Senior Product Designer - Contract

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer - Contract Company: Fountain Location: India (Remote) Job Type: CONTRACTOR Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design Date Posted: 2025-07-26T00:31:22 Experience Level: 5-10 Years Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design for a specific product area, encompassing user research, ideation, and final design delivery.
• Translate intricate workflows and complex data sets into intuitive, elegant, and user-friendly experiences for a B2B SaaS platform.
• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and fellow Designers to develop scalable and user-centered product solutions.
• Drive product innovation and deliver impactful features at a high velocity through rapid, iterative design cycles.
• Leverage a data-driven approach and strong problem-solving skills to bring clarity to ambiguous challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically for a Senior Product Designer with a focus on B2B SaaS, emphasizing complex workflows and data translation. The "Contract" nature suggests a project-based engagement, likely requiring a strong portfolio demonstrating relevant experience. The requirement for 6+ hours overlap with US Pacific Time is critical for remote collaboration.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete design lifecycle for a designated product area, from initial discovery and user research to final design implementation.
• Conduct deep-dive user research to uncover user needs, validate design hypotheses, and inform product strategy.
• Translate complex business logic, data flows, and user journeys into clear, intuitive, and elegant user interfaces and interactions.
• Partner strategically with Product Management and Engineering teams to ensure alignment on product vision, technical feasibility, and timely delivery of features.
• Drive a culture of rapid iteration and continuous improvement by working in agile sprints, from problem framing to polished design outputs.
• Champion design excellence by articulating the "why" behind design decisions, backed by user data, business objectives, and technical considerations.
• Contribute to the evolution and adherence of the company's design system, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency across the product.
• Present design concepts, prototypes, and research findings to stakeholders, effectively influencing product direction and gaining buy-in.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a senior-level ownership and strategic involvement in the product development process, not just execution. The emphasis on "high velocity" and "rapid, iterative cycles" points to an agile environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of dedicated product design experience, with a strong emphasis on complex B2B SaaS environments.
• Proven track record of successfully designing and launching user-centered products that solve complex business problems.
• Demonstrable experience in leading design initiatives from concept to completion.

Required Skills:

• Expertise in Figma: Proficient in using Figma for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and collaboration.
• User Research & Validation: Strong ability to conduct user interviews, usability testing, and synthesize research findings into actionable design insights.
• Interaction & Visual Design: Deep understanding of interaction design principles, visual design best practices, and creating intuitive user flows.
• Design Systems: Experience in creating, contributing to, or working within established design systems to ensure product consistency and scalability.
• Problem-Solving: Exceptional analytical and structured thinking skills to tackle ambiguous and complex design challenges.
• Communication & Storytelling: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale, present findings, and influence stakeholders effectively.
• Time Zone Flexibility: Ability to maintain significant overlap (6+ hours) with US Pacific Time for seamless collaboration.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with talent acquisition, sourcing, or marketing platforms, providing domain-specific context.
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and working in fast-paced, iterative environments.
• Experience in A/B testing and data-driven design optimization.
• Knowledge of front-end development principles (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to better understand technical constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "5+ years of product design experience in high-complexity B2B SaaS" is a critical filter. Figma expertise is non-negotiable. The time zone overlap is a significant constraint for candidates not in North America.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design process for at least 2-3 complex B2B SaaS projects.
• Clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process followed, and the user-centered solutions implemented.
• Demonstrate your ability to translate complex workflows and data into elegant user experiences.
• Include examples of user research conducted, key insights derived, and how they influenced design decisions.
• Present prototypes or case studies that highlight interaction design, visual design, and usability considerations.
• Evidence of work with or contribution to design systems should be included if applicable.
• Quantifiable results or impact achieved through your design solutions (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction).

Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to user research, including methodologies used and how findings were synthesized.
• Illustrate your process for ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing.
• Explain your collaborative process with Product Managers and Engineers, demonstrating how you navigate trade-offs and align on solutions.
• Show examples of how you handle ambiguity and iterate on designs based on feedback and data.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is paramount for this role, serving as the primary evidence of skills and experience. It needs to go beyond aesthetics and demonstrate a deep understanding of the design process and its impact on complex B2B products.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is a contract role and specific compensation is not listed, contract rates for Senior Product Designers with 5-10 years of experience in B2B SaaS, especially in a remote capacity requiring significant time zone overlap with the US, can range significantly. Based on industry benchmarks and the specialized skills required, a competitive hourly rate or daily rate would be expected. For India-based remote contractors, this could typically range from ₹2,500 to ₹6,000+ per hour, depending on experience, negotiation, and the specific contract duration and scope.

Benefits:

• Contractual Engagement: Opportunity to work on a project basis with a leading enterprise solution provider.
• Flexibility: Remote work arrangement allowing for work from any location globally, with the primary constraint being time zone overlap.
• Professional Development: Annual allowances for ongoing education related to your profession and career advancement, providing opportunities for skill enhancement.
• Stipends & Reimbursements: Monthly lunch stipends, home office, cell phone, and wellness reimbursements to support remote work and well-being.
• Global Perks: Access to Fountain-wide perks like a flexible vacation policy and paid holidays.

Working Hours: While the specific working hours are not detailed, standard full-time contract work typically involves approximately 40 hours per week. The critical requirement is maintaining a minimum of 6+ hours of overlap with US Pacific Time, implying a need for availability during those core business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on general market rates for contract Senior Product Designers in similar tech sectors and remote roles requiring significant US time zone overlap. The benefits listed are Fountain-wide perks for employees, and specific benefits for contractors may vary and should be clarified during the hiring process. The "Global" remote aspect is key, but time zone overlap is the practical constraint.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Human Resources Technology (HR Tech), specifically focused on frontline workforce management and talent acquisition. Fountain operates in a dynamic SaaS market, helping companies hire, onboard, and manage large volumes of frontline workers efficiently. Company Size: Fountain has experienced significant growth, evidenced by its Series C funding of $185M led by SoftBank and B Capital. This suggests a mid-to-large-stage startup environment, likely with established processes but still retaining agility and a growth-oriented mindset. Founded: Fountain was founded with a mission to improve the experience for frontline workers and the companies that employ them. This foundational goal likely shapes its product development and company values, focusing on efficiency, scalability, and user experience for both employers and employees.

Team Structure:

• Design Team: Likely consists of Product Designers, UX Researchers, and potentially UI Designers, working collaboratively. As a Senior Designer, you would be expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy within your product area.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Expect close partnerships with Product Management for strategic direction and requirements, and Engineering for technical implementation and feasibility. Collaboration with other designers is also key for maintaining design system consistency and sharing best practices.
• Reporting: As a Senior Designer, you would likely report to a Design Lead or Head of Product Design, with direct collaboration with Product Managers for your assigned product area.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: The emphasis on "high velocity" and "rapid, iterative cycles" strongly suggests an agile or hybrid agile development methodology. Design work will need to integrate seamlessly into sprint cycles.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: The company's focus on enterprise solutions and the need to demonstrate measurable impact implies a strong reliance on data for decision-making, user research, and validating design outcomes.
• User-Centricity: Fountain's core mission revolves around improving the frontline worker experience, indicating a deeply ingrained user-centric approach to product development.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Fountain's focus on enterprise B2B SaaS for frontline workers is a key differentiator. The company's funding and client list (UPS, CLEAR, Stitch Fix) indicate a mature product and a significant market presence, implying a need for robust, scalable design solutions.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as "Senior Product Designer," indicating a level of experience and autonomy beyond mid-level. It suggests ownership of significant product areas, mentorship opportunities (informal or formal), and a key role in shaping product strategy from a design perspective. Reporting Structure: You will likely report to a Design Manager or Head of Design, working closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads for your specific product domain. This structure emphasizes collaboration and shared responsibility for product success. Operations Impact: As a Senior Product Designer, your work will directly influence the usability, efficiency, and adoption of Fountain's platform. By creating intuitive workflows for hiring and managing frontline workers, you will contribute to customer success, talent acquisition efficiency, and ultimately, Fountain's market position and revenue growth. Your designs will impact millions of users globally.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in complex B2B SaaS product design, user research methodologies, and design systems within a rapidly growing company.
• Leadership Potential: Opportunity to take on more complex product areas, lead design initiatives, and potentially mentor junior designers.
• Industry Exposure: Gain valuable experience in the HR Tech and frontline workforce management sectors, which are critical and growing areas of the economy.
• Strategic Influence: Contribute to product strategy and vision, influencing the direction of a successful and well-funded SaaS platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a significant level of responsibility and opportunity for impact. The contract nature may limit traditional career progression within the company, but it offers rich project experience and skill development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully remote, with no specified physical office requirement for this role. Fountain fosters a distributed workforce, emphasizing collaboration through digital tools. Office Location(s): Fountain employs a diverse team across the globe. While specific office locations aren't detailed for this role, the company operates internationally. The primary constraint for this role is the requirement for significant time zone overlap with US Pacific Time.

