Contract Senior Website Visual Designer (UX/UI) - Remote | US & Canada

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Contract Senior Website Visual Designer (UX/UI)

Company: Kanopi

Location: Remote (US & Canada)

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-02-27

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end visual and UX design for complex website projects, from discovery through launch, ensuring a clear design direction and guiding clients and internal teams towards confident decisions.

• Develop accessible, user-centered solutions including wireframes, user flows, UI designs, high-fidelity prototypes, and scalable design systems that support long-term consistency and brand integrity.

• Confidently present and defend design work to diverse audiences, articulating strategic reasoning in clear, plain language and effectively incorporating feedback while maintaining design integrity.

• Drive cross-functional collaboration with Content Strategists, Developers, and Project Managers to ensure cohesive, technically sound, and accurately implemented solutions, including thorough design reviews during the development phase.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on a senior-level visual designer with a strong emphasis on UX principles, accessibility, and client-facing presentation skills within a remote, agency environment. The "Contract Senior Website Visual Designer (UX/UI)" title clearly indicates a specialized role requiring deep expertise in digital product design for web platforms.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the complete visual and UX design process for intricate website projects, from initial discovery and research phases through to final launch, establishing a definitive design course and facilitating stakeholder alignment.

• Craft inclusive and user-centric design solutions encompassing functional wireframes, intuitive user flows, compelling UI designs, interactive high-fidelity prototypes, and robust, scalable design systems to ensure ongoing brand consistency and maintainability.

• Articulate and advocate for design decisions with clarity and conviction, translating complex user needs and project objectives into easily understandable rationales and skillfully managing client feedback to achieve optimal outcomes.

• Strategically plan and lead discovery workshops, effectively synthesizing research findings and user insights into actionable UX deliverables such as detailed sitemaps, comprehensive user journeys, and representative personas.

• Foster strong collaborative partnerships with Content Strategists, Developers, and Project Managers, ensuring seamless integration of design with content, technical feasibility, and adherence to design specifications throughout the development lifecycle, including rigorous design validation.

• Serve as a key representative for Creative Services in client pitches and sales engagements, leveraging strong design thinking and impactful presentation skills to secure new business opportunities.

• Actively contribute to Kanopi’s marketing initiatives and thought leadership through participation in webinars, public presentations, and other knowledge-sharing platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a senior-level designer who not only executes design but also leads projects, facilitates client engagement, and contributes to the agency's growth and reputation. The emphasis on "end-to-end," "lead," and "guide" signifies a leadership component within the design discipline.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, candidates are expected to possess a comprehensive understanding of design principles, user experience, and accessibility standards, often gained through formal education, self-study, or extensive practical experience.

Experience:

• 5+ years of professional experience in designing responsive web experiences.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A robust portfolio showcasing thoughtful, user-centered UI/UX design for responsive websites, with demonstrative examples of accessibility, usability, and visual craft.

• Presentation & Communication: Demonstrated confidence in presenting and defending design work to diverse audiences, effectively incorporating feedback while maintaining clear design direction and strategic rationale.

• Design Software Proficiency: Fluency in Figma and modern design workflows.

• Collaboration Tools: Experience utilizing collaboration tools such as Adobe Creative Cloud and Google Workspace.

• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple complex website projects simultaneously, adapt to evolving requirements, and work effectively within both agile and waterfall development methodologies.

• Remote Work Aptitude: Comfort and proven success working remotely within a distributed team structure.

• Technical Understanding: Working knowledge of front-end development best practices and an understanding of how designs translate into functional web development.

Preferred Skills:

• Front-End Development: Direct coding experience is considered a plus.

• Analytics & Research Tools: Familiarity with analytics and research tools such as GA4, heatmapping platforms, and user testing tools.

• Client Type Experience: Experience working with mission-driven or nonprofit organizations is preferred but not a requirement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize practical experience and a strong portfolio over formal education. The inclusion of specific tools like Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud, alongside methodologies like Agile and Waterfall, are critical for operations and project management. The preference for agency and mission-driven experience provides context for the client-facing nature of the role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Visual Craft & UX Strategy: Showcase a minimum of 3-5 distinct website projects that clearly demonstrate a strong command of visual design principles, effective UX strategy, and a user-centered approach. Each project should highlight your specific role and contributions.

• Accessibility & Usability: Include explicit examples and explanations of how accessibility best practices (e.g., WCAG compliance) and usability principles were integrated into your design solutions, detailing the impact on user experience for diverse audiences.

