Lead Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer Company: Zero Homes Location: Denver, Colorado, United States Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design / GTM Operations Date Posted: October 2, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years) Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in-office minimum)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and manage a team of 3 designers while functioning as a senior individual contributor in product management, UX, and UI design.
• Drive the transformation of early ideas and business opportunities into a cohesive product vision and roadmap for residential electrification.
• Develop and prototype new products and features, bringing them to life from concept through initial releases.
• Own the end-to-end product design lifecycle, from user research and concept ideation to UI implementation and potentially front-end code.
• Contribute to a mission-driven company focused on electrifying homes for healthy, sustainable living, impacting climate emissions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is categorized under Product Design with a strong GTM Operations component due to the need to translate business opportunities into actionable product roadmaps and the expectation of shipping products. The emphasis on "generalist" designers owning product management, UX, and UI, coupled with building prototypes and initial releases, highlights a hands-on GTM approach where design directly fuels go-to-market readiness.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of 3 product designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing design culture.
• Collaborate closely with the leadership team (Head of Product and Engineering) to define product strategy, vision, and roadmap.
• Conduct user research, including meeting users in their environment (office or field), to deeply understand needs and pain points in residential electrification.
• Translate user insights and business requirements into elegant, effective, and simple digital product experiences across web and mobile platforms.
• Design and prototype key user flows for homeowner and contractor mobile applications, as well as B2B web productivity tools.
• Oversee the evolution of the company website and a web-based design tool for HVAC systems, ensuring a cohesive brand and user experience.
• Build early prototypes and initial releases, leveraging tools like Figma and potentially working with vibe coded prototypes and UI source code.
• Champion design thinking and a systems approach, owning the entire product rather than isolated features.
• Ensure that design decisions are data-informed and anchored in user needs and business objectives.
• Facilitate collaborative design sessions, whiteboard workshops, and cross-functional debates to drive consensus and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of leadership and hands-on execution. The expectation to "build early prototypes and initial releases" and work with "vibe coded prototypes and UI source code" indicates a strong connection to the development and go-to-market process, aligning with GTM operations principles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional design skills and a deep understanding of user-centered design principles is paramount.

Experience:

• 5-10 years of progressive experience in product design, with a proven track record of owning and shipping digital products from conception to launch.
• Experience in a leadership or management capacity, mentoring and guiding other designers.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively as a generalist, comfortable across product management, UX design, and UI design.
• Experience working in early-stage startups is highly desirable.

Required Skills:

• Product Management Acumen: Ability to translate business opportunities into product strategies and roadmaps.
• UX/UI Design Expertise: Mastery of user research, wireframing, prototyping, and visual design principles.
• Prototyping Proficiency: Advanced skills in Figma for creating high-fidelity interactive prototypes and design systems.
• Front-End Familiarity: Comfort working with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and ideally experience with vibe coded prototypes.
• Systems Thinking: Ability to understand and design complex systems, focusing on the holistic product experience.
• User Research: Proven ability to conduct user interviews, usability testing, and synthesize findings into actionable insights.
• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Team Leadership: Experience leading and mentoring design teams, fostering a positive and productive environment.
• Detail Orientation: Meticulous attention to detail in design execution and problem-solving.
• Design Elegance: A strong eye for beauty, effectiveness, and simplicity in digital experiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with large-scale consumer or B2B products.
• Graphic design, illustration, and/or video production skills.
• Relevant industry experience: residential construction, electrification, HVAC, CAD, Solar, or Energy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on generalist skills and comfort with front-end code suggests a need for designers who can bridge the gap between design and development, a critical aspect of GTM operations that ensures products are not only well-designed but also feasible and ready for launch.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Product Ownership: Showcase projects where you owned the entire product lifecycle, from initial concept and user research through to design, prototyping, and launch.
• Process Improvement Case Studies: Provide detailed case studies demonstrating how you identified user needs or business challenges and implemented design solutions that led to measurable improvements (e.g., increased user engagement, reduced task completion time, improved conversion rates).
• Systems Design: Include examples of how you've designed for complex systems, showing your ability to maintain consistency and coherence across multiple products or features.
• Figma Mastery: Demonstrate advanced proficiency in Figma, including the creation and maintenance of design systems, component libraries, and interactive prototypes.
• Collaboration Evidence: Highlight projects where you collaborated effectively with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders, illustrating your communication and teamwork skills.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Present examples of how you have mapped, analyzed, and optimized user workflows to enhance efficiency and user satisfaction.
• System Implementation Standards: Showcase your understanding of how design integrates with development, potentially including examples of design handoffs or collaboration on front-end code.
• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Illustrate how you have used data and user feedback to iterate on designs and measure the impact of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a lead role in an early-stage startup, a portfolio is crucial for demonstrating not just design skills but also a strategic, process-oriented mindset. The expectation to show "end-to-end product ownership" and "process improvement case studies" directly aligns with the GTM operations need for demonstrable impact and efficient product delivery.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $150,000 - $250,000 per year

