Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer Company: Beacon Software Location: New York City, New York, United States Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design / UX/UI Date Posted: 2025-11-04 Experience Level: 6+ Years Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is crucial for defining and executing the user experience across a portfolio of B2B SaaS products, demanding a senior-level product designer with a strong command of both UX and UI principles.
• The position requires a designer adept at navigating fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments while upholding enterprise-grade design standards for multiple distinct businesses.
• A key aspect of the role involves contributing to or establishing a unified design system, ensuring consistency and scalability across the company's diverse product offerings.
• Success will be measured by the ability to translate complex business needs into intuitive, user-centric solutions that directly improve user workflows and product adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "permanent capital holding company," "acquires and grows essential businesses," and "portfolio of companies" indicates a unique operational structure. This Product Designer role will likely involve working across multiple, potentially disparate, B2B SaaS products, requiring a flexible and adaptable design approach rather than deep specialization in a single product. The emphasis on "systems thinking" and a "unified design system" is critical for managing this complexity.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design process for multiple B2B SaaS products within the Beacon Software portfolio, from initial concept through to final implementation.
• Develop and refine user personas, detailed journey maps, and comprehensive UX flows to deeply understand user needs and pain points across different product contexts.
• Create detailed wireframes, interactive high-fidelity prototypes, and polished UI components that effectively communicate design intent and user interaction.
• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and company leaders to align design solutions with business objectives, technical constraints, and market opportunities.
• Apply systems thinking to design scalable, reusable design patterns and components that can be leveraged across the portfolio, fostering consistency and efficiency.
• Contribute significantly to the establishment and maintenance of a unified design system, ensuring it evolves to meet the needs of diverse B2B SaaS applications.
• Conduct user research, including interviews, surveys, and usability testing, to gather insights and validate design decisions.
• Advocate for the user throughout the product development lifecycle, ensuring that user needs are prioritized in all design outputs.
• Stay abreast of emerging design trends, tools, and best practices, particularly within the B2B SaaS and enterprise software landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description emphasizes "end-to-end design processes" and "systems thinking," implying a need for a designer who can manage projects autonomously and think holistically about how different products interact and share design principles. The responsibility to "establish a unified design system" suggests a significant strategic contribution opportunity, potentially involving defining guidelines, component libraries, and best practices for design across the portfolio.

🎓 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 senior roles. Equivalent practical experience will be strongly considered.

Experience: 6+ years of progressive experience in Product Design, UX/UI Design, or a closely related role, with a demonstrable track record of success in designing complex B2B SaaS applications. Experience working in fast-paced startup environments and understanding enterprise-grade design standards is essential.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in end-to-end product design, encompassing discovery, research, ideation, prototyping, and visual design.
• Strong proficiency in user-centered design methodologies, including user research, persona creation, journey mapping, and usability testing.
• Mastery of modern design and prototyping tools, with a specific requirement for fluency in Figma.
• Experience designing and implementing scalable design systems and component libraries.
• Ability to translate complex business requirements into intuitive and effective user interfaces.
• Solid understanding of front-end development principles and how design translates to code, with familiarity with concepts like Tailwind CSS.
• Excellent visual design skills, with a keen eye for typography, color, layout, and interaction design.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams (Product Managers, Engineers, Stakeholders).
• Systems thinking capabilities to design scalable patterns across multiple products.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with user research methodologies beyond standard usability testing, such as contextual inquiry or ethnographic research.
• Familiarity with various B2B SaaS domains or industries.
• Experience in contributing to or leading the development of design documentation and style guides.
• Basic understanding of front-end development frameworks beyond CSS, such as React or Vue.js, to better inform design decisions.
• Experience working within a "permanent capital holding company" structure or similar multi-product portfolio environment.
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "Figma" and "Tailwind CSS" points to a modern, front-end-centric design workflow. The requirement for "6+ years of experience" and the portfolio showcasing "complex B2B SaaS applications" indicates a need for a senior-level designer capable of strategic thinking and independent project ownership. The mention of "startup pace and enterprise-grade design standards" suggests a dual requirement for agility and rigor in design execution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive online portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a minimum of 3-5 detailed case studies of complex B2B SaaS applications you have designed.
• Each case study should clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the design process undertaken (discovery, research, ideation, iteration), key design decisions, and the final outcome.
• Demonstrations of your ability to conduct user research, create user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and final UI designs are essential.
• Evidence of contributions to or creation of design systems, including component libraries and style guides, should be prominently featured.
• The portfolio must highlight your aptitude for systems thinking and applying scalable design patterns across different products or features.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates are expected to articulate their design process clearly, emphasizing user-centered methodologies and data-informed decision-making.
• The ability to document design decisions, rationale, and user feedback effectively will be assessed.
• Experience in creating and maintaining design system documentation, including usage guidelines and best practices, is highly valued.
• Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they have iterated on designs based on user feedback and performance metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the focus on "end-to-end design processes," "design systems," and "systems thinking" across multiple B2B SaaS products, the portfolio review will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to manage complexity, demonstrate strategic design thinking, and showcase a robust, repeatable design process. A portfolio that clearly articulates the impact of design decisions on user workflows and business objectives will be highly advantageous.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Product Designer with 6+ years of experience in New York City, a competitive salary range is estimated between $130,000 and $170,000 annually. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior design roles in major tech hubs, considering the company's described funding stage (Series B+) and its focus on acquiring and growing businesses.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Generous paid time off (PTO) policy, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with potential company match.
• Opportunities for professional development, including conferences, workshops, and training.
• Potential for equity or performance-based bonuses, reflecting the entrepreneurial nature of the company.
• Remote work flexibility, allowing for a hybrid work arrangement.
• Access to a collaborative and innovative work environment with exposure to diverse B2B SaaS products.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, aligning with the Full-Time employment type. While a hybrid arrangement is offered, specific in-office days will be determined in collaboration with the hiring team to facilitate effective cross-functional collaboration and design system work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and industry reports for Senior Product Designers in New York City. The range accounts for variations in experience within the 6+ year bracket and the specific demands of working across multiple B2B SaaS products. The benefits are standard for a company of this stage and location, with an emphasis on professional development given the evolving nature of the portfolio.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Beacon Software operates within the technology and software industry, specifically focusing on acquiring and growing existing B2B SaaS businesses. This "permanent capital holding company" model is distinct and emphasizes long-term value creation through operational improvement and strategic growth. Company Size: Beacon Software is described as a "profitable series B+ firm," indicating a growth-stage company with established operations and significant investor backing. This suggests a dynamic environment that balances the agility of a startup with the structure and resources of a more mature organization. Founded: While the founding date isn't explicitly stated, the company's description as a "permanent capital holding company" implies a strategic, long-term vision. The focus on acquiring and growing businesses suggests a foundation built on operational expertise and M&A acumen.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team is likely to be lean and highly collaborative, working across various portfolio companies.
• Designers will report into a Head of Product or a Design Lead, with direct collaboration with Product Managers and Engineering teams within each acquired business.
• Cross-functional collaboration is a cornerstone, requiring designers to work closely with M&A professionals, operators, and technologists to understand business logic and user needs for diverse products.

