Product Designer / UX/UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer / UX/UI Designer

Company: Next Street

Location: New York, NY

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: 2026-02-10T21:43:48

Experience Level: 4-6 years

🚀 Role Summary

• Own the end-to-end product design lifecycle, from initial concept and brand expression to high-fidelity UI and interaction design.

• Develop and maintain a cohesive brand and visual design system that ensures consistency across all products, platforms, and marketing materials.

• Design intuitive and engaging user experiences for internal tools, admin dashboards, and white-labeled solutions, prioritizing clarity and usability.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and Project Delivery teams to translate complex requirements into effective and user-centered design solutions.

• Utilize AI-powered design tools and workflows for rapid prototyping, concept exploration, and design validation to accelerate the design process.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a hands-on individual contributor, emphasizing the need for strong design execution and system thinking rather than people management. The focus on AI tools highlights a forward-thinking approach to design processes within a mission-driven startup environment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the entire product design process, ensuring a seamless transition from conceptualization to polished, high-fidelity user interfaces and interactions.

• Create, manage, and evolve a comprehensive design system to maintain brand consistency and facilitate efficient collaboration with development teams across multiple products.

• Design user interfaces for operational tools and administrative dashboards, with a keen eye on usability, clarity, and efficiency for internal users.

• Conduct user research, gather feedback, and analyze data to inform design decisions and continuously improve the user experience, driving adoption and engagement.

• Partner with cross-functional teams, including Product, Engineering, and Project Delivery, to ensure design solutions align with business objectives and technical feasibility.

• Rapidly iterate on design concepts through AI-assisted prototyping, leveraging modern tools to accelerate exploration and validation cycles.

• Design responsive and adaptive user experiences across various devices, including desktop, tablet, and mobile platforms.

• Manage and maintain design assets within Figma, ensuring organized libraries and smooth handoffs to development teams.

• Integrate user feedback, usability testing results, and performance data into iterative design improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a full-stack design ownership, from strategic brand development to detailed UI/UX execution for both external-facing and internal operational tools. The inclusion of AI tools and a focus on design systems points to a modern, efficient design workflow.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for this level of experience. A strong portfolio can often substitute for formal education.

Experience: 4–6 years of professional experience in product design, UX design, or UI/UX design, with a proven track record of owning end-to-end design for digital products.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to own and execute the complete product design process, from ideation to final UI/UX delivery.

• Expertise in developing and maintaining brand styles, visual languages, and comprehensive design systems.

• Strong understanding of user behavior, interaction design principles, and user-centered design methodologies.

• High proficiency in Figma for creating detailed UI designs, prototypes, and developer-ready assets.

• Experience in rapid prototyping and concept exploration using AI-powered design tools.

• Skill in designing responsive, cross-platform experiences, including admin dashboards and internal tools.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively within cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Project Delivery).

• Ability to thrive in a mission-driven, startup environment with comfort in ambiguity and evolving requirements.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and translate technical constraints and user needs.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in EdTech, Fintech, small business solutions, or learning-oriented products.

• Experience designing data visualization dashboards.

• Experience designing marketing websites.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements clearly define a mid-level to senior individual contributor role, emphasizing practical design skills, system thinking, and collaborative capabilities. The preference for specific industry experience and bonus skills provides a good indication of what would make a candidate stand out.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end design projects demonstrating ownership from concept to high-fidelity UI/UX.

• Include examples of developing and evolving brand styles, visual languages, and comprehensive design systems.

• Present case studies of designing for internal tools, admin dashboards, or complex operational interfaces, highlighting usability and clarity.

• Demonstrate proficiency in Figma, including complex component systems and developer handoffs.

• Feature projects where AI-powered design tools were utilized for rapid prototyping and concept exploration.

• Include examples of responsive design across different devices and platforms.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your design process for featured projects, including user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and iteration.

• Detail how you collaborated with Product Managers and Engineers to translate requirements into design solutions.

• Explain how you contributed to or managed a design system, including its components, guidelines, and adoption.

• Illustrate how user feedback and data informed your design decisions and led to measurable improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is crucial for this role, as it will serve as the primary evidence of the candidate's ability to execute across the entire design spectrum. The emphasis on process and system thinking indicates that the hiring team values a structured and collaborative approach to design.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $138,400 - $155,500 USD annually.

• This range is stated as applicable for "Senior Manager positions across the firm" but is presented for this Product Designer role, suggesting a comparable level of responsibility or compensation banding.

Benefits:

• Benefits Package: Comprehensive benefits including competitive salaries.

• 401k: Retirement savings plan.

• Paid Parental Leave: Support for new parents.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO): 20 days annually, including federal holidays, volunteer days, and more.

• Mentorship and Sponsorship: Frequent access to senior leadership for guidance and investment in growth.

• Career Development: Annual professional development stipend and ample coaching.

• Flexibility: Flexible work arrangements to accommodate individual schedules and preferences, with low travel during non-pandemic times.

