Senior Product Designer, Growth

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer, Growth Company: Auctane Location: Austin, TX Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design / Growth Operations Date Posted: 2025-09-19 Experience Level: 5-10 Years Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive product-led growth initiatives by leading and executing product experimentation strategies.
• Conduct in-depth customer research, including user interviews and analysis of user behavior, to identify pain points and validate product design solutions.
• Design and iterate on features and improvements for Auctane's suite of products, focusing on user experience and business impact within the SaaS and eCommerce shipping software sector.
• Create comprehensive design documentation, including task flow diagrams and functional specifications, to ensure seamless handoff to development teams and maintain product integrity.
• Champion design thinking principles and best practices across the organization to foster a problem-solving culture and elevate overall product excellence.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a growth-focused product design function, indicating a strong emphasis on data-driven decision-making, experimentation, and direct impact on user acquisition, retention, and expansion metrics. The "Senior" title suggests a need for leadership in design strategy and mentorship.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design and execution of product experiments to validate hypotheses and drive measurable improvements in user engagement and conversion rates.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative user research, including user interviews, contextual inquiries, and analysis of user behavior via analytics platforms, to inform design decisions and uncover new opportunities.
• Develop high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and gather feedback from stakeholders and end-users.
• Translate strategic business objectives and user insights into intuitive and effective user interfaces and user experiences for Auctane's core products (ShipStation, Stamps.com, ShipStation API).
• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and other cross-functional team members throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from ideation to launch and post-launch analysis.
• Create and maintain detailed design documentation, including user flows, wireframes, style guides, and functional specifications, to ensure consistent and high-quality implementation.
• Actively participate in and contribute to design reviews, providing constructive feedback to junior designers and advocating for design best practices.
• Evangelize design thinking and user-centered design principles, fostering a culture of innovation and problem-solving within the broader organization.
• Monitor and analyze key design performance indicators (KPIs) and user interaction data to track the success of implemented features and identify areas for further optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic thinking, hands-on design execution, and a strong analytical approach, particularly in the context of growth and experimentation. The expectation to "oversee a feature or project's creative process from start to finish" and "mentor junior designers" reinforces the senior-level expectations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Graphic Design, or a related field.

Experience:

• 5-10 years of professional experience in Product Design, UX/UI Design, or a similar role, preferably within a SaaS or product-centric company.
• Proven track record of designing and shipping successful digital products, with a portfolio showcasing end-to-end design process and impact.
• Experience in leading and conducting user research initiatives, including user interviews, usability testing, and heuristic evaluations.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and configuring product experiments (A/B testing, multivariate testing) and analyzing their results to drive product improvements.
• Experience working within an Agile development environment, collaborating closely with product managers and engineers.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in user research methodologies and the ability to synthesize findings into actionable design insights.
• Expertise in creating high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes using design tools such as Figma.
• Strong visual UI design skills with a keen eye for detail, typography, color, and layout.
• Experience with product experimentation platforms (e.g., Optimizely, Google Optimize) and user behavior analytics tools (e.g., Pendo, Looker, Google Analytics).
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and rationale to diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to translate complex problems into simple, intuitive, and elegant design solutions.
• Experience in creating comprehensive design documentation and style guides.

Preferred Skills:

• Previous experience in the eCommerce or Shipping software industry.
• Direct experience driving in-product experimentation and growth initiatives.
• Familiarity with user behavior analytics, analysis, and reporting tools.
• Experience with front-end development concepts or working closely with developers to ensure design fidelity.
• Understanding of accessibility best practices (WCAG).

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for experience in SaaS and product experimentation is critical, signaling a need for candidates who understand how design directly influences business growth metrics. The "5-10 years" experience level indicates a need for significant autonomy and leadership.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 distinct product design projects that demonstrate a strong understanding of the end-to-end design process, from research and ideation to execution and iteration.
• Projects should clearly articulate the problem statement, design process, your specific role and contributions, the solutions developed, and the measurable impact or outcomes achieved.
• Emphasis on projects related to user growth, engagement, or conversion optimization, ideally within a SaaS or similar B2B/B2C software context.
• Evidence of user research methodologies employed, including how insights were gathered and integrated into the design solutions.
• Examples of experimentation design and analysis, demonstrating how hypotheses were tested and how results informed product decisions.
• Showcase proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma).

