Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer
Company: HousingAnywhere Group
Location: Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Job Type: Full-time
Category: Product Design / Operations Design
Date Posted: 2025-08-07
Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (4+ years)
Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design processes, encompassing user research, ideation, prototyping, and validation to enhance both user experience and internal operational systems.
• Drive significant UX improvements by deeply understanding and addressing the day-to-day operational needs of internal teams, translating feedback into actionable design solutions.
• Champion design thinking methodologies and act as a key advocate for user-centric design principles across cross-functional teams, including Product Management and Engineering.
• Collaborate closely with stakeholders to define and document business needs, translating complex issues into design opportunities that yield optimal outcomes and improve operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is titled "Product Designer," the emphasis on "improving both user experience and internal systems," and the specific mention of the "Business Operations" team, strongly indicates a significant focus on designing for internal operations and workflows. This requires a blend of traditional product design skills with a strong understanding of operational efficiency and business process optimization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Take ownership of the complete design lifecycle for assigned product areas, from initial user research and discovery through ideation, conceptualization, design, and rigorous testing phases.
• Drive and monitor key performance and ergonomic metrics for designed systems, ensuring a keen awareness of how solutions impact user experience and the overall efficiency of internal operations.
• Cultivate a deep understanding of the daily operations, goals, and pain points of various internal teams (e.g., Customer Support, Finance, Sales) by actively absorbing and analyzing internal customer feedback and insights from all available channels.
• Proactively identify and champion opportunities for UX enhancements within your designated domain, fostering close collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers, and other key stakeholders to implement impactful changes.
• Facilitate and lead design workshops, bringing together colleagues from UX and other departments to foster innovation and collaborative problem-solving.
• Serve as a primary ambassador for design thinking and experience design principles, effectively communicating the value and impact of user-centric design to internal stakeholders and teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus: enhancing external-facing user experiences and critically, designing for internal business operations. This requires not just visual design skills but also a strategic approach to process improvement and stakeholder management within an operational context.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• A minimum of 4 years of progressive experience in User Experience (UX) design and Service Design.
• Proven track record of working in-house as a designer within a product-centric company, demonstrating an understanding of product development cycles.
• Extensive experience collaborating effectively across multiple functions (e.g., Product, Engineering, Operations) to create seamless and integrated user journeys.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex user journeys, understanding their interaction and integration with other systems and services.
• Proficiency in translating stakeholder needs into actionable design requirements, identifying opportunities for improvement and achieving desired business outcomes.
• Solid understanding of balancing business objectives with technical constraints to deliver practical and effective design solutions.

Required Skills:

• User-Focused Design: Ability to empathize with users and design solutions that meet their needs and improve their experience.
• UX Research: Proficiency in conducting user research, usability testing, and gathering qualitative and quantitative data to inform design decisions.
• Design Thinking: Expertise in applying design thinking methodologies to solve complex problems and drive innovation.
• Collaboration: Strong ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers, Engineers, and Business Operations stakeholders.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Skill in building relationships, understanding needs, and managing expectations with internal and external stakeholders.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication abilities to articulate design concepts and rationale clearly.
• Presentation Skills: Ability to present design solutions, research findings, and project updates compellingly to various audiences.
• Service Design: Experience in mapping and designing end-to-end service experiences and customer journeys.
• Systems Thinking: Capacity to understand how different components of a system (user interfaces, business processes, technology) interact and influence each other.

Preferred Skills:

