Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer Company: Monograph Location: San Francisco, CA Job Type: Full-Time Category: Design Operations / Product Design Date Posted: December 10, 2025 Experience Level: 5-10 Years Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive product design strategy and execution across key roadmap areas, focusing on cohesive and intuitive user experiences for B2B SaaS clients.
• Partner with product and engineering leadership to define strategy, set priorities, and influence the overall product roadmap, ensuring user needs are central to decision-making.
• Lead customer research initiatives, synthesizing insights to guide the team toward solving the right problems and improving product adoption.
• Champion design quality, accessibility, and the evolution of design systems, while providing valuable mentorship to peer designers.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration with engineering, product, marketing, and sales teams to align design decisions with business outcomes and customer needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is Senior Product Designer, its responsibilities heavily lean into "Design Operations" by defining strategy, influencing roadmaps, mentoring peers, and elevating design systems and quality across the organization. This implies a need for strong operational thinking in design execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design strategy and execution for multiple critical areas of the product roadmap, ensuring alignment with business objectives and user needs.
• Develop and maintain cohesive, intuitive user experience systems that facilitate user understanding and adoption of new Monograph offerings.
• Collaborate closely with product and engineering leadership to define product strategy, establish priorities, and influence the product roadmap.
• Conduct exploratory and evaluative user research, synthesize findings into actionable insights, and guide product teams toward addressing key customer problems.
• Define and uphold user experience principles and frameworks that govern how Monograph approaches product development.
• Translate research insights and strategic goals into well-crafted concepts, interactive prototypes, and polished final designs across web and mobile applications.
• Balance user experience clarity, brand excellence, and growth opportunities without compromising the integrity of the collaborative user journey.
• Establish and implement thoughtful experimentation practices suitable for a B2B SaaS environment, leveraging iterative learning and hypothesis-driven design.
• Elevate overall design quality, providing constructive feedback and mentorship to a peer designer to foster a culture of design excellence.
• Drive improvements in design systems, craft, accessibility standards, and cross-functional collaboration processes.
• Work closely with engineering, product management, marketing, and sales to ensure design decisions support business goals while prioritizing customer needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize end-to-end ownership from strategy to execution, including research leadership, system design, and cross-functional influence. This suggests a need for a candidate who can operate autonomously and strategically within a growing product team.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional craft and systems thinking is paramount. Experience: 7+ years of product design experience, with a significant focus on B2B SaaS products. Demonstrated experience in leading product areas or initiatives, formally or informally.

Required Skills:

• 7+ years of product design experience, with a strong track record in B2B SaaS product development.
• Proven ability to demonstrate exceptional craft, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills through a comprehensive portfolio.
• Experience leading product areas, initiatives, or design teams; formal leadership experience is a plus but not strictly required.
• Strong user-centered design mindset, capable of uncovering and articulating customer problems and translating them into effective solutions.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity and maintain productivity and momentum in a fast-paced, high-growth startup environment.
• Deep appreciation for brand and visual design, with an equal focus on emotional resonance and functional usability.
• Consistent practice of sharing work early and often, actively seeking and incorporating feedback from diverse perspectives.
• Experience with user research methodologies, including exploratory and evaluative research, and the ability to synthesize insights into actionable strategies.
• Proficiency in translating insights into concepts, prototypes, and polished final designs for web and mobile platforms.
• Understanding of growth strategies and how they integrate with user experience design.
• Knowledge of accessibility standards and best practices in design.
• Experience contributing to or maintaining design systems.

Preferred Skills:

• Startup experience, demonstrating adaptability and a proactive approach in a less structured environment.
• Familiarity with AI functionality design and implementation.
• Experience designing for mobile applications, particularly features like check scanning.
• Experience with iterative learning and hypothesis-driven design within a B2B SaaS context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "systems thinking," "craft," and "problem-solving" through a portfolio indicates that practical, demonstrable skills and strategic design thinking are more critical than specific educational credentials. The "Bonus" section highlights specific areas of interest for the company, suggesting candidates with experience in startups or AI/mobile design might have an advantage.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a minimum of 7+ years of product design experience, with a strong emphasis on B2B SaaS products.
• Showcase exceptional craft, demonstrating high-quality visual design, interaction design, and attention to detail.
• Highlight strong systems thinking, illustrating how you approach complex problems by designing interconnected and scalable solutions.
• Present clear examples of problem-solving, detailing the challenges faced, your design process, and the measurable outcomes achieved.
• Include case studies that detail your involvement in leading product areas or initiatives, showcasing strategic influence and ownership.
• Illustrate a deep user-centered approach, with examples of how you uncovered customer needs and translated them into impactful solutions.
• Showcase your ability to balance user experience clarity, brand excellence, and growth opportunities within your designs.

