Lead Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer

Company: AirOps

Location: New York City, New York, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2025-09-28

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (4+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (with in-person hubs in San Francisco, New York, and Montevideo)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the end-to-end product design lifecycle, from foundational user research and ideation through rigorous prototyping, user testing, and final delivery of innovative features.

• Drive the strategic definition and execution of product design for a cutting-edge platform that empowers marketers in an AI-reshaped landscape, ensuring both human and AI agent appeal.

• Foster a cohesive and scalable design system, maintaining a consistent visual language and functional integrity across the entire AirOps platform.

• Champion user-centric design principles and leverage data-informed decision-making to align design initiatives with critical business objectives and user needs.

• Act as a design leader, mentoring junior designers and non-designers alike to elevate design thinking and execution across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Lead Product Designer with a strong emphasis on shaping the product experience for a B2B SaaS platform focused on marketing technology and AI. While not a direct Revenue or Sales Operations role, the "Lead Product Designer" title in a "high-velocity startup" environment focused on "marketing" and "content" that "humans and agents love" suggests a significant intersection with Go-To-Market (GTM) operations. The designer will be instrumental in creating the user experience for tools that directly impact marketing efficiency and effectiveness, which in turn influences GTM strategy and revenue generation. The focus on "content that both humans and agents love" implies a need to design for AI-driven content creation and distribution, a key area for modern GTM operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the comprehensive design process for all new product features, encompassing user research, concept development, wireframing, interactive prototyping, usability testing, and seamless handoff to engineering.

• Collaborate intimately with Product Managers and Engineering teams to translate complex business requirements and user needs into intuitive and impactful design solutions, ensuring alignment on scope and technical feasibility.

• Define, develop, and meticulously maintain a robust and scalable design system, ensuring consistency in UI elements, interaction patterns, and visual aesthetics across all product touchpoints.

• Conduct qualitative and quantitative user research, including interviews, surveys, and usability studies, to deeply understand user pain points and translate findings into actionable design improvements.

• Advocate for and implement data-informed design strategies, utilizing analytics, A/B testing results, and user feedback to refine existing features and inform the design of new ones.

• Explore and integrate emerging design tools and AI-powered workflows, such as AI code assistants and advanced prototyping tools, to enhance design efficiency, innovation, and the overall user experience.

• Mentor and guide other designers, fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented design culture, and educating stakeholders across the company on design best practices and user-centric methodologies.

• Contribute to the product strategy by identifying opportunities for design innovation and defining the long-term vision for the AirOps user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a senior-level individual contributor with leadership potential, focusing on end-to-end product design with a strong emphasis on user research, design systems, and AI integration. The mention of "AI-powered workflows" and "content that both humans and agents love" indicates a focus on designing for AI-assisted creative processes, which is highly relevant to modern GTM and marketing operations. The role requires strong collaboration with product and engineering, crucial for successful GTM technology implementation.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field, or equivalent practical experience, is highly valued.

Experience: Minimum of 4 years of professional experience in digital product design, with a significant portion spent in fast-paced, high-growth startup environments.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in leading the full product design lifecycle, from conception to delivery, for digital products.

• Demonstrated experience in conducting user research (qualitative and quantitative) and translating insights into effective design solutions.

• Strong proficiency in creating interactive prototypes and conducting usability testing to validate design concepts.

• Experience in developing and maintaining comprehensive design systems, ensuring UI/UX consistency and scalability.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Engineering, and Marketing.

• Familiarity with design tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, and prototyping tools.

• A strong portfolio showcasing a range of digital product design projects, highlighting problem-solving skills and design impact.

• Passion for leveraging technology and design to address complex user problems.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI-powered design tools and workflows (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code, Figma Make).

• Proven track record of leading zero-to-one product initiatives from ideation to launch.

• Experience in designing B2B SaaS platforms, particularly within the marketing technology or content creation space.

• Familiarity with data analysis and A/B testing methodologies to inform design decisions.

• Mentorship experience or a demonstrated ability to guide and inspire other designers.

• Understanding of Agile development methodologies and experience working within them.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize practical experience and a portfolio over formal education. The specific mention of AI tools like Cursor and Claude Code indicates a forward-looking approach to design tooling, crucial for roles impacting AI-driven GTM strategies. The ability to lead "zero-to-one" initiatives is key for a startup environment and implies a need for strong initiative and ownership.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 comprehensive case studies demonstrating end-to-end product design ownership.