• 📝 Enhancement Note: This salary range is provided directly in the job listing. For Denver, Colorado, this range is competitive for a Lead Product Designer role with management responsibilities, especially in a high-growth startup environment. The cost of living in Denver is above the national average, which these figures reflect. Industry benchmarks for Lead Product Designers in major tech hubs typically fall within or slightly exceed this range, depending on experience and specific company funding.

Benefits:

• Meaningful Equity: Opportunity to own a stake in the company's growth and success.
• Optional Annual Bonus: Performance-based bonus potential for outstanding contributions.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans.
• Generous Paid Time Off: Unlimited PTO and unlimited sick days, reflecting a trust-based culture.
• Workstation Stipend: Financial support for setting up an effective home or office workspace.
• Industrial Office Space: Well-equipped office in Downtown Denver with amenities like snacks and drinks.
• Flexible Working Hours: While in-office presence is required on specific days, hours can be flexible.

Working Hours:

• Typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility. A minimum of 3 days per week in the Denver office is required (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday).

📝 Enhancement Note: The unlimited PTO and flexible hours, balanced with a mandatory in-office presence, suggest a culture that values both employee well-being and the need for in-person collaboration essential for early-stage product development and GTM strategy alignment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Environmental & Sustainability / Technology / Energy / Real Estate Technology (PropTech) Company Size: Early-stage startup; specific employee count not provided, but implied to be small and growing. Founded: Zero Homes is an early-stage company, focusing on residential electrification. Its founding date isn't specified but is recent, given its startup nature.

Team Structure:

• The design team is small, with the Lead Product Designer managing 3 designers.
• Designers are generalists, taking on product management, UX, and UI responsibilities.
• Reports to the Head of Product and Engineering, indicating a close alignment between design, product, and engineering functions.
• Close collaboration with the broader leadership team is expected.

Methodology:

• User-Centric Design: Strong emphasis on meeting users where they work and understanding their needs through direct interaction.
• Agile & Iterative Development: Building prototypes and initial releases suggests an iterative approach to product development.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Designers work closely with engineers and leadership to transform ideas into shippable products.
• Hands-On Building: Designers are expected to be builders, creating prototypes and contributing to initial product releases.

Company Website: zerohomes.io

📝 Enhancement Note: The "generalist designer" model and close collaboration with product/engineering highlight a lean, agile operational structure typical of early-stage startups focused on rapid product iteration and market validation. This operational approach is key to their go-to-market strategy.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a senior individual contributor with management responsibilities, often referred to as a "Lead" or "Manager" level. It sits at the intersection of individual contribution and team leadership, with significant strategic input.

Reporting Structure:

• Reports directly to the Head of Product and Engineering.
• Manages a team of 3 designers.
• Works closely with the broader leadership team.

Operations Impact:

