Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer Company: Booking Experts Location: Enschede, Overijssel, Netherlands Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: Product Design / UX/UI Date Posted: November 11, 2025 Experience Level: 5-10 Years

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the design of innovative digital solutions for the leisure industry, focusing on holiday parks, hotels, and resorts, directly impacting user experience and operational efficiency.
• Drive the entire design lifecycle from discovery and user research to delivery and iteration, ensuring alignment with business objectives and user needs.
• Champion the expansion and refinement of the company's in-house Design System, promoting consistency and scalability across all product interfaces.
• Leverage a strong understanding of user pain points to craft intuitive, creative, and automated solutions that streamline complex processes for park managers, receptionists, and marketers.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Product Designer," the responsibilities indicate a strong focus on understanding business operations within the leisure sector and translating those into user-centric digital solutions. This role requires not just aesthetic design but also a deep dive into operational efficiency and automation through design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth user research and domain analysis to define design requirements and identify opportunities for process automation and optimization within the leisure industry.
• Design intuitive user interfaces, expand and maintain the company's Design System, and continuously seek improvements in design processes and workflows.
• Develop wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs, ensuring a seamless and optimal user experience aligned with user needs and expectations.
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Product Management, and Marketing teams to ensure consistent communication, present design ideas confidently, and deliver polished product features.
• Analyze the alignment of new features with user needs and expectations, taking ownership of delivering exceptional user experience and driving adoption.
• Identify and implement opportunities for smart automation within the platform to simplify complex operational challenges without compromising design quality.
• Stay abreast of emerging trends and developments in product design, user experience, and the leisure technology sector to inform design strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities highlight a blend of traditional product design tasks with a significant emphasis on operational process improvement and automation specifically within the hospitality and leisure sectors. This requires a designer who can think strategically about business workflows and translate them into user-friendly digital tools.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree level of education or equivalent experience. Experience: A minimum of five years of experience as a Product Designer.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience across all stages of the design process, including user research, copywriting, wireframing, prototyping, visual design, and interaction design.
• Proficiency in design and prototyping tools such as Figma and Adobe Creative Suite.
• A strong sense of empathy and deep user understanding, with the ability to empathize with end-users' challenges.
• A creative, solution-oriented mindset, with the ability to tackle complex challenges and propose innovative solutions.
• Experience working confidently with Design Systems, including expanding and maintaining them.
• Sharp eye for detail and a commitment to design quality and consistency.
• Strong command of the English language, both written and verbal.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for the leisure industry (holiday parks, hotels, resorts).
• Demonstrated ability to streamline complex processes through smart automation design.
• Experience collaborating closely with frontend development teams.
• Ability to make informed design decisions even without extensive user testing.
• Understanding of BEX PMS, Search and Book functionalities, BEX CMS, Business Intelligence dashboards, or the BEX App Store ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for at least five years of experience and a Bachelor's degree suggests a mid-to-senior level role. The emphasis on empathy, problem-solving, and automation indicates a need for a designer who can bridge the gap between user needs and business operational efficiency.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the end-to-end design process, from initial concept and user research to final implementation and iteration.
• Showcase case studies that highlight your ability to solve complex user problems within a business context, particularly in operational or workflow-intensive environments.
• Include examples of your work with Design Systems, illustrating how you've contributed to or leveraged existing systems for consistency and scalability.
• Present projects that clearly articulate the problem, your design process, the solution, and the impact achieved, ideally with quantifiable results.

Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of how you document design decisions, user flows, and system requirements to ensure clarity and alignment with engineering and product teams.
• Highlight your approach to user research and how insights are translated into actionable design specifications.
• Showcase your experience in contributing to or defining design guidelines and best practices for a product or team.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer role, especially one focused on operational efficiency and automation, a portfolio should go beyond visual aesthetics. It needs to demonstrate strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to integrate design with complex business processes. Case studies proving impact and efficiency gains are crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: While a specific salary range is not provided, for a Senior Product Designer with 5-10 years of experience in Enschede, Netherlands, a competitive annual salary would typically range from €60,000 to €85,000. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in the Netherlands, considering the cost of living, and the company's focus on technology and innovation.

