Lead Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer Company: Klaviyo Location: Boston, MA Job Type: Full-time Category: Product Design / User Experience Date Posted: 2025-10-21 Experience Level: 8+ Years Professional Experience (Senior/Lead) Remote Status: Hybrid (Remote considered for US locations)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the end-to-end design process for complex product initiatives, from problem definition to post-launch iteration, ensuring high-quality user experiences.
• Shape product strategy and set design direction by collaborating closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and Researchers to define priorities and deliver impactful solutions.
• Leverage AI tools and methodologies to transform workflows, build smarter systems, and enhance efficiency within the design lifecycle, promoting responsible AI use.
• Foster a strong design culture through leading design critiques, providing constructive feedback, mentoring junior designers, and contributing to team growth.
• Champion a systems-thinking approach to design, identifying and implementing scalable patterns and common components for a cohesive user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role emphasizes a senior individual contributor capacity with leadership responsibilities in design strategy and team mentorship. The integration of AI is a significant focus, requiring candidates to not only have experience but also enthusiasm for exploring and implementing AI in design workflows responsibly.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Partner with Product Management, Engineering, and Research to define product roadmaps, prioritize design projects, and ensure successful, measurable outcomes.
• Lead multiple complex design initiatives concurrently, managing timelines, resources, and cross-functional communication effectively.
• Develop comprehensive design deliverables, including user flows, interactive prototypes, wireframes, sketches, and high-fidelity UI designs that meet product objectives.
• Facilitate and lead design critique sessions, providing and receiving constructive feedback to elevate the quality of design work across the team.
• Drive continuous improvement of the design lifecycle by identifying bottlenecks, proposing solutions, and implementing best practices for efficiency and effectiveness.
• Proactively explore and integrate AI technologies into design processes, creating innovative workflows and smarter systems that enhance product capabilities and user experiences.
• Adapt and evolve the design process to effectively support cross-functional problem-solving and agile development methodologies.
• Contribute actively to the growth of the design organization by participating in interviewing, onboarding, and mentoring of fellow designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of individual design execution and leadership. The emphasis on "transforming workflows by putting AI at the center" suggests a forward-thinking approach where the candidate is expected to be a driver of AI adoption within the design function, not just a user of existing AI tools.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for senior design roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be strongly considered.

Experience: 8+ years of professional product design experience, with a proven track record of delivering end-to-end design solutions for complex digital products.

Required Skills:

• Minimum of 8 years of professional experience in product design or UX design.
• A robust portfolio demonstrating end-to-end design ownership, including problem definition, user research, ideation, prototyping, UI design, and post-launch iteration.
• Demonstrated experience in driving product growth through experimentation (A/B testing), data-informed design decisions, and continuous iteration cycles.
• Proven experience or strong enthusiasm and aptitude for experimenting with AI in work or personal projects, with a desire to learn and apply AI tools and workflows for efficiency and innovation.
• Exceptional ability to collaborate effectively within a fast-paced, cross-functional environment, bringing together diverse perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Strong systems-thinking mindset, with the ability to identify, design, and advocate for reusable components and scalable design patterns.
• Comfort in articulating and defending unique or unpopular design perspectives, facilitating productive discussions to reach alignment.
• A demonstrated growth mindset, high adaptability to changing project requirements, and strong problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in creating design flows, sketches, prototypes, and polished UI designs.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the SaaS or E-commerce technology sector.
• Familiarity with design systems and their implementation.
• Experience with user research methodologies and their integration into the design process.
• Skills in mentoring junior designers and contributing to team development.
• Understanding of front-end development principles to facilitate better collaboration with engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for AI experimentation is a key differentiator. Candidates are not just expected to be proficient in traditional design skills but also to be proactive explorers of AI's potential in design, emphasizing responsible usage and efficiency gains. The portfolio requirement is comprehensive, demanding evidence of impact from problem discovery through to product adoption and iteration.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end design projects that clearly articulate the problem space, user needs, and business objectives.
• Demonstrate your role and contributions within each project, highlighting your process from initial research and ideation to final implementation and iteration.
• Include examples of how you have leveraged data, user feedback, and experimentation to inform design decisions and drive product adoption and growth.
• Present case studies that illustrate your ability to think holistically about systems, including the design and application of scalable components and patterns.
• Highlight projects where you have experimented with or integrated AI tools and workflows, detailing the outcomes and lessons learned.

