Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Pencil

Location: United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time, Remote

Category: Product Design, SaaS, AI Technology

Date Posted: March 17, 2026

Experience Level: 5+ Years

Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design strategy and execution for Pencil's core Agent Marketplace product area, focusing on delivering direct client value through AI-powered agents.

• Drive end-to-end product design, from problem framing and concept exploration to final UI and shipped product, in close collaboration with Product and Engineering.

• Design user experiences that leverage third-party integrations and specialized agents to solve real-world client problems in advertising technology.

• Champion a product-minded approach with a sharp instinct for driving usage and value, particularly within AI-driven workflows and systems.

• Contribute to and evolve a design system, balancing consistency with the need for rapid iteration in a client-driven environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant ownership over a critical product area. The emphasis on "Agent Marketplace" and "specialized agents for real client use cases" suggests a focus on modularity, integration, and solving specific, actionable problems rather than broad feature sets. The "client-driven" aspect implies a need for adaptability and rapid response to market needs.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of the Agent Marketplace product area, leading design efforts from initial concept to final implementation and iteration.

• Partner closely with Product Management and Engineering teams to define, design, and rapidly ship AI agents that address specific client needs and deliver immediate time-to-value.

• Design user interfaces and workflows that effectively integrate third-party tools and data, enhancing the value proposition of Pencil's platform.

• Develop high-quality, production-ready interfaces for AI-driven advertising workflows, focusing on clarity, intuition, and ease of use.

• Conduct user research and maintain close relationships with clients and commercial teams to ground design decisions in practical business problems and user needs.

• Ensure seamless translation of design intent into developed product by collaborating with engineers during implementation, reviewing builds, and iterating on solutions.

• Focus on designing agents that achieve high adoption and reuse, prioritizing impact and value for clients over sheer volume of features.

• Contribute to and maintain the company's design system, ensuring consistency and scalability without hindering rapid product development cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a full-stack design role, encompassing user research, strategy, UX/UI design, interaction design, and close collaboration with development. The specific focus on "Agent Marketplace" and "integrations" suggests a need for a designer comfortable with complex system thinking and API-driven product design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Not explicitly specified, but a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, or a related field is often preferred for senior roles.

Experience: 5+ years of experience designing digital products, with a strong preference for SaaS or complex, workflow-driven tools.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in end-to-end product design, from problem framing to shipped outcomes.

• Strong portfolio showcasing complex digital product design, ideally within SaaS or workflow-driven environments.

• Demonstrated ability to translate intricate client needs into clear, actionable design concepts and user experiences.

• Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to think and act quickly in dynamic situations.

• Deep understanding of UI, interaction design, and system thinking principles.

• High degree of craftsmanship and attention to detail in design execution.

• Proven ability to work autonomously and manage shifting priorities in ambiguous environments.

• Experience designing for systems that involve integrations and interconnected tools.

• Strong collaboration skills with engineering teams, understanding the production pipeline.

• High proficiency in Figma for ideation, communication, and design system contribution.

• Curiosity and comfort designing for AI-powered or data-driven systems.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the advertising technology (AdTech) or marketing technology (MarTech) sectors.

• Familiarity with Generative AI concepts and applications in product design.

• Experience contributing to or building design systems.

• Understanding of API-driven product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of strategic product thinking, strong design craft, and practical execution skills. The need for autonomy and comfort with ambiguity is a key indicator of the startup environment. AI curiosity is a significant differentiator.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product thinking, detailing your process from problem identification to solution implementation.

• Include case studies that demonstrate the translation of complex client needs into clear, actionable agent concepts and successful product outcomes.

• Highlight examples of designing for workflow-driven tools or SaaS products, illustrating your understanding of user journeys and system interactions.

• Provide concrete examples of your attention to detail in UI, interaction design, and system thinking.

• Feature projects where you worked autonomously in ambiguous environments or navigated shifting priorities.

• Illustrate your understanding of how different tools and integrations connect to form a seamless user experience.

