Senior Product Designer, Client Experience

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer, Client Experience

Company: Realtor.com Careers

Location: Austin, Texas, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design

Date Posted: June 9, 2025

Experience Level: Senior (8+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3+ days in office)

🎨 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design processes for client-facing experiences, focusing on user-centered design methodologies within the real estate technology sector.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, and researchers, to conceptualize, design, and deliver innovative solutions for real estate professionals and consumers.
• Contribute significantly to the evolution and maintenance of the design system, ensuring consistency and quality across web and mobile applications.
• Champion the voice of the user, advocating for user needs and translating research insights into actionable design strategies and polished visual designs.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborate with diverse stakeholders (researchers, product leaders, engineers, marketing, brand) to tackle complex design challenges and deliver impactful solutions.
• Act as the voice of the user, conducting research and exploring multiple design concepts while maintaining a focus on executable deliverables that meet business objectives.
• Deliver innovative user experience improvements across various products and platforms, ensuring a high standard of design excellence.
• Independently manage and lead all phases of the product design lifecycle, from initial discovery and user flow creation to final pixel-perfect UI design and handoff.
• Clearly articulate design decisions, rationale, and the value of design to non-design stakeholders using accessible language.
• Actively participate in and contribute to the design system, creating new components, auditing existing libraries, and ensuring consistent application of design standards.
• Facilitate collaborative sessions such as workshops and design sprints to foster creativity and align cross-functional teams on design solutions.
• Uphold and contribute to raising the overall bar for design quality and impact within the organization.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience demonstrating a strong foundation in design principles and methodologies.

Experience: Minimum of 8 years of experience in the design industry, with at least 3 years specifically within a product-led organization. A robust design portfolio showcasing user-centered design approaches, interaction design, prototyping, visual design, and successful shipped products is essential.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in user-centered design methodologies and design thinking principles, with a strong understanding of the full product development lifecycle.
• Mastery of interaction design and visual design principles, demonstrated through high-fidelity mockups, prototypes, and delivered products.
• Experience contributing to or managing design systems, including component creation, documentation, and library maintenance.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and storytelling skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design decisions and rationale to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and collaboratively with cross-functional teams (product, engineering, research, marketing).
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to explore multiple design solutions and make informed decisions based on user needs and business goals.
• Proficiency in leading design projects independently from conception through to completion and implementation.
• A strong portfolio showcasing a depth of experience across the design process, including research insights, user flows, prototypes, and final visual designs for shipped products.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for both web and mobile applications, with an understanding of platform-specific design considerations.
• Familiarity with the real estate industry or designing for complex client-facing platforms.
• Experience facilitating design workshops, sprints, or other collaborative design sessions.
• Knowledge of user research methodologies and the ability to translate research findings into design solutions.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Your portfolio should clearly demonstrate your end-to-end design process, showcasing projects from initial problem definition and research through to ideation, prototyping, testing, and final implementation.
• Include detailed case studies that explain the user problem you were solving, your design approach, key decisions made, challenges encountered, and the impact of your design work on users and the business.
• Showcase high-fidelity screens and interactive prototypes that demonstrate your visual design skills, attention to detail, and understanding of interaction patterns.
• If applicable, include examples of your contribution to or work with design systems, highlighting how you utilized or evolved design components and guidelines.

Process Documentation:

• Document your research and discovery phase, including user interviews, competitive analysis, or data synthesis that informed your design direction.
• Illustrate your ideation and iteration process, showing sketches, wireframes, and alternative design explorations before arriving at the final solution.
• Explain your validation and testing approaches, such as usability testing, A/B testing, or user feedback incorporation, and how these influenced your design iterations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry data for Senior Product Designer roles in Austin, Texas, with 8+ years of experience in the technology sector, the estimated annual salary range is typically between $120,000 and $160,000+. This range may vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and the complexity of the role. (Source: Glassdoor, Built In Austin, Payscale data for similar roles in Austin, TX, adjusted for Senior level and experience in a product-led tech company).

Benefits:

• Comprehensive and competitive medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Support for family forming benefits, demonstrating a commitment to employee and family wellbeing.
• 13 paid holidays annually, providing ample time for rest and personal pursuits.
• Flexible Time Off (FTO) policy, offering flexibility in managing personal and professional commitments.
• 8 hours of paid Volunteer Time Off to support community engagement and social responsibility.
• Immediate eligibility into the Company 401(k) plan with a generous 3.5% company match to support retirement savings.
• Tuition Reimbursement program for both degreed and non-degreed programs, encouraging continuous learning and professional development.
• Opportunity for 1:1 personalized Financial Planning Sessions to support employees' financial wellness.
• Student Debt Retirement Savings Match program to assist employees with managing student loan debt.
• Free snacks and refreshments available in each office location to enhance the in-office experience.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours, typically 40 hours per week. The hybrid work model requires at least three days per week working from the Austin office, allowing for focused in-person collaboration and creative synergy within the design team and cross-functional partners.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Real Estate Technology. Realtor.com is a leading online platform connecting consumers and real estate professionals. The design team operates within a dynamic market focused on improving the home buying, selling, and renting experience through intuitive digital products.