• Prototyping & Design Systems: Provide examples of interactive prototypes (preferably built in Figma) and, if applicable, elements of a design system or style guide that illustrate your ability to create scalable, consistent UI components and design languages.

• Client & Project Context: For each project, briefly outline the client's mission, the project's primary goals, the challenges faced, and how your design solutions addressed these objectives, demonstrating an understanding of business needs beyond pure aesthetics.

Process Documentation:

• Discovery & Research: Illustrate your process for conducting user research, defining user personas, mapping user journeys, and translating these insights into initial sitemaps and wireframes.

• Design Iteration & Collaboration: Detail how you iterate on designs based on feedback, collaborate with developers and content strategists, and manage design handoffs, providing examples of communication and problem-solving during the design and development lifecycle.

• Presentation & Rationale: Prepare to walk through your portfolio pieces, explaining your design rationale, decision-making process, and how you presented your work and defended your design choices to clients or stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are geared towards demonstrating practical application of design skills in a professional context, with a strong emphasis on process, user advocacy, and client communication—all critical for a senior role in a client-facing agency.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Hourly Rate: $60 - $80 per hour.

• Methodology: This range is based on Kanopi's stated compensation for this contract position, reflecting senior-level expertise in UX/UI design within the US and Canadian markets. The exact rate will be commensurate with the candidate's experience and demonstrated skills. Factors influencing placement within this range include the depth of portfolio examples, agency experience, and proficiency in specified tools and methodologies.

Benefits:

• Flexible Work Environment: Fully remote position allowing work from anywhere in the US or Canada.

• Professional Development: Opportunities to contribute to thought leadership through webinars and presentations, fostering skill enhancement and industry recognition.

• Diverse & Mission-Driven Clientele: Opportunity to work with mission-driven organizations, aligning personal values with professional projects.

• Collaborative Team: Engage with a distributed team of experts in Drupal and WordPress, fostering continuous learning and knowledge exchange.

• Contractual Engagement: This is a contract role, offering flexibility and project-based work.

Working Hours:

• This is a contract role, with expected working hours to align with project demands and client needs. While the role is fully remote, typical full-time engagement would equate to approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility in scheduling to accommodate different time zones within the US and Canada.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is explicitly provided. The benefits focus on aspects typically valued in contract remote roles: flexibility, professional growth opportunities, and the nature of the work itself (mission-driven clients). The working hours are presented with an emphasis on flexibility common in contract positions.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Design, Development & Support Agency specializing in Drupal & WordPress.

Company Size: Kanopi is a growing agency with a fully distributed team, implying a mid-to-large size for a specialized agency, likely ranging from 50-200 employees based on typical agency structures for this specialization.

Founded: While the founding date isn't specified, the company's focus on modern web technologies and a distributed model suggests a company established in the last 5-15 years, adapting to current work trends.

Team Structure:

• Operations Team: The role reports to the Director of Strategy and Creative, indicating a structured creative department with clear leadership. The design team likely comprises other visual designers, UX designers, and potentially UI specialists.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role emphasizes close collaboration with Content Strategists, Developers, and Project Managers, highlighting a highly integrated, team-based approach to project delivery.

• Distributed Model: The company operates with a fully distributed team, fostering a culture of autonomy, trust, and effective asynchronous communication.

Methodology:

• Client-Centric Approach: Deep commitment to client missions, translating their goals into effective digital solutions.

• Agile & Waterfall Integration: Experience in both agile and waterfall methodologies, allowing for adaptability to project needs.

• Focus on Craft & Quality: Emphasis on high-quality design, development, and ongoing support.

• Web Technology Expertise: Specialization in Drupal and WordPress, indicating a deep technical understanding within these platforms.

Company Website: https://kanopi.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: This section infers company characteristics based on its description as a specialized agency with a distributed model and focus on Drupal/WordPress. The emphasis on mission-driven clients and collaborative, distributed work style are key cultural indicators.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This position is classified as a Contract Senior Website Visual Designer (UX/UI). This indicates a high level of experience and autonomy, where the designer is expected to lead projects, mentor junior team members (implicitly, by setting direction), and act as a primary point of contact for design strategy and execution with clients. It's a senior individual contributor role with significant leadership in design outcomes.

Reporting Structure: The role reports directly to the Director of Strategy and Creative. This suggests a clear line of communication and mentorship, with opportunities to influence broader creative strategy and receive guidance from experienced leadership.

Operations Impact: The designer's impact is significant, directly influencing client satisfaction, project success, and the agency's reputation. By creating accessible, user-centered, and visually compelling websites, the designer contributes to clients' mission achievement, which is Kanopi's core value proposition. Furthermore, representing the agency in pitches and contributing to thought leadership directly impacts business development and market positioning.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas such as advanced accessibility, design systems, or specialized CMS design (Drupal/WordPress).

