Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: First Circle

Location: Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-02-24

Experience Level: 4-7 Years Professional Design Experience

Remote Status: On-site (with potential for hybrid arrangements, though primary description indicates on-site)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive exceptional user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design for First Circle's innovative fintech and neobank platform, focusing on the SME sector.

• Lead product discovery, translating complex user needs and business requirements into intuitive, aesthetically pleasing, and seamless digital products.

• Champion a world-class design aesthetic and visual identity, ensuring brand consistency and a superior customer experience across all touchpoints.

• Contribute significantly to the growth and evolution of the design team through mentorship and by raising the bar for design quality and processes.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product management, engineering, marketing, sales operations, and customer success, to deliver differentiated user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job type is listed as "TELECOMMUTE" and "remote_derived" is true, the description states "On-site (with potential for hybrid arrangements, though primary description indicates on-site)" and mentions specific perks like catered lunches and office-based benefits. This suggests a strong emphasis on an in-office presence, likely in Manila, with potential for some flexibility. For operations professionals, understanding the expected balance between remote work and office presence is critical.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Product Development & Ownership: Take ownership of significant product areas within the SME neobank platform, including credit, payments, FX, corporate credit cards, and payroll, as well as internal operations tools.

• Visual Design & Brand Translation: Push the boundaries of First Circle's design aesthetic and visual identity, translating the brand into products for a truly world-class customer experience (CX) and UX.

• User Research & Product Discovery: Lead customer-centric discovery work, collaborating with stakeholders to develop highly differentiated experiences through concepts, wireframes, and prototypes as the product offering expands.

• Design System & Process Improvement: Actively contribute to and champion the design system and design processes, ensuring scalability without sacrificing quality and efficiency in design workflows.

• Mentorship & Team Development: Support the growth of junior designers on the team, sharing expertise and helping to build a strong, collaborative design culture focused on continuous improvement.

• Strategic Influence: Champion design influence across product teams and take on broader strategic scope within the organization as the company and product suite grow.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with product managers, engineers, marketing, sales operations, and customer success teams to gather insights, validate designs, and ensure successful product launches.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a deep involvement in core product areas within a fintech/neobank context, emphasizing ownership and strategic contribution. For operations professionals, this signifies a role where design directly impacts critical business functions like credit, payments, and FX, requiring a strong understanding of business processes and customer journeys in financial services. The emphasis on "internal operations tools" also suggests an opportunity to directly influence the efficiency of internal teams.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in design principles, human-computer interaction, or a related field is implied. A portfolio demonstrating practical application of these principles is paramount.

Experience:

• 4–7 years of professional design experience, with a significant portion ideally spent in fintech and/or the SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) space.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio Excellence: A strong portfolio showcasing design work that the candidate is proud of and can speak to in depth, demonstrating a range of skills and impactful projects.

• Platform Design Expertise: Demonstrated ability to design great experiences across iOS, Android, and responsive web platforms, including navigation of complex design challenges and trade-offs.

• Creative Vision & Aesthetic Sense: A strong sense of aesthetic, with the ability to push design boundaries and create visually compelling and intuitive user interfaces.

• Customer-Centricity & UX Advocacy: A deep advocate for users, ensuring their needs and preferences are at the forefront of the design process and translating this into exceptional UX.

• Product Intuition & Discovery: Ability to lead product discovery, understand user needs, and translate them into effective design solutions through concepts, wireframes, and prototypes.

• Communication & Articulation: Strong opinions on design quality and craft, with the ability to articulate and defend them clearly and persuasively to stakeholders.

• Problem-Solving & Ambiguity: Comfort operating outside of comfort zones and handling ambiguity with composure, asking the right questions to drive work forward.

• Attention to Detail: Exceptional attention to detail and thoughtfulness across all aspects of work, presenting well-rationalized designs.

• Feedback Integration: Actively seeks feedback and presents ideas clearly and with conviction.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience specifically within the fintech or SME banking sectors.

• Proficiency in building and scaling design systems.

• Experience mentoring junior designers.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and cross-functional team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements heavily emphasize a portfolio that showcases not just aesthetic skill but also the ability to solve complex problems, navigate trade-offs, and articulate design rationale. For operations professionals, this means preparing to discuss not only the "what" but the "why" behind design decisions, especially concerning user workflows, data presentation, and efficiency gains. Experience in fintech and SME sectors is a significant plus, indicating a need to understand the specific operational and financial needs of these businesses.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Impactful Case Studies: Detailed case studies that showcase end-to-end design processes, from problem definition and user research to final UI implementation and, ideally, measurable outcomes.