• Internal Tools Design: Specific experience designing back-office applications, admin interfaces, or other complex internal systems.
• Efficiency Design: Focus on designing workflows and interfaces that streamline operations and improve productivity.
• User-Centric Design: Deep commitment to user advocacy and ensuring user needs are central to all design decisions.
• Problem Solving: Aptitude for identifying root causes of issues and developing creative, effective solutions.
• Cross-Functional Teamwork: Proven ability to integrate seamlessly into multidisciplinary product teams.
• Performance Metrics: Experience in defining and tracking design performance and ergonomic metrics.
• Ergonomic Design: Understanding of principles for designing user-friendly and comfortable interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "designing complex internal systems" is a key differentiator for this role, suggesting a need for designers comfortable with B2B or internal-facing applications rather than purely consumer-facing products. A strong understanding of operational workflows and business logic will be crucial.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a range of product design work, demonstrating proficiency across the entire design lifecycle.
• Specific examples of designing complex internal systems, such as back-office applications, admin interfaces, or operational dashboards, are highly valued.
• Case studies that illustrate your process for understanding user needs, identifying pain points, and developing iterative design solutions.
• Examples of how you have collaborated with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, etc.) to bring designs to fruition.
• Demonstrations of your ability to translate business requirements and technical constraints into effective design outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase your approach to user research, including methodologies used and how insights were translated into design decisions.
• Provide examples of wireframes, prototypes, and final UI designs, detailing the iterative process of refinement based on feedback and testing.
• Include documentation of how you have assessed and improved the performance and ergonomics of systems you have designed.
• Evidence of your ability to document stakeholder needs and translate them into clear design specifications and user stories.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on internal systems and operational efficiency, candidates should prioritize portfolio pieces that demonstrate problem-solving within business contexts, process streamlining, and measurable improvements to internal workflows.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• The Netherlands has a competitive market for experienced Product Designers. Based on industry benchmarks for Rotterdam and a mid-senior level (4+ years of experience), a salary range of €50,000 to €75,000 per year is estimated.
• This estimate considers the company's industry (tech/platform), the specific role's responsibilities (including internal systems design), and the cost of living in Rotterdam.

Benefits:

• Unlimited Paid Holidays: A generous policy allowing flexibility and work-life balance, not capped by a maximum number of days.
• Hybrid Working Policy: Combines the flexibility of remote work with the benefits of in-office collaboration, requiring 2 days per week at the Rotterdam office.
• Remote Work Flexibility: Option to work remotely for up to 2 months per year, offering significant flexibility for international or extended personal travel.
• Personal Development Budget: €1,000 annually for professional growth, training, courses, or conferences relevant to design and operations.
• Commuting Coverage: Full reimbursement for commuting expenses, easing the financial burden of travel to the office.
• Personal Equipment: Provision of essential work tools, including a laptop and ergonomic setup, to ensure a comfortable and productive workspace.
• Gym Membership Discount: Access to discounted memberships with GoVital or OneFit, promoting employee well-being.
• Language Classes Budget: Financial support for Dutch or English language courses, beneficial for an international team.
• Variable Pension Scheme: A flexible pension plan that may adjust based on company performance or individual contributions.
• Diverse International Community: Opportunity to work within a multicultural environment with over 46 nationalities represented.
• Pet-Friendly Office: A welcoming office environment that accommodates pets, contributing to a relaxed atmosphere.
• Team-Building Activities: Regular social events and after-work drinks every Friday, fostering team cohesion and camaraderie.

Working Hours: While not explicitly stated, a standard full-time position in the Netherlands typically involves around 36-40 hours per week. The hybrid policy and focus on results suggest a degree of flexibility in daily scheduling.

📝 Enhancement Note: The benefits package is notably comprehensive, emphasizing work-life balance, professional development, and employee well-being, which are attractive aspects for experienced professionals in the tech sector. The unlimited holidays and remote flexibility are particularly noteworthy.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Online Platform (Specifically, a mid-term rental marketplace). HousingAnywhere Group operates in the fast-paced PropTech sector, connecting students and young professionals with accommodation globally. Company Size: Approximately 250 employees. This size suggests a dynamic, growing company with established processes but still retaining an agile and collaborative feel, allowing for significant individual impact. Founded: The founding date is not explicitly provided, but the company has grown to become Europe's largest mid-term rental platform, indicating a history of innovation and market leadership.

