Senior Product Designer (Contract) - UK Remote

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer (Contract) Company: Spotted Zebra Location: United Kingdom Job Type: CONTRACTOR Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX) / AI-Augmented Delivery (AAD) Date Posted: July 25, 2025 Experience Level: Senior (5-10 years) Remote Status: UK Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• This contract role focuses on the cutting edge of AI-Augmented Delivery (AAD), exploring and implementing AI within the product discovery, design, and development lifecycle to accelerate user value delivery.
• The position involves end-to-end product design for a new AI-native product, specifically a POC in human-agent collaboration for recruiters, moving from concept to tangible output.
• Requires a strong emphasis on rapid prototyping, user research, and iterative testing, coupled with a deep understanding of how AI can streamline design processes and enhance cross-functional agility.
• The role offers a high degree of autonomy within a lean, fast-paced environment, demanding proactive problem-solving and a collaborative approach with engineering and leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the raw input describes this as a Product Designer role, the emphasis on AI-Augmented Delivery (AAD), experimentation with AI in product workflows, and the creation of an AI-integrated product strongly positions this within the evolving field of AI-driven product development and operations. The contract nature and the direct collaboration with the CEO and Head of Product suggest a high-impact, agile environment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Experiment with and implement AI tools and methodologies to enhance the speed, creativity, and efficiency of the product design lifecycle, from discovery to delivery.
• Lead the end-to-end product design process for a new AI-native product, focusing on human-agent collaboration for recruiters, ensuring intuitive and elegant user interfaces.
• Conduct user research, rapid prototyping, and iterative user testing to validate design concepts and ensure product-market fit, particularly in an AI-augmented context.
• Collaborate closely with engineering teams in a "trio" environment to ensure design feasibility, quality implementation, and seamless handover of design assets.
• Structure and optimize design workflows, potentially including Figma file organization for AI-to-code processes and shaping lean, AI-integrated design methods.
• Contribute to product strategy and thinking, leveraging design expertise to identify and solve real user problems with clarity and speed within an AI-native framework.
• Document and communicate design decisions, processes, and learnings effectively to stakeholders, including the CEO and Head of Product.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of traditional product design skills with a forward-looking focus on AI integration. The emphasis on "zero to one" product creation and shaping the "how" of building products with AI is crucial for candidates to understand.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating end-to-end product design capabilities is paramount. Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in product design, with a significant portion in fast-paced, early-stage, or startup environments is expected.

Required Skills:

• End-to-End Product Design: Proven experience managing the entire product design lifecycle for complex, web-based digital products.
• UI/UX Design Mastery: Ability to design highly intuitive, accessible, and elegant user interfaces with meticulous attention to detail and craft.
• AI Tool Proficiency: Demonstrated experience and comfort using AI tools to enhance design workflows, creativity, and cross-functional collaboration (e.g., Figma AI plugins, Cursor, Claude).
• Figma Expertise: Advanced proficiency in Figma, including creating and maintaining reusable components, structured design systems, and efficient developer handoffs.
• Discovery & Research Skills: Skilled in user research, rapid prototyping, and fast-paced idea testing to validate product concepts.
• Agile & Lean Methodologies: Experience working effectively within fast-paced product teams, ideally in startup settings, and adopting lean, AI-integrated design methods.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to work closely and effectively with engineering teams in a collaborative "trio" environment.
• Independent Operation: Capacity to operate autonomously in a high-autonomy, lean environment, taking initiative and making informed decisions.
• Strong Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for articulating design rationale and collaborating with diverse stakeholders.
• Creative Problem-Solving: A creative, curious, and resourceful mindset focused on solving user problems with clarity and speed.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience shaping product discovery and delivery processes in an AI-Augmented Delivery (AAD) context.
• Familiarity with human-agent collaboration concepts in a recruitment or HR tech setting.
• Experience in setting up and managing structured design systems.
• A portfolio that showcases innovation in AI-enhanced design workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI tool usage and experience in lean, high-autonomy environments differentiates this role. Candidates should highlight specific examples of using AI to improve their design process or outcomes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Comprehensive Case Studies: Showcase 3-5 detailed case studies demonstrating end-to-end product design projects, highlighting the problem, your process, and the impact.
• AI Integration Examples: Include specific examples or case studies where AI tools were leveraged to enhance design speed, creativity, user research, or workflow efficiency.
• Figma Mastery Showcase: Demonstrate proficiency in Figma, including examples of well-structured design systems, component libraries, and clear developer handoffs.
• Process Documentation: Detail the discovery, research, ideation, prototyping, and testing methodologies employed in your projects, especially those involving AI.
• Problem-Solving Narratives: Clearly articulate complex user problems faced and the innovative solutions developed, emphasizing clarity and speed.
• Remote Collaboration Evidence: If possible, include examples or descriptions of successful collaboration in remote or distributed team settings.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Provide documentation or descriptions of how you approach designing and optimizing design workflows, particularly those incorporating AI elements.
• Implementation & Automation: Detail how you ensure feasibility and quality during implementation and any methods used for automating design tasks or handoffs.
• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Illustrate how you measure the success of your designs and the impact of AI integration on key metrics like speed, efficiency, or user satisfaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio for this role should not only demonstrate design craft but also a forward-thinking approach to integrating AI into design operations and workflows. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they've adapted processes for AI-enhanced environments.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is a contract role, compensation will likely be structured as a daily or hourly rate. Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers with AI experience in the UK, a range of £400 - £650 per day is a reasonable estimate, depending on experience and the specific duration of the contract.

