Senior Product Designer - Banking / Customer Lifecycle

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer - Banking / Customer Lifecycle
Company: Shine
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands; Berlin, Germany; Copenhagen, Denmark; Paris, France
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Product Design / Customer Lifecycle Operations
Date Posted: January 30, 2026
Experience Level: Senior (5-10 years)
Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office, 2 remote)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role involves end-to-end ownership of the customer lifecycle, with a specific focus on onboarding and KYC (Know Your Customer) processes for banking products.
• You will be instrumental in driving conversion and activation rates by optimizing complex, multi-step user flows across web and mobile platforms.
• The position requires a strong ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Product, Engineering, Data, Operations, Compliance, and Legal, to translate regulatory requirements into seamless user experiences.
• This Senior Product Designer role will contribute to the design system by developing scalable patterns for onboarding and KYC components, ensuring consistency and efficiency across multiple European markets.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Designer," the focus on "Customer Lifecycle," "onboarding," "KYC," "operational efficiency," and collaboration with "Ops" teams indicates a significant overlap with Revenue Operations and GTM operational responsibilities, particularly in user acquisition and compliance. The role requires not just user-centric design but also an understanding of operational workflows and business impact.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete design lifecycle for onboarding and KYC experiences, from initial discovery and user research through to delivery and post-launch impact measurement.
• Diagnose and enhance conversion and activation funnels, as well as improve the operational efficiency of compliance-related processes.
• Lead customer and internal operations team discovery sessions to synthesize insights and inform design decisions, ensuring a user-centric and operationally sound approach.
• Design and iterate on complex, multi-step user flows, navigating stringent regulatory constraints and ensuring a positive user experience.
• Collaborate closely with Compliance and Legal stakeholders to translate intricate regulatory requirements into intuitive and user-friendly UX solutions.
• Contribute scalable design patterns and components for onboarding and KYC to the company's design system, promoting reusability and consistency.
• Partner with Product Managers and Engineering Leads to define priorities, manage trade-offs, and actively shape the product roadmap.
• Participate in design rituals, uphold design quality standards, and ship pragmatic solutions that deliver measurable business value.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a designer who can bridge the gap between user needs, regulatory demands, and operational efficiency. This involves not just visual design but also strategic thinking about workflow optimization and business outcomes (conversion, activation, operational efficiency).

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience, is typically expected for a senior role.

Experience: 6+ years of experience designing digital products, with a strong emphasis on complex, multi-step flows. Experience in regulated environments (Fintech, Banking) is highly valued. Proven end-to-end ownership of design projects with demonstrable shipped outcomes and validated impact.

Required Skills:

• Product Design: Expertise in end-to-end product design processes for web and mobile applications.
• Onboarding & KYC Flows: Proven ability to design and optimize complex user journeys for customer onboarding and identity verification.
• User Research & Synthesis: Strong skills in conducting user research (interviews, usability testing) and synthesizing findings into actionable design insights.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, Data Analysts, Operations, Compliance, and Legal teams.
• Problem Framing & Decision Making: Excellent ability to define complex problems and make sound decisions under constraints and trade-offs.
• Cross-Platform Design: Proficiency in designing for both web and mobile interfaces, ensuring a consistent user experience across devices.
• Stakeholder Management: Comfort and skill in partnering with Operations, Compliance, and Legal stakeholders to navigate regulatory requirements.
• English Proficiency: Strong written and spoken communication skills in English for effective collaboration.

Preferred Skills:

• Fintech/Banking Experience: Prior experience within the financial technology or banking sector, understanding industry-specific challenges and user needs.
• Compliance-Heavy Products: Experience designing for products with significant regulatory or compliance requirements.
• Data-Informed Design: Ability to leverage data and analytics to inform design decisions and measure impact.
• Technical Literacy: Understanding of technical constraints and capabilities to facilitate effective collaboration with engineering teams.
• Design Systems: Experience contributing to or utilizing design systems, specifically for onboarding/KYC components.
• Mentorship: Experience guiding and mentoring junior designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "regulated environments," "compliance," "operational efficiency," and "KYC" strongly suggests that candidates with experience in GTM operations, compliance processes, or B2B SaaS design will be particularly well-suited. The "dual audiences" (end customers and internal ops) requirement means understanding internal operational workflows is as critical as user-facing design.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating ownership of complex multi-step flows, ideally related to onboarding, KYC, or other regulated processes.
• Problem Framing & Solution: Clearly articulate the problem you were solving, the constraints (regulatory, technical, business), your design process, and the resulting solution.
• Impact & Metrics: Quantify the impact of your designs using relevant metrics such as conversion rates, activation rates, reduction in operational effort, or improved compliance adherence.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Highlight instances where you collaborated with PM, Engineering, Ops, Compliance, or Legal teams to achieve project goals.
• Design System Contribution: If applicable, demonstrate contributions to a design system, particularly for reusable components.