Team Structure:

• UX Team: Decentralized, with designers embedded within cross-functional product teams. The UX team comprises a Design Director, 5 UX Designers, 2 UX Design Leads, 2 UX Researchers, 2 UX Writers, 2 Brand Communication Designers, and 1 Design Systems Designer. This structure ensures specialized expertise and close integration with product development.
• Business Operations (BizOps) Team: This is a key area where the designer will contribute. BizOps focuses on enhancing internal tools and workflows across departments like Customer Support, Finance, and Sales. The designer will work directly with these internal users.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Designers are embedded in product teams alongside Product Managers and Engineers, working closely on product development. Regular design critiques and knowledge sharing sessions (e.g., weekly design critiques with Kahoot quizzes) foster continuous learning and collaboration.

Methodology:

• User-Centric Design: A core principle, with a strong emphasis on understanding and addressing the needs of both external users (tenants) and internal users (employees).
• Design Thinking: Actively promoted and practiced to solve problems and drive innovation.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Insights from UX research, user feedback, and performance metrics are used to inform design solutions and measure impact.
• Iterative Development: The design process involves continuous cycles of research, design, testing, and refinement.
• Systems Thinking: Applied to understand how designs integrate with broader business processes and technology stacks.

Company Website: https://housinganywhere.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on "Rent Easy, Live Free" and its mission to empower people to live wherever they choose, combined with its growth and diverse workforce, suggests a mission-driven culture that values innovation and user satisfaction. The specific mention of the Business Operations team signals a strategic investment in improving internal efficiency through design.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Mid-Senior level. It requires a solid foundation of experience (4+ years) and the ability to work autonomously, lead design processes within a team, and influence cross-functional stakeholders. The focus on internal systems design also adds a layer of operational strategy to the traditional product design role. Reporting Structure: The designer will be part of the decentralized UX team, reporting within that structure (likely to a UX Design Lead or Director). However, they will be embedded within a cross-functional product team, working closely with a Product Manager and Engineers on specific product initiatives, potentially including those within the Business Operations domain. Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on operational efficiency by improving internal tools and workflows. By streamlining processes for teams like Customer Support, Finance, and Sales, the designer contributes to reduced costs, increased productivity, and better internal user satisfaction, which indirectly supports the company's overall mission and customer experience.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in designing complex internal systems and operational workflows, potentially leading to roles focused specifically on BizOps or Enterprise UX.
• Leadership: As a senior designer, there's potential to mentor junior designers, lead design initiatives within product teams, or move into a UX Design Lead position.
• Skill Development: Access to a €1,000 personal development budget allows for targeted learning in areas like advanced UX research, service design, specific design tools, or business operations principles.
• Cross-Functional Exposure: Working closely with Product Management and Engineering provides valuable insights into other facets of product development and business strategy.
• Impactful Projects: Contributing to a leading European rental platform offers the chance to work on high-impact projects that affect millions of users and internal operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The dual focus on user experience and operational systems design presents a unique growth path. Professionals can develop expertise in both customer-facing product design and internal business process optimization, making them valuable assets in a variety of tech environments.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company has a pet-friendly office located in the city center of Rotterdam. This suggests a vibrant, modern, and potentially informal workspace designed to foster creativity and collaboration. Office Location(s): Rotterdam city center, Netherlands. This central location likely offers good accessibility via public transport. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Being embedded in cross-functional teams and having a decentralized UX structure encourages close collaboration and knowledge sharing. The weekly design critiques further solidify this.
• Tools & Technology: Employees are provided with personal equipment, including a laptop and ergonomic setup, ensuring a comfortable and productive work environment. Access to design systems and relevant software is expected.
• Team Interaction: Regular team-building activities and Friday after-work drinks foster a strong sense of community and camaraderie among colleagues.

Work Schedule: The role follows a hybrid working policy, requiring 2 days per week in the office. The company emphasizes flexibility, suggesting that while core hours may exist, there's likely autonomy in managing the workday, provided responsibilities are met and collaboration needs are addressed.

