Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer Company: Sana Commerce Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands Job Type: Full-time Category: Product Design / UX/UI Operations Date Posted: August 4, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5+ years) Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive product strategy and user experience by translating complex business objectives and user needs into intuitive, scalable product solutions.
• Execute user-centered design for web applications, focusing on seamless interactions, cohesive visual identity, and enhanced customer journeys.
• Leverage data-informed decision-making through user research, usability testing, and analytics tools to optimize product functionality and drive engagement.
• Collaborate with product management, engineering, and stakeholders to ensure design alignment with business goals and a consistent, high-quality user experience across all platforms.
• Champion best practices in product design, including accessibility, scalability, and performance, while maintaining and evolving design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Designer," the responsibilities heavily emphasize user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design within a B2B e-commerce context. The role requires a blend of strategic thinking, user advocacy, and hands-on design execution, aligning with a "UX/UI Operations" or "Product Operations Design" focus within a broader GTM strategy.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive product design strategies that align with Sana Commerce's B2B e-commerce platform vision and uphold industry best practices for user experience.
• Create and refine user-centered designs for web applications, focusing on intuitive navigation, efficient user flows, and a consistent, engaging visual identity across all touchpoints.
• Conduct rigorous user research, including interviews, surveys, and usability testing, to gather actionable insights and validate design decisions, ensuring products meet user needs and business objectives.
• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and Marketing teams to translate business requirements and user feedback into innovative and effective product solutions, addressing design challenges proactively.
• Maintain and evolve Sana Commerce's design system, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency in design execution across all product features and platforms.
• Strategically enhance the customer journey for both direct users (manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers) and their end customers, optimizing interactions at every touchpoint to foster loyalty and satisfaction.
• Improve user interactivity and engagement across key product areas such as onboarding, conversion funnels, feature adoption, and overall user growth through thoughtful and data-driven design interventions.
• Continuously refine and innovate product design processes, fostering a culture of learning and improvement to elevate the quality and impact of product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a focus on enhancing the B2B customer journey and driving engagement through design, which is critical for GTM success. The emphasis on "optimizing interactions at every touchpoint" and "driving onboarding, conversion, adoption, and growth" directly ties this design role into operationalizing business growth strategies.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred, though equivalent practical experience and a strong portfolio can be equally valued.