• Problem-Solution Articulation: Clear explanation of the design problems addressed, the rationale behind design decisions, and how solutions were developed and iterated upon.

• Cross-Platform Examples: Demonstrations of design work across iOS, Android, and responsive web, highlighting adaptability and understanding of platform-specific conventions.

• Visual Design & Craftsmanship: Examples that highlight a strong aesthetic sense, attention to detail, and a well-defined visual identity or contribution to one.

• Process Documentation: Evidence of how the candidate conducted user research, created wireframes, developed prototypes, and conducted usability testing.

Process Documentation:

• User Journey Mapping: Showcasing how you map out complex user journeys, particularly for business users with diverse needs.

• Design System Contributions: If applicable, examples of contributions to or utilization of design systems, demonstrating an understanding of scalable and consistent design.

• Iterative Design Workflows: Portfolios should reflect an iterative approach, showing how feedback and testing informed design evolution.

• Collaboration Evidence: Projects that highlight collaboration with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders, demonstrating effective communication and teamwork.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio that can be discussed "in depth" and demonstrates the ability to "resolve difficult design questions and navigate tradeoffs" suggests that candidates should be prepared to not just present their work but to dissect their design process. For operations professionals, this means framing design decisions within the context of user efficiency, workflow optimization, and business impact, even if these are not explicitly part of the design role's KPIs.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: First Circle does not have a fixed budget and commits to paying competitively based on market rate for the right person. Based on a Senior Product Designer role in Manila, Philippines, with 4-7 years of experience, particularly in a high-demand field like fintech, the estimated annual salary range would typically fall between PHP 1,200,000 to PHP 2,400,000 (approximately USD 20,000 to USD 40,000). This estimate considers the cost of living in Manila, the specialized nature of fintech design, and the company's stated commitment to competitive compensation.

Benefits:

• HMO coverage from day one.

• Free catered lunches.

• MacBook Air provided.

• Monthly fitness allowance.

• Transportation allowance.

• Accommodation allowance.

• Opportunities for growth and broader strategic scope.

• Deeply collaborative culture with support, feedback, and friendship.

Working Hours: The job description implies a standard full-time work week, with the ai_working_hours field suggesting 40 hours per week. However, the emphasis on "exceptional UX" and "not interested in bland and boring" might indicate a dynamic environment where dedication to achieving high standards is valued.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimation is based on general market data for senior design roles in the Philippines, adjusted for the specialized fintech industry and the company's explicit commitment to competitive pay. Actual compensation will depend on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and negotiation. The benefits package is quite comprehensive, indicating a strong investment in employee well-being and productivity, which is attractive to operations professionals looking for a stable and supportive work environment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech, Financial Services (Neobank)

Company Size: First Circle is a rapidly growing fintech company, likely falling into the "50-200 employees" to "201-500 employees" range based on its expansion phase and ambitious neobank build-out. This size indicates a dynamic, fast-paced environment with opportunities for significant impact.

Founded: Founded in 2015, First Circle has established itself as a key player in transforming access to credit for SMEs in the Philippines. Its evolution into a full-stack neobank signifies a commitment to innovation and expanding its financial service offerings.

Team Structure:

• Design Team: The design team is expected to be growing, with a Senior Product Designer mentoring junior members. It likely operates collaboratively, working closely with product management and engineering.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role emphasizes strong collaboration with product, engineering, marketing, sales operations, and customer success teams, indicating a highly integrated approach to product development.

• Ownership Culture: The company fosters a culture of ownership, where individuals are empowered to take significant responsibility for complex product areas.

Methodology:

• Customer-Centric Discovery: A strong focus on understanding and advocating for users through research and discovery processes.

• Iterative Product Development: Implied by the need for prototyping, testing, and continuous improvement of user experiences.

• Design System & Scalability: Commitment to building robust design systems and processes to ensure quality and efficiency as the product scales.

• Data-Informed Decisions: While not explicitly stated for design, the fintech context and mention of "sales ops" suggest that data analysis and performance metrics are likely integral to product decisions.