📝 Enhancement Note: The combination of a central, pet-friendly office, hybrid work policy, and a strong emphasis on team events suggests a company culture that values both productivity and employee well-being, creating an engaging work environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Submit your resume and portfolio via the Greenhouse application portal.
• Portfolio Review: Initial screening will heavily rely on your portfolio. Ensure it clearly demonstrates your design process, problem-solving skills, and experience with both user experience and internal systems.
• Initial Screening Call: A brief call with a recruiter or hiring manager to discuss your background, motivations, and suitability for the role.
• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a take-home design exercise or present a case study from your portfolio that showcases your approach to a complex design problem, ideally one related to internal systems or operational efficiency.
• On-site/Video Interviews: Interviews with the UX team, Product Managers, and potentially engineers. These will likely cover your design philosophy, collaboration skills, and how you handle challenges. Expect questions about your experience with user research, design thinking, and stakeholder management.
• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership or the Design Director to assess cultural fit and overall alignment with the company's vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio with clear case studies. For each case study, explain the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, design, testing), the solutions you proposed, and the impact of your work (quantifiable results are best).
• Focus on Internal Systems: If possible, highlight projects where you designed internal tools, back-office systems, or workflows that improved operational efficiency. Detail the challenges specific to these environments.
• Showcase Process: Emphasize your thought process, design decisions, and how you iterated based on feedback and data. This is often more important than just the final visual output.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. For internal systems, this could include time saved, error reduction, increased throughput, or improved user satisfaction scores.
• Conciseness: Be prepared to walk through your portfolio efficiently, highlighting the most relevant projects for this specific role.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business: Research HousingAnywhere Group, its mission, target audience, and the competitive landscape. Understand the importance of both customer experience and internal operational efficiency.
• Design Thinking Practice: Be ready to articulate how you apply design thinking principles to solve problems.
• Operational Mindset: Prepare to discuss how you would approach understanding and improving internal workflows. Think about common challenges in customer support, finance, or sales operations.
• Collaboration Scenarios: Prepare examples of successful cross-functional collaboration and how you handle disagreements or differing perspectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on internal systems design means candidates should actively select portfolio pieces that demonstrate an understanding of business processes, efficiency gains, and the unique challenges of designing for internal users (e.g., complex data, frequent task completion, administrative workflows).

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), or similar for wireframing, UI design, and prototyping. Figma is increasingly common for collaborative design systems.
• User Research & Testing: Experience with tools for usability testing, user interviews, surveys, and analytics platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Hotjar, Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude).
• Collaboration & Project Management: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Confluence, Trello, Asana for managing design tasks, tracking progress, and collaborating with engineering and product teams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Analysis Tools: Ability to interpret data from analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) to understand user behavior and identify areas for improvement.
• Dashboarding Tools: Experience with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for visualizing data and presenting insights, especially relevant for understanding operational metrics.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not explicitly a CRM role, understanding how design impacts CRM usage (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) for sales or customer support teams would be beneficial.
• Integration Tools: Familiarity with how different software systems connect and share data can be advantageous when designing for integrated internal workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job description doesn't list specific tools, a modern product designer is expected to be proficient in collaborative design platforms like Figma. Experience with analytics tools to measure design impact and efficiency improvements is also highly valuable, particularly for this role's focus on operational systems.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ownership: Taking responsibility for design outcomes and driving initiatives to completion, particularly within the context of improving business operations.
• We are Enablers: Designing solutions that empower internal teams and external users, making their tasks easier and more efficient.
• We are Changemakers: Proactively seeking opportunities to improve processes, systems, and user experiences, driving positive change within the organization.
• We are Connectors: Facilitating seamless user journeys and effective collaboration between different teams and stakeholders, bridging gaps through thoughtful design.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are embedded within product teams, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers, fostering a highly collaborative and integrated approach to product development.
• Design Critiques: Regular participation in design critiques promotes constructive feedback, learning, and continuous improvement of design quality and effectiveness.
• Knowledge Sharing: Emphasis on sharing research insights, design best practices, and learnings across the UX team and wider organization.
• Stakeholder Dialogue: Engaging in open dialogue with internal stakeholders to understand their needs and co-create solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values—Ownership, Enablers, Changemakers, Connectors—directly align with the expectations for a designer focused on improving operational efficiency. Candidates who can demonstrate these values in their work and approach will likely be a strong cultural fit.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs: Successfully designing for both the varied needs of diverse internal teams (Customer Support, Finance, Sales) and ensuring these systems integrate smoothly with external-facing platforms.
• Complexity of Internal Systems: Internal tools often have intricate workflows, extensive data sets, and diverse user roles, requiring meticulous design and thorough understanding.
• Influencing Stakeholders: Effectively communicating design rationale and advocating for user-centric solutions with stakeholders who may have different priorities or technical understanding.
• Measuring Impact: Quantifying the success of designs, especially for internal systems where direct revenue impact might be less obvious than for consumer products, requires robust metrics and data analysis.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Design Skills: Gaining deep expertise in designing for business operations, enterprise software, and complex internal workflows.
• Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge: Expanding knowledge in business processes, finance, customer support, and sales operations through close collaboration.
• Mentorship: Potential to learn from experienced UX Leads, a Design Director, and senior team members within the decentralized UX structure.
• Industry Exposure: Working for a leading platform in the PropTech space provides exposure to unique market dynamics and user challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge lies in bridging the gap between user experience design principles and the practical demands of business operations. Success will depend on a designer's ability to translate operational needs into intuitive and efficient user interfaces.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Company Operations Understanding: "How would you approach understanding the core operational workflows of our Customer Support team to identify areas for design improvement?" (Prepare to discuss research methods like shadowing, interviews, workflow mapping).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting requirements from Product, Engineering, and Business stakeholders. How did you reach a solution?" (Focus on communication, negotiation, and finding common ground).
• Problem-Solving with Data: "Imagine we're seeing a high error rate in our internal order processing system. How would you, as a designer, approach diagnosing and solving this problem?" (Think about user error analysis, UI clarity, process simplification, and data analysis).
• Design for Efficiency: "What principles do you follow when designing interfaces specifically for productivity and operational efficiency, as opposed to purely aesthetic appeal?" (Discuss reducing clicks, clear information hierarchy, intuitive navigation, minimizing cognitive load).

