Senior Product Designer, Mobile & Innovation

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer, Mobile & Innovation Company: Zipline Location: Canada Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: Product Design Operations Date Posted: 2025-07-30T00:00:00 Experience Level: 5-10 years Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on enhancing the user experience of Zipline's mobile application and driving innovation within the product suite, demanding strong UX/UI design capabilities and a deep understanding of product strategy.
• The Senior Product Designer will be instrumental in translating complex user needs and business objectives into intuitive and impactful design solutions, leveraging user research and concept testing to inform design decisions.
• Successful candidates will demonstrate proficiency in end-to-end design processes, from information architecture and interaction design to visual design and the implementation of design systems.
• A key aspect of this role involves close collaboration with cross-functional teams, including Product Management and Engineering, to ensure efficient execution and alignment on product vision and delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Senior Product Designer," the emphasis on "Mobile & Innovation" and the mention of collaborating with "Product and Engineering on setting long-term goals and direction" suggests a role that bridges pure design with strategic product thinking, aligning with GTM operations by influencing product direction and user adoption. The core responsibilities highlight a blend of tactical design execution and strategic input, characteristic of senior roles in product-focused operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineering teams to define product vision, set long-term goals, and establish incremental development roadmaps, ensuring design alignment with business objectives.
• Lead and conduct comprehensive user research, including user interviews and concept testing, to deeply understand customer needs, pain points, and behaviors within the retail environment.
• Design end-to-end user experiences, encompassing user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs for both mobile and potentially other innovative platforms.
• Develop and maintain robust design systems, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency across all product touchpoints.
• Iterate rapidly on design solutions based on feedback from internal stakeholders, cross-functional teams, and direct customer input, demonstrating agility and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Translate complex user needs and business requirements into clear, actionable design specifications for engineering implementation.
• Champion design best practices, promote a user-centric approach, and contribute to the continuous improvement of team processes and operational efficiency within a remote work environment.
• Actively participate in design critiques, provide constructive feedback to peers, and foster an inclusive and collaborative design culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic input ("setting long-term goals and direction") and tactical execution ("Design flows, sketches, prototypes, UI, visual design"). The mention of contributing to "team processes and operations" and working within a "remote organization" highlights the operational aspects of the role, requiring strong communication and collaboration skills, which are critical in distributed teams.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Graphic Design, or a related field is preferred, providing a foundational understanding of design principles and methodologies.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in UX/UI design, with a proven track record of designing and shipping successful digital products, particularly for desktop and mobile platforms.
• Demonstrated experience in driving user research initiatives, including conducting user interviews, usability testing, and synthesizing findings to inform design decisions.
• Proven ability to partner effectively with Product Management and Engineering teams, contributing to product strategy, defining requirements, and executing on feature development.
• Experience in developing and advocating for design solutions that balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.

Required Skills:

