Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Kitman Labs

Location: Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: March 27, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-level to Senior (7+ years)

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on shaping the future of Kitman Labs' AI-native performance intelligence platform, demanding a blend of discovery, interaction design, prototyping, and delivery expertise.

• The Product Designer will tackle complex workflow, data comprehension, and usability challenges within a high-stakes environment where design directly impacts critical decision-making for elite sports organizations.

• A core aspect involves leveraging generative AI design tools and lightweight, code-based (vibe coded) prototypes to accelerate learning, enhance iteration speed, and improve collaboration with engineering teams.

• The position requires a proactive, self-directed individual comfortable navigating ambiguity, balancing user needs with business objectives and technical constraints, and contributing to a collaborative, experienced design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The raw job description positions this as a "mid-level designer" but the requirement for "7+ years" in a software product design role, combined with the complexity of AI-native product design and high-consequence domains, suggests this role will operate at a senior level. The emphasis on "shaping the next phase" and "end to end experience" further supports this. The role is firmly within the Product Design/UX/UI domain, with a strong emphasis on the technical and strategic application of AI in design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Product Design Delivery: Contribute comprehensively across the design lifecycle, from initial discovery and problem definition through to final UI design and ongoing iteration, ensuring a high standard of clarity, consistency, and quality in shipped experiences.

• User Flow & Prototyping: Create detailed user flows, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes to effectively address complex product, workflow, and data visualization challenges.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Product Management, Engineering, Data Science, and fellow designers to conceptualize, refine, and deliver user-centered solutions that are useful, usable, and feasible within technical constraints.

• Discovery & Research: Actively participate in user research, workflow analysis, and usability testing to deeply understand user needs, identify pain points, and gather insights that inform product strategy and design improvements.

• AI-Enabled Design Practice: Integrate generative AI design tools into daily workflows for accelerated ideation, iteration, and prototyping, and develop lightweight, code-based ("vibe coded") prototypes to explore interaction patterns and enhance communication with engineers.

• Design System Contribution: Help define and evolve design patterns and maintain the quality of the design system, ensuring consistency and scalability across the platform, particularly in the context of modern, AI-aware design practices.

• Problem Framing & Solution Definition: Translate complex feedback and product signals into actionable design improvements, and contribute to defining problems, evaluating opportunities, and testing solution options in ambiguous environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on approach with significant ownership. The emphasis on "AI Native Product Environment" and "AI Enabled Design Practice" indicates a need for designers experienced in leveraging AI tools for efficiency and exploration, not just traditional design methods. The role requires translating technical concepts (AI, LLMs) into user-friendly experiences.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 7+ years of progressive experience in a software product design role, with a proven track record of delivering user-centered digital products.

• Demonstrated end-to-end design experience, from initial user research and problem definition through to the detailed design of user journeys and final UI implementation.

• Experience working collaboratively and closely with software development teams to build and launch web-based products.

Required Skills:

• Product Design & UX Mastery: Proficient in the full spectrum of product design, including user research, journey mapping, wireframing, interaction design, and high-fidelity visual design for complex applications.

• AI Design Tool Proficiency: Strong practical experience utilizing generative AI design tools (e.g., for ideation, asset generation, rapid prototyping) as an integral part of the design workflow.

• Prototyping Expertise: Skilled in creating lightweight, code-based or "vibe coded" prototypes to effectively explore interaction patterns, test concepts, and communicate complex ideas to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Systems Thinking: Ability to design coherent and scalable user experiences across interconnected workflows and a complex platform, demonstrating a strong understanding of design systems and their application.

• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a proven ability to articulate design rationale, present trade-offs clearly, and engage constructively in cross-functional critiques and discussions.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience building or scaling a design system.

• Familiarity with modern design and development platforms such as Figma, Vercel, and associated prototyping environments.

• Working knowledge of LLM-based systems, predictive models, and AI-driven product features, with an understanding of designing for explainability and trust.

• Curiosity in emerging interaction models like conversational UI, voice interfaces, multimodal input, and agent-like workflows.

• Experience in the sports performance or data analytics sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "7+ years" combined with the advanced requirements around AI and complex domains indicates this role is for a senior-level designer, capable of strategic input and driving initiatives. The "AI and Technical Fluency" section is critical and requires more than just awareness; it demands practical application of AI tools and understanding of AI concepts within product design.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive online portfolio that vividly showcases strategic thinking, depth of UX understanding, and high-fidelity visual design execution.

• Demonstrate experience in taking products or features from initial concept and research through to successful launch and iteration, highlighting problem-solving processes.

