Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer Company: Ivo Location: San Francisco, California, United States Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design / Design Systems Date Posted: January 07, 2026 Experience Level: 6+ Years (with 2+ years management) Remote Status: On-site (5 days/week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic vision, roadmap, and execution of Ivo's comprehensive design system to enhance product development velocity and consistency.
• Manage and mentor a team of designers, fostering a culture of high-quality design craft and systematic thinking.
• Drive collaboration between Product, Engineering, and Design through the development of robust Figma libraries, clear documentation, and efficient workflows.
• Establish and maintain design standards, including component libraries, design tokens, interaction patterns, and accessibility guidelines.
• Champion the adoption and consistent implementation of the design system across all product initiatives, ensuring alignment and quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for scaling Ivo's product development by establishing a foundational design system. The emphasis on "managing a small team" and "guiding vision, strategy, and execution" suggests a senior individual contributor role with leadership responsibilities, rather than a pure people management position. The focus on AI tools and the company's mission in contract negotiation indicates a need for a designer who can translate complex AI capabilities into intuitive user experiences.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and scale a robust design system, encompassing component libraries, design tokens, interaction patterns, and adherence to accessibility standards.
• Define and own the overarching vision, strategic roadmap, and execution plan for Ivo's design system.
• Foster strong partnerships with the Engineering team to ensure seamless system adoption, technical alignment, and high-quality implementation of design system elements.
• Design and implement efficient workflows that enhance collaboration between designers and developers, including the management of Figma libraries, comprehensive documentation, and rigorous quality assurance checks.
• Shape and evangelize internal best practices for design documentation, system guidelines, and effective cross-team collaboration to ensure consistency and efficiency.
• Continuously elevate the standard of design craft and execution across all product interfaces, ensuring a cohesive and polished user experience.
• Actively explore, adopt, and experiment with AI tools to enhance design processes and outcomes, staying at the forefront of UI/UX innovation in the AI space.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on design system work, and cross-functional collaboration. The emphasis on "scaling component libraries" and "systematic file organization" points to a need for meticulous attention to detail and a structured approach to design asset management, crucial for a growing SaaS platform.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in Design principles, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is expected. Experience:

• 6+ years of progressive experience in product design, with a significant focus on design systems or front-end/UI engineering.
• 2+ years of experience in a leadership capacity, managing designers, engineers, or cross-functional teams, with a proven ability to mentor and guide.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in building and scaling design systems for SaaS platforms, demonstrating an understanding of complex product ecosystems.
• Deep proficiency in Figma, including advanced use of component libraries, design tokens, variants, auto-layout, and systematic file organization for maximum efficiency and collaboration.
• Strong understanding of interaction patterns, user flows, and information architecture to create intuitive and scalable user interfaces.
• Comprehensive knowledge of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and their practical application in design and development.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design rationale, system guidelines, and implementation guidance to diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment with multiple competing priorities and high expectations for design quality.
• A strong portfolio showcasing a history of shaping scalable design patterns, systematizing complex UI challenges, and delivering cohesive, high-quality user experiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI-driven design tools and a proactive approach to integrating AI into the design workflow for enhanced efficiency and creativity.
• Familiarity with front-end development principles and technologies to facilitate better collaboration with engineering teams.
• Experience in the legal tech or contract management software space.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "6+ years of experience in product design, design systems, or front-end/UI engineering" and "2+ years of people management experience" indicates a senior role with significant strategic and leadership responsibilities. The emphasis on Figma and systematic file organization suggests a need for a highly organized and detail-oriented individual contributor who can also lead by example. The mention of AI tools is a key differentiator for this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A dedicated section showcasing your experience with design systems, detailing your role in their creation, evolution, and maintenance.
• Case studies that illustrate your ability to systematize complex UI challenges, demonstrating systematic thinking and scalable pattern development.
• Examples of component libraries, design tokens, and interaction patterns you have developed, highlighting their structure and application.
• Evidence of your contribution to accessibility standards and their implementation within a design system.
• Demonstrations of how you have improved designer and developer collaboration through tools like Figma, documentation, and defined workflows.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase examples of comprehensive design documentation, including style guides, component usage guidelines, and best practices for design implementation.
• Include examples of workflow improvements you've implemented for design and development teams, detailing the problem, solution, and impact.
• Present how you have managed and organized design files and assets for scalability and efficient collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's focus on design systems, the portfolio is paramount. It should not only display design aesthetics but also the strategic thinking, systematic approach, and collaborative processes involved in building and managing a scalable design system. Case studies should clearly articulate the problem, your systematic solution, and the measurable impact on product development speed and quality.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers with 6+ years of experience and management responsibilities in San Francisco, California, a competitive salary range is estimated to be between $150,000 and $200,000 annually. This figure reflects the high cost of living in San Francisco and the specialized skills required for design systems leadership.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and potential for equity in a rapidly growing startup.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid time off and holidays.
• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge AI technology in a high-impact role.
• Professional development opportunities, including access to AI design tools and industry conferences.
• Collaborative and dynamic work environment in a San Francisco-based office.