• Social Events and Perks: Team-building events and office snacks.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is for a "Senior Manager" but is applied to this role, indicating a strong compensation structure for this position. The benefits package is robust, with a particular emphasis on professional development and work-life balance, aligning with the company's mission-driven and employee-centric approach.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Small Business Solutions, Consulting, Technology, Social Impact. Next Street operates at the intersection of these sectors, focusing on strengthening small businesses for corporations, governments, and philanthropies. This unique positioning means the company is both a service provider and a technology enabler, with a strong social mission.

Company Size: The company description suggests a growing firm that has evolved from a small consultancy to a national solutions provider, impacting over 200,000 entrepreneurs annually. While an exact headcount isn't provided, the scale of impact implies a mid-sized organization with significant reach.

Founded: 2005. Founded in Boston, Next Street has grown significantly over two decades, demonstrating stability and a proven model for small business support.

Team Structure:

• The design team is likely integrated within product development, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers.

• This is an individual contributor role, meaning no direct reports, but strong collaboration with cross-functional teams is expected.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Impact: Next Street focuses on measurable outcomes for small businesses, evidenced by capital provided, contracts secured, and advisory hours delivered. This data-centric approach likely extends to their internal operations and product development.

• User-Centered Solutions: The company's mission to support entrepreneurs implies a deep understanding of user needs and a commitment to designing solutions that drive tangible results for their clients and the small businesses they serve.

• Agile Development: Given the startup environment and the need to iterate quickly, an agile methodology for product development and design is highly probable.

Company Website: [company_url provided as null, but likely nextstreet.com based on domain_derived]

📝 Enhancement Note: Next Street's culture is defined by its strong social mission, commitment to anti-racism, and focus on measurable impact. The company values inclusivity and aims to transform society through supporting small businesses. This mission-driven aspect is a critical cultural differentiator.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is defined as a Product Designer / UX/UI Designer, with an experience requirement of 4-6 years, placing it at a mid-level to senior individual contributor capacity. The responsibilities indicate ownership of significant design areas, including the end-to-end product experience and design systems.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, this role likely reports to a Head of Product, Lead Designer, or a Director of Design/Product, within a product or technology department. The emphasis on collaboration suggests close working relationships with Product Managers and Engineering leads.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work directly influences the user experience of Next Street's platform, which in turn impacts the engagement, clarity, and effectiveness of the solutions provided to small businesses and their clients. By designing intuitive interfaces and robust design systems, this role contributes to the operational efficiency and scalability of Next Street's offerings, ultimately driving the company's mission forward and supporting economic growth for small businesses.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in areas like design systems, AI-driven design, data visualization, or specific industry verticals (EdTech, Fintech).

• Leadership Potential: While this is an individual contributor role, demonstrated leadership in design strategy, mentorship of junior designers (informally), or driving key product initiatives can open doors to Lead Designer or Senior Product Designer positions.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Working across Product, Engineering, and Project Delivery provides broad business understanding and opportunities to influence product strategy.

• Professional Development: The company offers an annual professional development stipend and ample coaching, supporting continuous learning and skill enhancement in design and related fields.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant autonomy and impact within a mission-driven organization. Growth is likely tied to deepening design expertise and taking on more strategic design challenges, rather than traditional management tracks, aligning with a hands-on contributor path.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job description notes a preference for "NYC based preferred - ideally with the ability to be in the NY office a few times a month." This suggests a hybrid work model with a physical office presence for collaboration and team connection.

Office Location(s): New York, NY. The exact office location within NYC is not specified, but the preference implies an accessible urban workspace.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on cross-functional collaboration indicate an environment where in-person interaction is valued for brainstorming, design reviews, and team building.

• Tools and Technology: The role requires proficiency in Figma and AI-powered design tools, suggesting access to modern design software and hardware. The company's focus on technology implies a well-equipped digital workspace.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to interact with Product Managers, Engineers, and Project Delivery teams, fostering a dynamic and communicative work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with an approximate 40-hour work week. The company offers flexible work arrangements, allowing employees to work when and where they work best, which supports balancing personal needs with project deadlines and collaborative needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role balances the benefits of remote flexibility with the advantages of in-office collaboration, particularly for design-intensive tasks and team cohesion. The emphasis on flexibility is a key aspect of the work environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A dedicated session where you will present 1-2 key design projects from your portfolio, discussing your process, decisions, and impact. Be prepared to articulate how you used Figma and AI tools.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially Project Delivery leads to assess collaboration skills, communication, and understanding of technical constraints.

• Cultural Fit Interview: Discussion to gauge alignment with Next Street's mission, values (anti-racism, inclusivity), and startup culture.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss overall fit and strategic contributions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your end-to-end design ownership, design system work, and experience with internal tools or complex interfaces. Prioritize projects demonstrating your ability to use Figma and AI tools.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, design, testing, iteration), the solutions you designed, and the impact achieved (quantifiable if possible).

• Highlight Process & Systems: Explicitly detail your approach to design systems, brand consistency, and user-centered methodologies. Show how you've managed complex design challenges.

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your specific workflows in Figma and how you leveraged AI tools to accelerate your process and explore innovative solutions.