• Each case study should clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and contributions, the design process employed (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), and the final solution.

• Highlight projects that involved significant user research, problem-solving, and iterative design improvements.

• Include examples of design system contributions or the creation of scalable UI components.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly outline the user research methodologies utilized, including methods for gathering and synthesizing user feedback.

• Detail the prototyping and user testing strategies implemented to validate design concepts and gather insights.

• Showcase your approach to creating and maintaining design systems, including component libraries and style guides.

• Document how you translate user insights and business requirements into actionable design specifications for engineering teams.

• Illustrate your process for collaborating with cross-functional teams, particularly product managers and engineers, to ensure successful product delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is paramount for this role. The emphasis on end-to-end case studies, user research, and design systems aligns with senior design roles. For this specific position, it would be beneficial to highlight any projects involving AI, content creation tools, or platforms designed to improve marketing or GTM efficiency. Demonstrating a structured process for problem-solving and collaboration is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Lead Product Designer in New York City with 4+ years of experience, the estimated salary range is typically between $130,000 - $180,000 annually. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks from reputable sources like Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and industry-specific compensation reports for Design roles in major tech hubs like New York City, considering the startup environment and the "Lead" title.

Benefits:

• Equity in a fast-growing startup, offering potential for significant financial upside.

• Competitive benefits package tailored to your location, likely including health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Flexible time off policy, promoting work-life balance and employee well-being.

• Generous parental leave, supporting new parents in the team.

• Access to state-of-the-art design tools and AI-powered workflows.

• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning in a dynamic field.

• A collaborative and innovative work environment with a passionate and mission-driven team.

Working Hours: Based on the "FULL_TIME" employment type and typical industry standards, expect a standard full-time work schedule, approximately 40 hours per week. Given the startup environment and the hybrid/remote flexibility, there may be an expectation for some flexibility in working hours to accommodate cross-functional collaboration and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on market data for similar roles and locations. The benefits package is comprehensive, with a strong emphasis on startup equity and employee well-being. The mention of "competitive benefits package tailored to your location" implies that specific offerings might vary slightly based on the employee's primary work hub (e.g., New York, San Francisco, Montevideo).

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Marketing Technology / AI-Powered Content Creation. AirOps operates at the intersection of AI, content creation, and marketing technology, aiming to revolutionize how brands engage with audiences in an era of AI-driven communication.

Company Size: The company description implies a growth-stage startup, likely with 50-200 employees, given the mention of multiple in-person hubs and venture backing. This size typically offers a dynamic environment with opportunities for significant impact.

Founded: Founded in 2022, AirOps is a relatively young company, indicating a fast-paced, innovative, and potentially disruptive approach to its market.

Team Structure:

• The design team, while not explicitly detailed in size, is expected to be growing and collaborative, with this Lead role playing a key part in its development and mentorship.

• This role will report into a Head of Product or a similar leadership position, working closely with Product Managers and Engineering leads.

Methodology:

• AirOps likely employs Agile methodologies for product development, emphasizing iterative design and rapid deployment.

• A strong focus on data-informed decision-making and user-centric design principles guides their product development process.

• The company culture appears to value innovation, speed, and a proactive approach to problem-solving, as evidenced by their guiding principles.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: AirOps is positioned as a modern tech startup leveraging AI to transform marketing. The culture appears to be one of rapid iteration, ownership, and user focus. The "Guiding Principles" strongly suggest a culture that values proactivity, quality, and open communication. This environment is ideal for designers who thrive on building products from the ground up and making a tangible impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Lead Product Designer role, signifying a senior individual contributor position with leadership responsibilities. It's a crucial role for someone looking to make a significant impact on a product's user experience and contribute to its strategic direction, particularly in a rapidly evolving AI-driven market.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product or VP of Design, working closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on day-to-day feature development. They will also mentor other designers and influence design thinking across the company.

Operations Impact: The designer's impact is critical to the success of AirOps' GTM strategy. By creating an intuitive and powerful platform that "humans and agents love," they directly influence user adoption, customer satisfaction, and ultimately, revenue. Designing for AI-powered content creation and marketing efficiency directly supports the operational effectiveness of AirOps' customers, making this role integral to the company's value proposition.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Opportunity to grow into a formal Design Manager or Head of Design role as the company scales.