Company Website: https://firstcircle.com/ (Inferred from domain_derived)

📝 Enhancement Note: First Circle is positioned as a disruptive force in the Philippine fintech landscape, focusing on a critical but underserved market: SMEs. The company culture appears to value innovation, customer focus, and high standards, which translates to a demanding yet rewarding environment for design and operations professionals. The rapid growth and expansion into a neobank suggest a dynamic and evolving operational structure.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior Product Designer. It implies a significant level of autonomy, responsibility for complex product domains, and the ability to influence design strategy and team growth. It's a step beyond individual contribution, requiring leadership in mentorship and process improvement.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Design, Design Lead, or a senior Product Manager. They will work closely with engineering leads and collaborate extensively with product managers, marketing, sales operations, and customer success teams.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer's work directly impacts the usability and effectiveness of First Circle's financial products, leading to improved customer acquisition, retention, and operational efficiency for SMEs. By designing intuitive interfaces for banking, credit, payments, and FX, they enable SMEs to manage their finances more effectively, thereby contributing directly to First Circle's mission and revenue growth. Their work on internal tools can also streamline operational processes for First Circle's own teams.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Scope Expansion: The opportunity to take on broader strategic responsibilities and champion design influence across multiple product teams.

• Leadership Development: Mentoring junior designers provides a path towards formal leadership roles (e.g., Design Lead, Manager).

• Fintech & Neobank Expertise: Deepening expertise in the rapidly evolving fintech and neobank space, a highly valuable and in-demand skill set.

• Product Innovation: Contributing to the development of cutting-edge financial products and services for a critical market segment.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Developing a strong understanding of business operations, sales, marketing, and customer success through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals, this role offers a unique opportunity to influence the user experience of critical financial services. The growth track suggests a clear path for advancement within a growing fintech company, with opportunities to develop leadership skills and specialize in a high-impact industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The description implies a dedicated office space in Manila, given the mention of "free catered lunches" and "transportation & accommodation allowance," which are typically associated with on-site or hybrid roles requiring regular office presence. The environment is likely modern and collaborative.

Office Location(s): Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines. Specifics about the office building or district are not provided, but being in Metro Manila suggests accessibility via public transportation or company-provided means.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The workspace is designed to foster collaboration between design, product, engineering, and other business functions, encouraging idea exchange and problem-solving.

• Tooling & Technology: A MacBook Air is provided, suggesting access to standard design software and hardware. The company likely invests in modern design and productivity tools.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for frequent interaction with peers and stakeholders, facilitating knowledge sharing and mentorship.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is implied. However, the company culture emphasizes high standards and delivering "world-class" experiences, which may mean periods of intense focus or dedication to meet project deadlines, common in fast-growing tech companies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment seems geared towards fostering a strong team culture and facilitating efficient cross-functional collaboration, which is crucial for operations roles that often require seamless integration with various departments. The emphasis on an office presence suggests a company that values in-person synergy for complex product development.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and fit.

2. Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: An in-depth session where you present your most impactful design projects, discussing your process, rationale, and outcomes. Expect to delve into specific design challenges and trade-offs.

3. Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with key stakeholders from product, engineering, and potentially sales operations or customer success to assess collaboration skills and understanding of business needs.

4. Hiring Manager/Team Lead Interview: A final discussion focusing on cultural fit, leadership potential, and alignment with the team's vision and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Impact: Select 2-4 projects that best showcase your skills in solving complex problems, your design process, and your ability to deliver exceptional UX/UI, especially within fintech or SME contexts if possible.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the solutions you designed, and the impact or outcome. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Trade-offs: Be prepared to discuss difficult design decisions, compromises made, and why certain paths were chosen over others. This demonstrates critical thinking and pragmatism.

• Showcase Collaboration: If possible, illustrate how you worked with engineers, product managers, or other stakeholders.

• Demonstrate Craftsmanship: Ensure your presentation is well-designed, polished, and error-free, reflecting your attention to detail.

• Focus on SME Needs: If possible, tailor examples or discussions to how your designs address the specific needs and operational constraints of small and medium-sized businesses.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Thinking Exercise: Be ready for a hypothetical design challenge, possibly involving a specific feature or user problem related to SME banking. Focus on your approach: how you'd define the problem, research users, ideate solutions, and iterate.

• System Thinking: Prepare to discuss how your designs fit into a larger product ecosystem and how you would ensure consistency through a design system.

• Stakeholder Communication: Practice articulating your design rationale clearly and concisely, anticipating questions from non-design stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is geared towards assessing not just design skill but also strategic thinking, problem-solving ability, and collaborative capacity. For operations candidates, understanding how design impacts operational efficiency and business outcomes will be key. Preparing to discuss the "why" behind design decisions, especially in the context of user workflows and business objectives, is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma (highly likely given current trends and collaboration needs), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, or similar platforms.

• Wireframing & Mockup Tools: Expertise in tools for creating low-fidelity wireframes and high-fidelity mockups.