Process Documentation:

• Discovery & Research: Detail your approach to user research, customer discovery, and stakeholder interviews, including synthesis methods.
• Workflow Design: Illustrate how you mapped out complex user and operational workflows, identifying friction points and areas for optimization.
• Iteration & Measurement: Show your iterative design process and how you used data and feedback to refine solutions and measure their success.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role with such a strong operations and compliance component, the portfolio should go beyond just visual polish. It needs to demonstrate a deep understanding of business objectives, operational realities, and how design contributes to tangible outcomes like efficiency and compliance. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how their designs impact internal operations teams as well as end-users.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on the senior level (5-10 years experience), multiple European locations (Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam), and the specialized nature of fintech/banking design, a competitive salary range can be estimated.

• Estimated Range: €70,000 - €100,000 per annum (or local equivalent in EUR).
• Methodology: This estimate is derived from industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in major European tech hubs, adjusted for the fintech sector which often offers slightly higher compensation due to specialized skills and regulatory complexity. It also considers the hybrid work model and the company's stated commitment to competitive compensation.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary package, commensurate with experience and profile.
• Opportunity for visible impact on the daily lives of freelancers and small business owners across Europe.
• End-to-end ownership in a product trio (Design × Product × Engineering) environment with significant influence.
• Work on high-ambiguity, high-impact problems with measurable outcomes and iterative improvements.
• Access to a strong Product Design community with regular feedback, craft, and learning rituals.
• Multicultural work environment with colleagues across France, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
• Hybrid work model, offering flexibility with 3 days in office and 2 remote working days per week.
• Potential for professional development and growth within the organization.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the hybrid work arrangement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate. It's crucial for candidates to research local salary standards for Senior Product Designers in Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin, and Amsterdam, accounting for cost of living differences and specific fintech sector compensation trends. The "competitive salary" statement indicates potential for negotiation based on candidate experience.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech / Banking Technology. Shine is part of a larger group consolidating leading European fintechs, aiming to provide an integrated platform for freelancers and small business owners. Company Size: Over 400 people, indicating a mature but still agile and growing organization. This size allows for dedicated specialized teams while maintaining a connected, multicultural environment. Founded: While the founding date of Shine itself isn't specified, the consolidation of leading European fintechs suggests a relatively recent formation of the current entity, implying a dynamic and evolving culture.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team comprises 15 talented individuals, organized into specialized areas: Staff Design, Copywriting, Banking, and Invoicing & Accounting.
• This role is within the Banking domain, specifically focusing on customer lifecycle experiences.
• You will be part of a cross-functional squad (Product, Engineering, Data, Ops, Compliance) and report directly to Arnaud Le Roux, Head of Design (Banking).

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on measuring impact and iterating based on data, crucial for optimizing conversion and operational efficiency.
• User-Centric Approach: Deep understanding of customer needs through research and direct interaction, aiming to simplify financial administration for freelancers.
• Agile Development: Collaboration within product trios (Design, Product, Engineering) suggests agile methodologies, focusing on shipping pragmatically and iterating.
• Design System Utilization: Contribution to and use of a design system for scalable patterns and components, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

Company Website: https://careers.shine.co

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission to simplify financial admin for freelancers and small businesses, combined with its fintech industry focus, suggests a culture that values efficiency, user-friendliness, and innovation. The "multicultural team" and presence across multiple European countries point towards a diverse and collaborative work environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer. This level implies significant autonomy, end-to-end ownership, and the ability to influence product strategy and roadmap. It requires not only strong design craft but also strategic thinking, problem-solving under ambiguity, and stakeholder management.

Reporting Structure: You will report to Arnaud Le Roux, Head of Design (Banking), and work day-to-day within a cross-functional squad alongside Product and Engineering counterparts. This structure fosters close collaboration and direct impact.

Operations Impact: The role is designed to have a direct and visible impact on critical business metrics:

• Conversion & Activation: Directly improving the rate at which new users successfully onboard and begin using the banking services.
• Operational Efficiency: Streamlining compliance-heavy processes like KYC, which reduces manual effort for internal operations teams and speeds up customer onboarding.
• Scalability: Creating reusable patterns for multi-market deployment, enabling efficient growth.
• Customer Lifecycle: Shaping foundational experiences that influence long-term customer retention and satisfaction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in designing for regulated environments, complex flows, and customer lifecycle management within the fintech sector.
• Design System Leadership: Contribute significantly to the design system, potentially leading initiatives for specific component libraries.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Grow influence across Product, Engineering, and Operations by demonstrating the value of user-centered and efficient design solutions.
• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers within the growing Product Design community.
• Career Progression: Potential to move into Lead Product Designer roles, manage design initiatives, or specialize further within product domains.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a strong platform for growth, particularly for designers interested in the intersection of user experience, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance within a fast-paced fintech environment. The emphasis on impact and ownership suggests a culture that rewards proactive contributions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model with 3 days in the office and 2 days remote. This suggests a modern office setup designed for collaboration, with the flexibility of remote work.