• Client Account Management: Develop stronger client relationship management and strategic advisory skills through consistent client interaction and presentation.

• Thought Leadership: Expand influence by contributing to webinars, presentations, and company content, establishing personal and company brand authority in the design space.

• Potential for Long-Term Contracts: Successful contractors may be considered for ongoing projects or future contract opportunities based on performance and project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis focuses on the career implications of a senior contract role within an agency setting, highlighting leadership, impact, and potential growth avenues beyond a typical full-time employee path.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This means the work environment is home-based, requiring self-discipline and effective remote communication strategies.

Office Location(s): The role is open to individuals residing and authorized to work in the United States and Canada. This broad geographical scope allows for a diverse talent pool but requires an understanding of operating across different time zones.

Workspace Context:

• Autonomy & Flexibility: The remote setup provides significant autonomy over the work environment and schedule, allowing individuals to optimize their personal productivity.

• Digital Collaboration Tools: Reliance on digital platforms (Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Workspace, etc.) for design, communication, and project management.

• Team Connectivity: Despite the physical distance, the company emphasizes staying connected through various communication channels and collaborative processes, fostering a sense of team cohesion.

Work Schedule:

• This is a contract position, implying a flexible schedule aligned with project deliverables and client needs. While a standard 40-hour work week is typical for full-time contract engagements, the remote nature allows for some flexibility in daily scheduling, provided work is completed efficiently and collaboratively across US and Canadian time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section details the implications of a fully remote work environment for a contractor, focusing on the tools, communication styles, and flexibility expected.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Review: Initial screening of resumes and cover letters, with a strong emphasis on portfolio quality and alignment with role requirements.

• Initial Questions: A short set of questions may be sent to gauge initial fit and understanding of the role.

• Interviews: Multiple rounds of interviews with various team members, likely including the Director of Strategy and Creative, and potentially other designers or project managers, to assess skills, experience, and cultural fit.

• Skills Assessments: Candidates may be asked to complete one or two short design tasks or challenges to demonstrate their practical design approach and problem-solving abilities.

• Final Evaluation: Assessment of overall fit, technical skills, communication abilities, and alignment with Kanopi's mission and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant website design projects that specifically highlight UI/UX, accessibility, and visual craft. Prioritize projects similar to Kanopi's work (agency, mission-driven clients if applicable).

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process (discovery, wireframing, prototyping, UI design), the solutions you implemented, and the outcomes achieved. Use concise text and compelling visuals.

• Highlight Accessibility: Explicitly call out how you incorporated accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and explain the rationale behind your choices.

• Showcase Figma Proficiency: If possible, include interactive prototypes created in Figma. Be prepared to demo or discuss your Figma workflow.

• Explain Your Rationale: Be ready to verbally walk through your portfolio, defending your design decisions with clear reasoning tied to user needs, business goals, and accessibility principles.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Task: If a design challenge is provided, ensure you fully understand the brief, objectives, and constraints.

• Time Management: Allocate your time effectively across research, ideation, design, and presentation preparation.

• Presentation Clarity: Structure your presentation logically, focusing on your thought process, design choices, and how you would address the challenge. Be prepared to present concisely and answer questions thoughtfully.

• Focus on Process: Demonstrate your problem-solving approach and how you would apply UX/UI principles to find an effective solution.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice for candidates, focusing on how to best present their qualifications, especially their portfolio, and prepare for the specific interview stages Kanopi outlines.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for wireframing, UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is a key requirement.

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Likely used for asset creation, image editing, and potentially other design tasks. Specific applications within the suite should be familiar.

• Google Workspace: Standard suite for collaboration, documentation, and communication (e.g., Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet).

Analytics & Reporting:

• GA4 (Google Analytics 4): Familiarity is preferred for understanding website performance and user behavior.

• Heatmapping Platforms: Tools like Hotjar or Crazy Egg may be used to understand user interaction on websites.

• User Testing Tools: Platforms for conducting usability tests and gathering qualitative user feedback.

CRM & Automation:

Integration Tools:

• Understanding of how design integrates with CMS platforms like Drupal and WordPress is crucial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools listed are directly from the job description, emphasizing Figma as a core requirement and others as preferred or generally useful for web design professionals in an agency context.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A core value is supporting clients' missions, implying a focus on impact and purpose-driven work.