• UX Design: Expertise in user-centered design principles, user flow mapping, wireframing, and interaction design.
• UI Design & Visual Design: Strong aesthetic sensibilities, proficiency in creating visually appealing and consistent user interfaces, and understanding of typography, color theory, and layout.
• Prototyping: Ability to create interactive prototypes using tools like Figma to effectively communicate design concepts and test user flows.
• Design Systems: Experience in building, maintaining, or contributing to design systems to ensure product consistency and design efficiency.
• User Research & Concept Testing: Proficiency in planning and executing user research activities to gather insights and validate design solutions.
• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design decisions and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Retail Industry Experience: Familiarity with the challenges and opportunities within the retail sector, understanding the needs of retail employees.
• Mobile Application Design: Specific experience designing for native mobile applications (iOS/Android), including understanding platform-specific design patterns and best practices.
• Figma Proficiency: Advanced skills in Figma for design, prototyping, and collaboration.
• Information Architecture: Ability to structure and organize content logically for intuitive navigation and usability.
• Agile/Lean Methodologies: Experience working within agile development environments, adapting to iterative design and development cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must-haves" clearly define the core competencies. The "More about you" section adds crucial soft skills ("empathy," "curiosity," "dependability") and methodology understanding ("Ability to prototype and communicate ideas quickly and efficiently"). The preferred skills, especially "Retail experience" and "Mobile application design," are strong indicators of what would make a candidate stand out, reflecting industry-specific operational needs.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated UX/UI Process: Showcase a clear, end-to-end design process, from initial problem definition and user research through ideation, prototyping, user testing, and final visual design.
• Impactful Case Studies: Present 2-3 detailed case studies that highlight significant challenges, your specific contributions, design solutions, and quantifiable outcomes or user impact. Focus on how your designs improved user workflows or efficiency.
• Information Architecture & Flow: Include examples of user flow diagrams, site maps, or information architecture that demonstrate your ability to organize complex information logically.
• Prototyping & Interaction Design: Provide links to interactive prototypes or video demonstrations of key user interactions and flows.
• Visual Design & Polish: Showcase high-fidelity mockups and a strong understanding of visual design principles, including typography, color, and layout, demonstrating attention to detail.
• Design System Contribution: If applicable, provide examples of contributions to or usage of design systems, illustrating your understanding of consistency and scalability.

Process Documentation:

• Problem Definition: Clearly articulate the problem statement and user needs addressed in each case study.
• Research Synthesis: Summarize key findings from user research, interviews, and testing that informed your design decisions.
• Design Iteration: Illustrate the iterative nature of your design process, showing how feedback was incorporated and how designs evolved.
• Solution Rationale: Explain the strategic thinking behind your design choices, linking them back to user needs and business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "quantifiable outcomes or user impact" and "how your designs improved user workflows or efficiency" directly relates to operations, as it requires demonstrating measurable results. The inclusion of "design systems" and "iterative nature of your design process" points to operational efficiency and process maturity.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Canada: $106,900 CAD - $160,400 CAD annually.
• USA: $120,000 USD - $180,000 USD annually.
• Starting Salary: The company typically hires at an expectation of accomplishment, with a starting salary of $120,289 CAD in Canada and $135,000 USD in the USA. This reflects a strong foundational skill set.
• Range Determination: Salaries are determined by market data, company revenue, and employee size, aiming to pay competitively at the 75th percentile. Higher cost of living areas may receive a 5-10% multiplier. Compensation is expected to grow with career advancement.

Benefits:

• Stock Options: Opportunity for equity ownership in the company.
• Paid Flexible Time Off: A flexible policy for requesting time off as needed, with a typical usage of 15-25 days per year.
• Paid Parental Leave Benefit: Support for new parents.
• Group Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental plans, including PPO & HMO options and Flexible Spending Accounts.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan: A retirement savings plan with company support.
• Paid Life and Long-Term Disability Insurance: Financial protection for employees and their families.
• Remote Work Support:
  • Computer Accessories and Office Setup: Assistance in creating an effective home workspace.
  • Coffee Stipend: A monthly stipend to encourage breaks and work flexibility.
• Professional Development:
  • Company Off-sites: Opportunities to connect with colleagues in person (held in various global locations).
  • Education Stipends: Support for continuous learning through classes or books.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are assumed to be 40 hours per week, typical for a "FULL_TIME" role. The remote nature and flexible time off policy suggest some flexibility in scheduling, but core collaboration hours will likely be expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary ranges are detailed and include rationale for the spread, indicating a focus on performance and growth. The benefits are extensive and tailored to a remote workforce, emphasizing support for well-being and professional development, which are key operational considerations for attracting and retaining talent. The mention of paying at the 75th percentile indicates a competitive compensation strategy.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / SaaS (Software as a Service), focused on Retail Operations. Zipline aims to modernize communication and operations within the retail sector, a massive $4.4 trillion industry. Company Size: While not explicitly stated in the provided data, the mention of "well-funded market leader," "great customers" (Gap Inc, Allbirds, Lululemon, LEGO), and being a "global employer" suggests a growing, mid-to-large-sized company with significant market presence and impact. Founded: The company's remote-first approach since founding and its mission to "bring retail operations out of the dark ages" indicate a company built on innovation and a desire to disrupt traditional industries.

