnership: Aligns with BBH's overall ethos; implies collaboration, shared ownership, and mutual support within the team.

• Innovation: Driving force behind the initiative; encourages forward-thinking, experimentation, and challenging the status quo in financial data services.

• User-Centricity: Fierce advocacy for user needs and "jobs to be done," ensuring solutions are practical and valuable for financial services professionals.

• Craftsmanship: High bar for design quality, both in visual polish and functional intuitiveness, essential for building trust with enterprise clients.

• Data-Driven: Decisions informed by user research, product metrics, and an understanding of AI outputs.

Collaboration Style:

• Close-knit, agile team environment with direct collaboration between design, product, and engineering.

• Emphasis on open communication, constructive feedback, and shared problem-solving.

• Cross-functional work is inherent to the role, requiring effective communication with technical and product stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should demonstrate a collaborative spirit and a passion for building impactful products that solve complex problems, aligning with BBH's core values of partnership and innovation.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for AI Uncertainty: Creating intuitive and trustworthy interfaces for non-deterministic AI outputs requires innovative UX solutions.

• Data Density & Complexity: Balancing deep functionality and information for expert users with an approachable and navigable interface.

• Enterprise User Expectations: Meeting the high standards for reliability, security, and usability expected by sophisticated financial services clients.

• Building from Scratch: Establishing design systems, processes, and user research practices for a new product initiative.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI/ML Design Specialization: Gain deep expertise in a rapidly evolving field through practical application.

• Financial Services Domain Knowledge: Develop specialized understanding of data integration and transformation challenges in a critical industry.

• Design System Development: Contribute to the foundational elements of a new, scalable design system.

• Foundational Team Experience: Learn invaluable lessons about building a product and team from the ground up within a supportive enterprise structure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are significant but offer substantial opportunities for professional growth and skill development in cutting-edge areas of product design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex, data-dense B2B application. What were the key challenges, and how did you address them?" (Focus on your process, tradeoffs, and solutions).

• "How would you approach designing an interface for AI-generated data transformations where the results might vary?" (Assess your understanding of AI UX principles).

• "Walk us through a project in your portfolio where you owned the end-to-end design process. What was your role, what decisions did you make, and what was the impact?" (Prepare to deeply discuss 1-2 key portfolio pieces).

• "How do you balance user needs with technical feasibility and business constraints, especially in an enterprise context?" (Demonstrate your pragmatism and problem-solving). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about designing for financial services data integration and AI?" (Show genuine curiosity and alignment with the product's mission).

• "How would you contribute to building a design culture and system as an early hire?" (Highlight your proactive and collaborative approach).

• "Describe your experience working with engineers and product managers. How do you ensure successful collaboration and design implementation?" (Emphasize communication and teamwork). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your portfolio presentation around clear problem statements, your design process, and the impact of your solutions.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively to illustrate your design thinking and final outcomes.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your research, ideation, iteration, and testing phases.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs.

• Focus on Relevance: Tailor your presentation to highlight B2B, data-heavy, and AI-related work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to elaborate on your design process, decision-making rationale, and the specific impact of your work, particularly in B2B and data-intensive contexts. Demonstrating an understanding of AI UX is critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Innovation Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the BBH Workday portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your experience with complex B2B, data-heavy, or workflow products, and specifically mention any AI or financial services design work.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your 5+ years of product design experience, emphasizing end-to-end ownership, Figma expertise, and user research capabilities. Use keywords relevant to the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on your process, problem-solving abilities, and impact. Prepare to discuss your approach to AI and data-intensive design challenges.

• Company Research: Understand Brown Brothers Harriman's overall mission and values, and research their recent innovation efforts to demonstrate your interest and alignment with the company's strategic direction.

⚠️ 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.

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