• User Research & Testing Platforms: Familiarity with tools for conducting user interviews, usability testing, and gathering feedback.

Analytics & Reporting (for understanding impact):

CRM & Automation (for context):

• Awareness of how design interfaces with CRM systems and marketing automation platforms, particularly in understanding customer journeys and sales operations workflows, would be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the primary focus is on design tools, an understanding of how design integrates with broader operational systems (like CRMs or marketing automation, and especially analytics for measuring product success) is valuable. For operations professionals, highlighting any experience with how design impacts user adoption of operational tools or processes would be a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Obsession: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of SME customers, ensuring products are not just functional but genuinely helpful and world-class.

• High Standards & Craftsmanship: A dedication to excellence in design, attention to detail, and a pursuit of aesthetically beautiful and seamless user experiences.

• Ownership & Accountability: Encouraging individuals to take full responsibility for their areas, drive initiatives, and deliver impactful results.

• Collaboration & Support: Fostering a team environment where members support each other, provide constructive feedback, and work together towards common goals.

• Innovation & Growth: A forward-thinking mindset focused on building new financial products and services, and a commitment to continuous learning and personal development.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Design is embedded within product teams, working hand-in-hand with product managers, engineers, and business stakeholders.

• Open Feedback Culture: Encouraging regular feedback exchange to refine designs and improve processes.

• Data-Informed Iteration: Using user data and feedback to drive iterative improvements in product design and user experience.

• Shared Vision: A collective effort to build the best possible banking experience for SMEs, aligning design efforts with broader company objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values clearly emphasize customer focus, quality, and collaborative innovation. For operations professionals, this means understanding that design is not an isolated function but a core part of delivering value and driving business success, with a strong emphasis on user-centricity and iterative improvement.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complexity: Creating intuitive interfaces for complex financial products (credit, FX, payroll) for a diverse SME user base.

• Balancing Innovation & Regulation: Innovating within a regulated industry while ensuring compliance and security.

• Rapid Growth & Scalability: Evolving the design system and processes to keep pace with rapid company and product expansion.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent user experience across a growing product suite and aligning diverse stakeholder priorities.

• Raising the Bar: Continuously pushing the boundaries of design quality in a market where users may be accustomed to less sophisticated tools.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Fintech & Neobank Specialization: Gaining deep expertise in one of the most dynamic sectors in financial technology.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Developing leadership skills through mentoring junior designers and influencing team direction.

• Strategic Product Influence: Opportunity to shape the strategic direction of product development and design within a growing company.

• Exposure to Diverse Financial Products: Learning about the intricacies of credit, payments, FX, corporate cards, and payroll from a design perspective.

• Continuous Improvement: Participating in an environment that values feedback and iterative development, fostering ongoing skill enhancement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of high-growth fintech environments, requiring adaptability, strong problem-solving skills, and a proactive approach. The growth opportunities are significant, offering a clear path for career advancement and skill development in a high-demand field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex user workflow with multiple stakeholders. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on process, communication, and problem-solving.)

• "How would you approach designing a new feature for SME banking that needs to be both intuitive for less tech-savvy users and powerful for experienced users?" (Demonstrate user segmentation, research approach, and iterative design.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about First Circle and the Philippine fintech landscape for SMEs?" (Research the company's mission, products, and market position.)

• "How do you approach receiving and giving design feedback, especially in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment?" (Highlight your collaborative and growth-oriented mindset.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process, your solutions, and the results.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction scores).

• Showcase Your Thinking: Be ready to discuss the "why" behind your design choices, your research methods, and how you navigated trade-offs.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with fintech, B2B, or complex workflow design.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design philosophy, your approach to ambiguity, and how you collaborate with engineering and product teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only design skill but also strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and a strong understanding of the business context. For a Senior role, expect questions that probe leadership potential, mentorship abilities, and how you influence product direction.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workable link.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-4 of your most impactful design projects, focusing on those that demonstrate end-to-end process, problem-solving, and user-centric outcomes, ideally with a connection to fintech or B2B products.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 4-7 years of relevant experience, specific successes in product design, and any experience in fintech or SME sectors. Use keywords from the job description such as "UX," "UI," "Product Discovery," "Design System," and "Customer-Centricity."

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice presenting your portfolio projects, focusing on the story behind each design, your decision-making process, and the measurable impact of your work. Be ready to discuss trade-offs and collaborative experiences.

• Research First Circle: Understand their mission, their current product offerings (neobank, credit, payments), and the challenges faced by SMEs in the Philippines. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ 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.

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