• Include case studies that clearly articulate complex workflow challenges, the design solutions implemented, and the impact of those solutions on user behavior and business objectives.

Process Documentation:

• Submit case studies that detail your design process, emphasizing how you move from ambiguity to clarity, including methods for problem definition, user research, ideation, prototyping, and user testing.

• Provide examples of how you have used AI-assisted design tools and lightweight code-based prototypes to accelerate design cycles, test hypotheses, and improve collaboration with engineering.

• Illustrate your understanding of design systems, including how you contribute to or leverage them to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency across product interfaces.

• Be prepared to discuss how you measure the success of your designs, including the metrics you track and the impact on key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to user engagement, task completion, and operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role emphasizing AI and complex domains, the portfolio must go beyond static mockups. It should demonstrate a dynamic process including AI tool integration, rapid prototyping, and a clear understanding of how design impacts critical decision-making. Case studies should explicitly detail the "how" and "why" behind design choices, especially concerning AI-driven features.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: A strong base salary reflecting the candidate's experience and the strategic importance of the role.

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance coverage for the employee and their dependents, ensuring well-being.

• Meaningful Equity: Opportunity to participate in the company's success through stock options or equity grants.

• Pension Plan: A robust pension scheme to support long-term financial planning.

• Life Cover: Financial protection for employees' families through life insurance.

• Income Protection: Support during periods of extended illness or inability to work.

• Wellbeing Benefits: A range of benefits focused on promoting employee mental, physical, and overall well-being.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are implied (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility offered due to the remote nature of the role. Occasional face-to-face gatherings are recommended, suggesting a need for some in-person availability for key team events or strategy sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on current market data for senior-level product design roles in the UK, adjusted for the specific requirements of AI proficiency and experience in high-consequence domains. Remote work is offered, but the mention of "occasional face-to-face-gatherings" suggests a preference for candidates who can attend these events, potentially requiring some flexibility in travel.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Sports Technology / Performance Intelligence. Kitman Labs operates at the intersection of cutting-edge sports science, data analytics, and AI, aiming to revolutionize how elite athletes and teams optimize performance and health. This data-intensive environment demands precision, innovation, and a deep understanding of user needs in high-pressure situations.

Company Size: Mid-sized (leveraging LinkedIn data for approximate company size if available, otherwise infer from context). The description suggests a growing company with established products (2000+ teams) but also a nimble design team, indicating a balance between structure and agility.

Founded: Kitman Labs was founded in 2012. This history suggests a company that has matured beyond its startup phase, with established processes and a clear market presence, while still being innovative and forward-looking, particularly with its focus on AI.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team is described as "small, experienced, highly collaborative," working across the product and partnering with specific "squads" (likely cross-functional product teams comprising Product Managers, Engineers, and Data Scientists).

• The reporting structure places the Product Designer within this design team, likely reporting to a Design Lead or Head of Design, while collaborating daily within agile product squads.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decisions: The company's foundation in "performance intelligence" and "data science" implies a strong emphasis on data analysis and metrics to inform product development and design iterations.

• Agile Development: Partnership with squads suggests an agile or iterative product development methodology, where design plays a continuous role from discovery to delivery.

• AI Integration: A core methodology is the integration of AI, including generative tools and LLMs, to enhance the design process itself and to build AI-native features into the platform.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Kitman Labs is a leader in sports performance intelligence. The "AI Native Product Environment" is a critical differentiator, meaning designers must understand not just how to use AI tools but also how to design for AI-powered features and user experiences. The company's focus on elite sports means design decisions have high stakes and require a deep understanding of user workflows and decision-making processes.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level to senior Product Designer, requiring significant experience (7+ years). It offers the opportunity to shape a core product platform and influence the direction of AI integration in design. The role demands independence, strategic thinking, and the ability to drive work without constant oversight.

Reporting Structure: The designer will be part of a small, collaborative design team, likely reporting into a Design Lead or Manager. However, day-to-day work will involve close collaboration within cross-functional product squads, reporting progress and collaborating on decisions within those teams.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's impact is significant, as design in this context directly influences how elite athletes and sports organizations understand complex data, make critical decisions about performance, health, and strategy, and ultimately achieve their goals. Design is framed as essential for understanding information, reducing complexity, and enabling confident action in high-pressure environments.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization in AI Design: Deepen expertise in applying generative AI tools and designing for AI-native products, becoming a go-to expert in this emerging field within the company.

• Leadership in Design Systems: Contribute to the growth and evolution of Kitman Labs' design system, potentially taking on more responsibility for its governance and strategic application.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Expand influence by working on a variety of product initiatives and building strong relationships across Product Management, Engineering, and Data Science, potentially leading design efforts for major features or product areas.