Process Documentation:

• Provide documentation or case studies that detail your approach to improving design processes, such as streamlining the design lifecycle, enhancing collaboration, or implementing new methodologies.
• Showcase examples of how you have adapted design processes to meet specific project needs or to facilitate cross-functional problem-solving effectively.
• Include evidence of how you measure the impact of your design work and process improvements, focusing on quantifiable business outcomes and user experience enhancements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role. Beyond showcasing visual design and UX work, it must demonstrate a capacity for strategic thinking, leadership in process improvement, and innovative application of emerging technologies like AI. Candidates should be prepared to articulate the "why" and "how" behind their design decisions and process adaptations, backed by measurable results.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $168,000 - $252,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, welfare, and wellbeing benefits package.
• Equity participation in the company.
• Eligibility for the company's annual cash bonus plan.
• Potential for sign-on payments (depending on role and negotiation).
• For sales and customer success roles, potential for variable compensation (OTE - On-Target Earnings).

Working Hours: Standard full-time work hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week. While flexibility may be offered, the role requires consistent engagement and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is a broad US-wide target. Actual compensation will be influenced by factors such as the candidate's specific skills, relevant experience, education, and geographical location. Klaviyo also offers a comprehensive total compensation package beyond base salary, including equity and bonus opportunities, which are significant components for senior roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (SaaS, E-commerce Marketing Platform) Company Size: Klaviyo is a significant player in the marketing technology space, employing a substantial number of individuals (likely 1000+ employees, based on typical growth trajectories for companies at this stage). This implies a structured organization with established processes but still retains aspects of a dynamic, growth-oriented environment. Founded: Klaviyo was founded in 2012, indicating a company with a solid market presence and a history of innovation and scaling.

Team Structure:

• The design organization is growing, suggesting an opportunity to influence its structure and processes.
• Designers are embedded within cross-functional product teams, working closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and Researchers.
• This Lead Product Designer role is a senior individual contributor position, expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy and influence.

Methodology:

• Klaviyo emphasizes "first-party data" as a core differentiator, meaning the design solutions will likely revolve around helping businesses collect, analyze, and utilize their own customer data effectively.
• A strong focus on customer delight and empowering creators (their users) is central to the company's mission.
• The role description highlights a commitment to using AI to build smarter systems and transform workflows, indicating a forward-thinking and innovative approach to product development.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Klaviyo operates in the competitive e-commerce marketing technology landscape, focusing on data-driven personalization. The company culture likely values innovation, customer-centricity, and a proactive approach to leveraging technology, including AI, to achieve business goals. As a growing company, there's an opportunity for senior members to shape practices and direction.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This position is designated as a "Lead Product Designer," signifying a senior individual contributor role. It requires a high level of expertise, strategic thinking, and the ability to operate with significant autonomy. This level typically involves mentoring others and influencing design direction.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Product Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Director of Design. They will be an integral part of cross-functional product teams, collaborating daily with Product Managers and Engineers.

Operations Impact: As a Lead Product Designer, your impact will be directly tied to the success of Klaviyo's platform. This includes:

