Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer Company: Nextdoor Location: US Remote Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design / User Experience Date Posted: December 05, 2025 Experience Level: 8+ Years (Implied 10+ based on AI analysis) Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design and UX strategy for Nextdoor's core product experience, specifically focusing on the user feed.
• Drive measurable impact by balancing user needs, business objectives, and technical feasibility through a human-centered approach.
• Utilize both qualitative and quantitative research to inform design decisions, validate hypotheses, and refine user experiences for enhanced engagement and retention.
• Contribute to the evolution of design systems, ensuring consistency and efficiency across product surfaces, particularly within the feed experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The AI analysis suggests an experience level of "10+" years, which is higher than the stated "8+ years" in the requirements. This indicates the role might be senior or requires a very specific depth of experience, potentially at a Principal or Senior Lead level within product design. The focus on "leading design and UX strategy" for the core feed further supports this senior interpretation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the design and UX strategy for Nextdoor's core product experience, the user feed, ensuring alignment with user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.
• Leverage qualitative and quantitative research findings, collaborating with researchers and data analysts, to inform and validate design decisions for the feed.
• Develop and refine comprehensive user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes aimed at improving feed engagement, user retention, and overall positive user experience.
• Champion a user-first design philosophy, ensuring the feed delivers tangible value and empowers neighbors.
• Deeply understand and utilize key performance indicators (KPIs) to guide design solutions that achieve measurable goals while maintaining a holistic view of the product.
• Mentor and guide fellow designers, providing constructive feedback, sharing best practices, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the design team.
• Actively contribute to and evolve the company's design systems, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency of UI components across all product surfaces, especially those related to the feed.
• Influence product and business strategy by effectively communicating UX rationale, user insights, and data-driven recommendations to stakeholders, including executive leadership, through compelling storytelling.
• Drive experimentation initiatives, including A/B testing, in close collaboration with product management and analytics teams to measure, analyze, and optimize the effectiveness of UX improvements.
• Ensure all designs adhere to accessibility and inclusivity best practices, advocating for diverse user perspectives and needs.
• Maintain a forward-looking perspective by staying abreast of industry trends, particularly in advertising UX, AI-driven personalization, and visual design, to inform innovation and future product roadmap planning.

📝 Enhancement Note: Responsibilities emphasize leadership in strategy, mentorship, and influencing stakeholders, aligning with a senior or lead product designer role. The specific mention of "feed engagement, and retention" and "advertising UX" provides context for the types of design challenges and metrics the candidate will influence.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for roles of this seniority. Experience: A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in UX design, product design, or a closely related field, with a proven history of successfully designing and launching user-centered products.

Required Skills:

• User Experience (UX) Design: Deep understanding of UX principles, methodologies, and best practices.
• Product Design: Proven ability to translate user needs and business requirements into intuitive and effective product solutions.
• Interaction Design: Expertise in designing user flows, behaviors, and interactive elements that create seamless and engaging experiences.
• Information Architecture: Skill in organizing and structuring content and features to ensure users can easily find what they need.
• Usability Principles: Strong knowledge of usability heuristics and methods for evaluating and improving user interfaces.
• Qualitative Research: Proficiency in conducting user interviews, usability testing, and other qualitative methods to gather user insights.
• Quantitative Research: Ability to work with data analysts, understand metrics, and use quantitative data (e.g., A/B test results, usage analytics) to inform design decisions.
• Figma Proficiency: Advanced skills in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity design, and collaboration.
• Design Systems: Experience in contributing to, maintaining, and leveraging design systems to ensure product consistency and scalability.
• A/B Testing: Practical experience in designing experiments and interpreting results from A/B tests to optimize user experiences.
• Analytics Tools: Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Statsig, Google Analytics, Mixpanel) for tracking user behavior and measuring design impact.
• Storytelling & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale, user needs, and data-driven insights effectively to diverse audiences, including senior leadership.

Preferred Skills:

• AI Tools: Experience leveraging AI tools for prototyping, idea validation, or enhancing design workflows.
• Social Media Product Experience: Prior work on engagement-driven social media platforms or community-focused products.
• UX Research Background: A formal background or significant experience in user research methodologies.
• Advertising UX: Familiarity with design considerations for advertising platforms or monetization strategies within user-facing products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills list has been expanded to include more specific operations-adjacent terms like "Usability Principles," "Qualitative Research," "Quantitative Research," and "Analytics Tools" to better align with the broader operations context. The AI's "10+" year experience level inference is noted, suggesting the "8+ years" might be a baseline, and candidates with more extensive experience are highly sought after.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 8 years of impactful UX and product design work, with a strong emphasis on complex systems and user-centered product launches.
• Demonstrate a clear process for turning user insights (from both qualitative and quantitative research) into actionable design solutions.
• Include case studies that highlight your role in defining and evolving core product experiences, particularly those involving user engagement, retention, or community building.
• Showcase proficiency with modern design tools, with a primary focus on Figma, and demonstrate how you've utilized these tools to create wireframes, detailed prototypes, and high-fidelity designs.
• Present examples of your contribution to or utilization of design systems, illustrating how you ensured consistency and scalability across different product surfaces.
• Include case studies that detail your involvement in experimentation, specifically A/B testing, and how you used analytics to measure and iterate on design improvements.
• Demonstrate your ability to influence product and business decisions through clear communication of design rationale and data-driven insights.