• Align with Mission: Frame your contributions in the context of solving real-world problems for users and contributing to Next Street's mission of empowering small businesses.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Be prepared for a potential design exercise, which might involve a prompt to design a specific feature or solve a particular UX problem. Focus on demonstrating your structured approach, ideation, and quick iteration capabilities, especially using AI tools.

• Communication: Practice articulating your design rationale clearly and concisely, anticipating questions about trade-offs, technical feasibility, and user needs.

• Company Research: Understand Next Street's mission, values, and the types of clients and entrepreneurs they serve. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes portfolio presentation and collaborative assessment. Candidates should be prepared to deeply articulate their design thinking, process, and the impact of their work, with a specific focus on demonstrating proficiency with Figma and AI tools.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, and collaborative workflows. Expect to manage design systems, components, and developer handoffs within Figma.

• AI-Powered Design Tools: Specific tools are not listed, but the role requires familiarity and proficiency with AI tools for rapid prototyping, concept exploration, and accelerating design iterations. Examples might include tools for AI-generated wireframes, mood boards, or design variations.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the Product Designer's core responsibilities, but awareness of how design integrates with the overall user journey, which may involve CRM systems, is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the cornerstone tool for this role. Proficiency with AI design tools is a key differentiator, highlighting the company's commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance design efficiency and innovation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A deep commitment to empowering small businesses and driving positive societal impact.

• Anti-Racist & Inclusive: Actively working to be an anti-racist organization, with inclusivity embedded in all aspects of work and decision-making.

• User-Centricity: Prioritizing the needs and experiences of entrepreneurs and the clients Next Street serves.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working together across teams to achieve shared goals.

• Efficiency & Innovation: A drive to find better, faster, and more effective ways to deliver solutions, embracing new technologies like AI.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers work closely with Product Managers and Engineers, fostering a collaborative environment where design is integrated early and throughout the development process.

• Open Communication: Encouragement of clear, direct, and respectful communication to translate needs, constraints, and ideas effectively.

• Feedback Exchange: A culture that values constructive feedback on designs and processes to drive continuous improvement.

• Agile & Iterative: The team likely embraces agile methodologies, allowing for iterative design and development cycles based on feedback and evolving requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's strong emphasis on its anti-racist commitment and inclusivity is a defining characteristic of its culture. This value system is expected to influence all team interactions and decision-making processes.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand and UX: Developing and maintaining a cohesive brand identity while ensuring optimal user experience across diverse product interfaces and platforms.

• Ambiguity and Pace: Thriving in a startup environment with evolving requirements and the need to move quickly, requiring adaptability and proactive problem-solving.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Effectively communicating design intent and navigating technical constraints with Product and Engineering teams to ensure successful implementation.

• Impact Measurement: Quantifying the impact of design decisions on user engagement, operational efficiency, and ultimately, small business success, which can be complex.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Tools Mastery: Gaining expertise in leveraging advanced AI tools to enhance design workflows and explore novel design solutions.

• Design System Leadership: Opportunity to significantly influence and expand Next Street's design system, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Industry Exposure: Working with clients in EdTech, Fintech, and small business sectors can broaden industry knowledge and design application.

• Strategic Design Influence: Contributing to product strategy and user-centered decision-making, moving beyond execution to strategic partnership.

• Mentorship: Receiving guidance from experienced senior leaders to accelerate career growth and professional development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents exciting challenges in a dynamic environment, with significant opportunities for professional growth through skill development, strategic influence, and mentorship.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you owned the end-to-end design of a product or feature. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your structured approach, Figma usage, and any AI tools employed.)

• "How would you approach building or evolving a design system for a growing platform like Next Street's?" (Highlight your understanding of consistency, scalability, and developer collaboration.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Next Street's mission to empower small businesses?" (Show genuine interest and alignment with the company's purpose.)

• "How do you approach working in a fast-paced, startup environment with evolving requirements?" (Demonstrate adaptability and proactivity.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Project Selection: Choose 1-2 projects that best reflect the core requirements: end-to-end ownership, design systems, AI tool usage, and complex UI/UX.

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation with a clear problem statement, your specific role, your design process (including research, ideation, and iteration), the design solutions, and measurable impact.

• Tool Emphasis: Be prepared to discuss your Figma workflows and how you leveraged AI tools to accelerate your design process and explore innovative solutions.

• Collaboration Examples: Highlight instances where you successfully collaborated with Product Managers and Engineers, discussing how you translated requirements and managed feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on clearly articulating your design process, demonstrating hands-on skills with Figma and AI tools, and aligning your experience with Next Street's mission and values. Be ready to discuss your contributions to design systems and complex interfaces.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer / UX/UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Next Street careers portal (link provided: https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/nextstreet/jobs/5799077004).

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating end-to-end design ownership, design system development, AI tool proficiency, and experience with internal tools or dashboards.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 4-6 years of experience in Product/UX/UI design, specifically mentioning Figma and AI tools, and aligning your achievements with the job description's responsibilities.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio projects, articulating your design process, and preparing responses to strategy and culture-fit questions, focusing on demonstrating your impact and alignment with Next Street's mission.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Next Street's mission, values, client base, and recent work to demonstrate a strong understanding and genuine interest in the role and organization.

⚠️ 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.