Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Spring Venture Group

Location: Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design (UI/UX)

Date Posted: 2025-06-11T21:03:26.349

Experience Level: Mid-Level (3+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🎨 Role Summary

• Contribute significantly to the UI/UX design of one or more Spring Venture Group products, ensuring high-quality user experiences.
• Work collaboratively with product managers, engineers, and business stakeholders to align design solutions with business goals and technical feasibility.
• Champion user-centered design principles throughout the product development lifecycle, advocating for user needs and promoting empathy in design decisions.
• Play a critical role in shaping the design direction of products and contributing to the overall design excellence within the organization.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Plan, execute, and analyze user research activities, including usability testing, surveys, and user interviews, to deeply understand target personas, user flows, and journey maps.
• Actively advocate for the user experience within cross-functional teams and with stakeholders, ensuring user needs are central to design decisions.
• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, and strategy teams to ensure design solutions are aligned with business objectives, user needs, and technical constraints throughout the project lifecycle.
• Partner with business stakeholders to gather requirements, document user needs, and effectively communicate design concepts and decisions.
• Develop detailed interactive prototypes and wireframes using industry-standard tools like Figma to effectively communicate design concepts and gather feedback.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of UI style guides and design systems to ensure consistency and scalability across all products.
• Support the organizational design strategy and operations under the guidance of the Product Design Manager, contributing to design principles and processes.
• Stay current with industry trends, analyze user data, feedback, performance metrics, and competitor products to recommend continuous improvements to the user experience.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Design, HCI, or a related field; or equivalent relevant work experience demonstrating a strong foundation in design principles and methodologies.

Experience: Minimum of 3+ years of relevant professional work experience in product design, UI/UX design, or a related field. A strong portfolio showcasing relevant project experience is mandatory for consideration.

Required Skills:

• Proven proficiency in developing and contributing to design systems and UI style guides, understanding principles of consistency and scalability.
• Expertise in modeling, wireframing, and prototyping software, with specific proficiency in Figma and familiarity with tools like Lucidchart.
• Strong understanding and practical experience with a variety of agile methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban, and how design integrates into these frameworks.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to articulate design decisions, present concepts to stakeholders, and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyze complex problems and develop user-centered design solutions.
• Exceptional attention to detail in all aspects of design work, from pixel-perfect UI elements to thorough documentation and process.
• Experience planning and conducting user research activities and translating research insights into actionable design recommendations.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for the healthcare or insurance industries, particularly Medicare, and understanding the unique user needs and regulatory considerations.
• Familiarity with front-end development concepts (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to facilitate effective collaboration and handoff with engineering teams.
• Experience with user data analysis and utilizing analytics tools to inform design decisions and measure the impact of design changes.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Include a link to your online portfolio on your resume for consideration.
• Showcase a diverse range of projects that demonstrate your end-to-end product design process, from initial research and problem definition through ideation, prototyping, testing, and final implementation.
• Present detailed case studies for each project, explaining the problem you were solving, your role, your design process, key decisions, challenges encountered, and the impact of your design solutions.
• Highlight your contributions to design systems, showing examples of components, patterns, and documentation you have created or contributed to.
• Demonstrate strong visual design skills and attention to detail in the presentation of your work.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your approach to the research and discovery phase, including methodologies used (e.g., user interviews, surveys, competitive analysis) and how insights informed your design decisions.
• Detail your ideation and iteration methods, showing sketches, wireframes, low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes, and how you incorporated feedback into your designs.
• Explain your approach to validation and testing, including usability testing methods, A/B testing, or other techniques used to gather user feedback and validate design assumptions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: While the specific salary range is not provided, based on industry data for a Product Designer in Kansas City, MO with 3+ years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is typically between $85,000 and $115,000. This range can vary based on specific experience, portfolio quality, negotiation skills, and the overall compensation structure of Spring Venture Group. Data sources considered include Glassdoor, Salary.com, and Payscale for similar roles in the Kansas City metropolitan area, adjusted for the specified experience level and the company's size and industry.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits available after a short waiting period.
• 401k matching program to support retirement savings.
• Generous paid time off program, including standard PTO and an additional company break during the holidays.
• Annual Volunteer Time Off (VTO) and a donation matching program to encourage community involvement.
• Company-provided Life Insurance and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering support for health and well-being.
• Maternity and Parental Leave policies to support growing families.
• Structured training program and ongoing support for continuous professional development throughout your career at Spring Venture Group.
• Rewards and Recognition programs acknowledging employee contributions.
• Optional enrollment options including HSA/FSA, AD&D, Spousal/Dependent life insurance, Short Term/Long Term Disability, Travel Assist, and Legal plans.