Process Documentation:

• Portfolio pieces should clearly articulate the design process followed, from initial problem definition and research through ideation, prototyping, testing, and implementation.
• Showcase how you've documented user flows, interaction models, and system architecture to ensure clarity and alignment across cross-functional teams.
• Include examples of how you've used data and analytics to measure the success of implemented designs and identify areas for further optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section has been tailored to emphasize portfolio requirements relevant to product design within a tech company, focusing on process, research, and measurable impact, which are key components for demonstrating operational excellence in design. The requirement for demonstrating "impactful work in complex systems" is a strong indicator of the need for structured, process-oriented thinking.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The stated salary range for this role is $200,000 to $225,000 per year. Benefits:

• Health Plans: Comprehensive health insurance options, including a plan where employee-only coverage is 100% covered by Nextdoor.
• OneMedical Membership: Access to concierge healthcare services through a OneMedical membership.
• Equity Grant: A significant equity grant is offered, with quarterly vesting starting within three months of the hire date.
• Paid Time Off: While not explicitly stated, standard PTO, holidays, and sick leave are generally provided for full-time employees.
• 401(k) Plan: Retirement savings plan options are typically available for full-time employees.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning and skill development, as implied by the role's requirements and company culture.

Working Hours: The role is listed as Full-Time, implying a standard 40-hour work week. Given the "US Remote" designation and the nature of product design, there is likely flexibility in daily scheduling, but core collaboration hours will be expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific and is noted as potentially greater if a candidate exceeds the expected proficiency level. The benefits are detailed, with a highlight on the 100% covered employee health plan and the equity grant, which are significant components of total compensation for senior roles. The "US Remote" location implies a need to consider cost of living adjustments if this were an on-site role, but for remote, national benchmarks are more relevant.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Social Networking, Community Platforms. Nextdoor operates in the unique space of connecting neighbors, local businesses, and public agencies, aiming to foster stronger real-world communities through digital means. Company Size: Nextdoor is a publicly traded company (NYSE: NXDR), indicating a substantial organization with established processes, but the "small team of designers" mentioned suggests a focused, agile unit within a larger structure. This balance allows for both the stability of a larger company and the nimbleness of a smaller team. Founded: Nextdoor was founded in 2010. This history suggests a company that has navigated significant growth phases and market evolution, building a mature product and operational framework.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer will be part of the Consumer Product organization.
• They will join a "small team of designers" reporting to a Design Lead, Consumer Product, indicating a collaborative and potentially close-knit design group.
• This designer will work closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and Researchers, highlighting a highly cross-functional and integrated product development model.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The role emphasizes using both qualitative and quantitative research, understanding metrics, and advancing design solutions that support measurable goals.
• User-Centricity: A core tenet is a "deeply human-centered and mission-driven" approach, focused on creating digital experiences that strengthen real-world connections.
• Experimentation: Driving experimentation and A/B testing is a key part of the design process, aiming to optimize user experience and product performance.
• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on influencing product and business decisions through effective communication and advocacy for user needs.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of Nextdoor as an "essential neighborhood network" and its mission to "foster local community" are crucial for understanding the company's culture and the designer's impact. The mention of a "small team of designers" within a larger Consumer Product organization is important for setting expectations about team dynamics and autonomy.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior Product Designer, given the "8+ years of experience" requirement, leadership in "design and UX strategy," mentorship responsibilities, and the need to influence stakeholders, including executives. It's a key individual contributor role with significant strategic input and potential for leadership. Reporting Structure: The designer reports directly to the Design Lead, Consumer Product. This indicates a clear reporting line within the design function, allowing for mentorship and guidance from a senior design leader. Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work on the core feed experience will directly impact user engagement, retention, and the overall health of the Nextdoor platform. By improving how neighbors connect, share information, and interact with local businesses, the designer contributes to the company's mission and its business objectives, including advertising revenue and platform growth. Driving experimentation and data-informed decisions means the impact is measurable and tied to business outcomes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Mentoring other designers and influencing product strategy provides a pathway to leadership roles, such as Senior Lead Designer, Design Manager, or Principal Product Designer.
• Skill Specialization: Deepening expertise in areas like social media UX, AI-driven personalization, or advertising UX through direct project work and industry trend monitoring.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Growing influence across product management, engineering, and data science teams, becoming a key strategic partner in product development.
• Strategic Impact: Taking on ownership of larger product areas or initiatives, contributing to the long-term vision and roadmap of the Consumer Product organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The analysis emphasizes the senior nature of the role and its potential for growth, linking it to broader operations and product leadership trajectories. The "operations impact" section connects the design work directly to business metrics, which is a key differentiator for operations-minded candidates.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as "US Remote," indicating a fully remote work environment. This suggests that communication, collaboration, and project management will be conducted primarily through digital tools and platforms. Office Location(s): While the role is US Remote, Nextdoor has offices in San Francisco, CA; Chanhassen, MN; and Dublin, Ireland, among others. The remote position offers flexibility across the United States, with potential time zone considerations for collaboration. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Digital Environment: Expect extensive use of collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Jira, Confluence) for daily communication, team meetings, and project updates.
• Design Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software like Figma and potentially other prototyping and research tools.
• Cross-Functional Interaction: Frequent opportunities to interact with product managers, engineers, researchers, data analysts, and potentially marketing and executive teams through virtual meetings and shared digital workspaces.

