Senior Product Designer - Tallinn, Estonia

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer
Company: Speechify
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Job Type: Full-time
Category: Product Design / User Experience
Date Posted: January 29, 2026
Experience Level: 5-10 Years
Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the end-to-end product design lifecycle, from ideation and research to prototyping, development, and iterative refinement of consumer-facing features.
• Specialize in enhancing user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) patterns across Speechify's native iOS and Android applications, ensuring a cohesive and intuitive user journey.
• Proactively influence the product roadmap by leveraging data analytics, customer feedback, and strategic product thinking to identify and capitalize on key growth opportunities.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of design processes and help shape the evolution of Speechify's design organization in a fully remote, high-growth startup environment.
• Focus on audio-centric design principles and the integration of AI technologies within the text-to-speech domain to create impactful and life-changing user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the provided job description is for a Product Designer, this enhancement focuses on translating its core responsibilities and requirements through the lens of operations and GTM principles where applicable. This includes emphasizing process improvement, data-driven decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration, which are critical for operationalizing design initiatives and ensuring successful product launches. The role's focus on a "distributed setting" and "asynchronous work culture" also highlights the need for strong process documentation and communication protocols, core components of effective operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Pitch, prototype, test, build, ship, and iteratively refine new product features, ensuring alignment with user needs and business objectives.
• Enhance and standardize UX/UI patterns across Speechify's iOS and Android applications, focusing on consistency, usability, and accessibility.
• Rethink and optimize user onboarding flows and core user journeys to improve user acquisition, engagement, and retention metrics.
• Actively contribute to the product roadmap by providing design insights, conducting user research, and collaborating with product management to identify strategic opportunities.
• Refine design processes, establish best practices, and contribute to shaping the overall design organization's strategy and operational efficiency.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including engineers, product managers, and AI researchers, to translate complex requirements into elegant and functional design solutions.
• Conduct user research, including interviews and usability testing, to gather actionable insights that inform design decisions and validate product concepts.
• Develop and maintain design systems, style guides, and component libraries to ensure design consistency and accelerate development cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities have been expanded to highlight the operational aspects of product design within a fast-paced startup. This includes emphasizing iterative refinement, process optimization, and data-driven decision-making, which are crucial for scaling design efforts and ensuring product-market fit. The mention of "shipping" and "refining" implies a need for robust design operations and a focus on delivery efficiency.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field; or equivalent practical experience.
Experience: 5-10 years of demonstrated experience in product design, with a strong portfolio showcasing research, discovery, prototyping, and delivery of consumer-facing products across multiple platforms (iOS, Android, Web).

Required Skills:

• Product Thinking & Strategy: Ability to articulate product strategy, understand the "what" and "why" behind design decisions, and leverage analytics to identify key opportunities.
• Customer-Centricity: Proven ability to engage with customers, understand their needs, and effectively integrate user feedback into the design process.
• UX/UI Design Expertise: Mastery in designing intuitive and engaging user experiences and interfaces, with a keen eye for typography, information design, and micro-interactions.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong ability to inspire, negotiate, and collaborate effectively with opinionated Product Managers, Engineers, and Executives.
• Prototyping & Iteration: Proficiency in creating interactive prototypes for user testing and iterating based on feedback and performance data.
• Platform Design: Understanding of design feasibility and best practices for iOS, Android, and web platforms.
• Communication Skills: Articulate and persuasive communication, both written and verbal, with the ability to explain complex ideas clearly and ask insightful questions.
• Remote Work Acumen: Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a busy, remote, and asynchronous team environment, managing focus and engagement.

Preferred Skills:

• Audio Design: Curiosity and understanding of audio-centric design principles and their application in user interfaces.
• AI/ML Integration: Familiarity with designing for products that incorporate Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning capabilities.
• Accessibility Design: Experience designing inclusive products that cater to users with learning differences (e.g., dyslexia, ADD) and other accessibility needs.
• Data Analysis Tools: Experience using analytics platforms to track user behavior and inform design decisions.
• Design Systems: Experience in building and maintaining comprehensive design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills have been reframed to highlight operational relevance, such as "Product Thinking & Strategy" and "Cross-Functional Collaboration," which are critical for aligning design initiatives with business goals and ensuring smooth product development cycles. The emphasis on "Remote Work Acumen" and "Asynchronous Team Environment" points to the need for strong process management and communication skills, which are core to operations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio that clearly demonstrates the end-to-end design process, including research methodologies, ideation, prototyping, user testing, and final product delivery.
• Case studies showcasing experience with consumer-facing products across multiple platforms (iOS, Android, Web), highlighting specific design challenges and solutions.
• Examples of how user feedback and data analytics were used to inform design decisions and drive product improvements, with quantifiable results where possible.
• Demonstrations of your ability to refine UX/UI patterns, rethink user flows, and influence product roadmaps.
• Evidence of strong collaboration with product managers and engineers, showcasing your ability to translate complex requirements into functional designs.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates are expected to articulate their design process clearly, including how they approach problem definition, ideation, validation, and iteration.
• Ability to discuss how they document their work, maintain design consistency, and contribute to design system evolution.
• Understanding of how to work within an agile development framework and integrate design into sprint cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are framed to emphasize the "process" aspect, which is fundamental to operations. This includes showcasing the "end-to-end design process," "user feedback and data analytics," and "design system evolution," all of which align with operational excellence and scalability in product development.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the Senior Product Designer role in Tallinn, Estonia, and Speechify's global, remote nature, a competitive salary range would typically fall between €55,000 - €85,000 annually, depending on experience, specific skills, and the depth of portfolio demonstrated. This range is based on industry benchmarks for senior design roles in technology sectors in similar European tech hubs and considering the company's growth stage and funding.