Company & Culture Questions:

• Cultural Fit: "Our values are Ownership, Enablers, Changemakers, and Connectors. Can you provide an example from your past experience that demonstrates one of these values?" (Prepare specific anecdotes).
• Team Dynamics: "How do you contribute to a positive and productive team environment, especially within a decentralized UX structure?" (Focus on communication, support, and proactive collaboration).
• Impact Measurement: "How do you measure the success and impact of your design work, especially for internal-facing tools?" (Discuss metrics like task completion time, error rates, user satisfaction, adoption rates).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Flow: Structure your portfolio presentation as a compelling story for each case study. Start with the problem, introduce your role and process, detail your design solutions and iterations, and conclude with the impact and key learnings.
• Focus on "Why": Clearly articulate the reasoning behind your design decisions at each stage. Explain why you chose certain research methods, design patterns, or UI elements.
• Highlight Internal Systems Work: If you have relevant experience, lead with those case studies. Be prepared to discuss the unique challenges and considerations for designing internal tools.
• Demonstrate Collaboration: Mention how you worked with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders throughout the process.
• Concise and Engaging: Keep your presentation focused and engaging. Be prepared to answer questions in detail about any aspect of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily emphasize the "internal systems" aspect of the role. Candidates should be ready to discuss their experience with B2B applications, operational workflows, and how they measure the success of designs that improve business efficiency.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Greenhouse job portal.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating end-to-end design processes, with a strong emphasis on any experience designing complex internal systems, back-office applications, or workflows that improved operational efficiency.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 4+ years of experience in UX and Service Design, using keywords from the job description such as "user-focused design," "design thinking," "stakeholder engagement," and "internal systems." Quantify achievements wherever possible.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, problem-solving approach, and collaboration skills. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions related to the company's values (Ownership, Enablers, Changemakers, Connectors) and the role's responsibilities.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research HousingAnywhere Group, its mission, its platform, and its market position. Understand the significance of improving both customer experience and internal operational efficiency for their business model.

⚠️ 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.