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration: Expect to utilize a suite of digital collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Figma) to communicate and work with team members across different locations and time zones.
• Autonomy and Flexibility: The remote nature provides significant autonomy in managing your workday, with the key requirement being availability during overlapping hours for collaborative work.
• Team Interaction: While remote, the company emphasizes building relationships through virtual meetings and potentially occasional in-person gatherings (as mentioned in the company description, though this might be more for full-time employees).

Work Schedule: The role is likely full-time (approximately 40 hours per week), but with the flexibility common in remote contract positions. The critical factor is adherence to the specified time zone overlap with US Pacific Time, requiring availability during those core hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Global" remote aspect is tempered by the strict time zone overlap requirement, effectively narrowing the viable candidate pool to those who can accommodate this.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and fit with the role requirements. Be prepared to highlight your most relevant B2B SaaS and complex workflow design projects.
• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present your portfolio, walking through 1-2 key projects. Focus on your design process, problem-solving approach, user research, and the impact of your work. Be ready to answer in-depth questions about your decisions.
• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be given a design challenge or asked to discuss a hypothetical scenario, assessing your problem-framing, ideation, and solutioning skills within a limited timeframe.
• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineers to evaluate your collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Hiring Manager/Team Lead Interview: A final discussion to assess overall fit, career aspirations, and address any remaining questions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentations to tell a compelling narrative about each project, focusing on the problem, your process, and the outcome.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals, prototypes, and clear explanations to demonstrate your design skills and thought process.
• Highlight Complexity: Emphasize projects that showcase your ability to handle complex workflows, data, and user needs in a B2B SaaS context.
• Quantify Impact: Where possible, include metrics and data to demonstrate the success and business impact of your design solutions.
• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate detailed questions about your design choices, trade-offs, and the specific challenges you faced.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, ensure you fully understand the problem statement, target users, and business goals.
• Structure Your Approach: Outline your process before diving into solutions. This typically includes research/discovery, ideation, prototyping, and validation.
• Focus on Process: Demonstrate your thinking process, not just the final output. Explain your rationale for every decision.
• Time Management: Be mindful of time constraints and prioritize key aspects of the challenge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh the portfolio and the ability to articulate the design process. Candidates should prepare to defend their design choices and demonstrate a deep understanding of user-centered design within a complex B2B SaaS context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and collaborative design workflows. This is a mandatory skill.
• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in tools like InVision, Principle, or Axure may be beneficial for creating interactive prototypes, though Figma's prototyping capabilities are often sufficient.
• User Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for user testing and research synthesis (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback) is advantageous.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Tools: Experience with web analytics platforms like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Amplitude can be helpful for understanding user behavior and data-driven design decisions.
• Data Visualization Tools: While not explicitly stated, familiarity with tools like Tableau or Looker could be a plus for understanding data insights.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not directly a design tool, understanding how CRM systems (like Salesforce) function and integrate with SaaS products can provide valuable context for B2B SaaS design.
• Project Management Tools: Proficiency in tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello is expected for managing tasks and collaborating within agile sprints.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the core design tool required. Understanding the broader tech stack of a SaaS company, including analytics and project management, will enhance a candidate's suitability.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A strong commitment to understanding and serving the needs of both frontline workers and the organizations that employ them.
• Collaboration: A culture of teamwork and open communication, working closely with cross-functional teams to achieve common goals.
• Efficiency & Scalability: A focus on building robust, scalable solutions that can handle large volumes of users and data, reflecting the needs of enterprise clients.
• Innovation & Ambition: A forward-thinking approach, embracing new technologies and methodologies to solve complex problems and drive market leadership.
• Ownership & Accountability: A culture where individuals take responsibility for their work, drive initiatives forward, and are accountable for outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to work seamlessly with Product Managers to define requirements and engineers to ensure feasibility and quality implementation.
• Open Feedback: A willingness to give and receive constructive feedback is crucial for iterative design processes and continuous improvement.
• Data-Informed Discussions: Design decisions and discussions are often informed by user data, research findings, and business metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes solving complex problems for a large user base efficiently. A collaborative and data-driven approach is integral to how design teams operate within Fountain.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Workflows: Designing for intricate, multi-step processes common in talent acquisition and workforce management requires a high degree of analytical and problem-solving skill.
• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Effectively balancing the needs of end-users (frontline workers), business objectives (hiring companies), and technical constraints will be an ongoing challenge.
• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining effective communication, collaboration, and design consistency across distributed teams and different time zones requires proactive effort.
• Rapid Iteration: Adapting to fast-paced development cycles and continuously iterating on designs while maintaining high quality can be demanding.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen B2B SaaS Expertise: Gain extensive experience in a specific, high-demand niche of the SaaS market.
• Advanced Design Skills: Hone skills in complex problem-solving, user research, and the application of design systems in enterprise products.
• Industry Knowledge: Develop a strong understanding of the frontline workforce management landscape and its unique challenges.
• Strategic Impact: Contribute to the strategic direction of a well-funded and rapidly growing company, influencing product evolution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant challenges due to the complexity of the domain and the distributed nature of work, but these challenges are also opportunities for substantial professional growth and skill development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Process & Methodology: "Walk me through your process for designing a new feature from initial concept to final delivery. How do you handle ambiguous requirements?" (Focus on your structured approach, research, iteration, and collaboration).
• Problem Solving: "Describe a time you had to translate a complex workflow or data set into a simple, intuitive user experience. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?" (Highlight your analytical skills and ability to simplify complexity).
• Collaboration & Influence: "How do you collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers? Describe a situation where you had to influence stakeholders to adopt your design recommendation." (Emphasize communication, data-driven rationale, and negotiation skills).

