Product Designer II

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer II

Company: BuildOps

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: February 16, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive impact through the creation of intuitive and polished user experiences for commercial contractors using BuildOps' groundbreaking software solution.

• Collaborate with product managers, engineers, and fellow designers to translate user needs and business goals into effective, user-centered designs.

• Contribute to the strategic definition and exploration of product features, taking ownership beyond traditional UI/UX by influencing product strategy and functional definition.

• Own the end-to-end design process, from initial concept development through to production-ready deliverables, including wireframes, user flows, and high-fidelity designs.

• Leverage user research and usability testing to gather insights, iterate on designs, and continuously elevate the quality of user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is categorized under Product Design with a strong emphasis on UX/UI principles, suitable for mid-level professionals seeking to influence product strategy within a fast-paced startup environment. The "II" in the title suggests a level of autonomy and contribution beyond junior roles, requiring a candidate who can own significant design initiatives.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and deliver user-centered solutions by collaborating closely with product managers, engineers, and other designers to ensure alignment with user needs and business objectives.

• Actively contribute to product strategy discussions, solution exploration, and the detailed functional definition of features within assigned product areas.

• Manage the entire design lifecycle for new features and products, from initial concept sketches and user flows to polished, high-fidelity mockups and prototypes.

• Conduct and participate in user research activities, including interviews and usability testing, to gather critical insights that inform design decisions and product direction.

• Proactively incorporate feedback from design reviews, usability testing, and stakeholder input to rapidly iterate on designs and consistently improve the product's user experience.

• Partner closely with the engineering team throughout the development process to ensure the accurate implementation of design intent and maintain high standards of visual and interactive quality.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of BuildOps' design culture by actively participating in knowledge sharing, design critiques, and collaborative problem-solving sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic input and execution ownership, common for a Product Designer II. Emphasis on contributing to "product strategy" and "functional definition" indicates a role that requires more than just visual design execution, pushing towards product thinking and problem-solving alongside technical teams.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 3+ years of professional experience in product design, with a demonstrable history of successfully conceptualizing, designing, and launching digital products from inception to market.

Required Skills:

• Deep understanding of user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) principles, best practices, and design methodologies.

• Proven experience in conducting user research, including user interviews, surveys, and creating user personas.

• Demonstrated ability to perform usability testing and translate findings into actionable design improvements.

• Strong experience in making data-driven design decisions, leveraging analytics and user feedback.

• Proven ability to contribute to product strategy, influencing the direction and functional definition of new features and products.

• Expert proficiency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design creation.

• Proficiency with AI tools to augment the design process, including synthesis, ideation, and prototyping.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design concepts, rationale, and user insights to diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with enterprise-level or vertical SaaS products, understanding the nuances of complex business applications.

• Familiarity with the commercial trades industry (e.g., HVAC, plumbing, electrical) or construction sector to better understand user contexts.

• Basic understanding of front-end development concepts, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, to facilitate better collaboration with engineering teams.

• Experience using product management and collaboration tools such as Dovetail for research synthesis, UserVoice for feedback management, and Jira for workflow tracking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Product Designer II" title implies a need for candidates who can operate with a degree of autonomy, evidenced by the requirement to "contribute to product strategy" and "own the design process." The emphasis on Figma and AI tools reflects current industry demands. Preferred skills point towards ideal candidates who can hit the ground running with domain-specific knowledge and broader technical understanding.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-4 distinct product design projects that demonstrate a full product development lifecycle, from problem identification to finalized, launched solutions.

• For each project, clearly articulate the user problem or business challenge, your specific role and contributions, the design process followed (research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, testing), and the final design solution.

• Provide high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes (preferably created in Figma) for at least two projects, illustrating user flows and key interface interactions.

• Include evidence of user research and usability testing, detailing methodologies used, key findings, and how these insights directly influenced design decisions and outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Document the iterative design process, highlighting how feedback from stakeholders, user research, and usability testing was incorporated to refine designs.

• Illustrate the workflow for collaborating with product managers and engineers, showing how design requirements were communicated and how design intent was maintained through development.

• Detail the approach to leveraging AI tools within the design workflow for tasks such as ideation, content generation, or preliminary concept development.

• Showcase the ability to translate complex requirements into clear, intuitive user flows and information architecture.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Product Designer II role, a portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond just showcasing aesthetics; it must demonstrate strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and a user-centered approach, supported by clear documentation of the design process and its impact. The inclusion of AI tools and collaboration with engineering is a key differentiator.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: [92,000.00 CAD - 105,000.00 CAD / year]

Benefits:

• Generous equity grant, providing ownership in the company and participation in its growth.

• Comprehensive benefits package, typically including health, dental, vision, and potentially other insurance coverage.

• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, allowing employees to manage their leave needs effectively.

• Work From Home Stipend, to support remote work setup and productivity.

• MacBook computer provided for work, ensuring access to necessary tools and technology.

• Lunch stipends for in-office days, contributing to employee well-being and convenience.

• Opportunity for a performance-based bonus.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility for hybrid work schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to Toronto, Canada, and reflects mid-level product design compensation in the tech industry. The inclusion of a bonus, equity, and a comprehensive benefits package, alongside WFH stipends and provided hardware, indicates a competitive total compensation offering. The "hybrid work schedules" implies a structured approach to in-office and remote work.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Technology, specifically focused on empowering commercial contractors. BuildOps operates within the rapidly evolving PropTech and ConstructionTech sectors, aiming to revolutionize how the commercial trades industry functions.

Company Size: Mid-size to growing startup, evidenced by the "Product Designer II" role and the mention of hubs in multiple cities. This implies a dynamic environment with opportunities for impact and growth, but also the potential for fast-paced change.

Founded: The company's aggressive growth, significant funding rounds ($1 billion valuation, $127M Series C), and backing from major investors suggest a company with a strong vision and the resources to achieve it, likely founded within the last 5-10 years to be in this growth stage.

Team Structure:

• The Design team is led by a "Head of Design," suggesting a structured but potentially lean design department where individual contributors have significant influence.

• The Product Designer II will be part of a cross-functional Product team, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers, indicating a collaborative, agile development environment.

Methodology:

• A strong emphasis on user-centered design, driven by user research and usability testing, is central to the product development process.

• Agile methodologies are likely employed, given the fast-paced startup environment and the need for iterative development and quick feedback loops.

• Data-driven decision-making is encouraged, integrating analytics and user feedback into design strategy.

• The company appears to foster a culture of innovation, looking for individuals who can contribute to product strategy and solve complex problems.

Company Website: https://buildops.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: BuildOps is positioning itself as a transformative force in the commercial trades industry. The company culture is described as ambitious, innovative, and collaborative, with a strong emphasis on employee success and growth. The "rocketship" analogy and recent funding underscore a high-growth, dynamic environment where individuals can make a significant impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is for a mid-level Product Designer (Product Designer II), signifying a professional who has moved beyond foundational design tasks and is expected to take ownership of significant design initiatives, contribute to product strategy, and mentor junior designers if applicable. It's a crucial step towards senior-level product design roles.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer II reports directly to the Head of Design. This provides a clear line of mentorship and strategic guidance, while also allowing for direct contribution to departmental vision. The role also involves extensive collaboration with Product Managers and Engineers, forming cross-functional project teams.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer II's impact is directly tied to enhancing the usability and efficiency of BuildOps' software for commercial contractors. By creating intuitive and polished user experiences, this role directly contributes to customer satisfaction, adoption rates, operational efficiency for users, and ultimately, the company's success and market position in transforming the construction and trades industry.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX/UI, user research, or product strategy, potentially focusing on enterprise SaaS or the commercial trades industry.

• Leadership Development: As a Product Designer II, there's a clear path to becoming a Senior Product Designer, which may involve leading design projects, mentoring junior designers, and taking on more strategic product responsibilities.

• Industry Expertise: Develop a deep understanding of the commercial trades and construction sectors, becoming a valuable asset in designing solutions for this underserved market.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain extensive experience working with product management, engineering, and potentially marketing and sales, broadening overall business acumen.

• Impactful Projects: Contribute to a product that is actively transforming a major industry, offering a sense of purpose and the opportunity to build something truly groundbreaking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "II" designation is key, indicating a step beyond entry-level. Growth opportunities are framed around deepening design expertise, moving into leadership, and gaining specialized industry knowledge, all within a high-growth startup context.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: BuildOps operates with a hybrid work model, maintaining physical hubs in Los Angeles, Toronto, and Raleigh. This suggests a modern office environment designed for collaboration, with amenities to support in-office days.

Office Location(s):

• Los Angeles, California, USA

• Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hubs: The physical hubs are designed to foster in-person collaboration, team-building activities, and cross-functional interaction, complementing remote work.

• Technology & Tools: Employees are provided with a MacBook computer, ensuring they have the necessary hardware to access and utilize the company's design and development tool stack.

• Hybrid Flexibility: The hybrid schedule allows for a balance between focused individual work (potentially remote) and collaborative team sessions (in-office), catering to diverse work styles and project needs. Daily lunch stipends for in-office days further enhance the work environment.