• Driving user adoption and engagement through intuitive and effective product experiences.
• Contributing to product strategy that aligns with business objectives and market opportunities.
• Enhancing customer satisfaction and retention by delivering high-quality, data-informed designs.
• Pioneering new ways of working through the integration of AI, potentially setting new benchmarks for efficiency and innovation in product design.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in AI-driven design, advanced UX methodologies, and product strategy. Opportunity to become a subject matter expert in specific product areas.
• Leadership Development: Develop leadership skills through mentoring junior designers, leading design initiatives, and influencing cross-functional teams. Potential to move into management roles or principal designer tracks.
• Strategic Influence: Contribute to the evolution of Klaviyo's design system and overall product vision. Influence the adoption of new technologies and processes within the design organization.
• Industry Exposure: Work on a leading platform in the e-commerce marketing space, gaining valuable experience in a high-growth technology sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth beyond individual contribution, focusing on strategic influence, leadership development, and specialization in cutting-edge areas like AI in design. The "Lead" title suggests a significant step up in responsibility and impact compared to a mid-level designer.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Klaviyo has a hybrid work model. While the role is based in Boston, MA, remote work is considered for candidates within the US. This suggests a flexible approach to work arrangements, balancing in-office collaboration with remote productivity.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located in Boston, MA.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a dynamic, fast-paced environment where close collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers, and Researchers is essential for success.
• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools and technologies will be provided. The role emphasizes leveraging AI tools, suggesting a commitment to equipping designers with cutting-edge resources.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with the design team for critiques, knowledge sharing, and mentorship, both in-person and virtually.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected. The hybrid nature of the role allows for some flexibility in managing work hours, provided project deadlines and team collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and consideration for remote US-based candidates indicate a modern approach to work, prioritizing outcomes and flexibility. The emphasis on collaboration suggests that even with remote options, strong communication and teamwork skills are paramount.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A recruiter will review your application and portfolio to assess your qualifications and experience.
2. Hiring Manager Interview: A conversation with the hiring manager to discuss your background, experience, role expectations, and cultural fit.
3. Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: This is a critical stage. You will likely present your portfolio, discussing key projects, your design process, and the impact of your work. A design exercise or case study might be assigned to assess your problem-solving skills, systems thinking, and approach to AI integration.
4. Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, and/or Researchers to evaluate your collaboration skills and ability to work effectively within a cross-functional team.
5. Final Interview(s): Potentially with senior design leadership or other key stakeholders to ensure alignment and final assessment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: Focus on projects where you clearly demonstrate measurable business impact and user improvements. Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time).
• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio case studies as narratives. Clearly articulate the problem, your approach, your specific contributions, the challenges faced, and the final outcome.
• Highlight AI Exploration: Dedicate a section or specific case study to your experience with AI in design. Explain your thought process, the tools used, the outcomes, and any ethical considerations or learnings.
• Demonstrate Systems Thinking: Include examples of how you've designed for scalability, consistency, and reusability through design systems or pattern libraries.
• Be Prepared for Critiques: Expect to discuss your design decisions openly and receive constructive feedback. Show that you can engage in thoughtful debate and incorporate feedback effectively.
• Tailor to Klaviyo: Research Klaviyo's product and target audience. Highlight projects that demonstrate experience relevant to their domain (e.g., data platforms, marketing tools, e-commerce).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Klaviyo's Product: Familiarize yourself with Klaviyo's platform and its users.
• Practice Problem Framing: Be ready to deconstruct a problem statement, ask clarifying questions, and define scope.
• Articulate Process: Clearly explain your design process, including how you would approach discovery, ideation, validation, and implementation for a given challenge.
• Integrate AI: Consider how AI could be a part of the solution or the process for the challenge presented.
• Think Scalability: Show you can think beyond a single feature to consider broader system implications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes portfolio review and practical application of design skills, particularly concerning AI integration and systems thinking. Candidates should prepare thoroughly to articulate their process, impact, and strategic thinking, using their portfolio as a primary tool for demonstration.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma is a strong industry standard and is highly likely to be used, alongside other tools like Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, or Axure for specific prototyping needs.
• User Research & Testing: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, or Maze for remote usability testing and feedback collection. Internal tools for user interviews and surveys.
• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for task tracking and workflow management. Slack for real-time communication.
• AI Tools: Proficiency or demonstrated interest in AI tools relevant to design, such as AI-powered design assistants, content generation tools, or tools for data analysis and insight generation. Specific tools will depend on Klaviyo's evolving stack.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or internal dashboards to track user behavior, feature adoption, and product performance.
• Data Visualization: Tableau or similar tools might be used by analysts, and designers will need to interpret data presented through dashboards.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM: Klaviyo itself is a CRM and marketing automation platform, so deep understanding of its capabilities and how design impacts its users is key. Familiarity with other CRM systems like Salesforce might be beneficial for understanding broader ecosystem integrations.
• Automation Tools: While Klaviyo is an automation tool, understanding of workflow automation principles in general is valuable.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in industry-standard design tools like Figma is expected. The emphasis on AI suggests candidates should be adaptable and eager to learn new AI-powered design tools as they emerge and are adopted by Klaviyo. Understanding data analytics and CRM principles is crucial for designing effective marketing technology solutions.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and delighting customers, ensuring that design decisions directly serve user needs and business goals.
• Data-Driven Innovation: Utilizing data and insights to inform design, measure impact, and drive continuous improvement, with a particular focus on leveraging first-party data.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where cross-functional teams work together openly, sharing ideas and feedback to achieve collective success.
• Ownership & Accountability: Taking initiative and responsibility for design outcomes, driving projects from conception to completion with a focus on measurable results.
• Growth & Learning: Encouraging continuous learning, experimentation, and adaptability, especially in embracing new technologies like AI to enhance workflows and product capabilities.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: A highly collaborative style, working seamlessly with Product Management, Engineering, and Research to ensure alignment on strategy, feasibility, and execution.
• Constructive Dialogue: Engaging in open and honest design critiques, providing and receiving feedback constructively to elevate the quality of work.
• Empowerment: A culture that empowers individuals to take ownership, propose innovative solutions, and contribute to shaping the product and design direction.

