Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer Company: Warp Location: New York, New York, United States Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: Product Design / Operations Enablement Date Posted: August 13, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years) Remote Status: Remote Possible (with emphasis on New York presence)

🚀 Role Summary

• This Product Designer role focuses on creating intuitive, high-trust user interfaces for complex back-office operational workflows within the fintech and payroll domain.
• The position requires ownership of core product journeys and the development of scalable design systems across web and mobile platforms.
• Key responsibilities include partnering with engineering and product teams to prototype, validate, and ship user experiences that enhance conversion and customer confidence.
• The role also involves designing marketing surfaces to maintain a crisp brand presence and communicate differentiated automation capabilities credibly.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is listed as "Remote OK," the company's growth and the complex, regulated nature of payroll operations suggest that candidates with proximity to or experience in the New York financial district might have an advantage. The focus on "high-trust UIs" and "real-world payroll edge cases" indicates a need for a designer who understands the critical importance of accuracy and compliance in financial operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Core Product UX Ownership: Lead the design of critical payroll and compliance workflows, including onboarding, approvals, and filings, with a strong emphasis on clarity, error prevention, and building customer trust. This includes intricate areas like multi-state withholding setup and notice resolution.
• Design System Development & Evolution: Define, build, and maintain comprehensive component libraries, design tokens, and detailed documentation to ensure accessible, consistent, and scalable design patterns across the entire Warp platform (web and mobile).
• Prototyping & User Validation: Utilize Figma and other prototyping tools to rapidly create interactive prototypes for new concepts. Conduct user testing and gather feedback from analytics and research to iterate and refine designs.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with engineering and product management teams to translate complex policy, regulatory constraints, and payroll nuances (e.g., reciprocity, nexus, courtesy withholding) into elegant, guided, and user-friendly interfaces.
• Growth Surface Design: Design and optimize high-converting marketing assets, including landing pages, lifecycle email campaigns, and digital advertisements, to effectively communicate Warp's automated back-office solutions and value proposition.
• Quality Assurance & Accuracy Safeguarding: Establish rigorous review rituals and visual regression checklists to ensure the highest levels of accuracy and consistency in sensitive areas such as deductions and garnishments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a designer comfortable with regulatory complexity and a strong understanding of B2B fintech user experience. The emphasis on "error-prevention" and "accuracy in sensitive areas" points towards a requirement for meticulous design execution and a deep appreciation for the impact of design on operational reliability and customer trust.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected, although equivalent practical experience will be strongly considered. Experience: A minimum of 2+ years of dedicated product design experience, with a proven track record of designing and shipping digital products. Experience in a startup environment or a digital agency, particularly in founding or early-stage design roles, is highly preferred.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Expertise: Proven ability to design end-to-end user experiences for complex applications, from conceptualization to final implementation.
• Figma Proficiency: Strong command of Figma for wireframing, prototyping, user interface design, and design system management.
• Prototyping & User Testing: Skill in creating interactive prototypes and conducting user research and testing to validate design concepts and gather actionable insights.
• Design System Development: Experience in defining, building, and maintaining design systems, including component libraries, style guides, and documentation.
• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions effectively to cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• B2B/Fintech UX Understanding: Familiarity with the unique user experience considerations and challenges of B2B and Fintech products, particularly in financial operations.

Preferred Skills:

• Analytics Interpretation: Ability to interpret user analytics and performance data to inform design decisions and measure design impact.
• Code-Adjacent Prototyping: Experience with tools or methods that bridge design and code for more advanced prototyping.
• Visual Design & Branding: Strong visual design skills with an understanding of branding principles to maintain a consistent and professional brand identity.
• Regulatory/Compliance Design: Experience designing for regulated industries where accuracy, clarity, and compliance are paramount.
• Growth Marketing Design: Experience designing for marketing surfaces like landing pages, email campaigns, and ads to drive conversion.
• High Agency & Problem-Solving: Demonstrated ability to take initiative, work autonomously, and effectively solve complex problems in a fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "startup or digital agency experience" preference combined with "high agency and the ability to figure things out" suggests the company values proactive, self-sufficient designers who can thrive with ambiguity and drive initiatives with minimal oversight. An understanding of financial operations or regulatory compliance, while not strictly required, would be a significant advantage.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating ownership of a product feature or flow from discovery and research through to iteration and launch.
• Problem/Solution Framing: Clearly articulate the user problem or business challenge addressed, the design process undertaken, and the rationale behind key design decisions.
• Figma Proficiency Showcase: Include examples of complex Figma files, highlighting organized file structures, component usage, and design system integration.
• User-Centricity Evidence: Provide evidence of user research, testing, and how feedback was incorporated to improve the design outcomes.
• Metrics & Impact: Quantify the impact of your design solutions with relevant metrics (e.g., conversion rate improvements, task completion times, error reduction) where possible.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Mapping: Demonstrate understanding of how to map and analyze existing workflows, identifying pain points and opportunities for design intervention.
• Design System Documentation: Examples of how design systems are documented, including component guidelines, usage instructions, and contribution processes.
• Collaboration Artifacts: Showcase examples of collaboration with engineering and product teams, such as design handoff documentation or shared design reviews.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to walk through their Figma files and explain their design process in detail, emphasizing how they tackled specific challenges related to user experience, system consistency, and collaboration. The ability to demonstrate how design decisions directly impacted business or user outcomes is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: On Target Earnings (OTE): $140,000–$230,000 USD per year. Benefits:

• Equity: 0.15%-0.25% stock options, offering significant potential upside as the company grows.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Likely includes medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid Time Off: Standard vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for learning, training, and attending industry events.
• Remote Work Stipend: Potentially offered to support home office setup for remote employees.

Working Hours: The standard full-time work week is expected to be 40 hours. Given the nature of a product-driven startup, there may be periods requiring flexibility to meet project deadlines, but a focus on work-life balance is typical for companies of this stage.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for a mid-level Product Designer in a high-cost-of-living area like New York, especially within the fintech sector. The equity component is substantial and signals a high level of trust and investment in early employees. This range is likely base salary plus potential variable compensation (OTE).