Company Size: 1,001-5,000 employees (LinkedIn data). Working within a large, established tech company provides stability and resources, while potentially involving more complex organizational structures and cross-team collaboration dynamics.

Founded: 1996 (LinkedIn data). With over 25 years in the industry, Realtor.com has a long history and established presence, indicating a mature organization with potentially well-defined processes and a wealth of historical data.

Team Structure:

• The Senior Product Designer reports to the Sr. Manager of Product Design, suggesting a clear reporting line within the design organization.
• The role involves partnering closely with a specific product team, including a Product Manager and Engineering Lead, indicating a cross-functional team structure focused on a particular area (Client Experience).
• Collaboration extends to other design team members, researchers, and various stakeholders across the company.

Methodology:

• The emphasis on user-centered design methodologies and design thinking principles suggests an iterative and collaborative design process.
• The role involves working throughout the full product lifecycle, implying methodologies that support research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and implementation phases.
• The mention of facilitating workshops and design sprints indicates a commitment to collaborative problem-solving and rapid iteration within the team.

Company Website: http://careers.realtor.com

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This is a Senior-level Product Designer role, indicating a position requiring significant experience, autonomy, and the ability to lead design initiatives. Senior designers are expected to handle complex problems, mentor junior designers (though not explicitly stated as a responsibility), and have a strong influence on product strategy and design direction.

Reporting Structure: Reporting to a Sr. Manager of Product Design suggests a path for growth within the design management track or potential for increased scope and leadership within the individual contributor path.

Design Impact: The role is focused on the "Client Experience," which is crucial for Realtor.com's business as it directly impacts real estate professionals' ability to use the platform and serve their clients. Senior designers in this area have the potential to significantly influence the success of the platform and the satisfaction of a key user group.

Growth Opportunities:

• Potential for advancement to Lead Product Designer or Design Manager roles within the organization as the design team grows.
• Opportunities to specialize in specific areas of client experience or explore other product areas within Realtor.com.
• Development of leadership skills through facilitating workshops, mentoring peers, and leading design initiatives.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: Hybrid work environment, requiring at least three days per week in the Austin office. This setup aims to balance the flexibility of remote work with the benefits of in-person collaboration for creative work and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): The primary location for this role is Austin, Texas. The specific office address is 901 E 6th St, Austin, Texas 78702, US.

Design Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model emphasizes the importance of the physical office space for collaboration, likely providing dedicated design team areas and meeting rooms equipped for brainstorming and design reviews.
• The office environment is designed to facilitate in-person interaction with cross-functional team members (product, engineering, research) for spontaneous discussions and co-creation.
• Access to in-office amenities like free snacks and refreshments contributes to a comfortable and potentially more social work setting on in-office days.

Work Schedule: The role follows a hybrid schedule with a minimum of three days per week working from the Austin office. The remaining days allow for remote work, providing flexibility in managing the work-life balance while ensuring consistent in-person collaboration. Standard business hours are expected during in-office days.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• The initial stage likely involves a review of your resume and portfolio to assess your experience, skills, and design process. Ensure your portfolio is easily accessible and clearly highlights your relevant work.
• Expect an introductory call with a recruiter or hiring manager to discuss your background and interest in the role. Be prepared to briefly walk through a key project from your portfolio.
• Subsequent rounds may include interviews focusing on your technical design skills, problem-solving abilities, collaboration style, and experience with user-centered design methodologies.
• A design challenge or portfolio presentation is highly probable. Be ready to present case studies, explain your design decisions, and articulate your process in detail.
• Final interviews will likely involve meeting with the hiring manager, team members, and potentially stakeholders from product or engineering to assess cultural fit and overall alignment with the team and company values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate your portfolio to showcase projects most relevant to designing client-facing experiences in a product-led organization.
• For each project, clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your role, your process, and the impact of your design work. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your case studies.
• Highlight your experience with interaction design, visual design, and if applicable, contributions to design systems.
• Be prepared to discuss your design decisions and rationale in detail, demonstrating your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Challenge Preparation:

• If a design challenge is assigned, carefully read and understand the prompt. Ask clarifying questions if needed.
• Focus on demonstrating your design process, not just the final solution. Show your research, ideation, and iteration steps.
• Manage your time effectively during the challenge. Prioritize the most important aspects of the problem to address within the given timeframe.
• Be prepared to present your solution and explain your design rationale clearly and concisely to a non-design audience.