Office Location(s): The role is available in Amsterdam (Netherlands), Berlin (Germany), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Paris (France). This offers geographical choice for candidates.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Office environments likely feature open-plan areas, meeting rooms, and dedicated spaces for cross-functional team collaboration.
• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to standard design and collaboration tools, likely including Figma, project management software (e.g., Jira, Asana), and communication platforms (e.g., Slack, Teams).
• Team Interaction: Regular in-person interaction with squad members and the broader design community, fostering knowledge sharing and a strong team culture.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 per week), with the hybrid model offering flexibility in how and where work is performed. This structure supports focused design work and collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of the work environment, balancing the benefits of in-person collaboration with the flexibility of remote work. Candidates should consider which of the four office locations best suits their preferences and logistical needs.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• 1️⃣ Initial Call (45 min) with Talent Acquisition: Focus on understanding your background, motivations, and initial fit with Shine's culture and the role. Be prepared to discuss your career journey and interest in fintech/banking.
• 2️⃣ Interview with Hiring Manager (45 min): Deeper dive into your design experience, problem-solving approach, and specific skills related to onboarding and complex flows. Arnaud Le Roux will assess your senior-level capabilities and strategic thinking.
• 3️⃣ Business Case Presentation (1 hour): This is a critical step. You will be given a practical design challenge relevant to onboarding/KYC. Prepare to present your process, rationale, design solutions, and how you would measure impact. Focus on demonstrating your end-to-end ownership and ability to navigate constraints.
• 4️⃣ Team Introduction & Soft Skills Interview: Meet potential colleagues and discuss soft skills, personality assessments, and how to best support your growth at Shine. This assesses cultural fit and team dynamics.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 2-3 strong case studies that best represent your experience in complex flows, end-to-end ownership, and impact. Prioritize those relevant to onboarding, KYC, or regulated environments.
• Storytelling is Key: Structure your case studies to tell a compelling story: the problem, your role, the process, the constraints, the solution, and most importantly, the measurable outcomes and learnings.
• Highlight Operations Impact: Explicitly detail how your designs improved conversion, activation, or operational efficiency. Quantify where possible.
• Showcase Collaboration: Mention how you partnered with Product, Engineering, Ops, Compliance, and Legal.
• Be Ready to Discuss Trade-offs: Prepare to talk about the decisions you made, the trade-offs you considered (e.g., user experience vs. compliance), and why you made those choices.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: Research Shine, its mission, and the challenges faced by freelancers and small businesses in managing their finances.
• Focus on Process: The business case will likely assess your design process, problem-solving methodology, and ability to think critically under pressure.
• Consider Dual Audiences: Remember you're designing for both end-users and internal operations teams. How do your solutions serve both?
• Regulatory Awareness: Show an understanding of the importance of compliance in banking and how to integrate it seamlessly into the user experience.
• Practice Presentation: Rehearse your presentation to ensure clarity, conciseness, and confidence within the allotted time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess both design craft and business acumen. The business case presentation is particularly important for demonstrating practical application of skills and understanding of operational impact. Candidates should prepare thoroughly for this stage, focusing on demonstrating their ability to deliver tangible results in a regulated fintech environment.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design Software: Figma is highly likely to be the primary tool for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaboration, given its industry prevalence.
• Prototyping: Advanced prototyping capabilities within Figma or specialized tools like InVision.
• Design Systems: Experience with or contribution to design systems, likely involving tools for component management and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/Mobile Analytics: Tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, or Mixpanel for tracking user behavior, conversion funnels, and activation metrics.
• Data Visualization/BI Tools: Potentially exposure to tools like Tableau, Looker, or internal dashboards for analyzing performance data and user insights.

CRM & Automation:

• Internal Operations Tools: While not directly a design tool, familiarity with how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) or workflow automation tools are used by operations teams can be beneficial for understanding internal processes.
• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for managing product development workflows and tracking tasks.

