Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Akkio

Location: United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2025-11-24

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the end-to-end product design process, from initial concept and user research to detailed, production-ready designs for AI-powered workflows.

• Translate complex user problems and business objectives into intuitive, visually appealing, and effective user interfaces and experiences.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineering teams to ensure seamless ideation, rapid prototyping, and efficient execution of new features.

• Contribute to Akkio's vision of democratizing AI for media operations by designing user-centric solutions that enhance client outcomes and drive adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Product Designer but given the company's focus on AI and workflow automation in the media and advertising space, it strongly aligns with roles that require a deep understanding of GTM (Go-To-Market) operations, particularly in how product design directly impacts user adoption, customer success, and ultimately, revenue generation through enhanced campaign performance. The emphasis on "connecting user problems to business outcomes" and "AI prototyping tools" suggests a proactive, strategically-minded designer who can influence product direction and contribute to operational efficiency for Akkio's clients.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the product design lifecycle, including UX research, user journey mapping, wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity UI design for Akkio's AI workflows platform.

• Conduct user interviews, usability testing, and competitive analysis to gather insights that inform design decisions and identify opportunities for product innovation.

• Develop and maintain a consistent design language and component library to ensure a cohesive and scalable user experience across the platform.

• Partner with Product Management to define product requirements, prioritize features, and translate business needs into functional design solutions.

• Collaborate with Engineering teams to ensure pixel-perfect implementation of designs, providing clear specifications and supporting them through the development process.

• Design marketing and brand-related assets for new feature launches, website updates, and promotional materials to support go-to-market strategies.

• Proactively explore and integrate AI prototyping tools (e.g., v0, Lovable, Cursor) into the design workflow to accelerate ideation and demonstrate concepts.

• Communicate design rationale and solutions effectively to diverse stakeholders, including executive leadership, product teams, and engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of core product design functions with a strong emphasis on strategic thinking, user-centricity, and a proactive approach to AI integration. The mention of "connecting user problems to business outcomes" and designing for "campaign lifecycle automation" indicates that this role will significantly influence how Akkio's clients achieve operational efficiencies and better campaign results, directly impacting the company's GTM success.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for roles of this nature, demonstrating a foundational understanding of design principles and user experience.

Experience: 4+ years of progressive experience in product design roles, ideally within both established companies and fast-paced startup environments, showcasing adaptability and a breadth of experience in different operational contexts.

Required Skills:

• Expert proficiency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity UI design.

• Demonstrated expertise in the end-to-end product design process, including UX research methodologies, user journey mapping, and usability testing.

• Strong visual design sensibilities with a keen eye for aesthetics, layout, typography, and brand consistency.

• Proven ability to translate complex user needs and business requirements into intuitive and effective design solutions.

• Experience collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, and marketing.

• Exceptional communication and storytelling skills, capable of articulating design concepts and rationale clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

• Experience designing for SaaS platforms and B2B products, with an understanding of enterprise user needs.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for AI-driven products or workflows, particularly in the media, advertising, or marketing technology sectors.

• Familiarity with AI prototyping tools like v0, Lovable, Cursor, or similar platforms to bring concepts to life quickly.

• Experience designing for marketing and brand projects, including website pages and feature launch collateral.

• Understanding of agile development methodologies and experience working in iterative product development cycles.

• A strong portfolio showcasing a range of design projects with clear explanations of your process, impact, and problem-solving approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "AI-reflexivity" and specific AI prototyping tools suggests a forward-thinking designer who can leverage emerging technologies. For operations professionals, this implies a role that is at the cutting edge of product development, directly influencing how AI is integrated into business workflows, which is a key differentiator in the current GTM landscape.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a deep understanding of the product design process, clearly articulating your role, the problem you solved, your design process, and the measurable impact of your solutions.

• Showcase case studies that highlight your ability to conduct UX research, define user problems, ideate on solutions, and deliver high-fidelity designs.

• Include examples of how you've used data and user feedback to iterate on designs and drive product improvements.

• Present examples of designing for complex workflows or SaaS products, demonstrating an ability to simplify intricate processes for users.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly document the user research methodologies employed, including participant recruitment, interview scripts, and analysis of findings.

• Illustrate the ideation and wireframing process, showing the evolution of concepts from low-fidelity sketches to high-fidelity prototypes.

• Detail the usability testing process, including test plans, participant feedback, and how insights led to design iterations.

