Product Designer - Cape Town

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer - Cape Town

Company: Zen Educate

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design

Date Posted: 2025-06-08

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🎨 Role Summary

• Shape and enhance the Zen Educate platform by working across the full product lifecycle, from initial discovery and user research through to detailed UI/UX design and final delivery.
• Solve complex, real-world problems in the education sector through thoughtful and impactful product design solutions, focusing on workflow optimization, service design, and intuitive interfaces.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, commercial teams, and most importantly, end-users (teachers and schools), to ensure design decisions are grounded in user needs and business goals.
• Contribute to the growing design function at Zen Educate, helping to define and evolve design processes, build design maturity within the organization, and scale design practices effectively.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Lead design initiatives from concept to completion, including conducting user research, creating wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups that address complex user flows and system interactions.
• Translate user needs, business requirements, and technical constraints into intuitive, accessible, and engaging product experiences for both educators and schools.
• Partner with product managers to define problem spaces, prioritize features, and develop product roadmaps that align design efforts with strategic company objectives.
• Work closely with engineering teams throughout the development process, providing clear design specifications, assets, and guidance to ensure the successful implementation of designs.
• Actively participate in design critiques, providing and receiving constructive feedback to elevate the quality of design work across the team and contribute to a collaborative design culture.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field is typically preferred, though equivalent practical experience and a strong portfolio demonstrating relevant skills are often valued just as highly in the design industry.

Experience: 2-5 years of professional experience in Product Design, UI/UX Design, or a related design discipline, with a proven track record of successfully shipping digital products. Experience working within an Agile development environment and collaborating with cross-functional teams is highly beneficial. A strong portfolio showcasing your design process and impact is essential.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in modern design tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite) for creating user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity visuals.
• Strong understanding of user-centered design principles, methodologies, and best practices.
• Proven ability to think in terms of systems and flows, understanding how individual screens fit into a larger product ecosystem and user journey.
• Excellent visual design skills with a keen eye for detail, typography, layout, and visual hierarchy.
• Ability to clearly articulate design decisions, rationale, and process to diverse stakeholders through effective communication and storytelling.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with service design principles and mapping complex service journeys.
• Familiarity with front-end development concepts (HTML, CSS) to facilitate effective collaboration with engineers.
• Experience contributing to or evolving a nascent design system.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a diverse range of projects that demonstrate your ability to tackle complex design problems across different platforms (web, mobile).
• Include detailed case studies that walk through your design process from initial problem definition and research to ideation, iteration, and final solution.
• Highlight projects where you collaborated effectively with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders.
• Clearly articulate the impact of your design work, ideally with quantifiable results or user feedback.

Process Documentation:

• Illustrate your approach to the research and discovery phase, including methods used to understand user needs and define the problem space.
• Document your ideation and iteration methods, showing how you explored different design solutions and refined your concepts based on feedback.
• Explain your approach to validation and testing, detailing how you gathered user feedback and used it to inform your design decisions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: ZAR 700,000 - ZAR 1,000,000 per annum.

Based on research for Product Designer salaries in Cape Town, South Africa, this range is competitive for a mid-level role (2-5 years of experience) at a growing tech company. Factors influencing the specific offer within this range would include the candidate's experience level, depth of skills, and the impact demonstrated in their portfolio.

Benefits:

• Specific benefits are not detailed in the provided text. Typical benefits for a full-time Product Designer role in South Africa may include health insurance, retirement fund contributions, paid time off, and potentially professional development allowances for conferences or courses related to design skills.
• Opportunity to contribute to a mission-led product with significant real-world impact in the education sector.
• A collaborative team culture with opportunities for mentorship and shaping the design function.

Working Hours: Full-time. Expect standard business hours, though flexibility for creative flow and collaboration across time zones (UK/US) may be required occasionally.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Education Technology (EdTech).

Company Size: Zen Educate has between 51-200 employees (based on LinkedIn data).

Founded: 2016.

Zen Educate is an online platform connecting schools with supply staff, aiming to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of education recruitment and save schools money. The company is well-established in the UK and expanding into the US market.

Team Structure:

• The design team is described as "small" and "growing," indicating a lean structure where designers have significant autonomy and the opportunity to influence processes.
• Designers work within "squads," suggesting alignment with cross-functional product and engineering teams.
• Collaboration is emphasized, with designers partnering closely across departments including product, engineering, commercial, and directly with customers.