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in product design, UX/UI design, or a closely related role, with a demonstrable track record of success in designing complex web applications, preferably within a B2B SaaS or e-commerce environment.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Strategy: Ability to translate complex business goals and user needs into intuitive, scalable, and user-centered product solutions.
• User Research & Usability Testing: Strong expertise in conducting user research methodologies (interviews, surveys, contextual inquiry) and performing usability testing to validate design concepts and identify areas for improvement.
• Data Analysis for Design: Proficiency in analyzing user data from analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Google Analytics, Mixpanel) to derive insights that inform design decisions and optimize user flows.
• User Journey & Conversion Optimization: Expertise in defining, mapping, and optimizing user journeys, onboarding flows, and conversion strategies to enhance user engagement, retention, and business outcomes.
• Design Systems Management: Proficiency in creating, maintaining, and evolving comprehensive design systems to ensure visual consistency, brand integrity, and design efficiency across multiple platforms.
• Accessibility & Performance: Strong understanding of accessibility standards (WCAG) and considerations for scalability and performance in product development to ensure inclusive and robust user experiences.
• Proficiency with Design Tools: Expertise in industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar.
• AI Tools Integration: Thoughtful and intentional application of AI tools in the design process to enhance efficiency and creativity.
• English Proficiency: Upper-Intermediate English (written and verbal) for effective communication with global teams and stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the B2B e-commerce or SaaS industry.
• Familiarity with front-end development principles (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to facilitate collaboration with engineering teams.
• Experience with agile development methodologies.
• A strong portfolio showcasing a diverse range of product design projects, user research initiatives, and demonstrable impact on user engagement and business metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on data analysis, user journeys, conversion strategies, and analytics tools positions this role as operationally focused on driving business growth through design. The requirement for AI tool integration suggests a forward-thinking approach to design operations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating a strong understanding of the end-to-end product design process, from discovery and research to ideation, prototyping, and implementation.
• Case studies that clearly articulate the problem statement, user research conducted, design solutions proposed, and the impact of those solutions on user behavior and business metrics.
• Examples showcasing the ability to translate complex B2B requirements into intuitive and user-friendly interfaces for web applications.
• Demonstrations of how user research and data analysis were leveraged to inform design decisions and iterate on product features.
• Evidence of experience in defining and optimizing user journeys, onboarding flows, and conversion strategies.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase experience in creating and maintaining design systems, including style guides, component libraries, and documentation for consistent application.
• Provide examples of user research reports, usability testing findings, and how these insights were integrated into design iterations.
• Illustrate proficiency in using prototyping tools to create interactive mockups and user flow diagrams for stakeholder reviews and user testing.
• Detail experience in collaborating with cross-functional teams, including product managers and engineers, throughout the product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, as it serves as tangible proof of the candidate's ability to execute on the operational aspects of product design – specifically, improving user experience to drive business outcomes like conversion and adoption.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Product Designer with 5+ years of experience in Rotterdam, the estimated annual salary range is typically between €55,000 and €75,000. This range can vary based on the specific depth of experience, the candidate's portfolio, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model: Opportunity to work 2-3 days per week in the modern Rotterdam office, offering a balance between in-office collaboration and remote flexibility.
• Professional Development: Access to learning resources, potential for training, and opportunities to stay updated with the latest design trends and AI tools.
• Collaborative Environment: Work within a dynamic and international team, fostering a culture of innovation and knowledge sharing.
• Impactful Role: Contribute directly to the evolution of a leading B2B e-commerce platform, influencing customer success and market growth.
• Standard Benefits: Typically includes competitive health insurance, pension contributions, and paid time off, aligned with Dutch employment standards.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered within the hybrid work arrangement. Operations professionals often benefit from an understanding of core business hours for effective cross-functional collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary figures are estimated based on industry benchmarks for Product Designers in Rotterdam with 5+ years of experience. Benefits are inferred based on typical offerings for SaaS companies in the Netherlands and the hybrid work model.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Sana Commerce operates in the E-commerce Platform sector, specifically focusing on B2B solutions for manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers. This industry context means the company's success is heavily tied to enabling client growth and operational efficiency through its platform. Company Size: Sana Commerce is a growing SaaS company, suggesting a dynamic environment with opportunities for impact and evolution. While the exact number of employees isn't provided, "fast-growing" implies a stage where processes are being refined and roles have significant influence. Founded: Founded in 2007, Sana Commerce has established itself over more than a decade, indicating a stable yet innovative company with a solid understanding of the B2B e-commerce landscape.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design function likely sits within a broader Product or Engineering department.
• Designers collaborate closely with Product Managers who define the product roadmap and requirements, and with Engineers who build and implement the solutions.
• Cross-functional collaboration is also essential with Marketing, Sales, and Customer Success teams to ensure a holistic understanding of user needs and business objectives.

Methodology:

• Sana Commerce likely employs a product development methodology that blends user-centric design principles with agile development practices.
• Data analysis and user research are key components of their design approach, ensuring that product decisions are informed by real-world usage and market needs.
• The company emphasizes continuous improvement and innovation, encouraging team members to embrace challenges and seek feedback.

Company Website: sana-commerce.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is described with strong emphasis on customer success, growth, and collaboration ("Champions of Our League," "Supercharge Our Customers," "Determined to Grow," "Bold Together"). This suggests a results-oriented and team-driven environment where Product Designers are expected to contribute significantly to operational success through their design efforts.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This Product Designer role is positioned at a mid-to-senior level. It requires significant experience (5+ years) and the ability to independently drive product strategy and execution, making it a key contributor role within the product development lifecycle.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or a Senior Product Manager. They will work closely with a dedicated Product Manager for specific product areas and collaborate daily with engineers and other designers.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's impact is directly tied to the operational success of Sana Commerce and its clients. By optimizing user journeys, improving conversion rates, and enhancing product usability, the designer directly influences customer adoption, retention, and ultimately, revenue growth. Their work operationalizes the company's B2B e-commerce strategy by making the platform more effective and user-friendly.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Potential to specialize in specific areas of the B2B e-commerce platform, such as checkout optimization, customer portal design, or integration interfaces.
• Leadership: With proven success, opportunities may arise to mentor junior designers, lead design initiatives for major product features, or move into a Design Lead or Managerial role.
• Skill Development: Continuous learning in areas like advanced UX research methodologies, AI-driven design tools, and B2B e-commerce best practices.
• Cross-functional Mobility: Opportunities to gain deeper insights into product management, engineering, or even marketing operations by fostering strong collaborative relationships.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers clear pathways for growth within product design and potentially into leadership positions, aligning with the operational goal of developing talent that can drive business impact. The emphasis on B2B e-commerce provides a specialized career track.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company offers a hybrid work environment, with 2-3 days per week expected in their "great Rotterdam office." This suggests a modern, well-equipped office space designed to facilitate collaboration and focused work.

