Freelance Designer, UI

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Freelance Designer, UI

Company: Critical Mass

Location: Toronto

Job Type: Freelance/Contract

Category: UI Design

Date Posted: 2025-06-16T19:31:27

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2+ years)

Remote Status: On-site (Toronto)

🎨 Role Summary

• Translate strategic concepts into visually compelling digital experiences and stunning visuals that resonate with target audiences.
• Design across a diverse range of digital platforms and ecosystems, including websites, content hubs, product interfaces, and brand systems, driving digital-first solutions.
• Develop detailed design artifacts such as mood boards, interactive layouts, comprehensive design systems, and micro-animations to effectively communicate design intent and bring concepts to life.
• Collaborate closely within a multidisciplinary creative team, including strategists, UX designers, and developers, fostering a collaborative environment focused on delivering high-quality design work.
• Iterate and refine design solutions based on feedback and project requirements, demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement and pixel-perfect execution.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Transform abstract strategic insights into concrete, aesthetically pleasing, and functional user interfaces that captivate users and achieve project objectives.
• Lead the visual design execution for diverse digital projects, ensuring consistency with brand guidelines and delivering exceptional user experiences across various screen sizes and devices.
• Develop and maintain scalable design systems, including style guides, component libraries, and UI patterns, to ensure design consistency and efficiency across projects.
• Create high-fidelity prototypes and interactive mockups to demonstrate user flows, interactions, and micro-animations, facilitating stakeholder feedback and developer handoff.
• Actively participate in design critiques, providing and receiving constructive feedback to elevate the quality of the design work and foster a culture of creative excellence.
• Collaborate closely with UX designers to ensure the seamless integration of user research findings and usability principles into the visual design, creating intuitive and user-centered interfaces.
• Work alongside front-end developers, providing clear design specifications, assets, and guidance to ensure accurate implementation of the designed interfaces.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A degree or diploma in Graphic Design, Digital Design, Interaction Design, or a related creative field is typically preferred, or equivalent practical experience demonstrating a strong foundation in design principles and visual communication.

Experience: A minimum of 2 years of dedicated experience in digital design, specifically focused on user interface design within an agency or in-house creative team. A strong portfolio showcasing a range of digital projects, demonstrating both visual design skill and strategic thinking, is essential for showcasing experience effectively.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in UI design principles, including layout, typography, color theory, and visual hierarchy, with a strong understanding of their application in digital interfaces.
• Mastery of industry-standard design tools, including Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator), for creating and iterating on digital designs.
• Demonstrated ability to create interactive layouts, prototypes, and micro-animations that effectively communicate user experience and design intent.
• Experience in designing for various digital platforms, including responsive websites, mobile applications, and content management systems.
• A strong understanding of human-centered design principles and the ability to translate user needs and behaviors into intuitive and engaging visual designs.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions, rationale, and concepts clearly to both creative and non-creative stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage multiple design tasks and projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating strong organizational and time management skills.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with motion design and animation software (e.g., After Effects) to create engaging micro-interactions and animated elements within interfaces.
• Familiarity with prototyping tools beyond Figma (e.g., Sketch, InVision, Principle) to explore different interaction design possibilities and create interactive user flows.
• Knowledge of emerging design technologies and trends (e.g., Webflow, no-code platforms, 3D design for interfaces) and a willingness to explore and integrate new tools and techniques.
• Experience contributing to or working with established design systems and pattern libraries.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a diverse range of digital UI design projects, including responsive websites, mobile applications, and interactive experiences, demonstrating your versatility and adaptability.
• For each project, clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your design process, key decisions made, and the impact of your design solutions, presenting them as detailed case studies.
• Highlight your visual design skills through high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and examples of micro-animations and transitions.
• Include examples of your work with design systems or your approach to creating scalable and consistent UI components.

Process Documentation:

• Document your approach to the initial research and discovery phase, including how user insights or project requirements informed your design strategy.
• Illustrate your ideation and iteration methods, showcasing sketches, wireframes, or different design explorations that led to the final solution.
• Explain your process for validating design decisions, including any usability testing, feedback incorporation, or data analysis that influenced your design iterations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is a freelance/contract position in Toronto, Canada, the typical hourly rate for a Mid-Level UI Designer can range from CAD $40 to CAD $75+ per hour, depending on experience, portfolio strength, and the specific project scope and duration. This estimate is based on current market rates for freelance design talent in the Toronto area, considering the listed experience level and the agency context of Critical Mass. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their desired rate based on their experience and the project details.

Benefits: As a freelance position, traditional employee benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off are typically not provided. However, contract roles often offer flexibility in working hours and the opportunity to work on a variety of projects for different clients.