Process Documentation:

• Examples of design documentation created for development handoff, such as detailed wireframes, user flows, interaction specifications, and style guides.
• Demonstrate an understanding of how to create clear and comprehensive documentation that supports product maintenance and team understanding.
• Include examples of how you have collaborated with engineering teams to ensure accurate implementation of designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "growth," "product experimentation," and "user behavior analytics" in the role description strongly suggests that the portfolio should highlight projects where design directly contributed to quantifiable business outcomes. A portfolio demonstrating a data-informed design process will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for a Senior Product Designer with 5-10 years of experience in Austin, TX, the estimated salary range is $120,000 - $160,000 per year. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skill set, and interview performance.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness: Medical, Dental, and Vision plans to ensure employee well-being.
• Work-Life Balance Focus:
  • Flex Time Off policy for personal time management.
  • 12 Paid Holidays per year.
  • Weekly catered lunches at the office.
• Financial Well-being:
  • 401k employer matching program.
  • Education reimbursement for professional development.
• Professional Development:
  • Annual merit reviews to recognize achievements.
  • Opportunity for growth and skill advancement.
• Work Environment Perks:
  • Attractive office space in central Austin with free drinks and snacks.
  • On-site fitness center with Tonal Mirrors and Pelotons.
  • Gym discounts.
• Support & Community:
  • Employee Assistance Program offering up to 8 free mental health sessions.
  • Inclusive, casual, and upbeat work environment that values individual opinions.
  • Employee Referral Program for referring top talent.
• Work Arrangement: Hybrid work model with 3 days per week in the office.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, typically around 40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for flexibility in structuring workdays, with a core requirement of in-office presence on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided benefits list is extensive and emphasizes a strong commitment to employee well-being, work-life balance, and professional development. The hybrid arrangement with specific in-office days is a key detail for candidates to consider.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Technology (specifically focused on mailing and shipping solutions for businesses, serving the eCommerce and logistics sectors). Company Size: Auctane is a significant player in its market, with a substantial employee base and a portfolio of well-known brands (ShipStation, Stamps.com, Metapack, etc.). This indicates a dynamic, fast-paced environment with opportunities for impact. Founded: Auctane operates through its established brands, which have a history predating the Auctane consolidation, suggesting a blend of established processes and innovative new initiatives.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team functions as a core component of product development, working closely with Product Management and Engineering.
• The Senior Product Designer will be part of a team responsible for translating strategic objectives into tangible product solutions.
• Collaboration is expected to be cross-functional, involving Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, and potentially Marketing and Data Analytics teams.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: A strong emphasis on using quantitative data, analytics, and experimentation to inform design decisions and measure impact.
• User-Centered Design: Commitment to understanding customer needs and pain points through research and direct interaction.
• Agile Development: Working within cross-functional teams to deliver product iterations efficiently.
• Design Thinking: Promoting a proactive, problem-solving approach across the company.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Auctane's business model, centered on enabling businesses to ship billions of items, means that operational efficiency and user experience are critical drivers of success. The company culture appears to value collaboration, data-informed decisions, and a proactive approach to problem-solving, aligning with the "Win as One. Delight Customers. Deliver Great Outcomes." values.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as "Senior," indicating a mid-to-late career stage with expectations for significant autonomy, strategic contribution, and potentially mentorship of junior team members. The focus on "Growth" suggests a career path that can lead to specialized roles in product-led growth, experimentation, or senior individual contributor positions within product design.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Product Design Manager or Director, working within a dedicated product team alongside Product Managers and Engineers. They will collaborate with various stakeholders across the organization.