• Domain Expertise: Develop deep knowledge in sports performance analytics and high-consequence decision-making environments, becoming a valuable asset in understanding the unique needs of Kitman Labs' elite clientele.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers substantial growth potential, particularly in the rapidly evolving field of AI-driven product design. Candidates can expect to significantly influence the product's user experience and contribute to the company's strategic direction in leveraging AI for performance intelligence. The emphasis on "shaping the next phase" suggests opportunities for leadership as the platform evolves.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is primarily remote ("While this role allows for remote work..."), offering flexibility. However, the mention of "occasional face-to-face-gatherings" indicates a hybrid element or potential for team offsites/meetups. This suggests a blend of independent work and collaborative in-person sessions.

Office Location(s): While remote, the primary location mentioned is Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom. This may indicate the location of a core team or potential location for those in-person gatherings.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The design team is described as "highly collaborative," and designers work closely with Product Management, Engineering, and Data Science. This implies an environment where open communication, feedback exchange, and shared problem-solving are valued.

• Modern Tooling: The role explicitly mentions the use of modern AI design tools, Figma, and potentially Vercel, indicating access to contemporary design and development technology.

• High-Impact Interaction: Designers will interact daily with complex data and user workflows, contributing to tools used by elite sports organizations, fostering a sense of purpose and impact.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (estimated 40 hours/week) are expected. The remote nature implies flexibility in how these hours are worked, though timely communication and availability during core working hours for collaboration are likely necessary, especially given the international reach of Kitman Labs' clients.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote-first approach with occasional in-person needs caters to modern work preferences while retaining the benefits of face-to-face collaboration. This environment is ideal for self-motivated individuals who can manage their time effectively and contribute actively to both independent tasks and team interactions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role's requirements, particularly AI proficiency and design process.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A dedicated session where the candidate presents selected case studies from their portfolio, discussing their design process, strategic thinking, and experience with AI tools. This is a critical step to evaluate problem-solving abilities and communication clarity.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with members of the Product Management, Engineering, and Data Science teams to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding (especially regarding AI), and ability to work within a squad environment.

• Design Team Interview: A conversation with existing designers to evaluate design craft, systems thinking, cultural fit, and approach to feedback and critique.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Product, CTO) to discuss strategic alignment, long-term vision, and overall suitability for the company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best highlight your end-to-end design process, your ability to handle complex problems (especially data-rich or AI-related), and your proficiency with modern tools like Figma and AI design applications.

• Showcase AI Integration: Explicitly detail how you used generative AI tools or code-based prototypes in your process. Explain the problem, the AI-assisted solution, the iteration, and the outcome. Quantify impact where possible.

• Emphasize Process & Rationale: Go beyond final screens. Detail your research methods, decision-making process, trade-offs considered, and how you collaborated with stakeholders. Explain why you made certain design choices.

• Highlight Systems Thinking: If applicable, showcase work that demonstrates your ability to design for consistency across a platform or contribution to a design system.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved user task completion rates, increased engagement, reduced support queries, faster design iteration cycles).

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential design exercise or case study that might involve a complex workflow or data interpretation challenge, possibly with an AI component. Focus on demonstrating your structured approach, ability to ask clarifying questions, and how you would leverage AI tools or rapid prototyping to explore solutions.

• Research Kitman Labs' product and understand the sports performance intelligence domain. Think about the types of data users interact with and the critical decisions they make.

• Familiarize yourself with current trends in AI design tools and conversational UI, as these are explicitly mentioned as areas of interest.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's portfolio and their practical experience with AI in design. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their process, justify their decisions, and demonstrate how they translate complex technical concepts into actionable, user-friendly designs.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (explicitly mentioned), potentially other modern design tools for wireframing, UI design, and interactive prototyping.

• AI Design Tools: Generative AI design tools (e.g., Midjourney, Stable Diffusion for asset generation, potentially AI-powered UI generation tools, or AI features within Figma like Figma AI).

• Prototyping Environments: Lightweight code-based or "vibe coded" prototypes, potentially using frameworks or platforms like Vercel (mentioned in context).

• Design Systems: Experience with building, contributing to, or utilizing design systems for consistency and scalability.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly stated for the designer role, familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) and data visualization tools would be beneficial for understanding user behavior and measuring design impact.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the Product Designer role's core responsibilities, but a general understanding of how user data is managed and how automated workflows might impact user experience could be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "AI Enabled Design Practice" and "lightweight code based, 'vibe coded' prototypes" means candidates should be comfortable with tools that facilitate rapid iteration and exploration, potentially including emerging AI-powered design assistants and simple front-end coding for interactive prototypes. Figma is a confirmed core tool.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Disruption: Driving transformation in the sports industry through advanced technology and data.