Methodology:

• Beacon Software likely employs a data-driven approach to business acquisition and growth, applying operational best practices to improve performance.
• For product design, this translates to a user-centered methodology informed by market analysis, user research, and performance metrics from existing products.
• Emphasis will be placed on creating scalable design solutions that can be efficiently implemented across multiple B2B SaaS platforms.

Company Website: https://beaconsoftware.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The "permanent capital holding company" model is a critical differentiator. It suggests that the Product Designer will not be working on a single product's roadmap but rather on a portfolio of diverse B2B SaaS applications. This requires a designer who can adapt to different business contexts, user bases, and product maturity levels, while also contributing to overarching design strategies and systems that can unify the portfolio.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, indicating a high level of autonomy and responsibility. It's ideal for an individual who has mastered core UX/UI skills and is ready to take on strategic design leadership within a dynamic portfolio environment. The role requires not just execution but also a significant contribution to design strategy and system development.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a senior design leader or a Head of Product within Beacon Software, with close daily collaboration with Product Managers and Engineering leads across various portfolio companies. This dotted-line reporting structure across multiple entities is common in holding company models.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer will have a direct impact on the success of Beacon Software's acquired businesses by improving user experience, driving product adoption, and enhancing operational efficiency through intuitive design. Their work will contribute to the overall valuation and growth trajectory of the portfolio companies and, by extension, Beacon Software itself.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Opportunity to shape the future of design within Beacon Software's portfolio, potentially leading the development of a unified design strategy and team.
• Skill Expansion: Exposure to a wide range of B2B SaaS products and industries will broaden design expertise and problem-solving capabilities.
• Systems Thinking Mastery: Deepen skills in creating and scaling design systems, a highly valuable and sought-after expertise in the tech industry.
• Strategic Influence: Play a key role in product vision and strategy for multiple businesses, influencing business outcomes through design.
• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers or contribute to building out design capabilities within acquired companies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "permanent capital holding company" structure offers unique growth paths. Instead of a linear progression within one product, growth might involve taking on more strategic oversight across the portfolio, leading design initiatives for new acquisitions, or even moving into product leadership roles within specific portfolio companies as they scale.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Beacon Software operates a hybrid work model, suggesting a blend of remote and in-office collaboration. The company has offices in New York City, San Francisco, and Toronto, with the expectation that this role will leverage these locations for team interaction.