Operations Impact:

• The Senior Product Designer will directly influence key business metrics through product experimentation and design improvements, impacting user acquisition, activation, retention, and revenue.
• Their work will contribute to the overall product strategy by identifying and solving user problems that drive business growth.
• By championing design thinking, they will help shape the company's approach to innovation and customer satisfaction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in product-led growth strategies, experimentation design, and user behavior analytics.
• Leadership: Transition into a Lead Product Designer role, managing specific product areas or mentoring a team of designers.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: Potential to move into Product Management or other strategic roles within the company, leveraging their deep understanding of user needs and product development.
• Skill Development: Continuous learning opportunities through internal training, company events, and potentially external conferences or certifications supported by education reimbursement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Growth" aspect of the title is a significant differentiator, pointing towards a career trajectory focused on measurable impact and data-driven product development. This role offers a clear path for designers who want to directly influence business outcomes.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Auctane operates a hybrid work model, meaning the office environment is designed to support collaboration and team interaction on designated in-office days. The office is described as "attractive" and located in the "heart of central Austin, Texas." Office Location(s): Austin, TX. The specific office address is not provided, but its central location suggests accessibility.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office serves as a space for team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional collaboration on designated in-office days (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays).
• Resource-Rich: The office is equipped with amenities such as free drinks, snacks, a fitness center with Tonal Mirrors and Pelotons, fostering a productive and health-conscious atmosphere.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with colleagues across different departments, facilitating knowledge sharing and relationship building.

Work Schedule:

• The standard work week is 40 hours, with a hybrid arrangement requiring 3 days per week in the Austin office. This provides a structured balance between in-office collaboration and remote flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with specific in-office days is a key aspect of the work environment. Candidates should be comfortable with this structure and appreciate the amenities offered to enhance the in-office experience.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Candidates will submit their resume and a portfolio through the Greenhouse application portal.
• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications, assessing qualifications and portfolio relevance.
• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: Candidates may be asked to present their portfolio, highlighting relevant projects, and potentially complete a design challenge or case study that simulates real-world problems.
• Interviews with Cross-Functional Team: Expect interviews with Product Managers, fellow Designers, and Engineering leads to assess design skills, collaboration style, and technical understanding.
• Behavioral and Situational Interviews: Questions will focus on past experiences, problem-solving approaches, and cultural fit with Auctane's values.
• Final Round: Potentially a discussion with senior leadership to assess strategic thinking and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Quantify Impact: For each project, clearly state the problem, your role, the solution, and, most importantly, the measurable results or impact achieved (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced user errors, improved engagement metrics).
• Showcase Process: Detail your design process, from user research and ideation to prototyping, testing, and iteration. Explain why you made certain design decisions.
• Highlight Growth Focus: Prioritize projects that demonstrate experience with user growth, experimentation, A/B testing, and data analysis.
• Narrative Structure: Tell a compelling story for each project, making it easy for reviewers to understand the context, challenges, and outcomes.
• Tool Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio showcases your proficiency in tools like Figma and any experimentation platforms mentioned.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business: Research Auctane, its products (ShipStation, Stamps.com), and its market position in the eCommerce and shipping industry.
• Growth Experimentation: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach designing and analyzing an A/B test for a specific product feature aimed at improving user conversion or engagement.
• User Research Scenarios: Anticipate questions about how you would conduct user research for a new feature or to understand a specific user pain point.
• Design Principles: Be ready to articulate your design philosophy and how you apply design thinking to solve problems.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the "Growth" focus, expect interview questions and portfolio reviews to heavily weigh projects that demonstrate a direct, measurable impact on business key performance indicators (KPIs). Be prepared to discuss your experience with A/B testing and user behavior analytics in detail.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, wireframing, and prototyping. Expect a high level of proficiency.
• Optimizely or similar experimentation platform: Crucial for designing, implementing, and analyzing product experiments. Experience with a specific platform is a strong plus.
• Usertesting.com or other testing/prototyping tools: For user research, usability testing, and rapid prototyping.
• Looker or similar analytics platform: For data analysis, understanding user behavior, and reporting on experiment results.
• Pendo or similar: For product analytics, user journey mapping, and in-app guidance/feedback.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Looker: Likely used for dashboard creation, data exploration, and cross-functional reporting.
• User behavior analytics tools: To track user interactions and identify patterns.

CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly mentioned as a primary design tool, familiarity with CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms may be beneficial for understanding the broader customer journey and impact of product changes.
• Google Suite: Standard for document creation, collaboration, and presentations.
• Zoom & Slack: Essential for communication and collaboration in a hybrid/remote environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a baseline requirement. Strong experience with experimentation platforms (like Optimizely) and user behavior analytics tools (like Pendo or Looker) will be highly valued, as these are central to the "Growth" aspect of the role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Win as One: Emphasizes teamwork, collaboration, and shared success across the organization and within product teams.
• Delight Customers: A commitment to understanding and meeting customer needs, ensuring a positive and valuable user experience through thoughtful design.
• Deliver Great Outcomes: Focus on achieving tangible results and driving business success through effective product development and design.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: A culture that relies on data, experimentation, and analytics to guide strategy and validate design choices.
• Problem-Solving & Innovation: Encouraging creative solutions and a proactive approach to identifying and addressing challenges.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers work closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially Data Analysts and Researchers to ensure alignment and successful product delivery.
• Open Communication: Fostering an environment where ideas are shared freely, feedback is constructive, and team members feel comfortable contributing.
• User Advocacy: Designers act as advocates for the user, bringing user needs and perspectives into product strategy and development discussions.
• Mentorship: Senior members are expected to contribute to the growth of junior team members through guidance and feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values are directly tied to operational excellence and customer focus. The "Win as One" and "Deliver Great Outcomes" values suggest a highly collaborative and results-oriented team environment where designers are expected to contribute to broader business goals.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Effectively integrating user-centered design principles with the company's growth objectives and technical constraints.
• Driving Experimentation Culture: Continuously advocating for and implementing product experimentation to optimize user journeys and business metrics.
• Managing Multiple Product Lines: Working across different Auctane products (ShipStation, Stamps.com, etc.) requires adaptability and a broad understanding of diverse user needs.
• Rapid Pace of Change: Thriving in a dynamic tech environment where priorities and market demands can shift quickly.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialization in Growth Design: Opportunity to become an expert in product-led growth strategies, conversion rate optimization (CRO), and experimentation frameworks.
• Mentorship: Learning from experienced product leaders and potentially mentoring junior designers, enhancing leadership skills.
• Industry Exposure: Gaining deep experience within the eCommerce and shipping software industry, a critical sector for global commerce.
• Tool Mastery: Deepening expertise in cutting-edge design and experimentation tools.
• Cross-Functional Learning: Gaining insights into product management, engineering, and data analytics through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge and growth opportunity lie in leveraging design to directly impact business growth through experimentation and data-informed decisions. This role offers a unique chance to develop a specialized skillset in a high-impact area of product development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• How would you approach designing and validating a new feature to increase user retention for ShipStation?
• Describe a time you used data and experimentation to significantly improve a product's user experience or key metrics. What was your process?
• How do you balance user needs with business objectives and technical feasibility when designing a product?
• What is your process for conducting user research to uncover unmet needs or validate design hypotheses?
• How would you evangelize design thinking within a non-design team or department?

Company & Culture Questions:

• Why are you interested in Auctane and this specific role?
• How do your personal values align with Auctane's values (Win as One, Delight Customers, Deliver Great Outcomes)?
• Describe your ideal team environment and how you contribute to a positive, collaborative culture.
• How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback on your designs?

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling is Key: For each project, frame it as a narrative: the challenge, your approach, the solution, and the impact.
• Quantify Everything: Be ready to discuss specific metrics, KPIs, and the measurable outcomes of your design work. Use numbers to demonstrate your impact.
• Focus on Growth: Highlight projects where your design work directly contributed to user growth, engagement, or conversion.
• Explain Your "Why": Articulate the rationale behind your design decisions, linking them back to user research and business goals.
• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Be prepared to walk through specific design artifacts in Figma or discuss your experience with experimentation tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare specific examples that showcase your ability to drive growth through design and experimentation. Be ready to discuss the tools you use and how you leverage data to inform your design process. Emphasize your collaborative approach and understanding of business objectives.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer, Growth position:

• Submit your resume and a compelling portfolio through the Auctane careers page on Greenhouse.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects demonstrating your experience in product-led growth, user research, and experimentation. Quantify the impact of your work with clear metrics.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords related to product design, UX/UI, growth initiatives, experimentation (A/B testing), user research, and relevant tools (Figma, Optimizely, Looker, Pendo). Focus on achievements rather than just responsibilities.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, explaining your portfolio projects, and discussing how you use data and experimentation to drive product improvements. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Auctane, its product suite, and its market position. Understand their values and how your skills and experience align with the company's growth objectives.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions based on the provided information. All details should be verified directly with Auctane during the application and interview process.