Process Documentation:

• Provide case studies that clearly articulate your design process, from initial research and ideation to prototyping, testing, and final implementation.
• Detail your approach to user research, including how you gather insights and integrate them into the design process.
• Explain your methods for creating and maintaining design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability across products.
• Showcase examples of how you have collaborated with product managers and engineers, demonstrating your ability to influence roadmaps and product strategy.
• Include examples of how you have incorporated feedback and diverse perspectives into your design work.
• Demonstrate your understanding of iterative learning and hypothesis-driven design, particularly within a B2B SaaS context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements strongly emphasize a portfolio that not only showcases design output but also the strategic thinking, process, and collaborative approach behind it. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their design methodology, research insights, and problem-solving strategies in detail.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $140,000 - $160,000 annually, dependent on experience and location.

Benefits:

• Innovative engineering and product culture that fosters creativity and collaboration.
• Opportunity to join an early-stage, well-funded company with significant growth potential.
• Strong commitment to inclusion and diversity as a company priority.
• For US-based, full-time employees:
  • 100% premium coverage on healthcare plans for employees and their families.
  • Comprehensive dental and vision coverage for employees and families.
  • Provision of a new laptop and necessary equipment for the role.
  • Wellness Stipend to support employee well-being.

Working Hours: While not explicitly stated, standard full-time work hours (e.g., 40 hours per week) are implied, with flexibility often associated with remote-first roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided, and the benefits package is extensive, particularly for US-based employees, highlighting a company that invests in its team's well-being and professional development. The remote-first nature suggests potential flexibility in daily work schedules, though core collaboration hours will likely be expected.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically FinTech and SaaS for Architecture and Engineering Practices. Monograph aims to modernize the tools used in these industries, moving them away from outdated solutions like Excel. Company Size: Early-stage, well-funded company. While specific numbers aren't given, the mention of being "well-funded" and having "two senior designers" suggests a growing, but still relatively lean, organization. This implies opportunities for significant impact and direct influence. Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the context suggests a company that is established enough to have a product and is now scaling, likely within the last 5-10 years.

Team Structure:

• The design team consists of two Senior Product Designers who report to the Chief Product Officer (CPO). This indicates a lean but senior-led design function.
• Close collaboration is expected with Product Managers and Engineering Leaders, forming the core product development triad.
• Cross-functional partnerships extend to Marketing and Sales teams, ensuring alignment across the entire Go-To-Market strategy.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The role emphasizes understanding customer needs through research and using insights to guide product decisions and strategy.
• Systems Thinking: A core requirement is the ability to design cohesive, intuitive systems, suggesting a focus on scalable and interconnected solutions.
• Iterative & Experimental: The company promotes thoughtful experimentation and hypothesis-driven design, particularly for B2B SaaS, indicating a culture of continuous learning and optimization.
• User-Centricity: A fundamental principle is staying deeply connected to customer needs and advocating for user experience.