Team Structure:

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The Senior Product Designer will be embedded within or closely aligned with Product and Engineering teams, working on specific product initiatives.
• Remote-First Operations: The team operates entirely remotely, emphasizing strong communication, asynchronous workflows, and proactive collaboration to overcome geographical barriers.
• Agile-Like Cadence: Zipline follows a process similar to Basecamp's Shape Up, utilizing 6-week delivery cycles for focused project work, indicating a structured yet adaptable approach to development and operations.

Methodology:

• Shape Up Process: Projects are defined by clearly stating the problem, determining the "appetite" (investment level), and shaping the optimal solution within that appetite. This structured approach ensures focus and efficient resource allocation.
• Data-Driven Design: User research and concept testing are integral to the design process, ensuring solutions are grounded in user needs and validated before significant development.
• Iterative Improvement: The company emphasizes executing quickly and efficiently, iterating on the product over time to continuously improve user experience and operational effectiveness.

Company Website: flyzipline.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission and industry focus are critical for understanding the operational context. The "Shape Up" methodology is a specific operational framework that influences how work is planned, executed, and measured, which is highly relevant for candidates familiar with efficient product development operations. The remote-first nature shapes all team interactions and operational processes.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Senior" role, indicating a level of autonomy, strategic contribution, and mentorship expectation. It sits above mid-level designers and below design leadership. The role requires not just execution but also influencing product direction and team processes. Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, a Senior Product Designer typically reports to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or a Director of Product Design. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific projects. Operations Impact: The designer's work directly impacts the operational efficiency of retail employees by providing them with better tools. This translates to improved communication, task management, and overall productivity within Zipline's customer organizations, ultimately affecting customer satisfaction and retention. The role's innovation component also drives future product strategy and market positioning.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in mobile design, innovation strategy, or specific areas of the retail tech stack.
• Leadership Track: Potential to move into a Lead Product Designer role, managing other designers, or taking on principal-level individual contributor responsibilities.
• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the design team's processes and culture.
• Strategic Influence: Grow influence on product strategy, roadmap planning, and company-wide design standards.
• Skill Expansion: Develop skills in areas like user research leadership, product strategy, and potentially even customer success by working closely with clients.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities highlight how a senior design role integrates with broader business operations, focusing on strategic impact, leadership development, and continuous skill enhancement within the product lifecycle. The "Operations Impact" section directly ties design work to business outcomes.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully remote. Zipline is a remote-first organization, meaning all employees work from their chosen locations. Office Location(s): While the job is posted for Canada, the company's remote-first policy means employees can work from anywhere, with specific considerations for regional compensation and legal compliance. Past company off-sites have been in various international locations (Santa Cruz, New York, Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta, Costa Rica), indicating a global team that convences periodically.

Workspace Context:

• Flexibility & Autonomy: Employees have the freedom to set up their workspace in a way that optimizes their productivity and comfort, whether that's a home office, co-working space, or even while traveling.
• Technology-Enabled Collaboration: The remote setup relies heavily on digital tools for communication, project management, and design collaboration (e.g., Slack, Figma, Google Docs).
• Team Connection: While geographically dispersed, the company fosters connection through virtual social events ("Wednesdays Socials"), knowledge-sharing sessions, and periodic in-person off-sites.