Benefits:

• Flexible working hours: Offering a balance between structured work and personal autonomy.
• Annual Salary Increase: A structured approach to salary progression.
• 10% Salary Bonus After One Year: A significant retention and performance incentive.
• 5 Weeks of Holiday Per Year: Generous paid time off, exceeding statutory minimums.
• Extra Days Off During Public Holidays: Additional time off for public holidays.
• Modern Working Environment: A comfortable and productive workspace with a sit-stand desk and MacBook with a large screen.
• Daily Fresh Fruit, Snacks, and Comprehensive Joint Lunch: A focus on employee well-being and a positive communal atmosphere.
• Personal Development Opportunities: Support for continuous learning and skill advancement within a close-knit team.
• Healthy Work Environment Initiatives: Including fresh fruit, encouraging daily walks, sit-stand desks, responsible lunch options, and readily available refreshments.
• Smoke-Free Office Policy: Commitment to a healthy workplace.

Working Hours: The job description implies a standard full-time commitment, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexible working hours to accommodate personal needs and promote work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on general market data for senior design roles in the Netherlands. Actual compensation will depend on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and negotiation. The benefits package is quite comprehensive, emphasizing employee well-being, professional growth, and work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Software, Hospitality, Leisure Services, Travel Technology. Booking Experts operates in the crucial intersection of technology and the leisure/hospitality sector, providing essential software solutions that enable businesses like holiday parks, hotels, and resorts to manage their operations efficiently and enhance guest experiences. Company Size: The company size is not explicitly stated, but the description of a "flat and informal" organization, "close-knit, motivated team," and "experienced engineers" suggests a growing mid-sized company, likely between 50-250 employees. This size often balances the agility of a startup with more established processes and resources. Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the description of transforming the sector with technology and developing a "scalable, sophisticated booking platform" implies a company with some history and a forward-looking vision.

Team Structure:

• The Senior Product Designer will be part of the "Product & Engineering team," which includes specialists in Engineering (backend, frontend, full stack, DevOps), Product Management, and Marketing.
• The organization is described as "flat and informal," suggesting a less hierarchical structure with direct access to decision-makers and cross-functional collaboration.
• Collaboration is key, with designers working closely with Engineers, Product Managers, and Marketers to ensure consistent communication and present ideas.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decisions: The "Business Intelligence" component and emphasis on making "data-driven decisions" suggest a strong reliance on analytics and metrics.
• Agile Development: The mention of working closely with engineering and being involved "from discovery to delivery" implies an agile or iterative development process.
• User-Centric Design: A core methodology is understanding user pain points and crafting "simple, creative, and intuitive solutions," with a focus on delivering an "optimal user experience."
• Design System Utilization: The use of an in-house Design System indicates a commitment to consistent, efficient, and scalable design practices.

Company Website: https://jobs.bookingexperts.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is portrayed as innovative, collaborative, and employee-centric, with a strong emphasis on personal growth and a flat organizational structure. This environment is ideal for individuals who thrive in dynamic settings and value direct impact. The focus on technology within the leisure industry is a key differentiator.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as "Senior Product Designer," indicating a mid-to-senior level position. It requires significant autonomy, strategic input, and the ability to mentor or guide less experienced designers. The scope includes not only designing interfaces but also contributing to the product's strategic direction, process improvement, and the evolution of the Design System.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will work within the "Product & Engineering team," reporting to a Head of Product or a similar leadership role. Collaboration with Engineering, Product Management, and Marketing is emphasized, suggesting a matrixed reporting or strong cross-functional working relationship.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the operational efficiency and success of Booking Experts' clients in the leisure industry. By designing intuitive and automated solutions, the Senior Product Designer helps park managers, receptionists, and marketers streamline their workflows, leading to increased bookings, improved guest satisfaction, and more efficient business operations. The design directly contributes to the value proposition of Booking Experts' platform.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Design: Opportunity to lead design initiatives, influence product strategy, and potentially mentor junior designers as the team grows.
• Domain Expertise: Deepen expertise in the leisure and hospitality tech sector, becoming a go-to specialist.
• Design System Evolution: Play a key role in shaping and expanding the company's Design System, a critical asset for scaling.
• Process Improvement: Drive continuous improvements in design processes and workflows, enhancing team efficiency.
• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain valuable experience working across product, engineering, and marketing departments, broadening skill sets.
• Company Growth: As Booking Experts grows, opportunities for advancement into management or specialized design roles will likely emerge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies not just execution but also influence. Candidates should be prepared to articulate how they've driven product strategy, mentored others, and significantly improved processes or user experiences in previous roles. The emphasis on automation and operational efficiency suggests a growth path towards Product Operations or Design Leadership focused on efficiency.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company describes a "modern working environment" at their office in Enschede. This suggests a contemporary workspace designed for collaboration and productivity. Office Location(s): The primary office is located at Pantheon 28, 7521 PR Enschede, Overijssel, Netherlands. This location is specifically mentioned, indicating an on-site or hybrid work arrangement.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Atmosphere: The "flat and informal" structure and emphasis on teamwork foster a collaborative environment where ideas are shared freely.
• Tools and Technology: Employees are provided with a MacBook and a large screen, along with sit-stand desks, indicating a commitment to ergonomic and efficient workspaces.
• Team Interaction: Daily joint lunches, fresh fruit, snacks, and readily available refreshments encourage informal interaction among team members, strengthening connections.
• Focus on Well-being: Initiatives like encouraging daily walks and promoting responsible lunch options highlight a company culture that values employee health and well-being.