Working Hours: This is a full-time position. While specific daily hours are flexible to accommodate workflow, the role requires 5 days per week in the San Francisco office, aligning with standard business operations and team collaboration needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: A salary range has been estimated based on the Senior Product Designer title, the specified experience level (6+ years design, 2+ years management), the location (San Francisco, a high-cost-of-living tech hub), and the specialized nature of design systems work. The company's rapid growth and funding stage (implied by ARR growth) suggest potential for equity.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Software (specifically AI-powered Contract Negotiation) Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the mention of "rapidly growing," "6x'd in ARR in the last 12 months," and "managing a small team of designers" suggests a startup environment that has achieved product-market fit and is scaling. It's likely in the range of 50-150 employees. Founded: Launched in early access in 2023, indicating a relatively young but fast-moving company.

Team Structure:

• The design team is small, with the Senior Product Designer expected to manage its members directly.
• Close collaboration is expected between Product, Engineering, and Design teams, emphasizing a unified approach to product development.
• The company culture is characterized by a "do what it takes" attitude, relentless resourcefulness, and a strong internal sense of urgency, typical of high-growth startups.

Methodology:

• Focus on leveraging large language models (LLMs) to solve complex problems in the contract lifecycle.
• Emphasis on rapid iteration and market responsiveness, evidenced by a 6x ARR growth.
• Design system development is central to enabling product teams for quick iteration without compromising coherence or quality.
• Active adoption and experimentation with AI tools are encouraged to enhance design processes and outcomes.

Company Website: https://ivo.ai/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on AI for contract negotiation is a key differentiator. The culture described is highly proactive, results-oriented, and self-sufficient, requiring individuals who can operate autonomously and drive initiatives forward. The rapid growth suggests a dynamic and potentially demanding, yet rewarding, work environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior-level individual contributor with leadership responsibilities. It's a pivotal position within the product development lifecycle, influencing design strategy and team output. It bridges hands-on design execution with strategic system thinking and team mentorship.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product, VP of Engineering, or a similar senior leadership role. They will directly manage a small team of designers, providing guidance, feedback, and career development support.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer's impact is significant, directly influencing the efficiency and quality of product development. By establishing and scaling a robust design system, they enable product teams to iterate faster, maintain brand consistency, improve user experience, and reduce development overhead. This efficiency directly contributes to Ivo's ability to capture market share and scale its revenue.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into a dedicated Head of Design or Design Lead role as the company scales, taking on broader strategic responsibilities and managing a larger design organization.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-driven design, design systems architecture, or product strategy within the legal tech domain.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Gain significant experience influencing product strategy and engineering practices through effective design system implementation and advocacy.
• Startup Growth: Opportunity to be an early, impactful member of a rapidly scaling company, with potential for significant career advancement and equity growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity for a designer to shape a foundational aspect of a fast-growing AI company. The growth path is likely tied to the company's expansion, offering chances to evolve from a senior individual contributor with management duties to a more formal leadership position.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company requires candidates to work in-person 5 days a week at their San Francisco office. This indicates a preference for a highly collaborative, on-site work environment. Office Location(s): San Francisco, California. Specific office details (e.g., neighborhood, amenities) are not provided but can be inferred to be in a typical tech hub area of the city.