Work Schedule: A hybrid work schedule is standard, allowing for flexibility. While specific core hours aren't detailed, the expectation for a full-time role (40 hours/week) means consistent engagement, with the hybrid model offering a blend of in-office and remote work days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with physical hubs points to a structured approach to work, balancing the benefits of in-person interaction with the flexibility of remote work. The provision of a MacBook and lunch stipends are practical benefits that enhance the daily work experience for employees.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and resumes, looking for alignment with the core requirements and preferred skills.

• Portfolio Presentation: Candidates will likely be asked to present their portfolio to the hiring team (Head of Design, potentially Product Managers and Engineers). This is a critical stage to assess design thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: A practical design exercise or case study may be given, either as a take-home assignment or a live problem-solving session, to evaluate the candidate's approach to a realistic design problem.

• Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interviews: Questions will focus on work style, collaboration, handling ambiguity, and alignment with BuildOps' values and culture.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with senior leadership or key stakeholders to discuss strategic contributions and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Structure each project in your portfolio as a narrative. Clearly define the problem, your role, the process, the solution, and the impact.

• Process Emphasis: Highlight your design thinking process. Show your iterations, how you incorporated feedback, and the rationale behind your decisions. This is crucial for a Product Designer II role.

• Figma Proficiency: Ensure your Figma work is clean, well-organized, and easily navigable. Include interactive prototypes where possible.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased user engagement, reduced error rates, improved conversion).

• AI Tool Integration: If applicable, showcase how you've used AI tools to enhance your design process, efficiency, or ideation.

• Tailor to BuildOps: Understand BuildOps' mission and target audience (commercial contractors). If possible, frame your portfolio projects to resonate with this industry or the challenges of enterprise SaaS.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the User: For any design challenge, prioritize understanding the target user and their specific needs, especially within the context of commercial trades.

• Structure Your Approach: Outline your steps clearly: problem definition, research (even if simulated), ideation, solution proposal, and rationale.

• Communicate Your Thinking: Clearly articulate your thought process, design choices, and trade-offs made. This is often more important than the final solution itself.

• Figma Skills: Be prepared to use Figma to quickly mock up or sketch ideas.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is heavily centered around the portfolio, emphasizing the need for candidates to demonstrate not just aesthetic skills but also strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities relevant to a Product Designer II. Preparation should focus on articulating the "why" behind design decisions and showcasing a robust, iterative process.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expert proficiency is a core requirement for wireframing, user flows, high-fidelity design, and prototyping.

• AI Tools: Proficiency with AI tools for design synthesis, ideation, and prototyping is expected. This could include tools like Midjourney, ChatGPT for design prompts, or AI-assisted design platforms.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as a required skill for the designer, familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) or the ability to interpret data from these sources will be beneficial for making data-driven design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• Experience with enterprise SaaS products implies potential exposure to CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and workflow automation tools, though direct design experience with these is not a primary requirement for this role.

Other Potential Tools (Preferred/Plus):

• Dovetail (for user research synthesis)

• UserVoice (for customer feedback management)

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the cornerstone of the design stack. The explicit mention of AI tools indicates a forward-thinking approach to design processes. While direct experience with CRM/automation isn't mandatory, an understanding of how design integrates with business systems is valuable.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ambition & Innovation: A drive to reimagine and transform an established industry through cutting-edge software solutions.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on teamwork, knowledge-sharing, and cross-functional partnerships to achieve shared goals.

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of commercial contractors, prioritizing intuitive and efficient user experiences.

• Ownership & Accountability: Encouraging individuals to take initiative, drive projects forward, and deliver high-quality results.

• Growth Mindset: A culture that supports continuous learning, professional development, and personal advancement within a fast-paced environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers work hand-in-hand with Product Managers and Engineers, fostering a cohesive product development team where design input is valued at all stages.

• Open Communication: Encourages direct and honest feedback through design reviews and team discussions to elevate the quality of work and foster a learning environment.

• Proactive Engagement: Team members are expected to be proactive in seeking information, offering solutions, and contributing to discussions across disciplines.

📝 Enhancement Note: BuildOps values a culture that is both ambitious and highly collaborative. The focus on transforming an industry and empowering users suggests a mission-driven team. The emphasis on growth and ownership is typical of high-performing startup environments.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Industry Transformation: Navigating the complexities of transforming a traditionally analog industry (commercial trades) into a digital-first environment, requiring a deep understanding of user needs and workflows.

• Scalability of Design Systems: As the product suite grows, maintaining a cohesive and scalable design system to ensure consistency and efficiency across all features.

• Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Effectively translating diverse user requirements and complex business logic into elegant, intuitive design solutions.

• Rapid Iteration in a Fast-Paced Environment: Adapting quickly to evolving product roadmaps and market demands, requiring agility and efficient design processes.

• Remote/Hybrid Collaboration: Ensuring