Digital Product Designer - Fußball Startup (m/w/d)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Digital Product Designer - Fußball Startup (m/w/d)

Company: Prematch

Location: Köln, Deutschland

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-01-16T08:06:34.713

Experience Level: 2+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid/Remote Flexible

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive product design initiatives within a fast-paced football-focused startup environment.

• Create intuitive and engaging user experiences for a community of over 190 million football players and fans.

• Collaborate closely with Product and Development teams to translate insights into impactful design solutions.

• Ensure design consistency and a cohesive user journey across all product features and platforms.

• Contribute to the evolution of a "super-platform" for amateur football by shaping new ideas and refining existing features.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title specifies "Digital Product Designer," the core responsibilities and required skills align with a UX/UI Designer role, emphasizing user-centric design, research, and interface creation. The role also has cross-functional design needs, extending to brand partnerships.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design user-centric interfaces and engaging experiences for mobile applications, focusing on intuitive navigation and user flow.

• Conduct comprehensive user research, including product discovery, user interviews, and usability testing, to inform design decisions and identify areas for improvement.

• Develop wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity designs for new features, enhancements, and iterative improvements.

• Maintain and evolve the design system to ensure visual consistency, brand alignment, and a unified user experience across the entire product.

• Provide design support for other teams, including brand partnerships, to ensure consistent visual representation and user engagement in marketing and collaborative initiatives.

• Translate user insights and business requirements into compelling design solutions that address user needs and drive product adoption.

• Work cross-functionally with Product Managers, Engineers, and Marketing to ensure successful implementation of design concepts and product strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a full-cycle design process, from initial research and ideation to final high-fidelity design and cross-functional collaboration. The inclusion of "Brand Partnerships" suggests a need for versatility in design application beyond core product features.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Not specified, but a degree in Design, HCI, or a related field is often preferred.

Experience: Minimum of 2 years of demonstrable experience as a Product Designer, UX/UI Designer, or similar role, with a strong portfolio showcasing design skills.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in UX/UI design, creating intuitive and visually appealing interfaces for mobile applications.

• Expertise in conducting user research, product discovery, and usability testing to gather actionable insights.

• Proficiency in creating wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity designs using industry-standard design tools.

• Strong understanding of user-centered design principles, interaction design, and responsive design methodologies.

• Excellent visual design skills with a keen eye for aesthetics and user-system interactions.

• Fluency in both German and English, both written and spoken.

Preferred Skills:

• Skills in motion design to enhance user engagement and product dynamism.

• Basic frontend development skills (e.g., HTML, CSS) to better understand technical constraints and possibilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for amateur football knowledge is a unique and critical differentiator, suggesting that understanding the target user's context is paramount for effective design. The minimum experience level suggests this is not an entry-level position, but one where the candidate can contribute independently.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 2 years of product design experience, demonstrating a strong grasp of UX/UI principles.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the design process, from problem identification and user research to solution development and final design outcomes.

• Examples of mobile application design, highlighting user-centric problem-solving and iterative design improvements.

• Demonstrations of proficiency in creating wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs.

Process Documentation:

• The portfolio should document the candidate's approach to user research methodologies, including how insights were gathered and integrated into design decisions.

• Examples of how design consistency was maintained across a product or feature set are crucial.

• Showcase the process of translating user needs and business requirements into functional and aesthetically pleasing design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Product Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing final designs; it must illustrate the thought process, research methodologies, and collaborative efforts involved in creating user-centered solutions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the 2+ years of experience requirement, the location in Cologne, Germany, and the startup environment with potential for employee participation, a competitive salary range for a Product Designer in Germany would typically fall between €45,000 - €65,000 annually. This can vary based on the specific candidate's experience, skills, and the company's funding stage.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary.

• Employee Participation (VSOP - Virtual Stock Option Plan), offering direct participation in the company's success.

• Flexible remote work options, with 1-3 days in the office per week for hybrid roles, and potentially 100% remote for Tech & Product teams.

• Opportunity to work from abroad for short periods.

• Modern IT equipment provided.

• 27 vacation days per year, with special provisions for parents.

• Regular team events (after-work gatherings, offsites) to foster team spirit and collaboration.

• Support for office visits across Berlin, London, and Cologne.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, typically around 40 hours per week, with flexibility for remote work arrangements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for Product Designers with 2-5 years of experience in Germany, considering the startup context and provided benefits. The VSOP is a significant incentive for startup roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Sports Technology / Digital Media / Football. Prematch operates within the intersection of sports, technology, and community platforms, aiming to digitize and enhance the amateur football experience.