Workspace Context:

• A collaborative workspace designed to foster direct interaction between designers, engineers, and product managers, crucial for rapid iteration and design system alignment.
• Access to modern design tools and technology, with an expectation to leverage and experiment with AI tools within the workflow.
• Opportunities for frequent cross-functional meetings, design critiques, and brainstorming sessions to ensure cohesive product development.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with an expectation of working 5 days a week in the San Francisco office. While core hours likely align with standard business operations, the startup environment may necessitate flexibility and a commitment to achieving project goals, emphasizing results over strict adherence to hourly schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mandatory 5-day on-site work arrangement is a key characteristic of this role, suggesting a strong emphasis on in-person collaboration, team cohesion, and a traditional office-centric culture common in some startups.

📄 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, particularly design systems experience and leadership potential.
• Portfolio Deep Dive: A session with hiring managers or design leads to thoroughly review your portfolio, focusing on your design system work, problem-solving methodologies, and impact. Be prepared to walk through specific case studies in detail.
• Technical/System Design Interview: A discussion or exercise focused on design systems principles, Figma proficiency, component creation, accessibility standards, and how you would approach specific challenges at Ivo.
• Cross-Functional Interview: Interviews with Product and Engineering stakeholders to assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to work effectively within a cross-functional team.
• Management/Leadership Interview: A conversation focused on your experience managing teams, mentoring designers, and shaping team culture and processes.
• Final Round: Potentially a discussion with the CEO or other senior leadership to assess cultural fit, strategic alignment, and overall enthusiasm for Ivo's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Design Systems: Dedicate a significant portion of your portfolio to your design system experience. Clearly articulate your role, the system's architecture, key components, tokens, and the impact it had on development velocity and consistency.
• Showcase Systemic Thinking: Include case studies that demonstrate how you approach complex UI challenges with a systematic mindset. Focus on scalability, reusability, and maintainability.
• Document Your Process: For each project, explain your thought process, the challenges you faced, and how you utilized tools like Figma to build and manage design assets. Clearly outline your documentation and collaboration strategies.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include metrics that demonstrate the positive outcomes of your work (e.g., reduction in design/development time, increase in UI consistency, adoption rates).
• AI Integration: If you have experience or examples of using AI tools in your design process, be sure to highlight them, given Ivo's focus.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for potential design challenges or take-home assignments that require you to design a component, a small feature, or outline a strategy for a specific part of the design system.
• Practice articulating your design decisions and system rationale clearly and concisely.
• Understand Ivo's product and mission; be ready to discuss how your design system approach would support their contract negotiation AI solution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "portfolio that demonstrates how you’ve shaped scalable design patterns, systematized complex UI challenges, and delivered cohesive experiences" is critical. Applicants should prepare to deep-dive into their design system work, showcasing not just visual design but also strategic thinking, process, and impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is a core requirement. Expect in-depth questions and portfolio reviews focused on advanced Figma skills, including component libraries, variants, auto-layout, design tokens, and systematic file organization.
• Design System Management Tools: Proficiency in tools and methodologies for organizing, documenting, and distributing design system components and guidelines.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as primary tools for the designer, understanding how design impacts user behavior and product performance is crucial. Familiarity with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel) and reporting dashboards would be beneficial for understanding design impact.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant for this design role, but understanding the overall product ecosystem, including how design integrates with user journeys managed by CRM or automation platforms, can be an advantage.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a required skill, indicating it's the primary design tool. The emphasis on "component libraries, tokens, variants, and systematic file organization" points to a need for advanced Figma expertise beyond basic wireframing and UI design.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• "Do what it takes" attitude: A proactive, hands-on approach to problem-solving, where individuals take ownership and drive tasks to completion without constant delegation.
• Relentless Resourcefulness: The ability to find creative solutions and overcome obstacles with limited resources, a hallmark of successful startup team members.
• Strong Internal Sense of Urgency: A bias towards immediate action and efficient execution, prioritizing "doing things today" over procrastination.
• Continuous Learning & Adaptation: Embracing the rapid changes AI brings to UI/UX, with a willingness to learn and intelligently experiment with new tools and methodologies.
• Craftsmanship & Cohesion: A commitment to high design quality, taste, and the creation of cohesive user experiences, even while enabling rapid iteration.

