Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: AKQA

Location: Berlin, Germany

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / Creative Operations

Date Posted: 2026-04-07

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategy, design, and optimization of digital products and services, driving innovation and client value.

• Collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams and clients to gather requirements, facilitate workshops, and co-create solutions.

• Transform data and user insights into actionable design opportunities, ensuring a user-centric approach throughout the product lifecycle.

• Mentor and guide junior designers, fostering a culture of empowerment, skill development, and progression within the design team.

• Ensure the high quality and craft of design output, working closely with development teams to realize design systems and bring concepts to life.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Product Designer," the responsibilities heavily lean into aspects of "Creative Operations" and "GTM Strategy" by involving client collaboration, business opportunity identification, and ensuring design output aligns with business goals. The role requires a blend of individual craft and team leadership, typical of senior positions in agency settings.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the strategy, conceptualization, sketching, and pitching of innovative digital product and service ideas.

• Drive the end-to-end design process for digital experiences, from initial brief to final user delivery, ensuring a cohesive and impactful user journey.

• Conduct and facilitate workshops with clients and internal AKQA teams to elicit needs, explore solutions, and foster collaborative ideation.

• Analyze data to derive actionable insights that inform design decisions and identify opportunities for product enhancement and business growth.

• Champion the quality and integrity of design output, collaborating with development teams to ensure seamless implementation of design systems and final products.

• Mentor and provide guidance to junior designers, fostering their professional development and contributing to the overall strength of the design team.

• Present original ideas and design work confidently to peers, business owners, clients, and stakeholders, articulating strategic rationale and user benefits.

• Validate design concepts and solutions through frequent end-user testing and feedback loops, iterating to optimize user experience and product effectiveness.

• Collaborate with product teams across AKQA to align design strategies with broader organizational goals and client requirements.

• Leverage the latest design and prototyping tools to create compelling visualizations, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a proactive, client-facing role that goes beyond pure design execution, requiring strategic thinking, business acumen, and leadership in driving design initiatives. The emphasis on "creating opportunities with clients" and "inspiring the client with innovative ways" points to a consultative and growth-oriented component of the role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating mastery in product design, UX/UI, and strategic thinking is paramount. A degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is beneficial.

Experience: 5+ years of progressive experience in product design, with a significant portion ideally gained within a creative agency environment. Proven experience in leading product development initiatives with large teams is essential.

Required Skills:

• UI & UX Design: Equal competency and a proven track record in both User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design across digital platforms.

• Design Systems: Extensive knowledge and practical experience in developing, implementing, and managing large-scale design systems.

• Prototyping & Design Tools: High proficiency in using industry-standard design and prototyping software (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision, Axure).

• Stakeholder Management: Confidence and demonstrated ability to own communication and build strong relationships with key stakeholders and clients.

• Workshop Facilitation: Experience in planning and leading collaborative workshops with diverse groups, including clients and internal teams.

• Data Analysis for Design: Ability to transform data into actionable insights that highlight design opportunities and inform strategic decisions.

• Client Presentation: Strong experience in presenting design work, strategic concepts, and innovative solutions to clients and business owners.

• Collaboration: Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including development, strategy, and account management.

• Mentoring: Experience in guiding, mentoring, and empowering junior designers.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in leading product development with large, multidisciplinary teams.

• A keen eye for detail in crafting high-quality digital experiences.

• A proactive, fearless, and relentlessly creative mindset.

• Intuition for identifying and creating new business opportunities with clients.

• Experience in iterative design processes and continuous improvement of digital experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Qualities and Characteristics" section provides critical context for preferred skills, emphasizing attributes like fearlessness, boundless creativity, and relentless attention to detail, which are highly valued in agency environments. The experience requirement is clearly stated as 5+ years.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a range of impactful digital product designs, demonstrating both UI aesthetics and UX problem-solving.

• Include case studies that highlight your process from initial client brief or problem statement through to final solution.

• Detail your role in large team product development projects, illustrating your contribution and leadership.

• Demonstrate your experience with large design systems, including examples of how you've worked with or contributed to them.

• Provide examples of how you have transformed data or user research into actionable design decisions.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your approach to user research and validation, including methods for gathering and acting on end-user feedback.

• Illustrate your workflow for collaborating with development teams to bring design systems and final products to life.

• Document your experience in facilitating client and internal workshops, showcasing your ability to drive collaborative ideation and requirement gathering.

• Explain how you approach transforming complex data into clear, actionable insights for design improvement.

• Demonstrate your ability to conceive, sketch, and pitch original ideas, showing the evolution from concept to proposal.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the agency context and the emphasis on client interaction and innovation, the portfolio should not just showcase final deliverables but also the strategic thinking, client collaboration, and iterative process that led to those outcomes. The ability to demonstrate impact and influence is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior Product Designer in Berlin with 5-10 years of experience, particularly within a creative agency like AKQA, the estimated annual gross salary range is €65,000 - €85,000. This range accounts for the specialized skills, leadership responsibilities, and the cost of living in Berlin.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model: Offers flexibility with a blend of in-office and remote work, fostering collaboration and work-life balance.