📝 Enhancement Note: Klaviyo's culture appears to value a blend of data-driven decision-making, user advocacy, and collaborative innovation. The emphasis on "owning their own destiny" for creators extends to employees, suggesting an environment where initiative and proactive contribution are highly valued.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: As a growing company and in a rapidly evolving tech landscape (especially with AI), dealing with evolving priorities and ambiguous problem spaces will be common.
• Balancing Innovation with Scalability: Designing for cutting-edge AI features while ensuring they are scalable, maintainable, and integrate seamlessly with existing platform architecture.
• Influencing Product Strategy: Effectively advocating for design-led initiatives and influencing product direction in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
• Driving AI Adoption: Successfully integrating AI tools and workflows into the design process, overcoming potential skepticism or technical hurdles, and demonstrating tangible benefits.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Specialization: Become a leader in applying AI responsibly and effectively within product design, a highly in-demand skill.
• Product Strategy Acumen: Develop a deeper understanding of business strategy, market dynamics, and how design contributes to overall company success.
• Leadership Skills: Hone mentoring, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills through leading projects and team interactions.
• Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge: Gain exposure to the intricacies of marketing technology, e-commerce, and data platforms, broadening your domain expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant opportunities for professional growth, particularly in the rapidly expanding field of AI in design. Candidates who thrive on tackling complex problems, driving change, and continuous learning will find this role particularly rewarding.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you influenced product strategy through design. What was the outcome?" (Prepare a case study focusing on strategic impact and collaboration.)
• "How do you approach integrating new technologies like AI into an existing design process? Walk us through an example." (Focus on your experimentation, responsible usage, and measured impact.)
• "Imagine we want to build a new AI-powered feature for Klaviyo users. How would you kick off this project from a design perspective?" (Outline your discovery, research, ideation, and validation steps, emphasizing user needs and AI's role.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Klaviyo and our mission?" (Research Klaviyo's values, product, and market position. Connect your own values and career goals.)
• "How do you handle design disagreements with Product Managers or Engineers?" (Provide examples of constructive conflict resolution and achieving alignment.)
• "Describe your experience mentoring junior designers or contributing to design team growth." (Highlight specific instances and the impact of your contributions.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically, focusing on 2-3 key projects that best represent your end-to-end capabilities, AI experience, and systems thinking.
• Narrative: Tell a compelling story for each project, emphasizing the problem, your role, your process, the challenges, and the measurable outcomes.
• Focus on AI: Clearly articulate your AI experiments, the tools used, the rationale, and the results. Be prepared to discuss responsible AI principles.
• Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs and process improvements.
• Engage: Be interactive, ask the interviewers questions, and invite their feedback during the presentation. Show your collaborative spirit.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, a proactive approach to AI, strong collaboration skills, and a clear understanding of how design drives business value. Your portfolio is your primary tool; ensure it's polished, well-documented, and ready for in-depth discussion.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position:

• Visit the Klaviyo Careers page and submit your application through the official job posting.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and clearly showcases your end-to-end design process, AI experimentation, systems thinking, and measurable impact. Tailor your presentation to highlight relevant projects for Klaviyo.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to emphasize keywords such as "Product Design," "UX Design," "AI in Design," "Systems Thinking," "Prototyping," "Cross-functional Collaboration," and specific tools you've used. Quantify achievements where possible.
• Interview Practice: Prepare for common design interview questions, focusing on your portfolio walkthrough, design challenges, and behavioral questions related to collaboration and leadership. Practice articulating your AI experience clearly.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Klaviyo, its product, mission, and values. Understand their target market and how your design expertise can contribute to their success in the e-commerce and data platform space.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. While it aims to provide a comprehensive overview, all details should be verified directly with Klaviyo during the application and interview process. Be aware of potential AI-driven assessments mentioned (e.g., Covey) and review any provided guidelines.