Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Shakepay

Location: Remote, Canada

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations Enablement

Date Posted: April 20, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote (Canada)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end design for core product areas, encompassing research, discovery, prototyping, testing, and final execution across mobile and web platforms.

• Shape product strategy and roadmap by partnering closely with Product Managers and Engineers from the initial problem-definition phase through solution exploration.

• Drive key business metrics such as activation, engagement, retention, and conversion through the creation of intuitive and high-quality user experiences.

• Champion customer understanding by leveraging qualitative and quantitative insights to inform design decisions and maintain a user-centric approach.

• Contribute to the evolution and scalability of design systems, ensuring consistency across application, web, and marketing touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Product Designer," the responsibilities heavily involve influencing product strategy and working closely with GTM functions (Product, Engineering, Marketing). This role can be seen as a critical component of GTM Operations Enablement, as the designer's work directly impacts user acquisition, retention, and conversion metrics, which are core to GTM success. The emphasis on "shaping solutions, not just delivering them" and "influencing roadmap decisions" highlights a strategic operational role.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete design lifecycle for significant product features, from initial user research and problem definition to detailed UI execution and post-launch analysis.

• Collaborate proactively with Product Management and Engineering leadership to define product requirements, explore innovative solutions, and contribute to strategic roadmap planning.

• Design user experiences that demonstrably improve key performance indicators (KPIs) such as customer activation rates, user engagement levels, customer retention, and conversion funnels.

• Utilize a blend of qualitative user research methodologies (interviews, usability testing) and quantitative data analysis (analytics, A/B testing results) to validate design hypotheses and ensure user needs are met.

• Develop and maintain scalable design system components, ensuring brand consistency and efficient implementation across all digital touchpoints, including mobile apps, web platforms, and marketing collateral.

• Elevate the overall quality of design output and processes by actively participating in design critiques, providing constructive feedback, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the design team.

• Translate complex financial concepts and Bitcoin technology into accessible and user-friendly interfaces for a broad Canadian audience.

• Act as a thought leader in user-centered design principles, advocating for best practices and championing the customer perspective in all product development discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "shaping product direction" and "partnering early" indicates a strategic involvement beyond typical design execution. This role requires a deep understanding of how design decisions impact business outcomes, aligning with the broader goals of Go-To-Market (GTM) operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field is often preferred for Product Design roles. Equivalent practical experience will be considered.

Experience: 5–8+ years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record of successfully designing and shipping consumer-facing digital products.

Required Skills:

• End-to-End Product Design: Demonstrated ability to manage the entire design process from user research and ideation through to high-fidelity design, prototyping, user testing, and final implementation, across both mobile and web platforms.

• Systems Thinking & Design Systems: Experience contributing to and evolving design systems, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency in product development.

• User Research & Data Analysis: Proficiency in employing qualitative (user interviews, usability testing) and quantitative (analytics, A/B testing) methods to gather insights and inform design decisions.

• Prototyping & Interaction Design: Skilled in creating interactive prototypes using tools like Figma to effectively communicate design concepts and user flows.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to build strong partnerships and communicate effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, Marketing teams, and other stakeholders.

• Problem Framing & Ambiguity: Comfort and skill in tackling ambiguous problems, defining the core issues, and developing effective design solutions from scratch.

• Visual Craft & UI Design: A keen eye for visual aesthetics, typography, layout, and attention to detail to create polished and intuitive user interfaces.

• Communication & Articulation: Ability to clearly articulate design rationale, decisions, and trade-offs to diverse audiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Financial Services/Fintech Design: Experience designing for financial products, cryptocurrency platforms, or related fintech applications.

• Mobile-First Design: Deep understanding of mobile design patterns and best practices for both iOS and Android platforms.

• Web Design & Responsiveness: Expertise in designing responsive web experiences that adapt seamlessly across various devices and screen sizes.

• Agile/Scrum Methodologies: Familiarity with working within agile development environments and participating in iterative design cycles.

• Design Leadership: Experience mentoring junior designers or leading design initiatives within a team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "5-8+ years" suggests a senior individual contributor role with significant autonomy and influence. The emphasis on "shaping solutions" and "ambiguous problems" points to a need for strategic design thinking beyond just execution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies Demonstrating End-to-End Ownership: Showcase 2-3 comprehensive case studies detailing your involvement in significant product initiatives from problem identification through to shipped solutions. Highlight your specific contributions, the challenges faced, and the outcomes achieved.

• User Journey Mapping & Optimization: Include examples where you've mapped complex user journeys and designed interventions or improvements to enhance key metrics like activation, engagement, or conversion.

• Design System Contribution: Provide evidence of your involvement in building, extending, or maintaining design systems, illustrating how you ensure consistency and scalability.