• Creative Environment: Opportunity to work in an inspiring, collaborative agency setting with a focus on innovation and artful application of technology.

• Professional Development: Access to learning resources, mentorship, and opportunities to work on diverse, high-profile client projects.

• Global Network: Being part of AKQA means access to a global network of talent and expertise.

• Standard Benefits: Likely includes health insurance, paid time off, and retirement contributions as per German labor laws.

Working Hours: The role typically involves a 40-hour work week, with potential for flexible scheduling within the hybrid framework. Overtime may be required during peak project phases, common in agency environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on typical Senior Product Designer roles in Berlin, Germany, considering the agency sector (AKQA is a leading digital agency) and the specified experience level. Benefits are inferred based on common offerings in creative agencies and the mention of a hybrid work model.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: AKQA operates within the digital services, marketing, and advertising industry, focusing on creating imaginative applications of art and science for digital products and services. They are a WPP company, leveraging a vast global network.

Company Size: AKQA is a large global company, part of the WPP network, which employs over 70,000 people worldwide. AKQA itself has numerous offices and a significant number of employees globally, indicating a large, well-resourced organization. This size offers stability and opportunities for diverse project exposure.

Founded: AKQA was founded in 1995. Its history reflects a consistent focus on innovation and digital transformation, evolving with the digital landscape to remain at the forefront of creative technology.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team likely operates within a multidisciplinary structure, collaborating closely with strategists, technologists, project managers, and account leads.

• Designers are embedded within project teams or client-focused pods, fostering close collaboration and agile workflows.

Methodology:

• AKQA emphasizes an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, integrating artistry and craftsmanship with strategic insight.

• Their methodology focuses on designing adaptive digital services and applications that capture imagination and deliver measurable returns.

• A strong emphasis is placed on user-centric design, data-driven insights, and iterative improvement of digital experiences.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: AKQA's positioning as a leader in digital innovation, coupled with its WPP affiliation, suggests a culture that balances creative freedom with client-driven results and a structured, process-oriented approach to project delivery. The hybrid model is a key aspect of their current work environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a Senior level, signifying a significant degree of autonomy, leadership, and strategic input. Senior Product Designers are expected to not only execute complex design tasks but also to guide project direction, mentor junior talent, and contribute to client strategy. They are key contributors to the business development process by identifying and articulating new opportunities.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Director, Creative Director, or Head of Product Design. They will work collaboratively with project managers, account directors, and directly with client teams and product stakeholders.

Operations Impact: Senior Product Designers at AKQA have a direct impact on client success by shaping digital products and services that drive engagement, conversion, and revenue. Their strategic design thinking contributes to client growth, brand perception, and market competitiveness. By translating data into insightful design solutions, they influence business outcomes and client relationships.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership: Progression to Lead Product Designer, Design Director, or Head of Design roles, managing larger teams and more significant client accounts.

• Specialization: Deepening expertise in specific areas such as UX strategy, service design, design systems architecture, or emerging technologies.

• Client Relationship Management: Developing stronger client-facing skills and taking on more consultative roles in business development and strategic planning.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Opportunities to learn and collaborate with other disciplines within AKQA (e.g., strategy, data science, technology) to broaden skill sets.

• Global Mobility: Potential to work across AKQA's global network of offices on diverse international projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title, combined with client interaction and mentoring responsibilities, suggests a clear path for advancement within AKQA's structure, emphasizing both craft excellence and leadership potential. The impact on business growth is a critical aspect of this role.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: AKQA operates with a hybrid work model, meaning employees are expected to work from the office on designated days to foster collaboration, creativity, and team connection. The office environment is designed to be a hub for ideation, client meetings, and team synergy.

Office Location(s): The role is based in Berlin, Germany. AKQA has offices in major global cities, but this specific position is tied to the Berlin location. Accessibility and local amenities would be typical of a modern office space in a major European capital.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office is likely equipped with various collaborative zones, meeting rooms, and open-plan areas designed to facilitate brainstorming and teamwork.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software, hardware, and potentially specialized prototyping or VR/AR equipment depending on project needs.

• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for informal and formal interaction with fellow designers, strategists, developers, and client teams, fostering a dynamic and engaging work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is likely around 40 hours per week. The hybrid model offers some flexibility, but specific in-office days are typically required. The fast-paced agency environment may necessitate occasional extended hours to meet client deadlines, but AKQA aims to balance this with employee well-being.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a significant aspect of the work environment, requiring a balance between independent work and in-person collaboration. The Berlin location implies a vibrant, international professional setting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation: You will likely be asked to present your portfolio, detailing 2-3 key projects. Focus on your specific contributions, design process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your work. Be prepared to discuss how you transformed data into insights and influenced clients.

• Skills & Behavioral Interviews: Interviews with hiring managers and team members to assess your technical design