• Provide examples of design specifications and documentation shared with engineering teams to ensure accurate implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Product Designer role, a portfolio is paramount. The emphasis on "AI prototyping tools" and "connecting user problems to business outcomes" means the portfolio should not just showcase aesthetics but also the strategic thinking and operational impact of the designs. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how their designs contribute to client success and operational efficiency within the media and advertising context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on provided information and industry standards for a Product Designer with 5-10 years of experience in a remote, US-based role at a well-funded Series A startup, the estimated salary range is $120,000 - $170,000 per year. This estimate considers the company's funding stage, the strategic importance of the role, and the competitive market for experienced design talent in the US tech sector.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary range commensurate with experience.

• Substantial equity grants, offering ownership and a stake in the company's growth and success.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• 401(k) plan for retirement savings.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, encouraging work-life balance.

• Professional development opportunities to foster continuous learning and career advancement.

• Flexible, remote-first work environment.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility to accommodate different time zones and project needs. The remote-first nature allows for a degree of autonomy in structuring the workday, provided collaboration and responsiveness are maintained.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on general US tech industry benchmarks for a Product Designer with 5-10 years of experience, factoring in the company's Series A funding and remote-first structure, which often command competitive compensation. The inclusion of substantial equity is a key indicator of a startup environment aiming to attract and retain talent by offering significant upside potential.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically focusing on AI-powered workflows for media agencies and data providers. Akkio operates at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Marketing Technology (MarTech), and Data Analytics, aiming to transform campaign lifecycle automation.

Company Size: Post-Series A funding, likely in the range of 50-150 employees, indicating a growth-stage startup environment with established processes but still maintaining agility and a close-knit feel.

Founded: Founded in 2019, Akkio has a few years of product development and market validation under its belt, now poised for significant scaling following its recent $15M Series A funding. This suggests a company with a clear vision, a validated product-market fit, and ambitious growth plans.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team is likely integrated within a broader Product and Engineering department. Designers collaborate closely with Product Managers who define the "what" and "why," and Engineers who build the "how."

• Reporting structure will likely be to a Head of Product, VP of Product, or a Design Lead, depending on team size.

Methodology:

• Akkio emphasizes a data-driven approach, leveraging AI to derive insights and automate workflows. This means the product design process will likely involve analyzing user data, A/B testing designs, and focusing on metrics that demonstrate value to clients (e.g., campaign performance, efficiency gains).

• Workflow planning and optimization are core to Akkio's value proposition, so designers are expected to think about how to streamline complex campaign processes for users.

• Automation and efficiency are not just for clients but also for internal processes, suggesting a culture that embraces tools and methods to work smarter.

Company Website: https://www.akkio.com/ (Note: The provided URL was akkio.com, assuming this is the correct public-facing site)

📝 Enhancement Note: As a Product Designer, understanding Akkio's position as an AI-first company focused on workflow automation within the media industry is crucial. This context informs the types of user problems they solve and the operational efficiencies they aim to provide to clients, which should be reflected in the designer's approach and portfolio.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a mid-to-senior level Product Designer position. It requires not just execution but also strategic thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to influence product direction. The designer is expected to "own the product design process" and "build on our vision," indicating a significant level of autonomy and responsibility.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product or Design Lead. They will work in close partnership with Product Managers and Engineering teams, forming a core product development triad. This collaborative structure is common in agile environments and allows for rapid iteration and informed decision-making.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's impact is directly tied to the usability, adoption, and effectiveness of Akkio's AI workflows platform. By creating intuitive and powerful user experiences, they enable media agencies and data providers to better activate their data, deliver superior campaigns, and achieve measurable business outcomes. This directly supports Akkio's GTM strategy by driving customer satisfaction, retention, and new customer acquisition through a compelling product.

Growth Opportunities:

• Product Leadership: As Akkio scales, there's potential to grow into a Senior Product Designer, Lead Product Designer, or even Head of Design role, managing a team and shaping the overall design strategy.

• Specialization: Opportunity to develop deep expertise in AI product design and its application in the media and advertising technology space, becoming a sought-after specialist.

• Cross-functional Influence: The role offers chances to influence product strategy, collaborate on go-to-market initiatives, and contribute to the company's overall business success through user-centric product development.