Methodology:

• The company values a "Lean over large" approach, favoring efficient creation and weekly iterations over lengthy documentation.
• Designers are involved in the full product lifecycle, from discovery through delivery.
• Emphasis is placed on user outcomes, speed of learning, and design quality.

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

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: Mid-Level Product Designer.

This role is positioned for a designer who has a solid foundation in product design principles and practices but is looking for opportunities to take on more complex challenges, mentor others, and contribute to the strategic direction of the design function within a rapidly growing company.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to the Head of Design, JC. This suggests a direct line to design leadership and opportunities for guidance and mentorship from the head of the function.

Design Impact: Design at Zen Educate is positioned as a strategic partner, co-owning problems and shaping solutions, indicating a high level of influence on product and business outcomes. The focus is on creating simple, scalable, elegant experiences with real-world impact in education.

Growth Opportunities:

• Significant room to shape design processes and practices within a small, growing team.
• Opportunity to build design maturity across the organization through collaboration and advocacy.
• Potential for increased scope and influence ("Levels not titles") without necessarily needing to switch to a management track immediately.
• Exposure to complex design challenges across different markets (UK and US) and user groups (teachers, schools, internal operations).

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: Office-based in Cape Town, South Africa. The job description specifies "Location: Cape Town, South Africa" and "Type: Full-time," implying an on-site role.

Office Location(s): Cape Town, South Africa.

Design Workspace Context:

• While specific details about the physical workspace are not provided, the emphasis on "Async and face-to-face collaboration" suggests a mix of focused individual work and interactive team sessions.
• The description mentions "structured rituals and casual touch points to stay aligned and connected," indicating a blend of formal and informal opportunities for interaction.
• The reference to being "still scrappy in places" might imply a dynamic, less rigidly structured environment where adaptability is key.

Work Schedule: Full-time, likely adhering to standard business hours in Cape Town. The need for "Async and face-to-face collaboration" reinforces an on-site presence during core working times.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Recruiter Chat: Initial screening to cover basics like availability, compensation expectations, and mutual fit. Prepare to articulate your interest in Zen Educate and the education sector.
• Meeting with Head of Design (JC): A deep dive into your past projects. Be prepared to tell compelling stories about your design thinking, collaboration style, and the impact of your work. Select 1-2 key projects that best showcase your relevant skills.
• Design Task Session: You will work on a real product problem. Focus on demonstrating your problem-shaping abilities, exploration of different options, and clear articulation of your thought process. This is less about a perfect solution and more about how you approach a challenge.
• Culture & Collaboration Chat: Meet with potential colleagues outside the product team to assess cultural fit and collaboration style. Be prepared for candid discussions about team dynamics, values, and ways of working.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure case studies clearly, outlining the problem, your role, process, key decisions, and outcomes.
• Emphasize your systems thinking and how your designs fit into larger workflows, not just individual screens.
• Showcase your ability to navigate ambiguity and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Highlight the real-world impact of your work, focusing on user outcomes and tangible results where possible.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the potential user groups (teachers, schools, internal staff) and their needs within the education context.
• Practice articulating your design process and rationale under time constraints.
• Be prepared to discuss trade-offs and alternative approaches to the given problem.

ATS Keywords:

• Design Skills: Product Design, UI Design, UX Design, User Research, Wireframing, Prototyping, Interaction Design, Visual Design, Information Architecture, Service Design, System Design, Design Thinking, User-Centered Design, Accessibility, Usability Testing, Design Strategy.
• Tools: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, Prototyping Tools, Collaboration Tools, Handoff Tools.
• Methodologies: Agile, Lean UX, Design Sprints, Iterative Design, Cross-functional Collaboration, Stakeholder Management.
• Soft Skills: Communication, Collaboration, Storytelling, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Curiosity, Candour, Mentorship, Adaptability.
• Industry/Context Terms: EdTech, Education, School, Teacher, Supply Staff, Platform, Workflow, User Outcomes, Real-World Impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• Figma: Mentioned as a tool for creating flows, suggesting it is a primary tool for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design. Proficiency is likely required, including collaborative features.
• Sketch (Implied): While not explicitly stated, Sketch is a common alternative or complementary tool in design workflows, especially when discussing modern design tools.
• Adobe Creative Suite (Implied): Tools like Illustrator or Photoshop might be used for specific visual asset creation, although Figma often handles the core UI design.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Figma (Collaboration Features): Used for real-time collaboration with other designers and potentially for sharing prototypes with product/engineering.
• Handoff tools integrated with Figma or separate platforms (e.g., Zeplin, Specification documents): Used to provide clear design specifications and assets to engineering for implementation.
• Communication Platforms (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams): Used for daily communication, async updates, and team coordination.