• Product Strategy: Influence the product roadmap and long-term vision for the AirOps platform.

• AI Design Specialization: Develop deep expertise in designing for AI-powered products and workflows.

• Cross-functional Impact: Gain exposure to various aspects of the business, including marketing, sales, and engineering, fostering a holistic understanding of GTM operations.

• Mentorship & Skill Development: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and continuously learn about emerging design trends and technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential for a designer who wants to be at the forefront of AI in marketing technology. The "Lead" title suggests an immediate impact and the possibility of stepping into formal leadership roles as the company expands. The connection to GTM operations is through the product's ability to enhance marketing efficiency and AI adoption for their clients.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: AirOps maintains a hybrid work model with designated in-person hubs in San Francisco, New York, and Montevideo. This suggests a blend of remote flexibility and in-office collaboration opportunities.

Office Location(s):

• San Francisco, California, United States

• New York City, New York, United States

Workspace Context:

• The New York City location likely offers a vibrant urban workspace conducive to collaboration and networking.

• Expect a modern office environment designed to facilitate teamwork, brainstorming, and cross-functional interaction.

• The hybrid model allows for flexibility, enabling designers to work remotely when needed while leveraging office resources for collaborative sessions and team building.

• Access to cutting-edge design tools and technology, including AI-powered solutions, will be integral to the workspace.

Work Schedule: The standard 40-hour work week is expected, with flexibility to accommodate different time zones and project needs within the hybrid framework. This allows for deep work sessions and collaborative meetings across the distributed team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with multiple hubs provides flexibility while maintaining opportunities for in-person collaboration. This setup is common for growth-stage startups aiming to attract talent globally while fostering a cohesive team culture. The emphasis on "in-person hubs" suggests that while remote work is an option, active participation in office life at one of the designated locations might be encouraged.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Submit resume and portfolio link through the Ashby platform.

• Initial Screen: A brief call with a recruiter or hiring manager to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where candidates present their portfolio, focusing on key case studies and design process. Expect to discuss your approach to problem-solving, user research, and design system development.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: A take-home assignment or live design exercise to evaluate practical design skills, problem-solving abilities, and how you approach a specific design problem relevant to AirOps' product.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially leadership to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and strategic thinking.

• Final Round: Typically with senior leadership to discuss vision alignment, leadership potential, and final decision-making.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Focus on 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant case studies. Quality over quantity is key.

• Tell a Story: Clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process, the challenges, and the impact of your solutions. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your research methodology, iterative design process, and how you incorporated user feedback.

• Showcase Design Systems: If applicable, detail your experience with design systems, component libraries, and ensuring UI consistency.

• Demonstrate Impact: Quantify the results of your design work whenever possible (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores, reduced task completion time).

• Tailor to AirOps: If possible, subtly tailor your presentation to highlight experiences relevant to AI, marketing tech, or B2B SaaS.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Problem: Thoroughly analyze the design challenge prompt. Identify the core user problems and business objectives.

• Define Your Approach: Outline your proposed design process, including research methods, ideation techniques, and validation strategies.

• Focus on Process & Rationale: Clearly explain why you are making certain design decisions. Your thought process is as important as the final solution.

• Consider Constraints: Acknowledge any limitations (time, scope) and how you would navigate them.

• Prepare for Feedback: Be ready to receive and incorporate feedback constructively during the interview.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is standard for a senior design role, with a strong emphasis on portfolio presentation and a practical design challenge. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their design process, problem-solving skills, and ability to contribute to a fast-paced startup. Highlighting experience with AI tools or B2B SaaS products will be advantageous.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly likely as industry standard), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite.

• AI-Assisted Design Tools: Cursor, Claude Code, Figma Make, or similar AI-powered coding/design assistants.

• User Research Platforms: Tools for surveys, interviews, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Typeform).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, Slack.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Mixpanel, Amplitude, Google Analytics (for understanding user behavior and feature adoption).

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Looker (potentially used by product teams to inform design).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and marketing automation platforms can provide context for the user base AirOps serves.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost a given for this role. The explicit mention of AI tools like Cursor and Claude Code indicates a strong preference for candidates who are comfortable and forward-thinking in adopting AI for design workflows. Understanding how product analytics inform design decisions is also crucial.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Extreme Ownership: Taking full responsibility for design outcomes, from concept to delivery, and proactively addressing challenges.