• As the first Lead Product Designer, this role has a profound impact on Zero Homes' ability to execute its mission.
• Directly influences the user experience of core products for homeowners, contractors, and utilities, which are critical for customer acquisition and retention.
• Shapes the product vision and roadmap, guiding development efforts toward market success and operational efficiency.
• Designs will be instrumental in making residential electrification "fast, easy, and affordable," directly supporting the company's go-to-market strategy and scaling efforts.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunity to build and scale a design team from the ground up, developing management and leadership skills.
• Strategic Influence: Significant input into product strategy, vision, and roadmap, shaping the future direction of the company.
• Domain Expertise: Deep dive into the complex and impactful field of residential electrification and climate tech.
• Broad Skill Development: Opportunity to hone generalist design skills, including product management, UX, UI, prototyping, and potentially front-end development.
• Startup Growth: Potential for significant career advancement and equity growth as the company scales.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path from a Lead Designer to potentially a Design Director or Head of Design, coupled with strategic influence in an early-stage company, offers substantial career acceleration beyond typical large-company structures. This is a key differentiator for ambitious operations-minded designers.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model with a strong emphasis on in-person collaboration. Office Location(s): Industrial office space in Downtown Denver, Colorado.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office is designed to foster collaboration, featuring amenities like unlimited snacks, drinks, and team activities (e.g., ping-pong).
• In-Person Focus: A minimum of three days per week in the office is required, encouraging real-time debates, whiteboard sessions, and collaborative workshops.
• Tools & Technology: While Figma is primary, designers are increasingly working with vibe coded prototypes and UI source code, implying access to modern design and development tools.
• User Interaction: The environment supports meeting users in person and understanding their real-world context.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time position, typically 40 hours per week.
• Offers flexibility in working hours, though in-office presence is structured (Mon, Tue, Thu minimum). This balance allows for focused design work and collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with a significant in-office component is designed to maximize creativity and efficiency in an early-stage startup where rapid iteration and alignment are critical for GTM success. This environment supports the "builder" mentality expected of the design team.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role.
• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Candidates will likely present a curated selection of their work, focusing on end-to-end ownership, problem-solving, and impact. Expect to discuss design decisions, user research, and collaboration.
• Design Challenge/Case Study: A practical exercise to assess problem-solving skills, design thinking, and ability to translate requirements into tangible design solutions. This might involve a take-home assignment or an in-session exercise.
• Team & Leadership Interviews: Meetings with design team members, product/engineering leadership, and potentially other stakeholders to evaluate cultural fit, leadership potential, and collaborative style.
• Final Interview: Likely with senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment, vision, and final fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Show, Don't Just Tell: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the challenges you faced, and the outcomes achieved (quantified if possible).
• Highlight Generalist Capabilities: Showcase a range of work demonstrating your skills in product strategy, UX research, wireframing, UI design, and prototyping.
• Emphasize Systems Thinking: Include examples where you've designed for complexity and maintained consistency across a product suite.
• Demonstrate Leadership: If possible, include examples of mentoring, leading design initiatives, or influencing product direction.
• Prepare for Figma & Code Discussions: Be ready to discuss your Figma workflows, design system approach, and any experience with front-end code or prototypes.
• Tailor to Zero Homes: Research Zero Homes' mission and products; be prepared to discuss how your skills and approach can contribute to their specific goals in residential electrification.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with residential electrification, building science, HVAC systems, and the challenges homeowners and contractors face.
• Focus on User Needs: For any design challenge, prioritize understanding the user's context and pain points before jumping to solutions.
• Think Systemically: Consider how your proposed solutions fit into the broader product ecosystem and business goals.
• Be Pragmatic: Demonstrate an understanding of startup constraints (time, resources) and the importance of shipping functional products.
• Communicate Your Process: Clearly articulate your thought process, decision-making criteria, and how you would measure success.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "generalist" designer who can also "build prototypes" and work with "UI source code" suggests that the interview process will likely probe technical depth and a hands-on approach to product development, crucial for a lean GTM operation.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design and prototyping tool for creating wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and design systems.
• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, potentially advanced prototyping tools for more complex interactions or vibe coded prototypes.
• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting user interviews, usability testing, and surveys (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Typeform).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: Experience with tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics for understanding user behavior, tracking feature adoption, and measuring product performance.
• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools like Tableau or Looker for creating dashboards and communicating insights to stakeholders (though this may be more on the Product Manager/Analyst side, designers should be able to interpret data).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not directly a design tool, understanding how design impacts CRM workflows (e.g., lead capture on website, user onboarding) is beneficial. Familiarity with systems like Salesforce or HubSpot.
• Project Management Tools: Tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for task management, sprint planning, and tracking design progress.

Development Tools (Familiarity):

• HTML/CSS/JavaScript: Essential for designers who are expected to work with front-end code and bring designs to life.
• Version Control (e.g., Git): Understanding how designs are managed and integrated into code repositories can be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, and the increasing work with "vibe coded prototypes and UI source code," highlights a need for designers who are technically adept and can directly contribute to the product development pipeline, a key operational efficiency for startups.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to electrifying homes for healthy and sustainable living.
• User-Centricity: Deep respect for and focus on understanding and serving user needs.
• Elegance & Simplicity: Striving for beauty, effectiveness, and simplicity in all product experiences.
• Pragmatism & Delivery: Understanding the importance of shipping products and making tough trade-offs to achieve goals.
• Collaboration & Debate: Valuing healthy debate and real-time problem-solving through teamwork.
• Ownership & Responsibility: Embracing freedom with the responsibility to communicate and deliver results.
• In-Person Engagement: Enthusiasm for in-person work and building strong relationships with colleagues and users.