• Data-Driven Excellence: Utilizing data science and analytics to inform decisions and unlock athlete potential.

• User-Centricity: Deep focus on the needs of elite athletes and sports organizations, ensuring design translates complexity into clarity and confidence.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively across diverse teams (Product, Engineering, Data Science, Design) to achieve common goals.

• Proactivity & Ownership: Taking initiative, driving work to completion, and demonstrating a strong sense of responsibility without needing formal authority.

• Continuous Learning: Staying ahead of the curve in AI, sports science, and design methodologies.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are expected to be embedded within product squads, working hand-in-hand with PMs, Engineers, and Data Scientists.

• Constructive Critique: An open environment for feedback and iteration, where designers engage constructively in critiques and are receptive to input.

• Knowledge Sharing: Likely a culture that encourages sharing best practices, learnings from AI tool usage, and insights from user research.

• Agile & Iterative: A fast-paced product environment that values speed and quality, encouraging iterative design and quick adaptation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values align with a forward-thinking tech company focused on high-impact solutions. The designer's role is to bridge the gap between complex data/AI capabilities and user understanding, requiring strong communication and a collaborative, iterative approach.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for AI Complexity: Translating the intricate functionalities of AI, LLMs, and predictive models into intuitive, trustworthy, and explainable user experiences for performance-critical applications.

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Navigating the inherent trade-offs between cutting-edge AI capabilities, user requirements, and technical feasibility in a fast-paced development environment.

• Ambiguity in Emerging Tech: Working with new AI design tools and AI-native product concepts where best practices are still evolving, requiring adaptability and experimentation.

• High-Stakes Decision Support: Designing interfaces that support critical decisions for elite athletes and organizations, where errors can have significant consequences, demanding exceptional clarity and accuracy.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AI in Design: Become a specialist in leveraging generative AI and other AI tools for product design, staying at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field.

• Domain Expertise in Sports Performance: Gain in-depth knowledge of the sports performance analytics industry, understanding the unique challenges and data needs of elite teams.

• Advanced Prototyping Techniques: Master lightweight code-based prototyping skills to create more sophisticated and communicative interactions.

• Influence Product Strategy: Contribute significantly to the product roadmap and strategic direction, particularly concerning the integration of AI and user experience enhancements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around the novelty and complexity of AI in design, coupled with the high-stakes nature of the product's use case. Growth opportunities are aligned with developing specialized skills in AI design and domain expertise.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used generative AI tools to accelerate your design process. What was the problem, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on process, tool effectiveness, and impact.)

• "How would you approach designing an interface for an AI system that provides predictive insights for athlete performance? What are the key considerations for trust and explainability?" (Demonstrate understanding of AI design principles and high-consequence domains.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Kitman Labs' mission and our focus on performance intelligence and AI?" (Show research and genuine interest.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with engineers and data scientists, especially when discussing AI-related features or technical constraints?" (Assess teamwork and communication.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the process you followed (including AI tool usage), the solutions you designed, the trade-offs you made, and the quantifiable results.

• Highlight AI & Code-Based Prototypes: Dedicate specific slides or sections to showcase how you integrated AI tools or used code-based prototypes. Explain the value they added.

• Tell a Story: Engage your audience by framing your projects as narratives of problem-solving and innovation.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design decisions, your rationale, and your understanding of the user and business context.

• Demonstrate Cultural Fit: Convey enthusiasm, proactivity, and a collaborative spirit throughout your presentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily focus on practical application of AI design tools, understanding AI concepts in product, and demonstrating how design impacts high-stakes decisions. The portfolio presentation is key to showcasing this.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on jobs.lever.co.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight your 7+ years of experience, specific projects involving AI design tools or complex data visualization, and any experience in sports, performance, or high-consequence domains. Use keywords from the job description like "generative AI," "AI-native," "workflow challenges," "systems thinking," and "prototyping."

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that explicitly demonstrate your end-to-end design process, your ability to handle complex problems, and your practical experience with AI design tools and/or code-based prototyping. Ensure it's easily accessible online.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on clearly articulating the problem, your process (especially AI integration), your design rationale, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss trade-offs and answer in-depth questions.

• Research Kitman Labs: Understand their mission, product, and the sports intelligence industry. Consider how your design philosophy and skills align with their focus on AI and performance optimization.

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