Senior Product Designer - Edinburgh, United Kingdom

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Speechify

Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-02-08

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on end-to-end product design, from concept ideation and prototyping to the final delivery and iteration of consumer-facing features.

• The Senior Product Designer will be instrumental in refining the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) across Speechify's native mobile applications (iOS and Android) and potentially web platforms.

• A key aspect of this position involves rethinking and optimizing core user journeys, including onboarding and critical user flows, to enhance engagement and retention.

• The role demands active participation in shaping the product roadmap, leveraging data analytics and user research to identify key opportunities for improvement and innovation.

• The Senior Product Designer will also contribute to the evolution of the design organization itself, refining processes and best practices within a high-growth, distributed team environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job title "Senior Product Designer" combined with responsibilities like "influence the product roadmap" and "refine our process and help shape the design org" indicates a role that goes beyond execution, requiring strategic input and leadership potential within the design function. The emphasis on a "100% distributed setting" highlights the need for strong asynchronous communication and self-management skills.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, prototype, test, build, ship, and iterate on new product features, ensuring a high standard of user experience and technical feasibility.

• Conduct user research, including customer interviews and usability testing, to gather insights that directly inform design decisions and product strategy.

• Design and refine intuitive user flows and onboarding experiences to maximize user adoption, engagement, and feature utilization across all platforms.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and AI Research Scientists to translate product requirements and technical constraints into elegant and effective design solutions.

• Develop and maintain a consistent and high-quality UX/UI design system and pattern library across iOS, Android, and web applications.

• Analyze product performance data and user feedback to identify pain points, opportunities for optimization, and areas for innovation.

• Contribute to the strategic direction of the product by providing design perspectives on the product roadmap and feature prioritization.

• Champion design best practices, user-centricity, and accessibility standards throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Actively participate in design critiques and provide constructive feedback to peers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the design team.

• Contribute to the development and optimization of internal design processes, tools, and documentation for the distributed design organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities listed are typical for a Senior Product Designer in a fast-paced tech startup. The emphasis on "pitch, prototype, test, build, ship, and refine" signifies a full-cycle design ownership. The mention of "AI research scientists" and "audio" points towards a domain-specific understanding required for Speechify's text-to-speech technology.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• A minimum of 5-10 years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record of delivering successful consumer-facing digital products across multiple platforms (mobile, web).

• Demonstrable experience in the full product development lifecycle, including user research, discovery, wireframing, prototyping, UI design, user testing, and shipping features.

Required Skills:

• Product Thinking: Ability to understand business strategy, articulate the "what" and "why" behind design decisions, and leverage analytics to identify key product opportunities.

• User Research & Discovery: Proficiency in conducting user interviews, surveys, usability testing, and synthesizing research findings to drive product strategy.

• UX/UI Design: Expertise in creating intuitive user interfaces, designing user flows, and developing wireframes and high-fidelity mockups for mobile (iOS/Android) and web applications.

• Prototyping: Skill in creating interactive prototypes using tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar, to effectively communicate design concepts and test user flows.

• Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams including Product Managers, Engineers, and AI specialists, fostering a collaborative and productive environment.

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale clearly to diverse stakeholders and document design decisions meticulously.

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user, with demonstrated experience in incorporating customer feedback into the design process.

Preferred Skills:

• Typography & Information Design: Strong command of visual design principles, including typography, layout, color theory, and information hierarchy.

• Micro-Interactions: Ability to design subtle yet impactful micro-interactions that enhance user engagement and provide delightful user experiences.

• Audio Design: Curiosity and understanding of audio-related user experiences, given Speechify's core product.

• Accessibility Standards: Knowledge of WCAG guidelines and best practices for designing inclusive products for users with learning differences.

• Figma Proficiency: Advanced skills in Figma, including component libraries, auto-layout, and collaborative design workflows, is highly desirable.

• Experience with AI-driven products: Familiarity with designing for products that leverage artificial intelligence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level is inferred from the "Senior" title and the responsibilities described, aligning with a 5-10 year range often associated with senior design roles that require strategic input and mentorship capabilities. The "AI research scientists" mention suggests familiarity with AI-integrated products is a strong plus.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design projects, demonstrating your ability to move from research and discovery through to polished UI delivery.

• Projects should highlight your strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and understanding of user needs within a consumer-facing product context.