Working Hours: This is likely a project-based contract role, with working hours varying based on project requirements and deadlines. Freelance designers often have flexibility in managing their schedule, but availability during core collaboration hours with the Critical Mass team in Toronto will likely be necessary.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Critical Mass operates within the Advertising Services industry, specifically focusing on providing full-service digital capabilities. This positions the design team at the intersection of creativity, technology, and brand strategy, working with influential brands on digital experiences. The industry context means designers will likely work on projects focused on brand launch, user experience, digital campaigns, and e-commerce.

Company Size: With a size of 1,001-5,000 employees globally, Critical Mass is a large, established digital agency. This size suggests a structured environment with potentially specialized design teams, established processes, and opportunities for collaboration with a wide range of professionals across different disciplines and locations.

Founded: While the exact founding date isn't provided, Critical Mass is described as a global agency founded in Canada, indicating a history and established presence in the digital marketing landscape.

Team Structure:

• The design team at Critical Mass likely includes various design disciplines such as UI, UX, visual design, and potentially motion design, working together in project-based teams.
• Designers likely report to a Design Lead or Manager, who oversees creative quality, project execution, and team development.
• Cross-functional collaboration is a key aspect, with designers working closely with strategists, UX thinkers, developers, and project managers throughout the project lifecycle.

Methodology:

• Critical Mass likely employs a blend of agile and waterfall methodologies, adapting to client needs and project complexity.
• Design thinking and human-centered design principles are likely core to their approach, emphasizing user research, ideation, prototyping, and testing.
• The methodology likely involves iterative design cycles, with regular feedback loops and adjustments based on user insights and stakeholder input.

Company Website: http://www.criticalmass.com

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This role is listed as a Freelance UI Designer, which typically aligns with a Mid-Level position based on the 2+ years of experience requirement. The scope involves executing design tasks independently while collaborating within a team, contributing to the visual direction of digital projects.

Reporting Structure: As a freelance designer, you would likely report to a Design Lead, Senior Designer, or Project Manager who would oversee your work on specific projects and provide guidance and feedback.

Design Impact: UI Designers at Critical Mass have a direct impact on the final visual execution and user experience of digital products and campaigns for high-profile clients. Their work influences how users interact with brands online and contributes to the overall success of digital initiatives.

Growth Opportunities:

• While a freelance role, successful performance could lead to opportunities for longer-term contracts or potential consideration for full-time positions within Critical Mass as they arise.
• Working on diverse projects for various clients allows for continuous skill development and exposure to different design challenges and industry best practices.
• Collaboration with a multidisciplinary team provides opportunities to learn from experienced professionals in UX, strategy, development, and project management, broadening your understanding of the digital project lifecycle.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: The location is listed as Toronto, suggesting this is an on-site or potentially hybrid role requiring presence in the Toronto office. Critical Mass likely has a professional agency office environment designed to facilitate creative collaboration and client interactions.

Office Location(s): The primary location for this role is Toronto, Canada. Critical Mass also has other global offices, but the focus for this freelance position appears to be the Toronto studio.

Design Workspace Context:

• The office environment is likely designed to foster creativity and collaboration, potentially with open workspaces, meeting rooms, and dedicated areas for design activities.
• Access to necessary design tools, hardware, and software would be provided on-site to support the design workflow.
• The on-site nature allows for direct interaction and spontaneous collaboration with the design team and other project stakeholders.

Work Schedule: As a freelance role, the schedule may be project-dependent, but working hours would likely need to align with the core business hours of the Critical Mass team in Toronto to facilitate effective collaboration and communication.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• The initial step will likely involve a review of your resume and portfolio to assess your relevant experience and the quality of your design work.
• Shortlisted candidates may have an introductory call with a recruiter or hiring manager to discuss your background, availability, and interest in the role.
• Subsequent rounds could involve interviews with members of the design team, where you would discuss your design process, experience with specific tools, and approach to problem-solving.
• A portfolio review is a critical component, where you will walk through selected projects and explain your contributions, design decisions, and the impact of your work.
• You may be given a design exercise or challenge to assess your skills and approach to a specific design problem relevant to the work at Critical Mass.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate your portfolio to showcase your strongest digital UI design projects that align with the type of work done at Critical Mass, focusing on responsive design, interactive experiences, and visual polish.
• For each project, clearly outline your role and responsibilities, especially in collaborative projects, and highlight your specific contributions to the UI design.
• Structure your case studies to tell a compelling story of your design process, from understanding the problem to delivering the final solution, emphasizing your strategic thinking and iterative approach.
• Prepare to discuss the rationale behind your design decisions, explaining why you chose specific layouts, typography, color palettes, and interactive elements.