Benefits:

• Remote Work Flexibility: Fully remote position within the United Kingdom, allowing for work-life balance and flexibility.
• Impactful Project: Opportunity to work on innovative AI-Augmented Delivery (AAD) initiatives and shape a new AI-native product from conception.
• Direct Leadership Exposure: Close collaboration with the CEO and Head of Product, offering significant visibility and learning opportunities.
• Cutting-Edge Technology: Exposure to and hands-on experience with the latest AI tools and their application in product development.
• Agile Environment: A dynamic and fast-paced work environment that encourages rapid iteration and decision-making.
• Contract Duration: Defined contract period (ASAP until December 12th), providing a clear project scope and timeline.

Working Hours: The role is expected to align with standard UK business hours, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility inherent in a remote, contract-based position.

📝 Enhancement Note: For contract roles, understanding how to structure proposals or expectations around daily/hourly rates is key. The provided range is based on market data for senior-level design talent in the UK, considering the specialized AI and startup context.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: HR Tech / Future of Work / AI-Powered Talent Solutions. Spotted Zebra operates within the rapidly growing HR technology sector, focusing on AI-driven assessment and interview intelligence to improve hiring outcomes. Company Size: Spotted Zebra is an award-winning Series A company. Series A funding indicates a stage of significant growth and scaling, typically involving teams ranging from 50-200 employees, though the specific size of the immediate "crew" for this project will be small. Founded: The founding date is not explicitly stated, but Series A funding suggests a relatively young, high-growth company, likely founded within the last 5-7 years.

Team Structure:

• Core "Crew": You will be part of a small, dedicated team working directly on AI-Augmented Delivery (AAD) initiatives.
• Reporting Structure: The role reports directly to the Head of Product, with significant operational and strategic oversight from the CEO.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Close collaboration is expected with engineering, product management, and potentially leadership as part of a "trio" or agile squad.

Methodology:

• AI-First Approach: The company emphasizes embedding AI into every stage of its product development and service delivery.
• Agile & Lean: The culture promotes agility, rapid iteration, and lean operational practices to drive speed and efficiency.
• Data-Driven Decisions: The platform's success is built on skills science and data, implying a data-informed approach to product development and decision-making.

Company Website: spottedzebra.co.uk

📝 Enhancement Note: The "dazzle" metaphor for the team highlights a culture that values dynamism, growth, and collaboration. Understanding this unique culture will be important for aligning with team expectations.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level contract position, placing the individual in a role with significant autonomy and responsibility for a key product initiative. It's an opportunity to gain deep experience in AI-driven product development and shape new product offerings. Reporting Structure: Direct reporting to the Head of Product, with frequent interaction and guidance from the CEO. This structure signifies high visibility and the potential for significant influence on project direction. Operations Impact: The role's output directly contributes to the development of a new product that leverages AI to improve hiring efficiency and effectiveness, aligning with Spotted Zebra's mission to transform talent acquisition. Success in this role will demonstrate the practical application of AI in design and product creation, showcasing direct business impact.