Working Hours: Full-time position with standard business hours, likely with some flexibility to accommodate design workflow and collaboration needs within a hybrid work model.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Insurance, specifically focusing on Medicare health insurance distribution. This industry context means design solutions will need to address the unique needs of the 65+ market and navigate potentially complex regulatory environments.

Company Size: 1,001-5,000 employees. This size suggests a well-established company with potentially more structured processes and dedicated design teams compared to smaller startups, offering opportunities for impact within a larger organization.

Founded: 2009. Founded over a decade ago, Spring Venture Group has a history of growth and adaptation, transitioning from a startup to a significant player in the Medicare distribution space, which likely influences its evolving design culture.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer reports to the Manager, Product Design within the Enterprise Portfolio & Product Management (EPPM) department, indicating a dedicated design team structure integrated within product management.
• Collaboration with cross-functional delivery teams (product managers, engineers, strategy teams) is a key aspect, suggesting a collaborative and integrated approach to product development.
• The team likely includes other product designers, potentially at various levels, fostering peer learning and design critique.

Methodology:

• Strong emphasis on user research (usability testing, surveys, interviews) as the foundation for design decisions.
• Utilizes agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) for product development, requiring designers to work iteratively and collaborate closely with development teams.
• Focus on developing and maintaining design systems suggests a commitment to consistency, efficiency, and scalability in design.

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

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This is positioned as a mid-level Product Designer role, requiring a solid foundation of skills and experience (3+ years). The responsibilities indicate a level of autonomy in executing design tasks while reporting to a design manager, suggesting opportunities for increasing responsibility and complexity in projects over time.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Manager, Product Design. This structure provides a clear path for mentorship, performance feedback, and guidance on career development within the design discipline.

Design Impact: The role is critical in shaping the UI/UX of SVG products, directly impacting the user experience for customers navigating important life decisions related to health insurance. The emphasis on user research and advocating for the user experience highlights the potential for significant impact on product usability and customer satisfaction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Opportunity to grow within the Product Design track, potentially advancing to Senior Product Designer or Lead Product Designer roles by taking on more complex projects and mentoring junior designers.
• Development of specialized design skills, such as deepening expertise in user research methodologies, advanced prototyping techniques, or contributing significantly to the design system.
• Potential for growth into design leadership roles by demonstrating strong leadership qualities, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence product direction through design.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: Hybrid work model, requiring candidates to be based in the Kansas City area and work from the downtown Kansas City office. This indicates a blend of in-office collaboration and remote work flexibility, common in many modern design environments.

Office Location(s): Downtown Kansas City, MO. The specific location suggests a central urban environment, potentially with good accessibility and amenities.

Design Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model likely involves dedicated workspace in the office for collaboration and focus, with the flexibility to work remotely for certain tasks.
• The office environment likely provides collaborative spaces for team meetings, design sprints, and whiteboarding sessions.
• Opportunities for informal interaction and knowledge sharing with the design team and cross-functional colleagues will be available during in-office days.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with a hybrid work arrangement. The schedule will balance in-office days for collaboration and team activities with remote work days for focused design work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Initial screening call with a recruiter to discuss qualifications and fit. Prepare to articulate your experience and interest in the role, highlighting relevant design projects.
• Interview(s) with the hiring manager and potentially other members of the design team. Be prepared to discuss your design process, showcase your portfolio, and answer questions about your collaboration style and approach to problem-solving.
• Potential design challenge or case study presentation where you will be asked to solve a design problem or walk through a detailed project from your portfolio, demonstrating your thinking and execution.
• Interviews with cross-functional partners (e.g., product managers, engineers) to assess collaboration skills and cultural fit within the broader product team.
• Final interview(s) with leadership to discuss your strategic thinking and overall fit within the organization.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Ensure your online portfolio is easily accessible and the link is prominently displayed on your resume.
• Select projects that are most relevant to product design and showcase your end-to-end process.
• For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your design process, key decisions, challenges, and outcomes.
• Focus on telling a compelling story for each project, highlighting your thinking and the impact of your design.
• Be prepared to walk through your portfolio in detail during interviews, explaining your rationale behind design decisions.

Challenge Preparation:

• If a design challenge is required, clarify the format and expectations beforehand.
• Approach the challenge with a structured design process, demonstrating your ability to understand the problem, explore solutions, and articulate your rationale.
• Be mindful of the time constraints and prioritize key aspects of the solution.
• Be prepared to present your solution and explain your thinking process to the interviewers.