• Include examples of close collaboration with engineering teams, demonstrating how your design intent was translated into production UI.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly outline the design process followed, including research methodologies, ideation techniques, prototyping stages, and iteration cycles.

• For AI-focused projects, explain how you approached designing for uncertainty, data dependencies, and user trust in AI-generated outputs.

• Detail how you used or contributed to a design system and the impact it had on efficiency and consistency.

• Show how you collaborated with Product and Engineering, providing examples of design handoff and build review processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role, acting as the primary evidence of the candidate's ability to handle complex design challenges, work autonomously, and deliver tangible results. Emphasis should be placed on demonstrating a structured yet adaptable design process, particularly in the context of AI and integrations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Given the "Salaried - Remote" employment type, the 5+ years of experience, and the UK location for potential office access, a competitive salary range for a Product Designer in the UK is estimated.

• Estimated Salary Range: £65,000 - £90,000 per annum.

• Methodology: This estimate is based on typical salary benchmarks for experienced Product Designers in the UK tech sector, adjusted for a remote position and a company operating in the SaaS/AI space. Data from industry salary aggregators (e.g., Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, LinkedIn Salary for UK tech roles) suggests this range for individuals with 5+ years of experience and strong portfolios. The specific figure within this range will depend on the candidate's precise experience, portfolio strength, and demonstrated impact.

Benefits:

• 25 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) plus public holidays, with a Flexible Time Off scheme.

• Health insurance / Private Medical Cover.

• Monthly stipend for wellness, fitness, and learning & development.

• Enhanced parental leave policies (birth, adoption, surrogacy).

• Access to the Pencil office in The Shard, London (for UK employees).

Working Hours:

• Flexible working hours are offered, supporting a work-life balance and accommodating different time zones within the UK.

• While not explicitly stated, a standard full-time role typically implies around 40 hours per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on industry standards for experienced remote Product Designers in the UK. The benefits package is comprehensive, indicating a commitment to employee well-being and professional development, which is attractive for senior talent.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Advertising Technology (AdTech), Software as a Service (SaaS), Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Company Size: While not directly provided, the mention of "state-of-the-art SaaS product," "harnesses Generative AI," and hiring for specific roles suggests a growing, likely venture-backed startup or scale-up. The emphasis on individual ownership and speed points to an agile, results-oriented culture.

Founded: Not explicitly stated, but the innovative nature of their product implies a relatively recent founding or significant evolution.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer will be a key member of the product development team, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers.

• The role emphasizes autonomy, suggesting a flat hierarchy and a culture of trust.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decisions: While not explicit, the AI focus and client-driven approach imply that decisions are informed by user behavior, client feedback, and market opportunities.

• Agile Development: The emphasis on "clarity and speed," "move from idea to prototype quickly," and "rapidly ship" suggests an agile or lean development methodology.

• Iterative Design: The mention of "iteration" and "continuous learning" points to a design process that embraces feedback and refinement.

Company Website: [Provided in Input Data: pencil.careers.hibob.com (though this is an ATS link, the actual company website is likely distinct and should be researched by the candidate)]

📝 Enhancement Note: Pencil appears to be a forward-thinking company at the intersection of AI and advertising technology. The culture is likely fast-paced, collaborative, and focused on delivering tangible value to clients quickly. The remote-first nature combined with an optional London office provides flexibility.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is for a seasoned Product Designer, functioning as an individual contributor with significant product ownership. It sits at a senior or lead level, responsible for a core product area's success.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will report into a Head of Product, Lead Designer, or potentially a CTO, depending on the company's current structure. They will work collaboratively with Product Managers and Engineering leads.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work directly influences the adoption and effectiveness of Pencil's AI technology. By designing intuitive interfaces for the Agent Marketplace, they enable clients to leverage AI more effectively, which directly impacts client satisfaction, retention, and the company's ability to scale its innovative advertising solutions. The focus on "client use cases" and "integrations" means the designer's output is directly tied to revenue-generating capabilities for clients.