Office Location(s): Located in Rotterdam, Netherlands, a major port city and economic hub, providing good accessibility for employees.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office likely features collaborative zones, meeting rooms, and potentially dedicated areas for design sprints and brainstorming sessions.
• Tools and Technology: Access to necessary design software, hardware, and potentially specialized tools for prototyping and user testing.
• Team Interaction: The hybrid model is structured to ensure regular interaction with colleagues, fostering team cohesion, knowledge sharing, and a shared understanding of product goals.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week within the hybrid model. The flexibility allows for efficient management of design tasks, user research scheduling, and cross-functional meetings, supporting the operational demands of product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of the work environment, designed to balance individual focus time with essential team collaboration, which is crucial for effective product design operations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application and portfolio by a recruiter or hiring manager to assess basic qualifications and alignment with the role.
• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A dedicated session where you present your portfolio, discussing specific case studies, your design process, and how you've driven impact. Expect questions about your approach to user research, data analysis, and problem-solving.
• Design Challenge/Take-Home Assignment: A practical exercise designed to evaluate your design thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to apply design principles to a relevant scenario. This might involve designing a feature, optimizing a user flow, or analyzing a hypothetical user problem.
• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other stakeholders to assess your collaboration skills, communication style, and ability to integrate into the team.
• Final Interview: Often with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Product) to discuss your overall fit, career aspirations, and strategic alignment with Sana Commerce's vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your skills in B2B design, user research, data-driven decision-making, and impact.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, iteration), your solutions, and the measurable outcomes. Use visuals effectively.
• Highlight Operations Impact: Emphasize how your design decisions led to improvements in user engagement, conversion rates, onboarding efficiency, or other key operational metrics. Quantify results whenever possible.
• Showcase Process: Demonstrate your understanding of the full design lifecycle, including user research, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, and iteration.
• Address B2B Context: If possible, include projects that demonstrate understanding of B2B user needs and complex workflows.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: Carefully read and understand the prompt of any design challenge. Identify the core problem and key user segments.
• Structure Your Approach: Outline your process before diving in. This typically includes research/discovery, ideation, solution design, and outlining how you would test and iterate.
• Focus on Rationale: Clearly explain the "why" behind your design decisions, referencing user needs, business goals, and design principles.
• Consider Constraints: Think about technical feasibility, scalability, and accessibility as you design your solution.
• Presentation Clarity: Prepare to present your solution concisely and effectively, highlighting key design choices and their expected impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to evaluate not just design skills but also the candidate's ability to operate effectively within a product development team and contribute to business objectives. The portfolio and design challenge are critical for demonstrating this operational capability.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly likely given industry trends), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator).
• User Research & Testing: Tools for conducting user interviews, surveys, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback).
• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence (common for agile teams), Slack for communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Amplitude, Google Analytics, or Mixpanel for tracking user behavior, conversion funnels, and feature adoption.
• Data Visualization: Tools like Tableau or Power BI might be used indirectly by designers to understand data trends, or designers may create dashboards within product interfaces.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a designer's tool, familiarity with CRM systems (like Salesforce) can provide context on customer data and sales processes that influence B2B product design.
• Understanding automation principles within the e-commerce platform itself is beneficial for designing efficient workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern design and prototyping tools, coupled with experience using analytics platforms to inform design, is crucial for this role. This technical proficiency underpins the operational aspect of data-driven design.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding and serving the needs of B2B clients and their end-users, driving satisfaction and loyalty through design.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Valuing insights derived from user research and analytics to guide design choices and measure impact.
• Collaboration & Boldness: Encouraging teamwork across departments, challenging the status quo, and supporting each other to achieve ambitious goals.
• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to learning, seeking feedback, and constantly refining processes and product offerings to adapt to market changes and user needs.
• Ownership & Accountability: Taking responsibility for design outcomes and contributing proactively to the success of the product and the company.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to work seamlessly with Product Managers, Engineers, Marketing, and Sales to ensure a unified product vision and execution.