• Include examples of your work on mobile applications (iOS and Android) and any relevant web-based projects.

• Showcase your prototyping abilities and how you've used prototypes for testing and iteration.

Process Documentation:

• Your portfolio should implicitly or explicitly demonstrate your understanding of design process methodologies, including:
  • Research & Discovery: How you identify user needs, conduct competitive analysis, and define product requirements.
  • Ideation & Prototyping: Your approach to brainstorming, sketching, wireframing, and creating interactive prototypes.
  • User Testing & Iteration: How you gather feedback, iterate on designs, and validate solutions with users.
  • UI Design & Delivery: Your process for creating high-fidelity mockups, design systems, and preparing assets for development handoff.
  • Collaboration: Evidence of how you work with cross-functional teams to bring designs to life.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer role, a portfolio is paramount. The emphasis is on demonstrating strategic impact and end-to-end ownership, not just visual execution. Portfolio pieces should clearly articulate the problem, solution, and quantifiable results.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Competitive Compensation: Includes salary, and potentially equity or performance-based bonuses.

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive health insurance, potentially including dental and vision coverage.

• Professional Development: Budget for conferences, training, courses, and resources to support continuous learning and skill enhancement in product design and related fields.

• Flexible Work Environment: Fully remote work arrangement with the autonomy to manage your schedule, promoting work-life balance.

• Generous Paid Time Off: Ample vacation days, sick leave, and public holidays.

• Retirement Savings Plan: Contribution matching or support for pension schemes.

• Impactful Work: The opportunity to work on a product that directly improves the lives of millions, especially those with learning differences.

• Cutting-Edge Technology: Exposure to AI and audio technology in a rapidly evolving domain.

Working Hours:

• Speechify operates on an asynchronous work model, which implies flexibility. While a standard 40-hour work week is typical, the emphasis is on output and effectiveness rather than strict adherence to office hours, allowing for flexibility to accommodate different time zones and personal schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on UK market rates for senior design roles in tech, adjusted for Edinburgh's cost of living and the specific demands of a remote, high-growth startup. Benefits are typical for such companies, with an emphasis on professional growth and flexible work arrangements.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (Software, AI, Education Technology, Accessibility)

Company Size: ~200 employees (as of the provided description). This indicates a growing company that is past the very early startup phase but still retains much of the agility and innovation of a smaller organization.

Founded: Speechify was founded in 2016, giving it a solid track record and experience in the market.

Team Structure:

• Distributed & Asynchronous: Speechify operates with a 100% distributed team, meaning there are no physical offices. This necessitates a strong reliance on asynchronous communication tools and practices.

• Cross-Functional: The design team collaborates closely with engineers (frontend, backend), AI research scientists, product managers, and leadership.

• Talent Pool: The team comprises individuals from top tech companies (Amazon, Microsoft, Google) and leading academic programs (Stanford), suggesting a high caliber of talent and expertise.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Product Development: The company emphasizes using analytics to pinpoint key opportunities and inform product decisions.

• User-Centric Design: Customer feedback is highly valued and integrated into the design process.

• Agile & Iterative: The nature of a high-growth startup implies a fast-paced, iterative approach to product development and feature releases.

• Focus on Impact: The mission to remove reading barriers and the product's role in improving lives for individuals with learning differences are central to the company's ethos.

Company Website: speechify.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is defined by its distributed nature, focus on impact, and high-caliber talent. The Senior Product Designer will need to be comfortable with asynchronous communication and driving initiatives within a lean, agile environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer

This role is positioned at a senior individual contributor level. It requires not only expert-level design skills but also the ability to influence product strategy, mentor junior designers (potentially), and contribute to the growth of the design organization. The scope of influence extends beyond individual features to shaping the overall user experience and product roadmap.

Reporting Structure:

Operations Impact:

• The Senior Product Designer's impact is direct and significant. By improving the user experience, onboarding, and core flows of Speechify's products, they will directly contribute to:
  • Increased user acquisition and retention rates.
  • Enhanced user satisfaction and product engagement.
  • Growth in key business metrics (e.g., active users, conversion rates).
  • Reinforcement of Speechify's mission to make reading accessible and efficient.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Design Lead or Manager role as the design team expands, taking on more responsibility for team management, strategy, and mentorship.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like AI-driven design, accessibility, or audio UX.