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech, Software as a Service (SaaS), Back-Office Automation, Payroll & Compliance. Warp operates at the intersection of financial technology and operational efficiency, aiming to automate complex, manual processes for businesses. Company Size: Warp is likely a Series A or B funded startup, indicating a relatively small but growing team, perhaps between 50-150 employees. This size fosters a dynamic, fast-paced environment where individual contributions have a significant impact. Founded: While not explicitly stated, Warp's product focus suggests it's a relatively young company, likely founded within the last 5-7 years, aiming to disrupt traditional back-office solutions.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design function is likely part of a broader Product team, which includes Product Managers and Engineers.
• Designers may work in a pod structure, embedded within specific product squads focused on key areas like onboarding, core payroll processing, compliance, or growth.
• Collaboration is expected to be highly cross-functional, with designers working closely with Product Managers for strategy and requirements, and Engineers for implementation and feasibility.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: Expect an agile or iterative development process, with frequent sprints, feedback loops, and continuous improvement.
• Data-Informed Design: Decisions are likely driven by a combination of user research, A/B testing, product analytics, and direct customer feedback.
• Customer-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding customer needs and pain points through direct interaction and research.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: As a product-driven startup, Warp likely emphasizes innovation, speed, and a strong sense of ownership among its employees. The culture is probably collaborative, results-oriented, and values individuals who can adapt quickly and contribute across different areas.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level Product Designer, suitable for individuals with 2-5 years of experience. It offers a solid foundation for specializing within fintech product design or moving into more senior or lead roles. Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or a Senior Product Manager. They will collaborate closely with engineering leads and product managers within their assigned product squads. Operations Impact: The designer's work directly impacts the usability and efficiency of Warp's core platform, which automates critical business operations. Successful design translates to increased customer adoption, reduced operational errors, higher customer satisfaction, and ultimately, revenue growth for Warp.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in fintech design, B2B UX, complex workflow design, or design systems.
• Leadership Potential: As Warp grows, there will be opportunities to take on more ownership, mentor junior designers, and potentially lead design initiatives or squads.
• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain valuable experience working across product management, engineering, marketing, and customer success teams.
• Impactful Projects: Contribute to a product that solves significant business challenges, offering a high degree of job satisfaction and career advancement.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth within a rapidly scaling startup. The emphasis on core product journeys and design systems provides a strong foundation. Demonstrating leadership in design thinking, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration will be key to advancing.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: While the listing allows for remote work, the mention of New York as a location suggests a potential hybrid model or a central hub for key meetings, brainstorming sessions, and team building. If remote, expect a focus on digital collaboration tools. Office Location(s): Primary presence or focus on New York City, a major hub for fintech and technology startups. Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration: Expect extensive use of tools like Slack, Zoom, Figma, Notion, and potentially Miro or similar for virtual whiteboarding and collaboration.
• Team Interaction: Regular virtual stand-ups, design critiques, and cross-functional syncs will be common. Occasional in-person gatherings might be organized for team coherence.
• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design and prototyping software, with potential for investment in new tools as needed.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour week is the baseline, the startup environment may require flexibility. However, the emphasis on creating "intuitive" and "high-trust" interfaces suggests that thoughtful, focused work is valued over sheer hours. Remote flexibility is a key aspect of the work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: For remote candidates, demonstrating strong self-management, proactive communication, and the ability to collaborate effectively in a virtual setting will be critical. For those considering hybrid or office-based work, understanding the company's approach to in-person collaboration will be important.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess relevant experience and design skills.
• Initial Call: A brief screening call with a recruiter or hiring manager to discuss experience, motivations, and cultural fit.
• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A more in-depth session where candidates present their portfolio, discuss case studies, and potentially complete a take-home design challenge or live design exercise. This stage will focus on problem-solving, design thinking, and collaboration.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineers to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and ability to translate complex requirements into designs.
• Final Interview: Potentially with a company leader or Head of Product to discuss overall fit, strategic thinking, and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives, clearly outlining the problem, your process, your contributions, and the outcome/impact.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (mockups, prototypes, flow diagrams) extensively. Explain your design decisions and the rationale behind them.
• Highlight Collaboration: If possible, showcase how you worked with engineers, product managers, or other stakeholders.
• Focus on Impact: Quantify your achievements whenever possible. How did your design improve user experience, conversion rates, or operational efficiency?
• Tailor to Warp: Emphasize projects that demonstrate experience with complex workflows, B2B products, or regulated industries. Showcase your Figma skills and design system thinking.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research Warp, the fintech industry, payroll processes, and common compliance challenges.
• Practice Articulation: Be ready to clearly explain your design process, decision-making, and how you handle feedback.