Company Size: Startup (implied by founding date 2021 and growth focus). The team is distributed across Europe with a mix of remote and office-based employees.

Founded: 2021. Prematch was founded with the mission to bring professional-level experiences to amateur football players and fans.

Team Structure:

• A dynamic, "hungry" team with members in Köln, Berlin, and London (Marketing & Business) and a remote Tech & Product team across Europe.

• The Product Designer will be part of the Tech & Product team, working closely with Product Managers and Developers.

Methodology:

• Data-driven product development, leveraging user research and analytics to inform design and feature iteration.

• Agile development processes are likely employed to facilitate rapid iteration and responsiveness to user feedback.

• A strong emphasis on community building and user engagement through gamification and personalized content.

Company Website: https://prematch.notion.site/Prematch-auf-einen-Blick-b7158d037c414dd0b19e7a6b97e8fdbe

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to be a blend of startup energy, a passion for football, and a commitment to user experience. The distributed team structure necessitates strong communication and collaboration tools.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Product Designer, requiring 2+ years of experience and the ability to work independently. It offers the opportunity to significantly influence the product's direction and user experience from an early stage.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product, Lead Product Designer, or a CTO within the Tech & Product team.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work will directly impact user acquisition, engagement, retention, and overall product satisfaction. By creating intuitive and enjoyable experiences, they will contribute to the platform's growth and its mission to revolutionize amateur football.

Growth Opportunities:

• Deepen expertise in UX/UI design and product strategy within the sports tech niche.

• Opportunity to take on more complex design challenges and lead design initiatives for new product areas.

• Potential to grow into a Senior Product Designer or Design Lead role as the company scales.

• Develop skills in areas like motion design or frontend development through preferred skills and company support.

• Gain exposure to investor relations and strategic partnerships through the startup environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The startup environment offers accelerated growth potential and the chance to make a significant impact. The blend of core design responsibilities with broader cross-functional tasks provides a well-rounded development path.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Prematch offers a hybrid work model with offices in Berlin Mitte, London, and Cologne. These offices are described as having a "real startup vibe" for working and launching together.

Office Location(s):

• Berlin, Germany (Office)

• London, United Kingdom (Office)

Workspace Context:

• A flexible work environment allowing employees to choose between working in one of the company's offices or remotely.

• For hybrid roles, 1-3 days per week are expected in the office, with the remaining days flexible.

• For the Tech & Product team, 100% remote work is possible.

• The company utilizes "cool tools and a virtual office" to maintain team connection across distances.

• Modern IT equipment is provided to ensure productivity.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time schedule, with significant flexibility in terms of location (hybrid, remote, even abroad for short periods). This flexibility allows individuals to manage their work around personal needs while ensuring deliverables are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on flexibility (hybrid, remote, even working from abroad) is a key feature of the work environment, catering to modern work preferences while maintaining team cohesion through specific tools and occasional office presence.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Submit CV and application via the provided link.

• Initial Screening: Review of CV and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and fit with the role requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation/Walkthrough: Candidates will likely be asked to present their portfolio, discussing their design process, problem-solving approaches, and the impact of their work. This is a critical step.

• Skills/Technical Interview: Discussion focused on design principles, user research methodologies, and tool proficiency. May include a design challenge or case study.

• Cultural Fit Interview: Conversation with team members (potentially Product Manager, Lead Designer, or CTO) to assess alignment with Prematch's startup culture and football passion.

• Final Interview/Offer: Discussion with leadership for final decision and offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Process, Not Just Pixels: Clearly articulate your thought process behind each design decision. Explain the problem, your research, your iterations, and the rationale for your final solution.

• Quantify Impact: If possible, include metrics or results that demonstrate the positive impact of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, increased user engagement, reduced friction).

• Tailor to Prematch: Highlight projects that demonstrate experience with mobile apps, user-centric design, and ideally, any connection to sports or community platforms.

• Visual Clarity & Storytelling: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, visually appealing, and tells a compelling story for each project.

• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to talk in detail about your contributions, challenges faced, and lessons learned from each project.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential design challenge that might involve a short timeframe to ideate, wireframe, and present a solution for a specific problem related to the app or user experience.

• Practice articulating your design decisions clearly and concisely, especially under pressure.