Growth Opportunities:

• AI Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-Augmented Delivery (AAD) and AI-native product design, a highly sought-after skill set.
• Product Leadership Exposure: Gain insights into product strategy and leadership by working closely with the CEO and Head of Product.
• Startup Environment Experience: Develop adaptability and resilience by working in a fast-paced, high-autonomy startup environment.
• Process Innovation: Contribute to defining and refining new design methodologies that integrate AI, potentially setting industry best practices.
• Portfolio Enhancement: Build a strong portfolio with a demonstrable project that bridges AI, design, and HR tech.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a contract role, growth is primarily defined by skill acquisition, portfolio development, and the experience gained rather than traditional long-term career progression within the company. However, the exposure and learning opportunities are substantial.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Remote-first work environment. This means the company is structured around distributed teams, with no central physical office as the primary mode of work. Office Location(s): While the role is UK Remote, the company is based in the UK, and the team likely operates within UK time zones (Europe/London).

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Digital Space: Expect a highly collaborative digital environment, leveraging communication and project management tools for seamless interaction.
• AI-Centric Tooling: The workspace will be equipped with and focused on AI tools for design, research, and collaboration.
• Agile Squad Interaction: Frequent interaction with a small, dynamic squad of engineers and product leads, fostering a close-knit and efficient working dynamic.

Work Schedule: The contract is expected to be full-time (approximately 40 hours/week), aligning with UK business hours. However, the remote nature allows for some flexibility in managing daily schedules, provided deliverables and collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "remote-first" nature implies a maturity in supporting distributed teams. Candidates should be comfortable with asynchronous communication and proactive engagement in a virtual setting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, resume, and portfolio to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements, especially AI experience.
• Portfolio Deep Dive: A discussion focused on your portfolio, where you'll walk through case studies highlighting your product design process, problem-solving skills, and experience with AI tools. Expect questions about how you approach AI integration.
• Technical/Design Challenge: Potentially a focused design exercise or a discussion on how you would approach specific challenges related to AI-augmented design or the product concept.
• Cultural & Leadership Fit: An interview with the Head of Product and potentially the CEO to assess your mindset, collaboration style, autonomy, and alignment with the company's culture and vision for AI-Augmented Delivery.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight AI Integration: Clearly articulate how you've used AI tools to improve your design process or outcomes. Showcase specific examples in your case studies.
• Demonstrate End-to-End Ownership: Show your ability to take a project from initial concept through to a refined design, illustrating your problem-solving skills at each stage.
• Figma System Design: Present well-structured Figma files or explain your approach to creating robust design systems and components for efficient collaboration.
• Quantify Impact: Where possible, quantify the impact of your design decisions or AI tool usage, whether it's speed improvements, efficiency gains, or user satisfaction.
• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies with a narrative flow that explains the 'why', 'what', and 'how' of your work.

Challenge Preparation:

• AI-in-Design Scenarios: Prepare to discuss hypothetical scenarios involving AI in design workflows, such as using AI for user research synthesis, ideation, or rapid prototyping.
• Lean & Agile Thinking: Be ready to discuss how you operate in fast-paced, lean environments and how you prioritize and make decisions with limited resources.
• Human-Agent Collaboration Concepts: Familiarize yourself with basic concepts of human-agent collaboration and how design can facilitate effective partnerships between people and AI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely heavily scrutinize your practical experience with AI tools and your conceptual understanding of how AI can transform design workflows. Be ready to speak authoritatively on both.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for all aspects of design, prototyping, and component system management. Mastery is expected.
• AI Design Assistants/Plugins: Tools like Bolt, Claude, or similar AI assistants integrated into design workflows.
• Prototyping Tools: Figma's built-in prototyping capabilities, or potentially other advanced tools if used for specific needs.
• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting and synthesizing user research (e.g., UserTesting, Maze, Dovetail).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with web analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) for understanding user behavior, though direct analysis might be less of a focus for this design role.
• Data Visualization Tools: Potentially used for presenting research findings or performance metrics (e.g., Tableau, Looker, or even advanced Figma features).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Awareness of how design integrates with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) is beneficial but not a primary requirement for this role.
• Project Management Tools: Platforms like Jira, Asana, Notion, or similar for managing tasks, projects, and team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma and AI tools is critical. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their specific experience and proficiency with these technologies, especially any AI tools that have directly impacted their design output or workflow.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Agility: A strong drive to innovate and adapt quickly, particularly in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and solving real user problems through intuitive and effective design.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and a collaborative spirit are essential for success within the small, dynamic team.
• Data-Informed Design: Utilizing data and skills science to inform design decisions and measure impact.
• Passion for AI: A genuine enthusiasm for leveraging AI to transform industries and improve human capabilities.