• Product Strategy: Gain more influence over the product roadmap and contribute at a higher strategic level.

• Cross-Functional Advancement: Transition into Product Management roles if desired, leveraging their deep understanding of user needs and product development.

• Industry Recognition: Contribute to award-winning products and gain recognition in the design and accessibility communities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a path towards leadership or deeper specialization. The dynamic nature of a high-growth startup offers opportunities for rapid career progression and significant impact.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: 100% Distributed. Speechify has no physical office. This means the "work environment" is entirely digital and home-based.

Office Location(s):

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration: The primary workspace is digital, relying heavily on collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Figma, Zoom, Notion).

• Asynchronous Focus: Expect a work environment that prioritizes asynchronous communication, requiring clear documentation and thoughtful communication to bridge time zone differences and reduce real-time meeting dependency.

• Autonomy & Self-Management: The environment fosters autonomy, requiring individuals to be highly self-motivated, organized, and disciplined in managing their time and tasks.

• Innovation & Experimentation: Speechify's culture encourages innovation, so the environment is likely one where experimentation and learning from failures are accepted.

Work Schedule:

• Flexible, asynchronous schedule. While a 40-hour work week is implied for a full-time role, the emphasis is on results and effective collaboration across time zones rather than a rigid 9-to-5 schedule. This allows designers to structure their days to optimize productivity and personal life.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote and asynchronous nature is a defining characteristic of the work environment and requires candidates to be adaptable and proficient in remote collaboration tools and methodologies.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Submit your resume, LinkedIn profile, and a link to your portfolio.

• Portfolio Review: Initial screening will heavily rely on your portfolio to assess your design skills, process, and impact.

• Hiring Manager/Recruiter Screen: A preliminary call to discuss your background, motivation for applying, and alignment with the role and company culture.

• Design Challenge/Case Study Presentation: You may be asked to complete a take-home design exercise or present a case study from your portfolio in detail. This is where you'll demonstrate your product thinking, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: A session with senior leadership (e.g., Head of Design, VP Product) to discuss strategic alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 3-4 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase end-to-end design ownership and impact.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the constraints, your process, key decisions, challenges, and measurable outcomes. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Strategy: Emphasize your ability to think strategically about the product, user needs, and business goals, not just execute visually.

• Showcase Iteration: Demonstrate how you've iterated on designs based on feedback and data.

• Be Concise: Ensure your portfolio is easy to navigate and understand quickly.

• Tailor to Speechify: If possible, subtly highlight projects that demonstrate experience with complex user flows, mobile applications, or products that have a significant social impact.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Product: Thoroughly research Speechify, its mission, its products (iOS, Android, Chrome Extension, Web App), its target audience, and its competitors.

• Anticipate Problem Types: Expect challenges that require you to analyze a user flow, propose new features, or redesign an existing component, with a focus on user experience and business impact.

• Practice Articulation: Be prepared to walk through your design process verbally, explaining your rationale clearly and concisely, and answering questions about your decisions.

• Focus on Process, Not Just Pixels: Demonstrate your thought process and how you'd approach problem-solving, even if you don't have time to create high-fidelity mockups.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes portfolio strength and the ability to articulate design strategy and process. Candidates should be prepared for a rigorous assessment of their problem-solving and communication skills.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable as an industry standard and for collaborative remote work). Sketch and Adobe XD are also possibilities.

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Zoom, Google Meet.

• Project Management & Documentation: Notion, Jira, Asana, or similar tools for task tracking and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics to track user behavior, feature adoption, and conversion rates.

• Data Visualization: Potentially tools like Tableau or Looker for more advanced data exploration, though insights may be delivered via PMs or data analysts.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a designer's primary tool, familiarity with how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms (e.g., HubSpot) influence the user journey and data collection can be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost a given for modern product design roles, especially in remote, collaborative settings. Familiarity with product analytics tools is crucial for a data-informed design approach.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to Speechify's mission of making reading accessible, particularly for individuals with learning differences. This means design decisions should align with and support this core purpose.

• Customer-Centricity: A deep focus on understanding and serving the user, ensuring their needs and feedback are at the forefront of product development.

• Innovation & Curiosity: Encouraging new ideas, exploring emerging technologies (like AI), and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in audio and text-to-speech.