• Feedback Culture: An environment where constructive feedback is regularly exchanged and valued as a tool for growth and refinement of design solutions.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, research findings, and design techniques to elevate the collective skill set of the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values directly translate into operational expectations for the Product Designer, emphasizing collaboration, data usage, and a drive for continuous improvement in delivering value to customers.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Effectively translating diverse B2B user requirements and complex business objectives into a cohesive and intuitive product experience.
• Navigating a Fast-Growing Environment: Adapting to evolving product roadmaps, team structures, and company priorities in a dynamic SaaS setting.
• Driving Adoption of New Features: Designing for user engagement and ensuring that new functionalities are easily discovered, understood, and utilized by the B2B customer base.
• Maintaining Design Consistency: Ensuring a unified and high-quality user experience across an expanding B2B e-commerce platform with multiple touchpoints.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Mastering B2B E-commerce Design: Gaining deep expertise in the unique challenges and opportunities of designing for B2B transactions and relationships.
• AI in Design: Exploring and integrating AI tools and methodologies into the design workflow for enhanced efficiency and innovation.
• Advanced UX Research: Developing skills in specialized research techniques and data analysis for deeper user understanding.
• Product Strategy Contribution: Growing from a design executor to a strategic partner in product development, influencing the product roadmap.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are common in fast-growing tech companies and offer significant opportunities for a Product Designer to develop critical skills in strategic thinking, user advocacy, and operational execution within a complex domain.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Product Vision & Strategy: "How would you approach designing a new feature for our B2B e-commerce platform that aims to increase customer retention by 15%? Walk me through your process."
  • Preparation: Understand Sana Commerce's B2B focus. Think about common retention drivers in e-commerce (loyalty programs, personalized experiences, ease of use). Outline your research, ideation, and testing steps.
• User-Centric Problem Solving: "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting user needs or business requirements. How did you resolve it, and what was the outcome?"
  • Preparation: Prepare a STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method answer. Focus on your process for gathering information, facilitating discussions, and making principled design decisions.
• Data-Driven Design: "How do you use data and analytics to inform your design decisions? Can you give an example of how data led you to change a design?"
  • Preparation: Be ready to discuss specific analytics tools (Amplitude, GA, Mixpanel) and how you interpret metrics like conversion rates, engagement scores, or churn.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Cultural Fit: "What do you know about Sana Commerce and our mission? How do you see your design philosophy aligning with our values like 'Determined to Grow' or 'Bold Together'?"
  • Preparation: Research Sana Commerce's website, mission statement, and values. Think about how your work ethic and collaborative style fit these principles.
• Team Collaboration: "How do you typically collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers? What's your ideal working relationship with these roles?"
  • Preparation: Emphasize clear communication, shared understanding of goals, and a collaborative approach to problem-solving. Discuss how you handle feedback.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each project as a narrative with a clear beginning (problem), middle (your process and solutions), and end (impact and learnings).
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., "increased conversion by X%", "reduced task completion time by Y seconds").
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use high-fidelity mockups, prototypes, and user flow diagrams to visually communicate your design thinking.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design choices, research methodology, and decision-making rationale.
• Demonstrate B2B Nuance: If you have B2B experience, highlight how you addressed the specific needs and complexities of that market.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not only design craft but also strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, collaborative skills, and a clear understanding of how design contributes to business operations and growth.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.
• Portfolio Curation: Select 3-5 of your most impactful B2B design projects that showcase your process, research skills, and measurable results. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates the problem, your role, your solutions, and the outcomes.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords from the job description, such as "product design strategy," "user research," "data analysis," "conversion strategies," and "design systems." Quantify your achievements with specific metrics.
• Cover Letter Crafting: Write a compelling cover letter explaining your motivation for the role and how your skills and experience align with Sana Commerce's mission and values. This is explicitly requested and a key opportunity to stand out.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Sana Commerce's B2B e-commerce platform, its target audience, and its market position. Understanding their business context will be crucial for interview discussions.
• Interview Practice: Prepare to present your portfolio confidently, articulate your design process, and discuss how you leverage data and user feedback to drive product improvements and business impact. Practice answering common interview questions related to collaboration, problem-solving, and design strategy.

⚠️ 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.

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