Collaboration Style:

• Generalist Integration: Designers collaborate across product management, UX, and UI, acting as versatile team members.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Close working relationships with engineers and product leadership are fundamental.
• Direct User Interaction: Designers are encouraged to meet users in the field, fostering empathy and direct understanding.
• Iterative Feedback Loops: The "builder" mentality and emphasis on prototypes suggest a culture of continuous feedback and iteration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values emphasize a startup culture that is both mission-focused and execution-oriented. The blend of individual freedom with a strong emphasis on collaboration and delivery aligns with efficient GTM operations where speed and impact are paramount.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Early-Stage Startup Ambiguity: Adapting to evolving priorities, limited resources, and the inherent uncertainty of a startup environment.
• Balancing Generalist Scope with Leadership: Effectively managing a team while also contributing as a senior individual contributor, requiring strong time management and delegation skills.
• Deep Domain Immersion: Quickly learning the complexities of residential electrification, building science, and related technologies.
• Bridging Design and Code: Ensuring seamless handoffs and effective collaboration with engineers, especially when working with prototypes and source code.
• Scaling Design Processes: Developing and implementing scalable design processes and systems as the company grows.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership Skill Cultivation: Formal and informal opportunities to develop team management, mentorship, and strategic leadership skills.
• Industry Expertise Acquisition: Gaining deep knowledge in climate tech, sustainability, and the residential construction/energy sectors.
• Broad Design Skill Enhancement: Expanding capabilities across product management, UX research, UI design, and front-end development principles.
• Strategic Impact: Contributing directly to a company's growth and mission, offering a unique learning experience in building a business.
• Networking: Building relationships within the climate tech and startup ecosystems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a lead role in an early-stage company, offering significant opportunities for personal and professional growth. The "builder" mentality required to work with code prototypes directly supports operational efficiency in product development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Tell me about a time you led a design team through a complex project from concept to launch." (Focus on your leadership, process, and outcomes.)
• "How do you approach transforming early-stage ideas into a product vision and roadmap?" (Highlight your strategic thinking, user research methods, and collaboration with leadership.)
• "Describe a situation where you had to make significant trade-offs to ship a product on time. How did you approach it, and what was the result?" (Demonstrate pragmatism, decision-making, and focus on delivery.)
• "Walk me through a project where you owned the entire design process for a product. What were the key user needs, and how did your design address them?" (Emphasize your generalist capabilities and user-centric approach.)
• "How do you balance the need for design elegance with the practical constraints of development and timelines?" (Show your understanding of real-world product development.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you passionate about Zero Homes' mission to electrify homes?" (Research the company's mission and align your values.)
• "What are your thoughts on a hybrid work model with a strong emphasis on in-person collaboration?" (Discuss your preference for collaborative environments and understanding of startup needs.)
• "How do you approach mentoring and developing junior designers?" (Showcase your leadership style and commitment to team growth.)
• "What's your experience working with engineers, and how do you ensure effective design handoffs and collaboration?" (Highlight your technical familiarity and partnership approach.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best demonstrate your end-to-end ownership, leadership, systems thinking, and ability to deliver impact.
• Focus on Impact: Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., increased conversion by X%, reduced task time by Y%).
• Tell a Story: Structure your presentations as narratives, detailing the problem, your role, your process, the challenges, and the outcomes.
• Showcase Your Process: Be prepared to discuss your Figma workflows, design systems, and any interaction with code.
• Be Ready for "Why": For every decision, be prepared to explain the "why" behind it, linking it back to user needs or business goals.
• Tailor to Zero Homes: If possible, include a project that touches on similar industries or challenges, or discuss how you would approach designing for residential electrification.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation emphasizes demonstrating both strong design craft and operational effectiveness – the ability to lead, collaborate, and ship impactful products within a startup context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided lever.co link.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select and refine 2-3 key projects that best showcase your end-to-end product ownership, leadership experience, systems thinking, and ability to deliver measurable impact. Ensure it highlights your generalist capabilities and any experience with prototyping or front-end code.
• Optimize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight relevant experience in product design, team leadership, user research, prototyping (especially Figma), and any exposure to technical aspects like HTML/CSS/JavaScript. Use keywords from the job description.
• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on storytelling, process, challenges, and quantified outcomes. Be ready to discuss your design philosophy and how it aligns with Zero Homes' mission.
• Research Zero Homes: Understand their mission, target users (homeowners, contractors, utilities), and the challenges of residential electrification. Prepare thoughtful questions about their product strategy, design culture, and operational challenges.

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

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