• Problem-Solving & Ambiguity Handling: Feature projects that demonstrate your ability to tackle poorly defined problems, articulate the problem space, and present well-reasoned design solutions.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Showcase: Illustrate how you've partnered with Product, Engineering, and other teams, showcasing communication strategies and collaborative problem-solving.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Demonstrate your process for understanding existing workflows, identifying bottlenecks, and designing optimized user flows that improve efficiency and user experience.

• Research & Testing Protocols: Outline your approach to user research, from planning and recruitment to conducting interviews, usability tests, and synthesizing findings into actionable insights.

• System Implementation & Governance: Show how you apply design system principles in practice, ensuring consistency and providing guidance for implementation by engineering teams.

• Metrics-Driven Design: Include examples of how you've used data and metrics (e.g., conversion rates, engagement scores) to inform design decisions and measure the impact of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer role, a portfolio is crucial. The emphasis should be on demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to drive tangible business impact through design, especially in areas directly related to GTM success (acquisition, conversion, retention).

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $150,000+ CAD per year.

Note on Salary: This is a base salary range. Actual compensation will vary based on factors such as years of experience, specific skills, qualifications, and performance. The total compensation package also includes equity.

Benefits:

• Equity Ownership: Stock options are provided as part of the total compensation package, allowing employees to share in the company's success.

• Performance-Based Recognition: Yearly salary assessments ensure compensation is reviewed and adjusted based on individual performance and contributions.

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness: Access to robust health and dental coverage, complemented by health and wellness spending accounts to support overall well-being.

• Remote Work Flexibility: Fully remote work arrangement within Canada, with optional access to office spaces in Montreal and Toronto for those who prefer it.

• Professional Development: An annual budget of $2,000 CAD dedicated to courses, certifications, and training to foster continuous career growth and skill enhancement.

• Generous Time Off: 20 days of vacation per year, with an additional $1,000 bonus incentive for utilizing all vacation days.

• Supportive Parental Leave: An 18-week parental leave top-up program, providing up to 100% of salary during this period.

• Team Engagement: Regular quarterly offsites (team-specific or company-wide) to foster connection, collaboration, and team building.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected given the remote nature of the role and the dynamic environment of a rapidly growing fintech company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary information is explicitly provided, along with details about equity and performance-based increases. The benefits package is comprehensive and designed to support remote employees and foster professional growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech / Cryptocurrency. Shakepay operates within the rapidly evolving financial technology sector, specifically focusing on making Bitcoin accessible and manageable for Canadians. This industry demands agility, innovation, and a deep understanding of regulatory compliance.

Company Size: Growing. While specific numbers aren't provided, the mention of "more than one million Canadians use Shakepay" and "backed by renowned venture capitalists with $44M in funding" suggests a company that has scaled beyond startup phase but is still in a growth trajectory, likely ranging from 100-500 employees. This size often means a blend of established processes and the ability to implement new initiatives quickly.

Founded: 2015. Founded in 2015, Shakepay has a history of building and scaling financial products, indicating a level of maturity and experience in the market. This foundation is crucial for a company aiming to revolutionize financial services.

Team Structure:

• Cross-Functional Pods: Shakepay likely operates with cross-functional teams or "pods" comprising Product Managers, Designers, Engineers, and potentially Marketing or Data Analysts, working collaboratively on specific product areas or initiatives.

• Flat Hierarchy & Idea-Driven: The culture emphasizes "Ideas, not titles," suggesting a relatively flat organizational structure where contributions are valued regardless of seniority. This encourages open communication and rapid iteration.

• Strong Collaboration: The role explicitly requires collaboration with Product and Engineering, highlighting a matrixed or project-based approach to teamwork where designers are integrated into development cycles.

Methodology:

• Agile & Iterative Development: Given the fintech space and the mention of "shipping fast," Shakepay likely employs agile methodologies, focusing on rapid iteration, continuous feedback, and frequent releases.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: The emphasis on "quantitative insights" and improving key metrics reinforces a data-driven approach to product development and design.

• Customer-Centricity: The core mission and the focus on user needs indicate a strong commitment to understanding and serving the customer through design and product strategy.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is described as collaborative, fast-paced, and focused on impact and innovation. This is typical for successful fintech startups aiming for rapid growth and market disruption. The emphasis on "doing work that matters" and "winning as a team" suggests a high-performance environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor (IC). This role represents a senior level within the design function, focusing on substantial product ownership, strategic input, and mentorship. It is a key role that bridges design craft with product and business objectives.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead, Head of Product, or potentially a Director of Product Design. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on a day-to-day basis, forming integrated product teams.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct and significant impact on operational success by:

• Driving User Acquisition & Activation: Designing intuitive onboarding and initial user experiences that reduce friction and increase successful sign-ups.