Work Schedule: While the core working hours are not strictly defined, the "Shape Up" methodology with 6-week cycles suggests periods of focused work. The remote-first nature and flexible time off policy imply a degree of autonomy in managing one's schedule, provided that collaboration and project delivery expectations are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on remote work dictates the operational style, requiring proactive communication and self-management. The company's efforts to foster connection and provide support for home offices are key operational considerations for a distributed workforce.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Submit resume and portfolio through the provided link.
• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and portfolios for basic qualifications and alignment with the role.
• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: Candidates will likely participate in a session to walk through their portfolio, discuss specific case studies in detail, and potentially present a design exercise or problem-solving scenario. This is where operations-focused aspects of their work (process, impact, efficiency) will be scrutinized.
• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineering Leads to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and strategic thinking.
• Cultural Fit/Values Interview: Discussion to evaluate alignment with Zipline's values, empathy, curiosity, and dependability.
• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss career aspirations and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study as a narrative: the problem, your role, the process, the solution, and the impact.
• Highlight Process: Clearly articulate your design process, emphasizing how you gathered insights, iterated, and made decisions. Focus on the "how" and "why."
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. This could include improvements in user engagement, task completion rates, efficiency gains, or customer satisfaction. This shows an operations mindset.
• Showcase Collaboration: Mention how you collaborated with Product and Engineering, and how you incorporated feedback.
• Tailor to Zipline: Research Zipline's product and mission. If possible, subtly address how your skills and experience can contribute to their specific goals in the retail operations space.
• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your decision-making, handling of constraints, and how you manage trade-offs between user needs and business goals.

Challenge Preparation:

• Problem Solving: Be prepared for hypothetical design challenges related to retail operations, mobile interfaces, or innovation. Think about user needs, potential solutions, and how you would approach them.
• Process Explanation: Practice explaining your design process clearly and concisely, as if you were teaching it to someone unfamiliar with design.
• Stakeholder Management: Consider how you would communicate design decisions and manage expectations with non-design stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process and portfolio review tips are heavily geared towards assessing not just design skill but also the candidate's understanding of process, collaboration, and measurable impact – all critical operational competencies for a senior role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The primary tool for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is essential.
• Slack: For day-to-day communication, team discussions, and asynchronous collaboration.
• Google Docs/Suite: For documentation, collaboration on strategy, and general productivity.
• Prototyping Tools (e.g., InVision, Principle): While Figma is primary, familiarity with other prototyping tools can be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Platforms (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics): While not explicitly mentioned as a designer's direct responsibility, understanding how to interpret user behavior data from these platforms is crucial for informing design decisions and measuring impact.
• User Feedback Tools (e.g., UserTesting.com, Hotjar): Experience with platforms for gathering qualitative and quantitative user feedback.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot): Awareness of how design integrates with customer relationship management and sales operations is helpful.
• Project Management Tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, Jira): Familiarity with tools used by engineering and product teams for tracking work and managing project workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and Slack highlights the core operational tools for design and communication. The inclusion of analytics and project management tools points to the broader tech ecosystem the designer will interact with, emphasizing data-driven decision-making and efficient workflow management, which are key operational components.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to improving the lives of retail employees and modernizing an underserved industry.
• User-Centricity: A deep focus on understanding and solving customer needs, ensuring that design decisions are always rooted in user empathy.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication, sharing of ideas, and working together across functions to achieve common goals. The remote nature necessitates transparency.
• Efficiency & Agility: A drive to execute quickly, iterate effectively, and continuously improve processes and products, as exemplified by the Shape Up methodology.
• Curiosity & Continuous Learning: Encouraging exploration, asking questions, and a commitment to personal and professional growth.