• Prepare Questions: Have thoughtful questions ready for the interviewers about the team, product, challenges, and company culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The design challenge or portfolio review is likely the most critical stage. Candidates should be prepared to defend their design choices with data, user research, and a solid understanding of the business context. Demonstrating an ability to handle ambiguity and drive solutions independently will be highly valued.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (strongly preferred), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).
• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Notion, Jira, Confluence.
• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Hotjar, Mixpanel, Google Analytics.
• Design System Management: Zeroheight, Storybook (for documentation and developer handoff).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude.
• Performance Tracking: Tools for monitoring user engagement, conversion funnels, and task success rates.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding how CRM and automation platforms (like Salesforce, HubSpot) integrate with user-facing applications can be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a key requirement. Familiarity with tools used for user analytics and product performance measurement will enable the designer to make data-informed decisions and demonstrate the impact of their work.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: A deep commitment to understanding and solving customer problems through design.
• Bias for Action: A proactive approach to identifying opportunities and driving initiatives forward.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Utilizing analytics and research to inform design choices and measure impact.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and a willingness to share work, ideas, and feedback.
• Excellence & Attention to Detail: Maintaining a high bar for quality, especially in critical operational and financial workflows.
• Adaptability: The ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment and adapt to changing priorities.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Designers are expected to be integrated members of product teams, working hand-in-hand with PMs and Engineers.
• Constructive Feedback: A culture that encourages giving and receiving constructive feedback to improve designs and processes.
• Empowerment: Designers are empowered to take ownership of their work and contribute to strategic product decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Warp likely values a culture where designers are not just executors but strategic partners who can influence product direction. A strong emphasis on collaboration and a shared commitment to solving complex problems are probably core to their operational values.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Domain: Designing for intricate regulatory and tax compliance in payroll requires a steep learning curve and meticulous attention to detail.
• Balancing User Needs with Constraints: Finding elegant solutions that meet user needs while adhering to strict financial regulations and technical limitations.
• Scaling Design Systems: Evolving a design system to support a growing platform and diverse user needs effectively.
• Fast-Paced Environment: Adapting to rapid iteration cycles and evolving product priorities inherent in a startup.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Expertise: Deepen knowledge of fintech, payroll operations, and compliance regulations.
• Advanced Design Skills: Enhance skills in specific areas like interaction design, motion design, or design system architecture.
• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from experienced product leaders and engineers within the company.
• Industry Exposure: Potential to attend conferences or workshops related to product design, fintech, or user experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents a significant opportunity to develop expertise in a high-demand, complex domain. Overcoming the inherent challenges will provide valuable experience and career growth.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex, regulated industry. What were the key challenges, and how did you ensure accuracy and compliance?" (Focus on process, research, and detail-orientation.)
• "Walk me through a challenging design project from your portfolio where you had to balance user needs with technical or business constraints." (Highlight problem-solving, iteration, and decision rationale.)
• "How do you approach building and maintaining a design system? What are the key principles for ensuring its effectiveness and adoption?" (Demonstrate understanding of scalability, consistency, and collaboration.)
• "Describe your process for collaborating with engineers. How do you ensure smooth handoffs and address technical feasibility issues?" (Emphasize communication, empathy, and partnership.)
• "How do you use data and user research to inform your design decisions and measure the success of your work?" (Showcase analytical thinking and a results-driven approach.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you specifically about Warp and our mission to automate back-office operations?" (Show genuine interest and understanding of the company's value proposition.)
• "How do you handle ambiguity and thrive in a fast-paced startup environment?" (Provide examples of your adaptability and proactive nature.)
• "What kind of team environment do you thrive in, and how do you contribute to a positive team culture?" (Align with Warp's collaborative values.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each case study, clearly state the problem, your role, the solution, and the quantifiable results.
• Show Your Process: Explain your thought process, research methods, and why you made specific design decisions. Be prepared to discuss alternatives considered.
• Highlight Figma Skills: Be ready to navigate your Figma files, demonstrating organization, component usage, and design system integration.
• Be Concise and Engaging: Tell a compelling story for each project, keeping it focused and relevant to the role. Allocate time for Q&A.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss specific examples that showcase your ability to handle complexity, collaborate effectively, and drive measurable results through design. Demonstrating a proactive and problem-solving mindset will be key.

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📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Ashby link.
• Portfolio Tailoring: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects that demonstrate experience with complex workflows, B2B products, and ideally, fintech or regulated industries. Highlight your Figma proficiency and any experience with design systems.
• Resume Optimization: Craft your resume to clearly articulate your 2+ years of product design experience, emphasizing achievements and impact using keywords like "user experience," "prototyping," "design systems," "collaboration," and "B2B/Fintech."
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and decision-making for at least two strong case studies. Prepare to discuss how you would approach designing for the specific challenges mentioned in the job description (e.g., multi-state taxation, wage garnishments).
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Warp's product, mission, and any recent news. Understand their target audience and the problems they solve to better tailor your responses and 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.