Collaboration Style:

• Intense Cross-Functional Collaboration: Close partnership with Product and Engineering is essential for design system adoption and implementation quality.
• Documentation-Centric: Emphasis on clear, comprehensive documentation for design guidelines, system rationale, and implementation instructions to ensure alignment across teams.
• Efficiency-Focused: Developing workflows that improve designer-developer collaboration and streamline the product development process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The described culture is fast-paced, demanding, and highly self-driven. Candidates must thrive in environments where initiative, resourcefulness, and a strong work ethic are paramount. The emphasis on "do what it takes" and "sense of urgency" indicates a performance-oriented team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building at Scale: Establishing and scaling a design system in a rapidly growing startup environment requires foresight, adaptability, and robust documentation to maintain consistency.
• AI Integration Complexity: Translating the capabilities of large language models into intuitive and user-friendly interfaces presents a unique design challenge.
• Balancing Speed and Quality: The need for rapid iteration in a startup setting must be balanced with the long-term goals of maintaining design quality, coherence, and a scalable system.
• Team Management in a Startup: Managing a small team within a high-pressure startup environment requires strong leadership, mentorship, and the ability to foster a productive culture.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AI Design: Gain hands-on experience designing for cutting-edge AI applications, particularly in the legal tech space.
• Design System Leadership: Develop expertise in strategic design system planning, governance, and cross-functional adoption.
• Startup Growth Experience: Contribute significantly to the growth of a successful startup, gaining invaluable experience in scaling product and teams.
• Mentorship & Skill Development: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and receive mentorship from senior leadership within a dynamic tech company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge is likely balancing the rapid growth and high demands of a startup with the meticulous, strategic work required for a mature design system. The opportunity lies in being a foundational player in a company leveraging AI to disrupt a traditional industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach defining the initial vision and roadmap for a design system at a fast-growing AI startup like Ivo?"
• "Describe a time you had to balance rapid feature development with the need to maintain design system integrity. What was your approach and the outcome?"
• "Given Ivo's focus on AI and contract negotiation, what are some unique design system considerations or challenges you foresee?"
• "How do you ensure buy-in and adoption of a design system across both design and engineering teams, especially when there's a sense of urgency?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Ivo's mission and the application of AI in contract negotiation?"
• "How do you embody a 'do what it takes' attitude and a sense of urgency in your work?"
• "Describe your experience working in fast-paced startup environments. What are the key differences from larger organizations?"
• "How do you approach learning and experimenting with new technologies, particularly AI tools in design?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each portfolio piece, clearly outline the problem, your systematic approach (especially regarding design systems), the solutions you implemented, and the quantifiable impact.
• Focus on Design Systems: Dedicate significant time to walking through your design system projects. Explain the architecture, component breakdown, token strategy, and how you managed its evolution and adoption.
• Demonstrate Figma Mastery: Be ready to navigate your Figma files live or share detailed walkthroughs showcasing your proficiency with advanced features, organization, and collaboration workflows.
• Highlight Collaboration: Emphasize how you partnered with engineering and product teams, using documentation and clear communication to drive successful outcomes.
• Address AI: If applicable, discuss any experience or thoughts on integrating AI tools into your design process or design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily emphasize the candidate's ability to articulate their design system strategy, demonstrate deep Figma expertise, and showcase how they embody the company's core values of urgency, resourcefulness, and a proactive attitude.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on jobs.lever.co.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features your design system experience, including case studies on building scalable patterns, component libraries, and systematic UI challenges. Tailor your presentation to highlight your proficiency with Figma and your understanding of AI in design.
• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your 6+ years of design experience with a specific focus on design systems and your 2+ years of management/leadership experience. Use keywords from the job description, such as "design systems," "Figma," "component libraries," "AI tools," and "team management."
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design philosophy, your approach to building and scaling design systems, and how you foster collaboration. Prepare specific examples that demonstrate your "do what it takes" attitude and resourcefulness.
• Company Research: Deeply understand Ivo's mission, product, and the challenges of AI-powered contract negotiation. Be ready to discuss how your design system expertise can directly contribute to their growth and success in this domain.

⚠️ 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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