• Excellence in Craft: Commitment to high-quality design and development, aiming for beautiful, functional, and accessible websites.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Emphasis on working together effectively, sharing knowledge, and maintaining open communication within a distributed team.

• User Advocacy: A strong focus on designing for the user, ensuring accessibility and usability for a wide range of people.

• Growth & Well-being: Commitment to supporting team members' professional growth and personal well-being.

Collaboration Style:

• Remote-First: Relies heavily on digital communication tools and asynchronous workflows.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers work closely with strategists, content creators, and developers, requiring strong communication and understanding of each discipline.

• Feedback Culture: Openness to receiving and giving feedback to improve work and processes.

• Proactive Communication: Essential for a distributed team to ensure alignment and address issues promptly.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section synthesizes Kanopi's stated values and operational ethos into key cultural drivers relevant to how a designer would operate within the team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Maintaining Design Consistency Across Projects: With multiple clients and projects, ensuring a consistent level of quality and adherence to brand guidelines can be challenging.

• Balancing Client Needs with User Best Practices: Effectively advocating for user needs and accessibility while meeting client expectations and project constraints.

• Effective Remote Collaboration: Ensuring seamless communication and alignment with a distributed team across different time zones and working styles.

• Adapting to Evolving Web Technologies: Staying current with the latest design trends, accessibility standards, and CMS capabilities (Drupal/WordPress).

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Exposure to Diverse Projects: Working with a variety of mission-driven clients offers broad experience.

• Mentorship from Leadership: Reporting to the Director of Strategy and Creative provides opportunities for guidance and strategic skill development.

• Thought Leadership Contribution: Opportunities to present and share expertise can enhance public profile and industry standing.

• Continuous Skill Enhancement: The dynamic nature of web design encourages ongoing learning in UX, UI, accessibility, and new design tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section identifies potential hurdles and growth areas specific to a senior contract designer in a remote agency setting, linking them to the company's context.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process & Rationale: Be prepared to walk through a complex website project from your portfolio. Explain your design thinking, how you approached user research, wireframing, UI design, and prototyping. Be ready to defend your key design decisions with clear reasoning.

• Client Collaboration & Presentation: Describe a time you had to present a challenging design concept or defend your work against significant client feedback. How did you manage the conversation and reach a positive outcome?

• Accessibility Integration: How do you ensure accessibility is a core part of your design process from the outset? Provide specific examples of how you've implemented accessibility features and why they were important.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: You might be asked how you would approach a hypothetical design problem for a mission-driven organization or a complex website requirement. Focus on your structured approach, user-centricity, and ability to balance competing needs.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Understanding Kanopi's Mission: Research Kanopi's website and understand their focus on mission-driven clients and their expertise in Drupal/WordPress. Be ready to articulate why this aligns with your career goals.

• Remote Work Experience: Discuss your experience working effectively in a remote, distributed team. Highlight your communication strategies and how you stay organized and collaborative.

• Teamwork & Collaboration: How do you collaborate with developers, content strategists, and project managers? Provide examples of successful cross-functional partnerships.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each portfolio piece, clearly state the client's challenge, your role, your process, the solution, and the measurable impact or outcome.

• Visual Storytelling: Use high-quality visuals, clear annotations, and concise descriptions. Interactive prototypes are highly valuable.

• Concise Explanations: Be prepared to present each project within a defined timeframe (e.g., 5-10 minutes per project), focusing on the most critical aspects.

• Answer Questions Directly: Listen carefully to interviewers' questions and provide direct, well-reasoned answers, referencing your portfolio where applicable.

📝 Enhancement Note: This preparation guide is tailored to the specific responsibilities and requirements of the role, emphasizing portfolio strength, client interaction, and remote work capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Use the ‘Apply for this Job’ button located toward the bottom of the page on the Workable platform.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your submitted portfolio is easily accessible and showcases your strongest, most relevant website visual design (UX/UI) projects, with a clear emphasis on accessibility, usability, and visual craft. Prepare to discuss specific projects in detail.

• Resume & Cover Letter Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 5+ years of web design experience, including at least 3 years in an agency setting, and your proficiency with Figma and modern design workflows. Your cover letter must address your fit for the role and include your answer to the question: "What’s your favorite piece of technology, and why?"

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, defending your design decisions, and discussing your experience with client presentations and remote collaboration. Prepare to answer questions about accessibility and your approach to user-centered design.

• Company Research: Thoroughly review Kanopi's website to understand their mission, values, and expertise in Drupal/WordPress. Be ready to discuss how your skills and experience align with their client-centric and mission-driven approach.

⚠️ 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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