Company & Culture Questions:

• Company Understanding: "What interests you about Fountain and our mission to serve frontline workers?" (Research Fountain's product, clients, and mission).
• Remote Work: "How do you ensure effective collaboration and productivity in a remote work environment, especially with significant time zone differences?" (Discuss your tools, communication strategies, and self-discipline).
• Design Systems: "How do you approach working with or contributing to design systems to ensure consistency and scalability?" (Show your understanding of design system principles).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Project Selection: Choose 2-3 projects that best showcase your experience with complex B2B SaaS, user-centered problem-solving, and your design process.
• Narrative Flow: Structure each case study with a clear beginning (problem), middle (process, research, solutions), and end (outcome, impact).
• Visual Clarity: Use high-quality visuals, clear annotations, and interactive prototypes where possible.
• Highlight Your Role: Clearly define your contributions and responsibilities within each project, especially if working in a team.
• Focus on Rationale: Be prepared to explain the "why" behind every design decision, linking it back to user needs, business goals, or technical constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong design process, ability to handle complexity, and effective collaboration skills, all supported by a compelling portfolio.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the Greenhouse portal linked.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio clearly highlights your experience with complex B2B SaaS products, demonstrating your end-to-end design process, user research methodologies, and impactful solutions. Tailor your selection of projects to align with Fountain's focus on workforce management.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to emphasize quantifiable achievements and specific skills relevant to product design, Figma expertise, user research, and B2B SaaS. Use keywords from the job description.
• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on your design process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your work. Prepare to discuss how you handle ambiguity and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Fountain, its products, clients, and mission. Understand their market position and the challenges faced by frontline workforces. This will help you tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.