• Excellence & Craftsmanship: A dedication to high-quality design, attention to detail, and delivering polished, user-friendly products.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where ideas are shared openly, feedback is constructive, and teams work together effectively, despite the distributed nature.

• Efficiency & Focus: In a fast-paced, remote startup, the ability to prioritize, be heads-down, and execute efficiently is highly valued.

Collaboration Style:

• Asynchronous First: Communication and collaboration are primarily conducted asynchronously through tools like Slack and project management platforms, requiring clear written communication and documentation.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Designers work hand-in-hand with Product Managers and Engineers, engaging in frequent discussions, design reviews, and problem-solving sessions.

• Feedback Culture: An environment where constructive feedback is regularly exchanged to improve designs and processes.

• Empowerment: Designers are empowered to take ownership of their work and make informed decisions, contributing to a sense of shared responsibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values are strongly tied to its mission and its operational model (distributed, asynchronous). Candidates should demonstrate alignment with these values in their application and interviews.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Accessibility: Ensuring the product is usable and delightful for a diverse user base, including those with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning differences. This requires deep empathy and a robust understanding of accessibility best practices.

• Balancing User Needs and Business Goals: Effectively translating user needs into product features that also drive business objectives in a competitive market.

• Scaling Design Systems: Maintaining consistency and quality across multiple platforms (iOS, Android, Web) as the product suite and user base grow.

• Remote Collaboration: Navigating the complexities of a fully distributed team, ensuring effective communication, alignment, and team cohesion without in-person interaction.

• Rapid Iteration: Keeping pace with a fast-moving product roadmap and quickly iterating on designs based on data and user feedback.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI and Audio UX Specialization: Gain deep expertise in designing for AI-powered features and the nuances of audio-centric user experiences, a rapidly evolving field.

• Accessibility Design Leadership: Become a go-to expert in designing for inclusivity and accessibility within the company and potentially the broader industry.

• Product Strategy Influence: Develop strategic product thinking and contribute significantly to the company's overall product direction.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the design team.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Access to relevant conferences, workshops, and online courses to stay current with design trends and technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to working in a mission-driven tech company focused on innovation and accessibility. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering paths for specialization and leadership within a growing organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting user needs with business objectives for a product feature. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Prepare a STAR method answer focusing on your process, trade-offs, and results.)

• "How would you approach designing a new onboarding flow for Speechify's mobile app to improve user retention by 15%?" (Be ready to outline your research, ideation, prototyping, and testing strategy, highlighting key metrics.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Speechify is a fully distributed company. What are your strategies for effective collaboration and communication in a remote, asynchronous environment?" (Highlight your experience with tools like Slack, Notion, and your proactive communication habits.)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest trends in product design, AI, and accessibility?" (Showcase your commitment to continuous learning.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Presentation: Start with a brief overview of Speechify and your understanding of the role. Then, dive into 1-2 detailed case studies.

• Focus on Process & Rationale: For each case study, clearly explain the problem, your approach, user research insights, design decisions, iterations, and the quantifiable results achieved.

• Highlight Collaboration: Mention how you worked with PMs, engineers, and other stakeholders.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, trade-offs, and how you would handle hypothetical scenarios related to Speechify's product.

• Showcase Your Tools: Briefly mention the tools you used and how they facilitated your process.

• Emphasize Impact: Conclude by reiterating the impact of your work and how it aligns with Speechify's goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on understanding Speechify's mission, product, and remote-first culture. Candidates should be adept at articulating their design process, strategic thinking, and demonstrable impact, especially through their portfolio.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Thoroughly review the job description and ensure your experience aligns with the requirements.

• Prepare your resume, highlighting relevant experience in product design, UX/UI, and working with consumer-facing products. Optimize for keywords like "product design," "UX/UI," "prototyping," "user research," "mobile apps," and "accessibility."

• Curate your design portfolio to showcase 3-4 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Focus on demonstrating end-to-end ownership, strategic thinking, and measurable impact. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates your process, challenges, and outcomes.

• Craft a compelling cover letter or application message that expresses your enthusiasm for Speechify's mission and the role, and clearly articulates why you are a strong fit, referencing specific aspects of your experience and portfolio.

• Submit your application through the provided link, ensuring all required materials (resume, portfolio, LinkedIn) are included and easily accessible.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. While valuable for preparation, all details should be verified directly with Speechify during the application and interview process. The specific interview stages and portfolio expectations may vary.