Office Location(s): New York City, New York, United States; San Francisco, California, United States; Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The specific office for this role is New York City.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and efficiency, supporting a hybrid workforce.
• Access to modern design tools and technology, including Figma and potentially other collaborative platforms, will be provided.
• Opportunities for in-person interaction with cross-functional teams (Product Managers, Engineers, Operators) will be available on designated office days, crucial for design system development and complex problem-solving.
• The environment is expected to be fast-paced and entrepreneurial, reflecting the company's growth-stage and acquisition strategy.

Work Schedule: The work schedule is typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the hybrid arrangement. This allows for focused individual work time, whether remote or in the office, and dedicated time for collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model requires designers to be proficient in both remote collaboration tools and in-person brainstorming/workshop facilitation. The presence of multiple office locations suggests potential for cross-office collaboration or even relocation opportunities in the future, though the primary focus is on the New York City hub for this role.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and portfolio for initial fit. Be prepared to articulate your experience with B2B SaaS and your role in end-to-end product design.
• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A deeper dive into your portfolio will occur, with specific questions about your design process, decision-making, and impact. You may be given a design challenge, likely focused on a B2B SaaS use case, to assess your problem-solving skills, systems thinking, and proficiency with Figma.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: You will likely interview with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other stakeholders from the portfolio companies or Beacon Software leadership. These interviews will assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to translate business needs into user-centric solutions.
• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership to assess cultural fit, strategic alignment with Beacon Software's values, and overall suitability for the role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Select case studies that specifically showcase complex B2B SaaS products, your end-to-end design process, and contributions to design systems or scalable patterns.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction).
• Articulate Your Role: Clearly define your specific contributions within each project, especially if working in a team environment.
• Showcase Process: Walk through your thought process, research methodologies, and iterative design decisions. Explain why you made certain choices.
• Highlight Systems Thinking: Demonstrate how you approach designing for consistency and scalability across multiple products or features.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand B2B SaaS Nuances: Familiarize yourself with common challenges and user needs in B2B software (e.g., workflow efficiency, data management, integration, team collaboration).
• Practice Figma Workflows: Be ready to demonstrate real-time design skills in Figma, including component creation, prototyping, and potentially design system setup.
• Structure Your Thinking: Prepare a framework for approaching design challenges, including problem definition, user research (even if hypothetical), ideation, and solution proposal.
• Communicate Clearly: Practice explaining your design rationale and trade-offs concisely and persuasively.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the company's structure, interviewers will be looking for a designer who can quickly adapt to new product contexts and contribute strategically across a portfolio. The portfolio review and design challenge will be critical for assessing this adaptability and strategic capability, particularly in relation to design systems and systems thinking.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is a mandatory requirement, indicating it's the primary tool for UI design, prototyping, and potentially design system management. Proficiency in advanced Figma features, including auto layout, component variants, and collaborative workflows, is expected.
• Design System Tools: Experience with establishing, contributing to, or utilizing design systems is crucial. This could involve tools integrated with Figma or separate platforms for documentation and component management.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly mentioned, familiarity with product analytics tools (e.g., Mixpanel, Amplitude, Google Analytics) is highly beneficial for understanding user behavior and informing design decisions.
• Experience with data visualization tools or dashboards can help in presenting user research findings and design impact to stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of CRM principles (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) is advantageous, as many B2B SaaS products interact with or are used by sales and customer success teams.
• Familiarity with workflow automation concepts can help in designing user experiences that streamline complex business processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The strong emphasis on Figma and design systems suggests a modern design workflow. The company likely values efficiency and scalability, so designers who can leverage these tools to their full potential will be highly valued. Understanding how B2B SaaS products integrate with other business systems (like CRMs) is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Humility: A culture of continuous learning, acknowledging that mistakes are part of the process. Openness to new ideas and learning from anyone, at any time, is key. This translates to a collaborative environment where feedback is welcomed and constructive criticism is embraced.
• Honesty: A commitment to truth-seeking and transparent communication in business problems. Building trust is paramount, reflecting a belief that strong human relationships are foundational to long-term success. This means direct, open communication and integrity in all dealings.
• Hunger: A drive to win and a high standard of performance. This involves a strong sense of responsibility, a willingness to be outworked, and taking pride in delivering exceptional results for the company, partners, and customers. Expect a motivated and driven team environment.
• Horizon: A long-term perspective focused on building generational value. This implies patience, strategic planning, and managing expectations for sustainable, compounding growth rather than short-term gains. Decisions are made with decades in mind.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect to collaborate closely with a diverse group of professionals including technologists, operators, and M&A specialists from both Beacon Software and its portfolio companies.