Other Potential Tools:

• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting usability testing, surveys, or interviews (e.g., UserTesting.com, Typeform, SurveyMonkey).
• Collaboration Tools: Slack, Microsoft Teams for team communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost a given for a Senior Product Designer. Beyond design tools, an understanding of analytics platforms and how to leverage data to inform design decisions is crucial, especially for a role focused on conversion and operational efficiency. Familiarity with the challenges and workflows of internal operations teams would be a significant advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven: A strong focus on delivering tangible results that benefit both customers and the business, particularly in areas of conversion, activation, and operational efficiency.
• User-Centricity: Deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of freelancers and small business owners, simplifying their financial lives.
• Collaboration: Emphasis on cross-functional teamwork and open communication across Product, Engineering, Design, Data, Ops, and Compliance.
• Efficiency & Pragmatism: A drive to build scalable, efficient solutions while shipping pragmatically, balancing quality with timely delivery.
• Continuous Improvement: A culture of learning, iteration, and refinement of both products and processes.

Collaboration Style:

• Product Trios: Working in tight-knit teams of Design, Product, and Engineering to co-create solutions.
• Cross-Functional Squads: Active participation in wider squads that include Ops, Data, and Compliance, ensuring all perspectives are considered.
• Design Community Rituals: Regular engagement with the broader design team for feedback, knowledge sharing, and craft development.
• Open Communication: Encouragement of proactive communication and feedback exchange to foster a supportive and productive environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's values appear to align closely with core operations principles: driving measurable impact, optimizing processes for efficiency, and fostering strong cross-functional collaboration. Candidates who demonstrate these values in their approach to design will likely thrive.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Experience with Regulatory Constraints: Designing intuitive and frictionless experiences within strict compliance and legal frameworks (e.g., KYC) is a significant, ongoing challenge.
• Dual Audience Design: Catering to the distinct needs and workflows of both end-customers and internal operations teams requires careful consideration and strategic design.
• Cross-Market Scalability: Adapting and scaling onboarding and KYC flows across multiple European markets, each with potential local nuances or regulatory differences.
• High Ambiguity: Tackling complex, ill-defined problems in a rapidly evolving fintech landscape, requiring strong problem-framing and strategic thinking.
• Data Synthesis: Effectively gathering, synthesizing, and acting upon diverse data sources (user research, analytics, operational feedback) to drive design decisions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Fintech Specialization: Gaining deep expertise in the banking and fintech sector, including evolving regulatory landscapes and user expectations.
• Complex Flow Optimization: Mastering the art of designing and improving intricate, multi-step processes that are critical to business success.
• Cross-Functional Impact: Developing strong influencing and collaboration skills by working closely with diverse stakeholders to drive product strategy and execution.
• Design System Contribution: Enhancing skills in building and maintaining scalable design systems, creating reusable components for critical user journeys.
• Mentorship & Leadership: Opportunities to grow into leadership roles by mentoring junior designers and taking ownership of key design initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of senior roles in regulated industries, offering significant opportunities for professional development. Candidates who view these challenges as growth opportunities will be well-positioned for success.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed a complex, multi-step flow for a regulated product. What were the biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on your process, problem-solving, and stakeholder collaboration.)
• "How would you approach diagnosing and improving the conversion rate for our onboarding process, considering both user friction and operational efficiency?" (Demonstrate your analytical approach, understanding of funnels, and ability to balance user needs with business/operational goals.)
• "Walk us through a project where you had to translate stringent regulatory requirements into a user-friendly experience. What was your process for working with Legal/Compliance?" (Highlight your collaboration skills and ability to navigate complex constraints.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Shine and our mission to help freelancers and small business owners?" (Show genuine interest in the company's purpose and target audience.)
• "How do you approach working within a cross-functional 'product trio' (Design, Product, Engineering) to drive product development?" (Discuss your collaboration style and understanding of agile team dynamics.)
• "How do you measure the success and impact of your design work, particularly in areas like conversion and operational efficiency?" (Prepare specific examples and metrics.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the process (research, ideation, design, testing), the solution, and the quantifiable impact.
• Focus on "Why": Be prepared to explain the rationale behind your design decisions, especially trade-offs made between user experience, business goals, and regulatory requirements.
• Highlight Operational Insights: Explicitly mention how your designs addressed operational challenges or improved internal workflows, even if the primary focus was user-facing.
• Be Ready for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your process, your decisions, and how you would apply your learnings to Shine's specific challenges. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical application and strategic thinking. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just design skills but also a business-oriented mindset, an understanding of operational impact, and the ability to navigate complex, regulated environments.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the careers link provided.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features 2-3 detailed case studies showcasing end-to-end ownership of complex flows, ideally in regulated environments. Highlight how your designs impacted conversion, activation, or operational efficiency.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your 6+ years of experience in digital product design, highlight specific achievements in onboarding/KYC, and include keywords like "user research," "cross-functional collaboration," "problem framing," and "stakeholder management."
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, strategic thinking, and impact measurement capabilities. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions and thoroughly review your case studies for presentation.
• Company Research: Deeply research Shine's mission, target audience (freelancers/small businesses), and its position within the fintech landscape. Understand the importance of onboarding and KYC in banking and how it aligns with operational 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.