• Focus on demonstrating your understanding of user needs and your ability to translate them into practical design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is central to this application. Candidates should prepare to walk through their best work, emphasizing their problem-solving skills and process, not just aesthetically pleasing final designs. The football passion is also a key cultural aspect to demonstrate.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design Software: Figma (highly probable, given industry standard for collaborative design), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator).

• Prototyping Tools: Figma, InVision, Adobe XD.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar product analytics platforms for understanding user behavior and tracking feature adoption.

CRM & Automation:

Collaboration & Project Management:

• Jira, Asana, Trello for task management and workflow tracking.

• Slack or similar for team communication.

• Notion for documentation and knowledge sharing.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern collaborative design tools like Figma is essential. Familiarity with product analytics tools will allow the designer to understand user behavior and measure the impact of their designs.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of amateur football players and fans.

• Passion for Football: Genuine enthusiasm for the sport and its community, driving innovation and engagement.

• Agility & Adaptability: Embracing the fast-paced nature of a startup, being open to change and quick iteration.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively across different departments and locations to achieve shared goals.

• Innovation & Impact: Striving to create unique and impactful solutions that transform the amateur football landscape.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, with frequent interaction between Product Design, Product Management, and Engineering.

• Open communication channels (Slack, virtual office) to foster connection and knowledge sharing.

• A culture that encourages constructive feedback and iterative design processes.

• Cross-functional support, including assisting with brand partnerships, indicates a willingness to contribute beyond core responsibilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "passion for football" is explicitly stated as a cultural value, suggesting that candidates who can demonstrate this will resonate strongly with the team. The collaborative and agile nature is typical of successful startups.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Designing experiences that are both delightful for users and drive business objectives in a competitive market.

• Rapid Iteration in a Startup Environment: Adapting quickly to changing priorities, market feedback, and new feature development cycles.

• Maintaining Design Consistency Across Distributed Teams: Ensuring a unified brand and user experience with a hybrid and remote workforce.

• Integrating New Features Seamlessly: Designing new functionalities without disrupting the existing user flow or overwhelming users.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialization in Sports Tech Design: Gaining deep expertise in a niche but rapidly growing industry.

• Advanced UX/UI Techniques: Opportunity to refine skills in user research, interaction design, and visual storytelling.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Exposure to business strategy, marketing, and partnership design through broader project involvement.

• Career Progression: Potential to move into senior or leadership roles as the company scales.

• Industry Exposure: Learning about startup growth, funding, and investor relations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical of a growing startup, emphasizing the need for resilience, adaptability, and strong problem-solving skills. The growth opportunities are significant for someone looking to make a substantial impact and advance their career.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting user needs or business requirements in a design. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your decision-making process, research, and compromise).

• "How do you stay updated on the latest design trends and tools, especially in the mobile and sports tech space?" (Showcase continuous learning and passion).

• "Walk us through a challenging design project from your portfolio. What was the problem, your process, and what did you learn?" (Prepare a detailed case study).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Prematch and the opportunity to work in the amateur football space?" (Connect your passion for football and desire to innovate).

• "How do you contribute to a positive and collaborative team environment, especially in a hybrid or remote setting?" (Highlight your teamwork and communication skills).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly state the problem, your role and responsibilities, your design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the final solution, and the impact/results.

• Highlight Your Football Connection: Be ready to discuss your personal connection to football and how it informs your design perspective.

• Demonstrate Problem-Solving: Focus on the why behind your design decisions, not just the what. Show how you used research and critical thinking to arrive at your solutions.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Practice your presentation to be clear, engaging, and within a reasonable timeframe (typically 20-30 minutes, leaving ample time for Q&A).

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to discuss their football passion extensively, as it's a key cultural aspect. The portfolio presentation needs to be a storytelling session about their design journey and problem-solving capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Digital Product Designer position:

• Submit your CV through the provided application link on join.com.

• Portfolio Preparation: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature mobile application design projects, user research case studies, and examples of your UX/UI process. Emphasize any projects related to sports, communities, or engaging user experiences.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 2+ years of experience as a Product Designer, focusing on keywords like UX/UI, User Research, Prototyping, Interaction Design, and any specific tools mentioned. Clearly state your fluency in German and English, and your connection to amateur football.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your work. Prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewers about the product, team, and company culture.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Prematch's mission, platform, and recent activities. Understand their target audience (amateur footballers) and their unique selling propositions. Research their investors and partners to grasp their market position.

⚠️ 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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