Challenge Preparation:

• If a design challenge is part of the process, carefully read and understand the brief, paying close attention to the objectives and constraints.
• Approach the challenge using your standard design process, demonstrating your ability to think critically, explore different solutions, and arrive at a well-reasoned design.
• Be prepared to present your solution and articulate your design process and decisions clearly, explaining your rationale and how your design addresses the challenge.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• Figma: Essential for collaborative UI design, prototyping, and creating scalable design systems. Mastery of Figma's features for component creation, auto layout, and collaboration is expected.
• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator): Required for image editing, vector graphics, and potentially creating visual assets that are integrated into UI designs.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Collaboration Tools: Likely utilizes tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar platforms for internal team communication and project discussions.
• Handoff Tools: Figma's built-in handoff features or tools like Zeplin or InVision Inspect may be used for providing design specifications and assets to developers.
• Documentation Tools: Tools for creating and maintaining design system documentation and style guides may be in use.

Research & Testing:

• While primarily a UI role, a basic understanding of tools used for user research (e.g., Dovetail) and user testing (e.g., UserTesting.com) may be beneficial for understanding user feedback and insights that inform design decisions. Knowledge of analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics) to understand design performance could also be a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• Craftsmanship and Quality: A strong emphasis on creating visually stunning and well-executed digital designs that meet high standards of quality and attention to detail.
• Smart and Strategic Thinking: Valuing designers who can not only create beautiful visuals but also understand the underlying strategy and business objectives, ensuring designs are both aesthetically pleasing and effective.
• Human-Centered Approach: A focus on creating designs that are intuitive, user-friendly, and meet the needs of the target audience, reflecting a commitment to human-centered design principles.
• Curiosity and Exploration: Encouraging designers to explore new tools, techniques, and emerging technologies to push the boundaries of digital design and stay at the forefront of the industry.

Collaboration Style:

• A collaborative environment where designers work closely with professionals from different disciplines, such as UX, strategy, and development, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving.
• Regular design critiques and feedback sessions are likely part of the culture, providing opportunities for constructive feedback and continuous improvement of design work.
• An emphasis on open communication and the ability to articulate design decisions and rationale clearly to both creative and non-creative team members.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Balancing creative vision with client requirements and technical constraints to deliver innovative yet feasible design solutions within project timelines and budgets.
• Working on diverse projects for a range of clients across different industries requires adaptability and the ability to quickly understand new brand guidelines and target audiences.
• Staying updated with the rapidly evolving landscape of digital design tools, technologies, and trends to ensure designs are current and effective.
• Effectively communicating design decisions and rationale to stakeholders with varying levels of design understanding, ensuring alignment and buy-in.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Exposure to a wide variety of digital projects for high-profile brands provides opportunities to build a strong portfolio and expand your experience across different industries and design challenges.
• Working alongside experienced professionals in different disciplines offers valuable learning opportunities and insights into the broader digital project lifecycle.
• The agency environment often encourages continuous learning and exploration of new design tools and techniques to stay competitive in the industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• Be prepared to walk through your design process for a selected project from your portfolio, explaining your approach from understanding the brief to delivering the final design. Highlight your involvement in research, ideation, iteration, and collaboration.
• Discuss how you approach designing for different digital platforms (e.g., web, mobile) and how you ensure a consistent and user-friendly experience across devices.
• Explain your experience working with design systems or creating scalable UI components, and how this impacts efficiency and consistency in your design workflow.

Company Culture Questions:

• Research Critical Mass's recent work and clients. Be prepared to discuss projects that resonate with you and explain why, demonstrating your understanding of their style and approach.
• Reflect on your collaborative experiences and be ready to share examples of how you've effectively worked with UX designers, developers, and other stakeholders in a project team.
• Consider the company's emphasis on creating "smart things beautiful and beautiful things smart" and be prepared to discuss how you balance aesthetics with functionality and user needs in your own work.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 2-3 of your strongest and most relevant digital UI design projects to present. Focus on projects that showcase a combination of visual design skill, strategic thinking, and process documentation.
• For each project, start with a brief overview of the problem and your role, then dive into your design process, highlighting key decisions, iterations, and challenges faced.
• Use high-fidelity mockups, prototypes, and potentially short videos of micro-interactions to visually demonstrate your design solutions and user flows.
• Conclude each case study by discussing the outcome or impact of your design work, if possible.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link.
• Carefully review your portfolio to ensure it highlights your strongest digital UI design work, particularly projects that demonstrate experience with responsive design, interactive elements, and design systems. Customize the projects you showcase to align with the type of work done at Critical Mass.
• Optimize your resume to clearly articulate your relevant digital design experience, emphasizing UI design skills, proficiency in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite, and experience in collaborative team environments. Use keywords from the job description.
• Prepare for the interview process by practicing walking through your key portfolio projects and articulating your design process and rationale. Be ready to discuss your collaborative approach and how you handle feedback and iteration.
• Research Critical Mass's website and recent client work to understand their design aesthetic, client base, and overall approach to digital experiences. This will help you tailor your application and interview responses.