• Skill Expansion: Exposure to AI prototyping tools and the unique challenges of designing AI-powered workflows provides continuous learning and skill enhancement opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential beyond traditional design execution. For operations professionals, understanding how product design drives business outcomes, client adoption, and revenue is key. This role is an opportunity to be at the forefront of AI adoption in a specific industry vertical.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Akkio operates as a "remote-first" company with no central office location. This means the work environment is entirely distributed, with employees working from home or co-working spaces.

Office Location(s): Fully remote, with the expectation that employees are authorized to work in the US. This implies a distributed team across various US time zones.

Workspace Context:

• The environment is designed to foster collaboration despite geographical distance, likely relying heavily on digital communication tools and structured virtual meetings.

• Access to standard design tools like Figma is essential, and the company likely supports various collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Notion) to facilitate seamless teamwork.

• Opportunities for interaction with the design, product, and engineering teams will be primarily through virtual channels, emphasizing clear communication and asynchronous work practices where possible.

Work Schedule: While typically around 40 hours per week, the remote-first nature often allows for flexibility in structuring the workday. However, core working hours may be established to ensure overlap for critical meetings and real-time collaboration, especially with teams in different time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: A remote-first environment requires strong self-discipline, proactive communication, and comfort with digital collaboration tools. For operations roles, this translates to managing distributed teams, ensuring consistent process adherence across locations, and leveraging technology for seamless workflow integration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in Akkio's mission.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A session where the candidate presents their portfolio, discusses key projects, and likely tackles a design challenge related to Akkio's product or a specific user problem. This is where they demonstrate their design thinking, problem-solving skills, and understanding of user needs.

• Team Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineering leads to evaluate collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to work within a product development team.

• Executive/Leadership Interview: A final interview, potentially with a founder or VP, to assess strategic thinking, vision alignment, and overall cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling is Key: Don't just show final designs; tell a compelling story about the problem, your process, your role, the trade-offs you made, and the impact of your work.

• Focus on Process & Impact: Highlight your UX research, problem definition, ideation, and iteration steps. Quantify the impact of your designs whenever possible (e.g., increased engagement, improved task completion rates, reduced support tickets).

• Showcase AI Integration: If you have experience with AI prototyping tools or have designed AI-powered features, make sure to highlight these projects prominently. Explain how AI enhanced your design process or the user experience.

• Tailor to Akkio: Research Akkio's product, target audience (media agencies, data providers), and mission. Frame your case studies to demonstrate how your skills and experience are relevant to their specific challenges and goals.

• Clarity and Conciseness: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and that your explanations are clear and to the point.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Problem: For any design challenge, thoroughly understand the user problem and business context provided. Ask clarifying questions.

• Think Aloud: Articulate your thought process, assumptions, and design decisions as you work through the challenge. This is more important than the final output.

• Prioritize and Scope: Recognize that you may not have time to solve everything. Focus on the most critical aspects and make informed decisions about what to prioritize.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: If possible, frame your approach as collaborative, even if working solo. Discuss how you would involve stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a design role at a startup heavily relies on demonstrating practical skills and strategic thinking through a portfolio and potential design challenges. Candidates should prepare to articulate how their designs contribute to business objectives and operational efficiency, aligning with Akkio's GTM focus.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for all aspects of UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaboration. Mastery is expected.

• AI Prototyping Tools: Familiarity with tools such as v0, Lovable, Cursor, or similar platforms for rapid AI-driven prototyping and concept generation.

• User Research Tools: Platforms like UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or similar for conducting usability tests and gathering feedback.

• Collaboration & Documentation: Slack for real-time communication, Zoom for meetings, and potentially Notion or Confluence for documenting design specifications, research findings, and project plans.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly responsible for analytics implementation, understanding how to leverage product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) to inform design decisions and measure the impact of launched features is beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• While the primary focus is product design, an understanding of CRM systems (like Salesforce, HubSpot) and marketing automation platforms can provide context for how Akkio's product integrates with broader client operations and GTM strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a baseline. The emphasis on AI prototyping tools is a key differentiator, suggesting Akkio is at the forefront of integrating AI into its product development and encourages its designers to do the same. This aligns with a forward-thinking operations approach that leverages technology for efficiency.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and solving user problems, ensuring that designs are intuitive, effective, and deliver tangible value.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing data from user research, analytics, and A/B testing to inform design choices and measure success, ensuring that designs are aligned with business objectives.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where ideas are shared early and often, and where open communication between design, product, and engineering is paramount.