• Enhancing User Engagement & Retention: Creating compelling features and seamless user journeys that encourage continued use of the platform, reducing churn.

• Optimizing Conversion Rates: Designing effective flows for key actions (e.g., buying Bitcoin, using the card) that maximize successful transactions.

• Standardizing Product Experience: Contributing to design systems that ensure a consistent and high-quality user experience across all touchpoints, reinforcing brand trust.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Design: Potential to grow into a Design Lead or Manager role, overseeing a team of designers and shaping the design strategy.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like user research, design systems, or interaction design within the fintech domain.

• Product Strategy Influence: Continued opportunity to influence product direction and roadmap based on design expertise and user insights, moving towards more strategic product roles.

• Mentorship: The senior nature of the role provides opportunities to mentor junior designers and contribute to the overall growth of the design practice at Shakepay.

• Industry Expertise: Developing deep knowledge in the burgeoning Bitcoin and cryptocurrency space, becoming a subject matter expert.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for growth within design leadership or strategic product roles, appealing to ambitious senior designers looking to make a significant impact in a high-growth industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Remote-first with optional office access. Shakepay embraces a remote-first philosophy, allowing employees to work from anywhere in Canada. They also maintain physical office spaces in Montreal and Toronto, which can be utilized for collaboration, meetings, or as a workspace if desired.

Office Location(s): Montreal and Toronto, Canada (optional access).

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Digital Environment: The remote-first setup necessitates strong reliance on digital collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Figma, video conferencing) for seamless teamwork and communication.

• Access to Tools & Technology: Employees are provided with the necessary tools and technology to perform their roles effectively, including robust design software and communication platforms.

• Flexible Work Arrangements: The remote nature supports flexible work schedules, allowing designers to optimize their productivity and work-life balance, while still ensuring availability for key team interactions.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is implied, the remote-first nature suggests a degree of flexibility. Core collaboration hours will likely be established to ensure effective teamwork across different time zones within Canada. Designers are expected to be responsive and available for critical team syncs and project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on remote-first for a Canadian workforce signifies a commitment to flexibility and talent acquisition beyond geographical constraints, while maintaining hubs for in-person collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications, focusing on resume and portfolio alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Candidates will likely present their portfolio to a design lead and/or product manager. This session will delve into specific case studies, focusing on your design process, problem-solving approach, and impact. Be prepared to discuss your rationale, trade-offs, and how you used data and research.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineers to assess collaboration skills, communication effectiveness, ability to influence, and understanding of technical constraints.

• Design Challenge/Exercise (Potential): You may be given a take-home design challenge or a live exercise to assess your design thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to work under pressure. Focus on clearly articulating your process and decisions.

• Final Interview: A discussion with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Product, CEO) to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, and overall alignment with Shakepay's mission and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Impact & Process: Select case studies that best demonstrate your end-to-end ownership, strategic thinking, and measurable impact on user metrics or business goals. Clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process, the solution, and the results (quantified where possible).

• Showcase Ambiguity Handling: Include projects where you navigated uncertainty or poorly defined problems. Explain how you framed the problem and arrived at a solution.

• Highlight Collaboration: Demonstrate how you worked with cross-functional teams. Use examples of communication, feedback integration, and joint problem-solving.

• Tailor to Shakepay: Research Shakepay's product, mission, and target audience. Consider how your experience and design philosophy align with their goals, particularly in the fintech and Bitcoin space.

• Be Ready to Discuss Trade-offs: Be prepared to discuss the decisions you made, including any compromises or trade-offs, and the rationale behind them.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a challenge, take time to understand the brief, the user, and the business goals.

• Define the Problem Clearly: Start by articulating your understanding of the problem and the key objectives.

• Outline Your Process: Clearly state the steps you will take, including research, ideation, design, and testing.

• Focus on Rationale: For every design decision, be ready to explain the "why" – connecting it back to user needs and business goals.

• Consider Edge Cases: Think about potential challenges, edge cases, and how your solution might scale or adapt.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes a strong portfolio review and cross-functional collaboration assessment, typical for senior design roles in product-focused companies. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate strategic thinking and business impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design and prototyping tool for UI design, wireframing, and collaboration. Proficiency is essential.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's capabilities, experience with other prototyping tools (e.g., Principle, ProtoPie) might be beneficial for complex interactions.

• User Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for conducting user interviews, surveys, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: Experience with platforms like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics to understand user behavior, track key metrics, and inform design decisions.

• Data Visualization Tools (Basic): Ability to interpret data presented in dashboards or reports from tools like Tableau or Looker.

CRM & Automation:

Collaboration & Project Management:

• Slack: For real-time communication and team collaboration.