Growth Opportunities:

• Product Ownership Expansion: Potential to take on ownership of additional product areas or lead design initiatives across the platform as the company grows.

• Specialization in AI Design: Deepen expertise in designing user experiences for AI-powered products, becoming a subject matter expert in this emerging field.

• Leadership Potential: Opportunity to mentor junior designers, influence design strategy, and potentially move into a Design Lead or Management role as the team scales.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Enhance skills in product strategy, user research, and collaboration with engineering and product management.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant autonomy and the chance to shape a core product in a rapidly evolving industry. Growth is likely tied to the company's success and the designer's ability to drive impact.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Primarily remote, with an optional office space available in The Shard, London, for UK-based employees. This offers a hybrid flexibility for those who prefer occasional in-person collaboration or a change of scenery.

Office Location(s): The Shard, London, United Kingdom (for UK employees).

Workspace Context:

• Remote-First: The primary work environment is remote, requiring self-discipline and effective communication tools.

• Collaborative Tools: Expect extensive use of digital collaboration tools (e.g., Figma, Slack, video conferencing) for seamless teamwork.

• Flexibility: The company promotes flexible working hours, allowing employees to structure their day around personal needs and optimal productivity times.

• Optional Office Access: The London office provides a physical hub for in-person meetings, team gatherings, or focused work, catering to those who benefit from or prefer an office setting.

Work Schedule: Flexible working hours are provided. While a standard full-time commitment is expected, employees have latitude in structuring their workday.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote-first approach with an optional physical hub caters to modern work preferences, offering autonomy while maintaining opportunities for connection and collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter or hiring manager to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: A dedicated session where you will walk through your portfolio, discussing your process, contributions, and impact on specific projects. Be prepared to elaborate on your thought process for designing the Agent Marketplace and related AI features.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be given a take-home assignment or a live design exercise focused on a problem relevant to Pencil's platform, assessing your problem-solving skills, design thinking, and ability to articulate your approach.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers and Engineers to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and alignment with team workflows.

• Final Interview: Possibly with a senior leader (e.g., CEO, Head of Product) to discuss strategic alignment, long-term vision, and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Ownership: Clearly articulate your specific contributions and the scope of your responsibility in each project.

• Showcase Process: Detail your design methodology, from user research and problem definition to ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify the business impact of your designs whenever possible (e.g., increased user adoption, improved conversion rates, reduced support tickets, client satisfaction metrics).

• Address Ambiguity & AI: Be ready to discuss how you approached designing in uncertain environments and for AI-driven systems, including any challenges related to user trust or data interpretation.

• Demonstrate Craft: Ensure your portfolio reflects a high standard of UI and interaction design, with attention to detail and system thinking.

• Figma Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your Figma workflow and how you use it for collaboration and design system management.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Pencil's product and the AdTech/AI space. Research how Generative AI is being used in advertising and content creation.

• Practice articulating your design decisions clearly and concisely, focusing on the "why" behind your choices.

• Be prepared to discuss trade-offs and justify your design solutions based on user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.

• Think about how you would approach designing for integrations and marketplaces – what are the key considerations?

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on evaluating your portfolio and design thinking, especially concerning complex systems, AI, and client-driven problem-solving. Preparing specific examples that showcase your ability to handle ambiguity and deliver tangible value is key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, collaboration, and design system management. Candidates must be highly proficient.

• Prototyping Tools: Figma's prototyping capabilities, or potentially others like InVision, for interactive mockups.

• User Research Platforms: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, or internal methods for gathering user feedback.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Tools: Familiarity with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) to understand user behavior and measure design impact.

• Data Visualization: Ability to interpret data presented in dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Looker) to inform design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a direct tool for designers, understanding how CRMs (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) feed into client needs and workflows is beneficial.

• Integration Platforms: Awareness of how APIs and integration platforms enable seamless connections between different software tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a non-negotiable requirement. Understanding how data and integrations feed into user experience design is crucial for this role, especially given the focus on an "Agent Marketplace" that likely relies on external connections.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Client-Centricity: A strong focus on solving real client problems and delivering immediate value, as emphasized by the "client-driven environment" and "real client use cases."