Research & Testing:

• User Research Platforms (e.g., Lookback, UserTesting.com): Tools for conducting remote or in-person user interviews and usability testing.
• Survey Tools (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Google Forms): Used for gathering quantitative and qualitative feedback from users.
• Analytics Tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel): Used to analyze user behavior and measure the impact of design changes.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• Clarity over all: Prioritizing clear thinking, clear visuals, and clear storytelling in design work and communication. This value influences how designs are presented and how feedback is given.
• Systems thinking: Focusing on how designs fit into wider workflows and the overall product ecosystem, not just individual screens. This drives a holistic approach to design problems.
• Craft + impact: Believing that quality design is purposeful and focused on achieving real-world results, rather than being precious or purely aesthetic. This value emphasizes the tangible outcomes of design work.
• Bias to ship: Favoring iteration and getting designs implemented efficiently, understanding that perfection is a continuous pursuit rather than a prerequisite for launch. This encourages a pragmatic and agile approach.
• Curiosity and candour: Fostering great design through asking insightful questions and engaging in honest, open collaboration. This value underpins the team's approach to problem-solving and feedback.

Collaboration Style:

• Designers are partners within cross-functional "squads," not a service department, indicating a high level of integration and shared ownership.
• Collaboration involves a mix of "Async and face-to-face collaboration," with both structured rituals (like critiques) and casual touch points.
• There is an emphasis on clear communication and storytelling to align stakeholders.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Navigating ambiguity and shaping ill-defined problems within a fast-paced, growing environment. This requires strong problem-solving skills and adaptability.
• Designing for diverse user groups (teachers, schools, internal staff) with varying technical proficiencies and needs across different markets (UK, US), requiring deep user empathy and localization considerations.
• Contributing to and evolving a nascent design system while simultaneously working on product features, demanding a balance between system-level thinking and feature-level execution.
• Ensuring accessibility and usability across a complex platform that supports critical real-world workflows in education.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Opportunity to significantly influence the design culture and processes of a growing design team.
• Exposure to complex service design and system design challenges.
• Mentorship opportunities from the Head of Design and potentially other senior team members.
• Developing skills in navigating international market differences within product design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• Be prepared to discuss your end-to-end design process for a selected project, focusing on how you defined the problem, conducted research, explored solutions, and validated your designs. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.
• Expect questions about how you handle ambiguous problems or situations where requirements are unclear. Highlight your approach to shaping problems and bringing clarity.
• Be ready to discuss your collaboration style with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders. Provide specific examples of how you've worked effectively in cross-functional teams.

Company Culture Questions:

• Show genuine curiosity about the education sector and Zen Educate's mission. Research the challenges faced by teachers and schools and how Zen Educate aims to address them.
• Be prepared to discuss your perspective on the design values mentioned (Clarity, Systems thinking, Craft + impact, Bias to ship, Curiosity and candour) and how they resonate with your own approach to design.
• Ask thoughtful questions about the design team structure, ways of working, and how design impact is measured within the organization.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 1-2 projects that best demonstrate your ability to work across the full product lifecycle, your systems thinking approach, and the impact of your design work.
• Focus on storytelling: guide the interviewer through the journey of the project, highlighting key decisions, challenges, and learnings.
• Clearly articulate your rationale behind design choices and how they address user needs and business goals.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Curate your design portfolio to specifically highlight projects that demonstrate your experience with end-to-end product design, systems thinking, and solving complex workflow or service design problems. Ensure case studies clearly articulate your process and impact.
• Optimize your resume by incorporating relevant keywords from the "ATS Keywords" list, tailoring your experience to emphasize product design responsibilities, collaboration skills, and any experience in the education or marketplace sectors.
• Prepare thoroughly for the interview stages by practicing articulating your design process, preparing compelling project walkthroughs from your portfolio, and formulating thoughtful questions about the role, team, and company culture.
• Research Zen Educate's mission, values, and recent work to understand their impact in the education sector and align your application materials and interview responses accordingly.