• Jira/Confluence: Commonly used for project management, tracking development progress, and documenting specifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is explicitly mentioned, highlighting its central role. Experience with user research and product analytics tools is crucial for a data-informed design approach.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Doing Work That Matters: A focus on contributing to a meaningful mission—ushering in the Bitcoin golden age and empowering Canadians financially. This implies a desire for impact and purpose.

• Winning as a Team: Emphasis on collaboration, mutual support, and shared success. This suggests a culture where individual contributions are recognized but collective achievement is paramount.

• Shipping Fast: A commitment to rapid iteration, agile development, and efficient execution to deliver value quickly to users. This requires adaptability and a bias for action.

• Openness & Sharing: Encouraging open communication, sharing ideas, and providing feedback. This fosters a transparent and learning-oriented environment.

• Growth Mindset: Valuing continuous learning, personal development, and embracing challenges as opportunities for growth.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are expected to be integral members of cross-functional teams, working seamlessly with Product Managers and Engineers throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Constructive Feedback Loop: An environment where feedback is regularly exchanged, respected, and used for continuous improvement of both product and processes.

• Empowerment & Autonomy: A culture that empowers individuals to take ownership of their work, make decisions, and drive initiatives forward, especially at the senior level.

📝 Enhancement Note: Shakepay's culture appears to be a blend of startup agility ("shipping fast," "growth") with a strong sense of mission and teamwork. This environment would appeal to designers who are proactive, collaborative, and driven by impact.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity in a Nascent Industry: The cryptocurrency space is rapidly evolving and can be complex. Designing for this market requires continuous learning and the ability to simplify complex concepts for a broad audience.

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: As with any product, designers must balance ideal user experiences with the realities of technical implementation and platform capabilities.

• Scaling Design Systems: Maintaining consistency and scalability across a growing product suite and diverse platforms (mobile, web, marketing) presents ongoing challenges.

• Driving Behavioral Change: Encouraging adoption of new financial technologies like Bitcoin requires designing experiences that build trust and overcome user apprehension.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Fintech & Bitcoin: Gain specialized knowledge in the cryptocurrency and financial services industry, becoming an expert in this high-growth sector.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to mentor junior designers, lead design initiatives, and potentially transition into management roles.

• Advanced Design Skills: Continuous learning in areas like advanced prototyping, design systems architecture, or user research methodologies.

• Strategic Product Influence: Grow your ability to influence product strategy and roadmap decisions based on deep user understanding and design expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant challenges related to industry complexity and rapid growth, which are also the source of substantial learning and development opportunities for ambitious designers.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the end-to-end design for a complex product feature. What was your process, what challenges did you face, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on ownership, process, problem-solving, and impact.)

• "How do you approach designing for ambiguous problems or new product areas where user needs aren't fully defined?" (Highlight your research, framing, and iterative design strategies.)

• "Walk me through how you've contributed to or evolved a design system. What principles do you follow to ensure scalability and consistency?" (Demonstrate your understanding of design systems and their importance.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Shakepay's mission and the Bitcoin/Fintech space?" (Research Shakepay's mission, values, and recent news. Connect your passion to their goals.)

• "How do you foster collaboration within a remote-first team?" (Discuss your strategies for communication, feedback, and building rapport digitally.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate: The Problem, Your Role, The Process (Research, Ideation, Design, Testing), The Solution, and The Impact (quantified if possible).

• Visualize Your Process: Use mockups, wireframes, user flows, and prototypes to illustrate your design thinking and execution.

• Emphasize Decision-Making: Be ready to explain why you made certain design choices, the trade-offs you considered, and how you used data or research to inform those decisions.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Focus on the most critical aspects of each project. Practice your presentation to ensure it flows well and stays within the allotted time.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your process, challenges, and the impact of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic design thinking, end-to-end ownership, and the ability to collaborate effectively within a fast-paced, remote environment. Your portfolio is your primary tool to showcase these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Shakepay careers portal via the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features 2-3 detailed case studies that showcase your end-to-end design process, problem-solving abilities, and measurable impact on key user metrics. Tailor your presentation to highlight relevant experience in consumer products, mobile/web design, and ideally, fintech.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your experience with the required skills (e.g., Figma, user research, design systems, cross-functional collaboration) and quantify achievements where possible. Use keywords relevant to product design and GTM operations enablement.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and rationale for key projects. Prepare answers to common interview questions, focusing on demonstrating strategic thinking, collaboration, and your understanding of Shakepay's mission and values. Rehearse your portfolio presentation.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Shakepay's product, mission, company culture, and recent developments. Understand their target audience and the competitive landscape in Canadian fintech and crypto. Be ready to discuss why you are a good fit for their specific environment and how you can contribute to their 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.