Company Website: https://monograph.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Monograph is positioned as a disrupter in the architecture and engineering software space, offering a modern SaaS solution. The company culture appears to value people, curiosity, empathy, and the opportunity to shape the future of an industry. The lean team structure in product and design suggests a high-impact environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, indicating a mid-to-senior level position within the design function. It carries significant responsibility for strategy, execution, and mentorship. Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer reports directly to the Chief Product Officer (CPO), providing a clear line of communication to executive leadership and direct influence on product strategy. Operations Impact: The design team's work is central to Monograph's mission, directly impacting product adoption, user satisfaction, and ultimately, business growth. As a senior member, this role is expected to influence product direction and contribute to defining the company's design ethos.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Opportunity to co-champion design excellence and shape the future of the product and design function as one of two senior designers.
• Strategic Influence: Direct involvement in defining product strategy and influencing the roadmap through close partnership with CPO, product management, and engineering leadership.
• Mentorship & Skill Development: Providing feedback and mentorship to a peer designer, fostering leadership skills and deepening expertise in B2B SaaS product design.
• Industry Impact: Contributing to a product that aims to redefine how architecture and engineering firms operate, offering a chance to make a significant impact on a vital industry.
• Career Expansion: Potential to grow into lead design roles or specialize further within design operations or product management as the company scales.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential beyond traditional individual contributor design roles. The direct reporting line to the CPO and the emphasis on shaping the product and design function provide a clear path for career advancement and strategic impact.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Remote-first team. This indicates a distributed workforce with a primary focus on asynchronous communication and digital collaboration tools. Office Location(s): While remote-first, there is a "clustering of product & engineering team members in the San Francisco area." This suggests potential for in-person collaboration or meetups for those located nearby, but it is not a requirement for the role.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Digital Environment: Expect a heavy reliance on digital tools for communication, collaboration, and project management, typical of remote-first tech companies.
• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to relevant design software (e.g., Figma), collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Notion), and project management tools will be provided. The company's own platform, Monograph, will also be a key tool for internal processes.
• Team Interaction: Regular virtual meetings, design reviews, and cross-functional syncs will be essential for staying connected and aligned. Opportunities for informal connection may arise from the San Francisco cluster.

Work Schedule: As a remote-first team, there's likely flexibility in daily work hours, allowing for asynchronous work. However, core collaboration hours will be expected to facilitate real-time communication with team members across different time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote-first nature of the company emphasizes autonomy and self-management. Candidates should be comfortable working independently and proficient in digital collaboration tools. The San Francisco cluster suggests a potential for hybrid-like interactions for those in the area, but the core expectation is remote work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess fit with the role's requirements and experience level.
• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: An opportunity to walk through your portfolio, discussing key projects, your design process, problem-solving approach, and impact. Expect to discuss systems thinking, user research, and collaboration.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with product managers, engineering leaders, and potentially other stakeholders to assess collaboration style, strategic thinking, and alignment with company values.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A conversation with the Chief Product Officer to discuss your overall fit, career aspirations, and strategic vision for design at Monograph.
• Reference Checks: Standard practice to verify your professional experience and performance.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on B2B SaaS: Tailor your portfolio to highlight relevant B2B SaaS projects, showcasing complex problem-solving and enterprise-level user experiences.
• Showcase Systems Thinking: Include projects where you designed scalable systems, design patterns, or cohesive user flows across multiple features or products.
• Detail Your Process: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), your contributions, and the measurable outcomes or impact.
• Highlight Collaboration: Demonstrate how you partnered with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders, and how you incorporated feedback.
• Emphasize Craft and Brand: Ensure your visual design and attention to detail are evident, showcasing an appreciation for both aesthetics and brand consistency.
• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives that highlight challenges, your strategic approach, and the successful resolution and impact.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach designing new features or improving existing ones based on hypothetical scenarios relevant to Monograph's product.
• Think about how you would conduct user research in a remote B2B SaaS environment.
• Consider how you would mentor a peer designer and contribute to elevating design quality and systems.
• Be ready to articulate your understanding of Monograph's mission and target audience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh your portfolio and your ability to articulate your design process, strategic thinking, and collaborative approach. Candidates should prepare detailed case studies that demonstrate their senior-level capabilities in B2B SaaS product design.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design Software: Proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma is expected.
• Collaboration Platforms: Experience with tools like Slack for communication and Notion (or similar) for documentation and knowledge sharing.
• Project Management: Familiarity with agile project management tools (e.g., Jira, Asana) is likely beneficial for cross-functional collaboration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While specific tools aren't listed, an understanding of how to leverage product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel) to inform design decisions and measure impact is crucial.
• Ability to interpret data and translate it into design insights.

CRM & Automation:

• Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms is advantageous, given the need to collaborate with sales and marketing teams, and understand Go-To-Market strategies.
• Understanding of how design impacts conversion rates and customer lifecycle within a SaaS context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's own product, Monograph, is a firm performance management platform. While not a direct design tool, understanding its context and the problems it solves is vital. Proficiency with modern design and collaboration tools is a given for this role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• People First: A core value emphasizing empathy, curiosity, and strong relationships as drivers of success and happiness. This translates to a supportive and collaborative work environment.
• Curiosity: Encouraging a mindset of continuous learning and exploration, essential for innovation in a growing product space.
• Empathy: Understanding and prioritizing the needs and perspectives of customers and colleagues, forming the foundation of user-centered design and effective teamwork.
• Excellence & Craft: A commitment to high-quality design output, attention to detail, and continuous improvement of design systems and practices.
• Impact-Driven: Focusing on making a tangible difference in the architecture and engineering industries, aiming to redefine how firms operate through their product.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect close collaboration with product management and engineering, forming a tight-knit product development unit.
• Open Communication: A culture that encourages sharing work early, seeking feedback, and incorporating diverse perspectives to achieve the best outcomes.
• Mentorship & Support: A willingness to mentor peer designers and elevate the entire team's capabilities, fostering a supportive learning environment.
• Agile & Iterative: Embracing iterative design processes and thoughtful experimentation to adapt to evolving user needs and business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: Monograph appears to foster a culture that values its people and their contributions, with a strong emphasis on empathy and collaboration. These values directly inform their approach to product development and customer engagement, aligning with the principles of effective design operations.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: As a senior designer in a growing startup, you'll need to be comfortable with evolving priorities and less defined processes. This requires strong self-direction and problem-solving skills.
• Balancing Vision and Execution: The role requires holding both a long-term product vision and the immediate need to deliver high-quality designs, balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution.
• Elevating Design Maturity: Contributing to building out design systems, processes, and best practices in a company that is scaling its product function.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring design remains a central influence while effectively collaborating with product, engineering, marketing, and sales, each with their own priorities.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Design Leadership Development: Gaining experience in shaping design strategy, mentoring peers, and influencing product direction at a senior level.
• Industry Specialization: Deepening expertise in B2B SaaS design, specifically within the architecture and engineering tech space.
• System Design Mastery: Opportunities to build and refine complex design systems and user experience frameworks for a growing platform.
• Strategic Product Input: Direct involvement in product roadmap definition and strategic decision-making, offering a broader business perspective.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in high-growth startups, offering significant opportunities for professional development and career advancement. Candidates who thrive in dynamic environments and are eager to build and shape processes will find this role particularly rewarding.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the design strategy for a significant product area. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on strategic thinking, ownership, and impact.)
• "How do you approach balancing user needs, business goals, and technical constraints when designing for a B2B SaaS product?" (Demonstrate your understanding of trade-offs and holistic design.)
• "Walk us through a complex design system you've contributed to or built. What were the key principles, and how did you ensure its adoption and scalability?" (Highlight systems thinking and practical implementation.)
• "How would you mentor a peer designer to improve their craft and elevate design quality within the team?" (Showcase leadership and collaborative skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Monograph's mission to redefine the architecture and engineering industries?" (Research the company's vision and articulate your alignment.)
• "How do you embody the 'people first' and 'curiosity' values in your work and collaborations?" (Connect your personal values to the company's stated culture.)
• "Describe your experience working in a remote-first environment. What strategies do you use to ensure effective collaboration and communication?" (Highlight your remote work proficiency.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly state the problem, your specific role and contributions, your design process (research, ideation, iteration), key decisions, and the measurable impact.
• Highlight Systems and Craft: Visually showcase your design system contributions and the high-quality craft evident in your work. Use clear visuals and concise explanations.
• Emphasize B2B SaaS Context: Frame your case studies within the B2B SaaS landscape, discussing user types, business objectives, and enterprise-level considerations.
• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, trade-offs made, and how you handled challenges or feedback.
• Showcase Collaboration: Be prepared to discuss how you worked with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating senior-level strategic thinking, deep understanding of B2B SaaS design, and strong collaborative and leadership potential. Your portfolio is your primary tool; ensure it tells a compelling story of your impact and process.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Monograph careers portal via the provided URL.
• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your 7+ years of B2B SaaS product design experience, focusing on achievements related to strategy, systems thinking, user research, and collaboration. Integrate keywords like "Product Design," "B2B SaaS," "Systems Thinking," "User-Centered Design," and "Design Systems."
• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features B2B SaaS projects that showcase your craft, problem-solving abilities, and systems thinking. Prepare detailed case studies that clearly articulate your process and impact.
• Prepare for Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio with a focus on storytelling, clearly explaining your design decisions, the challenges you overcame, and the outcomes achieved. Be ready to discuss your approach to user research, collaboration, and mentorship.
• Research Monograph: Understand the company's mission, target audience (architects and engineers), and product offering. Think about how your design philosophy aligns with their values and goals.

⚠️ 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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