Work Schedule: While specific hours aren't detailed, "flexible working hours" are mentioned. This suggests that while a full-time commitment is expected, there's a degree of autonomy in structuring the workday, which is beneficial for deep work and creative tasks common in product design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Enschede is a key detail. Candidates should be prepared to work from the office, benefiting from the collaborative environment and provided amenities. The mention of flexible hours within an on-site setting suggests a balance between structured collaboration and personal work rhythms.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of CV and portfolio, followed by a brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.
• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, discussing key projects, design process, and problem-solving approaches. This may be followed by a design challenge (take-home or live) to assess practical skills and thought processes.
• Team Interviews: Interviews with members of the Product & Engineering team, including Product Managers and Engineers, to evaluate technical skills, collaboration style, and alignment with team dynamics.
• Final Interview: A discussion with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Product or CTO) to assess strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall fit with the company vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Select 3-4 of your most impactful projects. For each, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your design process, the solution, and the quantifiable results or lessons learned.
• Showcase Operational Problem-Solving: Highlight projects where you've designed solutions for complex operational workflows, process automation, or efficiency improvements. Demonstrate how your design addressed specific business pain points.
• Design System Contribution: If applicable, showcase your experience with Design Systems – how you've used them, contributed to them, or helped establish them.
• Process Transparency: Be prepared to walk through your design process, explaining your rationale for key decisions, user research methods, and testing strategies.
• Tailor to Booking Experts: Understand Booking Experts' product suite (BEX PMS, BEX CMS, etc.) and the leisure industry. If possible, subtly connect your experience to their domain.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with the challenges faced by holiday parks, hotels, and resorts in managing bookings, operations, and guest relations.
• Focus on User-Centric Automation: If a design challenge is given, consider how to balance user needs with operational efficiency and automation.
• Structure Your Response: Clearly outline your approach, assumptions, design considerations, and proposed solutions. Be ready to defend your design choices.
• Communication: Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely, as if presenting to a mixed audience of designers, engineers, and product managers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on automation and operational challenges within the leisure industry means candidates should prepare to showcase projects that demonstrate these specific skills. A strong portfolio is paramount for this role, acting as the primary tool for demonstrating capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is a must.
• Adobe Creative Suite: Likely includes Photoshop and Illustrator for image editing, asset creation, and graphic design tasks.
• Prototyping Tools: Figma's built-in prototyping capabilities are key, but familiarity with other tools might be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Business Intelligence Tools: While not specified, candidates should be comfortable with data analysis and potentially familiar with BI platforms (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) if they need to interpret data for design decisions. The company mentions "Business Intelligence" dashboards, implying internal use or client-facing features.
• User Analytics Tools: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Amplitude to understand user behavior and product adoption.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Understanding how design integrates with CRM platforms (like Salesforce, HubSpot, or potentially BEX PMS itself) is valuable for context.
• Automation Concepts: While not a direct tool, a strong understanding of process automation principles is required, as the role involves designing for automation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite is explicitly required. The role's focus on automation and business intelligence implies that designers should be comfortable working with data and understanding how their designs impact operational efficiency and business outcomes.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation: Driving transformation in the recreation and hospitality sector with technology.
• Customer Focus: Placing customers at the core of technology development and solutions.
• Efficiency & Automation: Streamlining processes and simplifying complex challenges through smart design and automation.
• Collaboration: Working closely with cross-functional teams to achieve common goals.
• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to personal growth and refining processes and products.
• Quality & Polish: Maintaining high standards in design and user experience.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role emphasizes close collaboration with Engineering, Product Management, and Marketing. This suggests a highly integrated approach where design is not siloed but a core part of the product development lifecycle.
• Open Communication: The "flat and informal" organization implies an open communication style, encouraging dialogue, feedback, and idea sharing across all levels.
• User-Centric Approach: Collaboration is driven by a shared understanding of user needs and business objectives, ensuring that design decisions are aligned with delivering value to both end-users and Booking Experts' clients.