Collaboration Style:

• Asynchronous Communication: Reliance on tools like Slack and well-documented processes to facilitate collaboration across different time zones and working schedules.
• Proactive Engagement: Team members are expected to be self-motivated and proactive in seeking information, sharing updates, and contributing to discussions.
• Feedback-Oriented: A culture that encourages giving and receiving constructive feedback on designs, processes, and ideas to foster collective improvement.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Close working relationships with Product Managers and Engineers, treating them as integral partners in the design and development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values directly inform the operational culture, emphasizing efficiency, user focus, and collaborative communication, all essential for a high-performing remote team. The "feedback-oriented" approach is a critical operational mechanism for quality assurance and continuous improvement.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Remote Collaboration Complexity: Effectively collaborating and maintaining strong communication across a distributed team requires deliberate effort and excellent communication skills.
• Balancing Innovation with Execution: Driving new ideas while also delivering on incremental improvements within tight development cycles (Shape Up) requires strategic prioritization and focus.
• Understanding Retail Nuances: Gaining a deep understanding of the diverse needs and workflows of retail employees across different types of stores and roles.
• Design System Scalability: Ensuring the design system can accommodate future product growth and new feature development efficiently.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Insight: Gain deep knowledge of the retail technology landscape and the operational challenges faced by businesses and their employees.
• Product Strategy Contribution: Influence the direction of Zipline's product roadmap and innovation initiatives.
• Mentorship: Learn from experienced product and engineering leaders, and potentially mentor junior designers.
• Skill Enhancement: Opportunities to refine skills in advanced UX/UI techniques, user research methodologies, and potentially product management principles.
• Remote Work Best Practices: Develop expertise in effective collaboration, project management, and productivity within a remote-first organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges and growth opportunities are framed within an operational context, highlighting the need for adaptability, strategic thinking, and continuous learning to navigate the complexities of remote work and product development in a specific industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Product Vision & Strategy: "How would you approach defining the long-term vision for Zipline's mobile application, considering both user needs and business goals?" (Prepare by researching Zipline's current product and market, and think about how design can drive strategy.)
• Problem Solving & Process: "Describe a complex design problem you solved recently. Walk us through your process, the challenges you faced, and the impact of your solution." (Focus on your methodology, decision-making, and quantifiable results – emphasize operations.)
• Collaboration & Trade-offs: "How do you balance user needs with technical constraints and business requirements when designing a feature? Describe a time you had to make a difficult trade-off." (Prepare examples that showcase your ability to negotiate and find optimal solutions.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• Mission Alignment: "What excites you about Zipline's mission to improve retail operations?" (Connect your personal values and career aspirations to the company's purpose.)
• Remote Work Philosophy: "How do you stay productive and collaborative in a remote work environment?" (Highlight your self-management, communication strategies, and experience with remote tools.)
• Design Culture: "What makes a great design team? How do you contribute to a positive and effective design culture?" (Focus on collaboration, feedback, and process improvement.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, iteration), the solution, and the measurable impact. Use visuals effectively.
• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your design decisions at each stage.
• Showcase Collaboration: Mention how you worked with Product and Engineering, and how you incorporated feedback from stakeholders and users.
• Highlight Operations Impact: Where possible, quantify the business or user workflow improvements your designs enabled. This demonstrates an operations-focused mindset.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Expect detailed questions about your process, specific design choices, and the outcomes of your projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice strongly emphasizes demonstrating operational understanding—how your design work translates into measurable outcomes, efficient processes, and effective collaboration, all key aspects for assessing a candidate's fit in an operations-centric role.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link, ensuring your resume and portfolio are up-to-date and tailored to the role.
• Portfolio Customization: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects that best showcase your UX/UI process, problem-solving skills, and ability to drive user adoption and operational efficiency. Ensure these case studies clearly articulate the problem, your process, the solution, and quantifiable results.
• Resume Optimization: Highlight keywords relevant to UX/UI design, mobile applications, user research, collaboration, and any experience with retail or operations-focused technology. Quantify achievements whenever possible.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and rationale for key decisions. Prepare to discuss how your work has positively impacted users or business operations. Rehearse explaining your portfolio case studies with a focus on collaboration and measurable outcomes.
• Company Research: Thoroughly review Zipline's website, mission, and products. Understand their "Shape Up" methodology and how they operate as a remote-first company. Consider how your design approach aligns with their operational framework and company values.

⚠️ 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.

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