Work Schedule: As a full-time remote role, there's likely flexibility in daily working hours, allowing individuals to manage their schedules effectively. However, availability during core business hours (likely aligned with US time zones) is essential for synchronous collaboration, meetings, and team interactions. This flexibility is beneficial for operations professionals who often need to balance deep work with timely communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "US Remote" designation is clarified, and the implications for collaboration tools and communication are highlighted. The mention of potential time zone considerations is important for remote operations roles that require significant team interaction.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will likely review your resume and portfolio to assess your experience against the role requirements.
• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: Expect a session where you present your portfolio, discussing specific case studies that demonstrate your process, problem-solving skills, and impact. This may be followed by a design challenge (e.g., a take-home assignment or an in-person/virtual whiteboard exercise) focused on a relevant product problem.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially Researchers to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to work within a cross-functional team.
• Design Lead/Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your design philosophy, leadership potential, mentorship approach, and strategic thinking.
• Executive/Stakeholder Interview: A final interview with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Product, VP of Design) to assess cultural fit and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 3-5 of your strongest case studies that best represent your experience with complex product challenges, user-centered design, and measurable impact, especially related to engagement or community platforms.
• Show Your Process: Clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, iteration, testing), the constraints you faced, and the final solution. Use visuals effectively.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include metrics and data that demonstrate the positive outcomes of your design decisions (e.g., increased engagement, improved retention, higher conversion rates). Discuss how you used analytics and A/B testing.
• Tell a Story: Frame your case studies as narratives that highlight your problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and collaboration abilities.
• Figma Focus: Ensure your portfolio clearly showcases your proficiency in Figma, from wireframes to high-fidelity prototypes.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Problem: Carefully analyze the design challenge prompt. Ask clarifying questions to ensure you fully grasp the objectives, target users, and constraints.
• Structure Your Approach: Outline your thought process before diving into solutions. Consider user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility.
• Focus on Process: Even if time is limited, demonstrate your design thinking process. Sketching, whiteboarding, and explaining your rationale are often more important than a polished final deliverable.
• Communicate Clearly: Articulate your assumptions, decisions, and trade-offs. Practice explaining your ideas concisely and effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview and portfolio review process is structured to reflect typical senior product design hiring practices, emphasizing process, impact, and cross-functional collaboration, which are critical for operations success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity design, and collaborative design work. Proficiency is explicitly required.
• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's capabilities, other tools may be used for more advanced interactive prototypes or user flow mapping.
• Design System Management Tools: Tools and processes for contributing to, maintaining, and leveraging design systems.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Statsig: A platform for experimentation, feature flagging, and product analytics, explicitly mentioned.
• Google Analytics: A widely used web analytics service for tracking and reporting website traffic and user behavior.
• Mixpanel: An event-based analytics platform for understanding user behavior and product engagement.
• Data Visualization Tools: Potentially Tableau, Looker, or internal dashboards for presenting data and insights to stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly listed as a primary tool for the designer, understanding how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce if used for business users) or user engagement data informs product decisions can be beneficial.
• Collaboration & Project Management: Tools like Slack, Zoom, Jira, Confluence, Asana, or Trello are essential for remote collaboration, task management, and workflow tracking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is detailed, with a strong emphasis on Figma and specific analytics tools like Statsig, Google Analytics, and Mixpanel. This is crucial for operations roles, as proficiency in these tools directly impacts efficiency and data-driven decision-making.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Human-Centered: A strong emphasis on understanding and serving the needs of neighbors, fostering real-world community connections.
• Mission-Driven: Commitment to the company's purpose of building stronger local communities.
• Data-Informed: Utilizing data and experimentation to guide decisions and measure impact, ensuring designs are effective and efficient.
• Collaborative: Working effectively across product, engineering, and research teams to achieve shared goals.
• Growth Mindset: A dedication to continuous learning, staying ahead of industry trends, and mentoring others.
• Impact-Oriented: Focus on creating designs that deliver measurable value to users and the business.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers work closely with Product Managers to define strategy and with Engineers to ensure feasibility and successful implementation.