• Speed & Agility: The ability to move quickly from idea to execution and respond rapidly to evolving client demands and market opportunities.

• Autonomy & Ownership: Employees are expected to take significant responsibility for their work and drive outcomes independently.

• Craftsmanship & Quality: A high bar for design quality, attention to detail, and the creation of polished, production-ready interfaces.

• Innovation & Curiosity: An eagerness to explore new technologies, particularly AI, and to define new interaction paradigms.

• Collaboration: Working closely with Product and Engineering to ensure designs are well-understood, implemented effectively, and meet user needs.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Design, Product, and Engineering work in tight-knit teams, with frequent communication and joint problem-solving.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: A culture that encourages continuous feedback from peers, stakeholders, and users to refine designs.

• Clear Communication: Emphasis on clear articulation of design intent, rationale, and user needs to ensure alignment across teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values a proactive, results-oriented approach. Designers are expected to be both strategic thinkers and hands-on executors, comfortable with autonomy and rapid iteration in a collaborative, client-focused environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Ambiguity: Navigating a rapidly evolving AI landscape and client needs where inputs may be incomplete or shifting.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Delivering features quickly without compromising the high bar for design craft and user experience.

• Integrating Complex Systems: Designing seamless user experiences that incorporate multiple third-party integrations and AI functionalities.

• Defining New Interaction Paradigms: Helping to shape how users interact with AI agents and marketplaces, which is a nascent field.

• Driving Adoption of AI Features: Ensuring users understand, trust, and actively use AI-powered agents.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep AI Design Expertise: Become a specialist in designing for Generative AI applications in a commercial context.

• Product Strategy Influence: Gain experience in shaping product strategy and defining the roadmap for a core product area.

• System Design Mastery: Enhance skills in designing complex, interconnected systems and integrations.

• Fast-Paced Startup Environment: Develop resilience, adaptability, and strong execution skills in a dynamic growth company.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers or be mentored by experienced leaders as the team grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant challenges related to innovation and complexity, but these are directly tied to substantial opportunities for professional growth and skill development in a cutting-edge field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you took ownership of a core product area end-to-end. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, autonomy, and impact.)

• "How would you approach designing an 'Agent Marketplace' for AI tools within an advertising platform? What are the key considerations for user adoption and integration?" (Think about discoverability, trust, onboarding, and the value proposition of agents.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Pencil's mission to make AI the default in advertising without replacing creative people?" (Show genuine interest in the company's vision.)

• "How do you see your role contributing to a client-driven environment and ensuring rapid delivery of value?" (Connect your skills to Pencil's core values.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio around 2-3 key case studies that best represent your end-to-end product design experience, ideally with SaaS or workflow-driven examples.

• Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role and responsibilities, your design process, the challenges you faced, and the impact of your solutions. Use visuals effectively.

• Figma Showcase: Be prepared to share your Figma files or specific screens to demonstrate your UI craft, interaction design skills, and system thinking.

• AI & Integration Focus: Emphasize any projects where you designed for complex systems, integrations, or AI-powered features. Explain your thought process for these specific challenges.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time and focus on the most impactful aspects of your work. Be ready to dive deeper into specific areas if prompted.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating your end-to-end product design capabilities, your ability to handle complex systems and AI, and your alignment with Pencil's values of speed, autonomy, and client focus.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on pencil.careers.hibob.com.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 5+ years of experience in digital product design, specifically mentioning SaaS, workflow-driven tools, and any AdTech/MarTech experience. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that demonstrate end-to-end product thinking, complex problem-solving, and ideally, experience with AI or integrated systems. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates your process and impact.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice walking through your portfolio, focusing on your role, process, and the outcomes of your work. Be ready to discuss your approach to designing for the Agent Marketplace and AI.

• Research Pencil: Understand their mission, product, and the AdTech/AI landscape they operate in. This will help you tailor your application and prepare for interview questions.

⚠️ 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.