Collaboration Style:

• Lean & Agile Squads: Work within small, cross-functional teams (design, engineering, product) that operate with high autonomy and speed.
• Direct Communication: Expect direct and frequent communication with leadership (CEO, Head of Product), fostering a transparent and efficient feedback loop.
• Proactive Contribution: A culture that values proactive contribution, initiative, and a willingness to step across disciplines to achieve goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's "dazzle" culture suggests an energetic, supportive, yet ambitious team environment. Demonstrating a proactive and collaborative mindset will be key to fitting in.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Pace of AI Evolution: Staying abreast of rapid advancements in AI and translating them into effective design solutions.
• "Zero to One" Product Development: Building a product from scratch in a fast-paced, AI-native environment requires significant ambiguity tolerance and rapid iteration.
• Balancing Speed and Quality: Ensuring that rapid development cycles, driven by AI, do not compromise the quality, usability, or ethical considerations of the product.
• Human-Agent Collaboration Design: Designing effective interfaces and workflows for seamless human-AI interaction presents unique design challenges.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Gain hands-on experience in AI-Augmented Delivery (AAD), a rapidly growing field.
• Product Strategy Immersion: Work directly with the CEO and Head of Product, gaining exposure to high-level product strategy and decision-making.
• Agile Process Refinement: Contribute to and learn from the refinement of agile and lean design processes within an AI-first company.
• Networking: Connect with professionals at the forefront of AI and HR tech.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is ideal for a designer eager to tackle complex challenges at the intersection of AI and product design, embracing continuous learning in a dynamic field.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• AI in Design Workflow: "Describe a time you used AI tools to significantly improve your design process or output. What was the outcome?"
• Figma System Design: "Walk us through your approach to building and maintaining a scalable design system in Figma. How do you ensure consistency and efficient handoff?"
• Problem-Solving with AI: "Imagine we want to use AI to help recruiters identify key candidate traits from interview transcripts. How would you approach the discovery and initial design for such a feature?"
• Fast-Paced Environments: "How do you balance speed and quality when working under tight deadlines in a startup environment?"
• Human-Agent Collaboration: "What are the key design considerations for creating effective human-AI collaborative tools?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Spotted Zebra's mission and our use of AI in talent acquisition?"
• "How do you see yourself contributing to our 'dazzle' culture?"
• "Describe your ideal remote working environment and how you maintain productivity and collaboration."
• "What are your expectations regarding autonomy and decision-making authority in this role?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Process, Not Just Pixels: Clearly articulate the "why" behind your design decisions, your research methodology, and how you iterated based on feedback.
• Showcase AI Impact: Dedicate specific slides or sections in your case studies to demonstrate the impact of AI tools on your workflow or the final product.
• Figma Walkthrough: Be prepared to share your screen and walk through a Figma file, highlighting your component structure, design system, and handoff processes.
• Quantify Results: Use data and metrics to support the success of your projects, demonstrating ROI or efficiency gains where possible.
• Storytelling: Weave a compelling narrative for each case study, highlighting the challenges, your creative solutions, and the ultimate impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to demonstrate not just design skills but also a forward-thinking approach to AI integration and a strong understanding of agile, lean, and remote work principles.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer (Contract) position:

• Submit your application through the provided link, ensuring your resume and portfolio are up-to-date and readily accessible.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your most relevant end-to-end product design projects, with a specific emphasis on any experience using AI tools in design, rapid prototyping, or user research. Showcase your Figma proficiency.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your years of experience, key skills (especially Figma and AI tools), and achievements in fast-paced or startup environments. Use keywords from the job description.
• Interview Preparation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on explaining your process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your work, particularly any AI-driven enhancements. Prepare to discuss how you'd approach challenges in an AI-augmented design context.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Spotted Zebra's mission, their products, and their approach to AI in HR tech. Understand their "dazzle" culture and remote-first ethos.

⚠️ 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.