• Quality: A commitment to delivering high-fidelity, polished designs that meet user needs and business objectives.

• Curiosity and Play: An experimental mindset, encouraging exploration of new tools, techniques, and design approaches, with an element of enjoyment in the creative process.

• Make Our Customers Heroes: Designing solutions that empower users, making them successful and effective in their roles.

• Respectful Candor: Engaging in open, honest, and constructive feedback with colleagues to foster growth and improve outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers to ensure design vision is realized effectively.

• Cross-functional engagement is expected, including interaction with marketing, sales, and leadership teams to align design with broader company goals.

• A culture of constructive feedback and knowledge sharing, encouraging designers to learn from and teach each other.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values are a strong indicator of the desired work environment. "Extreme Ownership" and "Respectful Candor" suggest a culture of accountability and open communication. The emphasis on "Make Our Customers Heroes" aligns with a user-centric approach, vital for a product designer. Designers should be prepared to embody these values in their interactions and work.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Rapid Iteration: Navigating the fast-paced startup environment requiring quick design cycles and adaptability to changing priorities.

• AI Integration: Designing for novel AI-powered features and workflows where best practices are still emerging.

• Balancing User Needs and Business Goals: Effectively translating complex user problems into solutions that also drive business objectives in a competitive market.

• Scaling a Design System: Ensuring the design system can accommodate rapid product growth and new feature development.

• Mentoring Growth: Developing leadership skills and effectively mentoring other designers in a growing team.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for AI-driven products, a rapidly growing field.

• Product Strategy Input: Gain significant influence over product direction and strategy.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to take on more responsibility and potentially lead design initiatives or teams.

• Industry Exposure: Engage with cutting-edge technologies and trends in marketing tech and AI.

• Cross-functional Knowledge: Broaden understanding of GTM, engineering, and business operations within a tech startup.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents exciting challenges in a cutting-edge domain. The opportunity to shape AI-driven product experiences and grow into a leadership position is a significant draw for ambitious designers. Candidates should be prepared to embrace ambiguity and drive innovation in a dynamic environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led a zero-to-one product initiative. What was your process, and what were the key outcomes?" (Focus on ownership, problem-solving, and impact.)

• "How do you approach designing for AI-powered features, especially in areas where user behavior is still evolving?" (Highlight your understanding of AI's impact on UX and your iterative design process.)

• "Walk us through your process for creating or scaling a design system. What are the critical components, and how do you ensure adoption?" (Demonstrate your systematic approach to UI consistency and efficiency.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on our mission and guiding principles, how would you contribute to AirOps' culture of 'Extreme Ownership' and 'Respectful Candor'?" (Connect your past experiences to their stated values.)

• "What excites you most about AirOps' approach to AI in marketing technology, and why is this role a good fit for your career goals?" (Show genuine interest and alignment.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Flow: Structure your presentation as a compelling story for each case study. Start with the problem, detail your journey, and end with the impact.

• Visual Clarity: Use high-quality visuals, mockups, and prototypes. Ensure your presentation design itself reflects your skills.

• Highlight Your Role: Be explicit about your contributions, especially in team projects. Use "I" when describing your actions and "we" when discussing team efforts.

• Process Emphasis: Spend significant time explaining how you arrived at your solutions, detailing research, ideation, and testing phases.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. If direct metrics aren't available, use qualitative user feedback to show positive impact.

• Engage the Audience: Be enthusiastic, clear, and open to questions throughout the presentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skills, but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and an understanding of AirOps' mission and values. Highlighting experience with AI and B2B SaaS products will be a significant advantage.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Ashby application link provided.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies that showcase end-to-end product design ownership, user research, design systems, and ideally, experience with AI tools or B2B SaaS products. Tailor your case study selection to highlight relevance to AirOps' mission.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 4+ years of experience in high-growth environments, focusing on achievements and responsibilities related to product design leadership, user-centric methodologies, and AI integrations. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio presentation, focusing on clear storytelling, process articulation, and quantifiable impact. Be ready to discuss your design philosophy and how it aligns with AirOps' guiding principles.

• Research AirOps: Thoroughly familiarize yourself with AirOps' product, mission, target audience, and recent news. Understand their position in the market and how their AI-driven approach differentiates them.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details, particularly salary ranges and specific interview processes, should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.