ATS Keywords: Product Design, UX Design, UI Design, Interaction Design, Visual Design, Design Systems, User-Centered Design, Design Thinking, Prototyping, Wireframing, Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, User Research, Usability Testing, Collaboration, Cross-Functional Teams, Agile, Product Development, Client Experience, Real Estate Tech, Problem Solving, Communication, Stakeholder Management, Portfolio, Case Studies.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• Proficiency in industry-standard design tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe Creative Suite is expected. Experience with Figma is highly probable given its prevalence in collaborative product design environments.
• Experience using prototyping tools is essential to demonstrate interaction design and user flows.
• Familiarity with version control for design files (e.g., Abstract, or built-in features in Figma) is beneficial for team collaboration and design system management.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Experience with collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) for communication with cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency in handoff tools or methods (e.g., Zeplin, InVision Inspect, or direct developer handoff features in Figma/Sketch) to ensure smooth collaboration with engineers and accurate implementation of designs.
• Experience with documentation tools (e.g., Confluence, Notion) for maintaining design specifications and contributing to design system documentation.

Research & Testing:

• Familiarity with user research platforms or methods for gathering user insights (e.g., Usertesting.com, surveys, interviews).
• Experience with A/B testing platforms or methodologies to validate design decisions and measure impact.
• Understanding of analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude) to inform design decisions and measure the performance of shipped features.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• A strong emphasis on user-centered design, placing the needs and experiences of real estate professionals and consumers at the forefront of the design process.
• Commitment to design excellence and raising the bar for design quality across the organization.
• Value placed on collaboration and working effectively with diverse cross-functional teams.
• Encouragement of informed and strong opinions, coupled with a willingness to be flexible and adaptable ("loosely held").
• A "We, Not Me" attitude, fostering a collaborative and supportive team environment where collective success is prioritized.

Collaboration Style:

• Close partnership with Product Managers and Engineering Leads throughout the entire product lifecycle, fostering a collaborative and integrated approach to product development.
• Active participation in design critiques and feedback sessions to refine design solutions and learn from peers.
• Collaboration on the design system, contributing to a shared library of components and guidelines to ensure consistency and efficiency.
• Engagement with researchers to incorporate user insights into the design process and validate design decisions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Designing for a complex two-sided marketplace (real estate professionals and consumers) with distinct needs and workflows, requiring careful consideration of both user groups.
• Balancing innovation and exploration with the need to deliver executable solutions within product development cycles.
• Contributing to and maintaining a design system while simultaneously working on product features, requiring attention to both consistency and project-specific needs.
• Communicating the value of design and rationale effectively to diverse stakeholders with varying levels of design understanding.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Opportunity to deepen expertise in the real estate technology domain and design for complex professional workflows.
• Enhance skills in design system management and contribution within a large organization.
• Develop leadership skills through facilitating workshops and guiding design initiatives within a cross-functional team.
• Potential for ongoing learning through collaboration with experienced designers, researchers, and product leaders.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• Be prepared to discuss your end-to-end design process for a complex project. Walk through how you identified the problem, conducted research, explored solutions, tested designs, and collaborated with stakeholders.
• Explain how you approach incorporating user feedback and research insights into your design iterations.
• Describe a time you faced a significant design challenge and how you overcame it.
• Discuss your experience working with or contributing to a design system. Explain its importance and how it impacts your workflow.

Company Culture Questions:

• Research Realtor.com's products and target users (real estate professionals and consumers). Be prepared to discuss your thoughts on their current design or opportunities for improvement.
• Ask questions about the design team structure, collaboration practices, and how design is valued within the organization.
• Demonstrate your "We, Not Me" attitude by discussing successful collaborations and how you've contributed to team success.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 2-3 key projects that best showcase your senior-level product design skills and relevant experience (especially client-facing work, if possible).
• For each project, tell a compelling story. Start with the problem, explain your process (including research and iteration), highlight your contributions, and discuss the outcome or impact.
• Focus on explaining your design decisions and rationale, demonstrating your critical thinking and user-centered approach.
• Be prepared to answer questions about your process, tools, and collaboration style for each project.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link on the Realtor.com Careers Greenhouse page.
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience as a Senior Product Designer, emphasizing your work on client-facing products, experience in product-led organizations, and proficiency in user-centered design.
• Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date, easily accessible, and contains detailed case studies that demonstrate your end-to-end design process and the impact of your work.
• Prepare to discuss your portfolio projects in detail and be ready to articulate your design decisions and rationale clearly.
• Research Realtor.com, their products (especially those used by real estate professionals), and their design culture to demonstrate your interest and understanding of the company and the role.