• Agility & Iteration: Embracing a philosophy of rapid prototyping, testing, and iteration to quickly learn and adapt designs based on feedback and performance.

• Impact & Outcome Focus: Prioritizing work that demonstrably contributes to client success and Akkio's business goals, focusing on delivering measurable outcomes rather than just outputs.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are expected to be deeply embedded with Product Managers and Engineers, working collaboratively throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Proactive Communication: Regular check-ins, design critiques, and open feedback loops are encouraged to ensure alignment and shared understanding.

• Shared Ownership: A culture where everyone feels responsible for the product's success, and designers are empowered to contribute ideas and solutions beyond their immediate design tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals, understanding that Akkio values data-driven decisions, collaboration, and a focus on outcomes is crucial. This suggests a culture that is efficient, transparent, and geared towards achieving measurable results, which aligns well with the goals of revenue and sales operations.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for AI Complexity: Translating the power and intricacies of AI into user-friendly interfaces that are accessible to a broad range of users, not just data scientists.

• Balancing Innovation with Usability: Introducing cutting-edge AI features while ensuring the platform remains intuitive and easy to adopt for media professionals.

• Rapid Growth Environment: Adapting to the fast-paced nature of a Series A startup, which involves frequent pivots, evolving priorities, and the need for quick execution.

• Remote Collaboration: Effectively collaborating and maintaining strong relationships with distributed teams across different time zones.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Opportunity to become an expert in designing for AI-driven workflows, a highly in-demand skill set.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining deep insights into the media, advertising, and data analytics industries, understanding their operational challenges and how AI can solve them.

• Startup Growth Experience: Contributing to the scaling of a well-funded startup, learning about building products, teams, and processes from the ground up.

• Skill Advancement: Continuous learning through company-sponsored training, industry conferences, and exposure to new design and AI technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are common in innovative tech startups, particularly those focused on AI. For operations roles, understanding these challenges helps in appreciating the context in which product decisions are made and how design impacts operational efficiency and client adoption.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Walk me through a complex product design problem you solved. What was the user problem, your approach, the outcome, and what would you do differently?" (Focus on your process, data usage, and impact.)

• "How do you approach designing for AI-powered features, especially when the underlying technology is complex?" (Highlight your ability to abstract complexity and focus on user value.)

• "Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders (PMs, engineers, executives) to adopt your design recommendations. What was your strategy?" (Emphasize communication, data, and persuasion skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Akkio's mission to transform media operations with AI?" (Research Akkio's product and market position.)

• "How do you envision your role contributing to Akkio's growth and success, particularly in a remote-first environment?" (Connect your skills to business outcomes and team collaboration.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a high-level overview of Akkio and its product. Then, present 2-3 key projects that best showcase your skills and relevance to this role.

• Narrative: For each project, clearly articulate: The Problem, Your Role & Responsibilities, The Users, Your Process (Research, Ideation, Design, Testing), The Solution, The Outcome/Impact (quantify if possible), and Key Learnings.

• AI Focus: If applicable, specifically highlight any projects involving AI prototyping or designing AI-driven features. Explain your approach to making AI accessible and valuable.

• Engagement: Be prepared for questions about your design choices, trade-offs, and how you handle feedback. Engage in a conversation rather than a one-way presentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for a Product Designer at a startup like Akkio should focus on demonstrating not just design craft but also strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. Understanding how the product drives operational efficiency for clients will be a key differentiator.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position at Akkio:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Kula careers platform.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and highlights projects relevant to AI, workflow automation, SaaS products, and ideally, the media/marketing tech space. Tailor your case study explanations to emphasize problem-solving, user research, and measurable impact.

• Resume Optimization: Review your resume to ensure it clearly articulates your 4+ years of product design experience, proficiency in Figma, and any experience with AI tooling or B2B SaaS products. Use keywords from the job description, such as "UX Research," "Visual Design," "Figma," and "AI Prototyping."

• Practice Your Pitch: Prepare a concise and compelling narrative for your portfolio presentation, focusing on how your skills and experience align with Akkio's mission and the specific requirements of the role. Practice articulating your design process and the impact of your work.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Akkio, its product, its competitors, and its recent funding news. Understand their target audience and the value proposition of their AI workflows platform. Prepare thoughtful questions for your interviewers that demonstrate your engagement and understanding.

⚠️ 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.