ATS Keywords:

• Design Skills: Product Design, UI/UX Design, User Interface, User Experience, User Research, Usability Testing, Wireframing, Prototyping, Interaction Design, Visual Design, Design Systems, Style Guides, Information Architecture, Design Thinking, User-Centered Design, Empathy Mapping, User Flows, Journey Maps, Ideation, Iteration, Design Critique, Accessibility, Responsive Design.
• Tools: Figma, Lucidchart, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision, Zeplin, Miro, JIRA, Confluence.
• Methodologies: Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Lean UX, Design Sprints.
• Soft Skills: Collaboration, Communication, Analytical Thinking, Problem Solving, Detail Oriented, Stakeholder Management, Presentation Skills, Teamwork, Adaptability.
• Industry Terms: Medicare, Healthcare, Insurance, Product Development, Cross-functional Teams, Enterprise Software.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• Figma: Required proficiency for creating UI designs, wireframes, and interactive prototypes. This is likely the primary tool for design work and collaboration.
• Modeling, Wireframing, Prototyping Software (e.g., Lucidchart): Familiarity with other industry-standard tools is beneficial, demonstrating adaptability and breadth of experience.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Agile Methodologies (Scrum, Kanban): Experience working within these frameworks is essential for collaborating effectively with product managers and engineers throughout the development cycle.
• Collaboration Tools (Implicit): While not explicitly listed, tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar communication platforms are likely used for daily team interaction and project communication.
• Handoff Tools (Implicit): Tools like Zeplin or direct integration within Figma are likely used to facilitate seamless handoff of design specifications to engineering teams.

Research & Testing:

• User Research Tools (Implicit): Tools for conducting surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Google Forms), user interviews (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet), and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze) are likely utilized to gather user insights.
• Analytics Tools (Implicit): Tools for analyzing user data and product performance metrics are likely used to inform design decisions and measure impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• User-Centered Approach: A core value emphasized through the requirement for user research and advocating for the user experience. Design decisions are expected to be driven by a deep understanding of user needs and behaviors.
• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working closely with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders, indicating a value placed on teamwork and shared ownership of product outcomes.
• Design Excellence: Contribution to design systems and supporting design strategy suggests a commitment to quality, consistency, and elevating the overall design practice within the organization.
• Continuous Improvement: Staying current with industry trends and analyzing data to recommend improvements aligns with a culture of continuous learning and optimization in design.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Design is integrated within product development teams, fostering close collaboration with product and engineering from ideation through implementation.
• Design Critique: While not explicitly stated, a healthy design culture typically includes regular design critique sessions for feedback and peer learning.
• Stakeholder Partnership: Collaboration with business stakeholders is essential for understanding requirements and communicating design solutions, requiring strong communication and presentation skills.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Designing for the Medicare market: Requires understanding the unique needs, accessibility requirements, and trust factors relevant to an older user demographic.
• Navigating potentially complex regulatory environments: Designing within the insurance industry may involve specific constraints and compliance requirements that need to be considered in the design process.
• Balancing business goals with user needs: Effectively translating business objectives into user-centered design solutions requires strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Contributing to and maintaining a design system: Requires attention to detail, understanding of scalability, and collaboration with other designers and engineers to ensure consistency.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen expertise in designing for specific user demographics, such as the 65+ market.
• Enhance skills in navigating regulated industries and incorporating compliance requirements into design.
• Develop expertise in contributing to and evolving a robust design system within a growing organization.
• Opportunity to refine user research skills and explore advanced research methodologies.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• Be prepared to discuss your end-to-end design process for a recent project, highlighting your approach to user research, ideation, prototyping, and testing. Use specific examples from your portfolio to illustrate your points.
• Explain how you collaborate with product managers and engineers throughout the product development lifecycle. Provide examples of successful cross-functional collaboration.
• Describe a time you faced a challenging design problem and how you approached solving it. Walk through your thinking process and the steps you took to arrive at a solution.

Company Culture Questions:

• Research Spring Venture Group's values and mission. Be prepared to discuss how your own values align with the company culture, particularly the "SVG behaviors" mentioned in the job description.
• Ask questions about the design team's structure, collaboration style, and how design is valued within the organization.
• Inquire about opportunities for professional development and learning within the design team.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Prepare a concise and engaging presentation of 1-3 key projects from your portfolio that are most relevant to this role.
• For each project, focus on the problem, your role, your process, key decisions, challenges, and the impact of your design.
• Use visuals effectively to illustrate your points, including wireframes, prototypes, and final designs.
• Be prepared to answer questions about your design decisions and rationale.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link.
• Ensure your resume includes a prominent link to your online design portfolio showcasing relevant projects and detailed case studies. Tailor your portfolio to highlight your experience in product design, user research, and contribution to design systems.
• Optimize your resume using relevant ATS keywords found in the job description, focusing on design skills, tools (especially Figma), methodologies (Agile), and soft skills.
• Prepare for the interview process by practicing articulating your design process, preparing to discuss key projects from your portfolio in detail, and researching Spring Venture Group's company culture and values.
• Research the Medicare industry and the unique design considerations of the 65+ market to demonstrate your understanding and interest in the company's domain.