• Data-Informed Discussions: Collaboration will likely be grounded in data and user insights, fostering a culture where decisions are validated and debated based on evidence.
• Process Improvement Focus: A shared goal of optimizing processes and workflows across products will drive collaborative efforts, with an emphasis on iterative improvements and efficiency.
• Open Feedback Loops: The values of Humility and Honesty suggest an environment where open feedback is encouraged, facilitating continuous improvement for both individuals and the products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values (Humility, Honesty, Hunger, Horizon) are highly indicative of its desired culture. For a Product Designer, this means being open to feedback, transparent in communication, driven to deliver high-quality work, and understanding the long-term vision. The collaborative style will be key to bridging the gap between design, business strategy, and operational execution across diverse portfolio companies.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Portfolio Diversity: Adapting design skills and strategies to a wide range of B2B SaaS products, each with unique user bases, technical constraints, and business goals.
• Design System Scalability: Ensuring a unified design system effectively supports diverse products without becoming overly rigid or complex.
• Balancing Startup Pace and Enterprise Standards: Navigating the fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment while maintaining high-quality, enterprise-grade design output.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Effectively communicating design rationale and driving consensus among stakeholders with varied technical and business backgrounds across different companies.
• Measuring Design Impact: Quantifying the direct impact of design improvements on user behavior and business metrics across multiple products.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Broad Industry Exposure: Gaining deep insights into various B2B SaaS markets and operational challenges through working with a diverse portfolio.
• Design Systems Expertise: Becoming a leader in the creation and implementation of scalable design systems, a highly sought-after skill.
• Strategic Product Influence: Opportunity to influence product strategy and vision for multiple growing businesses.
• Mentorship and Leadership: Potential to mentor other designers or contribute to building design capabilities within acquired companies as they scale.
• Exposure to M&A and Investment: Understanding the business side of software acquisition and growth through close collaboration with Beacon's investment and operations teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge will be managing the complexity inherent in a multi-product portfolio. The growth opportunities lie in leveraging this complexity to develop advanced skills in design systems, strategic design thinking, and cross-functional leadership within a unique holding company structure.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for designing a new feature for a complex B2B SaaS product. How do you ensure it aligns with existing design patterns and the overall business strategy?" (Focus on end-to-end process, systems thinking, and B2B context.)
• "How would you approach establishing or contributing to a unified design system for a portfolio of diverse B2B SaaS applications? What are the key considerations and potential challenges?" (Assess understanding of design systems, scalability, and portfolio management.)
• "Walk us through a time you had to balance conflicting stakeholder requirements (e.g., business needs vs. user needs vs. technical constraints) on a B2B SaaS project. How did you reach a resolution?" (Evaluate problem-solving, negotiation, and user advocacy skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on our values of Humility, Honesty, Hunger, and Horizon, how would you approach a design project where you disagree with a senior stakeholder's direction?" (Assess alignment with company values and communication style.)
• "How do you stay updated on emerging design trends and technologies relevant to B2B SaaS? How do you decide which trends to adopt?" (Gauge continuous learning and strategic application of knowledge.)
• "Describe your ideal collaboration environment when working with Product Managers and Engineers on B2B products." (Understand preferred working dynamics and cross-functional integration.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Clarity: For each case study, clearly outline the Problem, Your Role, Process, Solution, and Results. Use visuals effectively to guide the interviewer through your design journey.
• Highlight B2B SaaS Specifics: Emphasize the unique challenges of B2B design (e.g., complex workflows, multiple user roles, data density) and how your solutions addressed them.
• Demonstrate Systems Thinking: Showcase how your designs contribute to consistency, scalability, and efficiency, particularly if you discuss design systems or reusable components.
• Quantify Impact: Present measurable outcomes of your design work (e.g., efficiency gains, adoption rates, user satisfaction improvements).
• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design decisions, research methodologies, and trade-offs made throughout the process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just strong UX/UI skills but also strategic thinking, adaptability, and an understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities presented by a multi-product B2B SaaS portfolio. Highlighting experience with design systems and systems thinking will be critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Greenhouse portal via the provided link.
• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience with B2B SaaS products, end-to-end product design processes, user research, UI/UX design, and proficiency in Figma. Use keywords from the job description such as "Product Designer," "UX/UI Design," "B2B SaaS," "Design Systems," and "Systems Thinking."
• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies demonstrating your work on complex B2B SaaS applications. Focus on showcasing your process, problem-solving skills, and quantifiable design impact. Prioritize examples that illustrate your ability to create scalable design patterns and contribute to design systems.
• Prepare for Design Challenges: Anticipate a design challenge that may require you to demonstrate your Figma skills and your approach to solving a typical B2B SaaS problem. Practice articulating your design decisions and rationale clearly and concisely.
• Research Beacon Software: Familiarize yourself with Beacon Software's business model (permanent capital holding company), their values (Humility, Honesty, Hunger, Horizon), and the types of businesses they acquire. This will help you tailor your responses to demonstrate cultural fit and strategic alignment.

⚠️ 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.