• Empowerment: The environment offers "a high degree of creative freedom," suggesting that team members are empowered to take ownership and contribute meaningfully.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture fosters a dynamic, collaborative, and growth-oriented environment. Values like innovation, customer focus, and efficiency are paramount, reflecting the company’s mission. Candidates should demonstrate how their personal values and working style align with these principles.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Operational Complexity: Designing intuitive solutions for complex operational workflows in the leisure industry requires a deep understanding of both user empathy and process optimization.
• Driving Automation Through Design: Translating business process automation needs into user-friendly and effective design requires strategic thinking and a strong grasp of how technology can simplify tasks.
• Evolving the Design System: Continuously updating and expanding a Design System to meet new feature requirements and maintain consistency across a growing platform.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring seamless communication and alignment between design, product, and engineering teams, especially in a fast-paced environment.
• Staying Current: Keeping pace with rapid advancements in design tools, methodologies, and the ever-changing landscape of the hospitality technology sector.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to hone skills in areas like interaction design, complex user research, and advanced prototyping.
• Domain Specialization: Deepen expertise in the unique challenges and opportunities within the leisure and hospitality technology market.
• Design System Leadership: Take a leading role in shaping the future of the company's Design System.
• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the design function.
• Industry Exposure: Participate in industry events or training to stay ahead of trends in UX/UI, SaaS, and the travel/hospitality tech sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant opportunities for growth by tackling complex design challenges in a specialized industry. The emphasis on automation and design systems provides avenues for developing highly sought-after skills within the product design field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed a feature that significantly improved operational efficiency for users. What was the problem, your approach, and the outcome?" (Focus on automation and process streamlining.)
• "How do you approach designing for a complex user base with diverse needs, like park managers and receptionists?" (Emphasize user research and empathy.)
• "Walk me through your process of contributing to or expanding a Design System. What are the key considerations?" (Highlight Design System experience and consistency.)
• "How do you handle design decisions when user testing is limited or unavailable?" (Assess decision-making under uncertainty.)
• "Tell me about a project where you had to collaborate closely with engineers. How did you ensure a smooth handoff and successful implementation?" (Evaluate collaboration and communication skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Booking Experts and our focus on the leisure industry?" (Demonstrate research and genuine interest.)
• "How do you see your role as a Senior Product Designer contributing to our mission of transforming the recreation and hospitality sector with technology?" (Connect your skills to company goals.)
• "Describe your ideal team environment. How do you contribute to a positive and collaborative culture?" (Align with the "flat and informal" culture.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentation around compelling narratives for each case study, highlighting the journey from problem to solution and impact.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time, improved user satisfaction scores).
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals extensively – wireframes, prototypes, user flows, final UI mockups – to illustrate your design process and solutions.
• Explain Your "Why": Be prepared to articulate the rationale behind your design decisions, linking them back to user needs, business goals, and design principles.
• Address Automation Directly: For projects relevant to operational efficiency or automation, specifically call out how your design addressed these aspects.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to discuss their experience with automation and process optimization in design, as this is a key differentiator for this role. Understanding the leisure industry's operational challenges will be crucial for answering strategy questions effectively.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Booking Experts careers page.
• Customize Your Resume: Highlight experience in product design, user research, UI/UX, Design Systems, and any specific experience relevant to operational efficiency or automation. Use keywords from the job description.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select projects that best showcase your skills in problem-solving, user empathy, design process, and ideally, projects involving operational workflows or automation in SaaS environments. Ensure clear case studies with demonstrable impact.
• Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your selected projects, focusing on your role, process, design rationale, and outcomes. Be ready to discuss how your work aligns with Booking Experts' focus on the leisure industry and automation.
• Research Booking Experts: Understand their product suite (BEX PMS, BEX CMS, etc.) and the challenges faced by their clients in the hospitality and leisure sectors. This will help tailor your application and prepare for interview 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.