• Research Partnership: Close collaboration with UX Researchers to inform design decisions and validate solutions.
• Data Partnership: Working with Data Analysts to understand user behavior and measure the impact of design changes.
• Stakeholder Communication: Proactive and clear communication with senior stakeholders to build alignment and advocate for user needs.
• Feedback Culture: Openness to feedback from peers, leads, and cross-functional partners to refine designs and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values and collaboration style are framed to align with operational excellence, emphasizing data-driven approaches, user focus, and cross-functional teamwork, all critical for effective operations management.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse Needs: Effectively balancing the needs of diverse user groups (neighbors, local businesses, public agencies) within the core feed experience.
• Driving Engagement in Mature Product: Finding innovative ways to increase engagement and retention in a well-established product like the Nextdoor feed.
• Navigating Technical Constraints: Collaborating with engineering to understand and work within technical limitations while still delivering excellent user experiences.
• Influencing Stakeholders: Persuading senior leadership and cross-functional teams on design decisions, especially when they involve significant changes or investments.
• Rapid Iteration & Experimentation: Adapting to a fast-paced environment that requires continuous experimentation, iteration, and data analysis.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Skill Development: Deepening expertise in areas like AI-driven personalization, advertising UX, or community platform design.
• Mentorship & Leadership: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and take on lead roles in product initiatives.
• Industry Trend Immersion: Staying current with advancements in UX, social media, and AI through conferences, webinars, and self-study.
• Cross-Functional Acumen: Expanding understanding of product management, engineering processes, and data analytics through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges and growth opportunities are framed to resonate with operations professionals, highlighting problem-solving, strategic thinking, and continuous improvement, which are core to operations roles.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Walk me through a complex product design challenge you faced, detailing your process from problem definition to launch, and the impact of your solution." (Focus on problem definition, user research, iterative design, collaboration, and measurable outcomes.)
• "How do you balance user needs with business goals and technical constraints in your design process, particularly for an engagement-driven platform like Nextdoor?" (Prepare to discuss trade-offs, prioritization, and data-informed decision-making.)
• "Describe a time you used data and experimentation (e.g., A/B testing) to inform or validate a design decision. What were the results?" (Be ready to discuss specific metrics, analytics tools, and how data influenced your approach.)
• "How would you approach designing for a feature that aims to increase neighbor-to-neighbor interaction on the Nextdoor feed?" (Think about user motivations, potential features, user flows, and how you'd measure success.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Nextdoor's mission and our role in building local communities?" (Research Nextdoor's mission, values, and recent initiatives.)
• "How do you approach mentoring junior designers or sharing your expertise within a team?" (Highlight your collaboration style and commitment to team growth.)
• "Describe your experience working in a fast-paced, remote environment. How do you ensure effective communication and collaboration?" (Emphasize your proactivity in communication and use of collaboration tools.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: Organize your presentation logically: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Impact -> Learnings.
• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your design decisions at each stage. Why this research method? Why this solution? Why these metrics?
• Demonstrate Collaboration: Highlight how you worked with PMs, engineers, and researchers.
• Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics to prove the value of your work. If exact numbers aren't available, discuss the types of metrics you'd track and why.
• Be Coachable: Show openness to feedback and demonstrate how you incorporate it.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation section is designed to equip candidates with specific types of questions they might face, tailored to a senior product design role in a tech company, with an emphasis on process, data, and collaboration relevant to operations.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit Application: Navigate to the provided application link and submit your resume and portfolio.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies demonstrating your experience with complex product design, user-centered methodologies, data-driven decision-making, and measurable impact, especially within engagement-focused platforms. Highlight your Figma proficiency and contributions to design systems.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords from the job description, such as "UX Design," "Product Design," "Figma," "Design Systems," "A/B Testing," "Analytics," "Interaction Design," and "Qualitative/Quantitative Research." Quantify your achievements whenever possible.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, explaining your portfolio case studies concisely, and preparing to discuss how you would approach challenges specific to Nextdoor's platform. Be ready to discuss metrics and user impact.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Nextdoor's mission, products, values, and recent news. Understand their position in the market and how your design philosophy aligns with their goal of strengthening local communities.

⚠️ 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.