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation package.
• Opportunity to work on a product that has a significant positive impact on users globally, particularly those with learning differences.
• Autonomy and the ability to shape product direction and design processes.
• A dynamic and innovative work environment with a focus on asynchronous communication and collaboration.
• The privilege of working with a talented team comprised of individuals from leading tech companies and academic institutions.
• A welcoming atmosphere and commitment to an exceptional asynchronous work culture.

Working Hours: Speechify operates on an asynchronous work model, allowing for flexibility. While a standard full-time commitment is expected (approximately 40 hours per week), the emphasis is on output and collaboration rather than strict adherence to specific working hours. This model requires strong self-management and proactive communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range has been estimated based on the role, location (Tallinn, Estonia), and experience level, referencing industry standards for senior tech roles in Europe. The benefits are tailored to highlight aspects most appealing to operations-minded professionals, such as autonomy, process shaping, and impact. The working hours section emphasizes the operational implications of an asynchronous model.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: EdTech / SaaS (Software as a Service) with a strong focus on AI and Audio Technology. Speechify operates within the rapidly evolving intersection of artificial intelligence, audio processing, and digital learning, aiming to remove reading barriers for millions.
Company Size: Approximately 200 employees, indicating a mid-sized startup environment that is past its initial seed stage but still agile and rapidly scaling. This size offers opportunities for significant individual impact while benefiting from established processes.
Founded: Speechify was founded with a mission to ensure reading is never a barrier to learning. Its growth has been fueled by innovative text-to-speech technology and a commitment to inclusivity.

Team Structure:

• The company operates in a 100% distributed setting, meaning there are no physical offices.
• The design team is likely part of a larger product organization, working closely with Product Managers, Engineers (frontend, backend), and potentially AI Research Scientists.
• Collaboration is asynchronous, requiring clear communication protocols, robust documentation, and effective use of collaboration tools.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Product Development: Emphasis on using analytics to understand user behavior and pinpoint key opportunities for product improvement and feature development.
• User-Centric Design: A core philosophy that prioritizes understanding and addressing user needs, especially for individuals with learning differences.
• Agile & Iterative Approach: Pitching, prototyping, testing, building, shipping, and refining features in a continuous loop to ensure product-market fit and ongoing enhancement.
• Asynchronous Collaboration: A deliberate strategy to enable a global, remote workforce, focusing on clear documentation, effective communication tools, and outcome-oriented work.

Company Website: https://speechify.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights operational aspects relevant to a distributed team and a growing tech company. The "Methodology" section details approaches that are crucial for efficient operations, such as data-driven development and asynchronous collaboration. The company's focus on AI and audio technology also suggests a need for designers to understand these technical domains.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer. This level implies a significant degree of autonomy, ownership, and the ability to mentor junior designers. The role is expected to not only execute design tasks but also to influence product strategy and shape design processes.
Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, a Senior Product Designer typically reports to a Head of Design, Design Lead, or Director of Product. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific product initiatives.
Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer plays a critical role in ensuring the operational success of product launches by translating user needs and business goals into tangible, user-friendly interfaces. Their work directly impacts user acquisition, retention, and overall product adoption, which are key operational metrics for a SaaS company. By refining onboarding and core flows, they directly contribute to improving conversion rates and customer lifetime value.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Potential to grow into a Design Lead or Manager role, overseeing a team of designers and driving design strategy.
• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in areas like AI-driven design, audio UX, accessibility, or specific platform optimization (iOS/Android).
• Process Improvement: Play a key role in evolving and optimizing the design team's operational processes, tools, and methodologies within the remote environment.
• Strategic Influence: Increased influence on the product roadmap and company-wide strategy as the company scales and the designer's impact becomes more recognized.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section analyzes the role from an operations perspective, focusing on how the Senior Product Designer's contributions translate into tangible business outcomes (user acquisition, retention, adoption). The growth opportunities are framed around leadership, specialization, and process improvement, aligning with career progression within an operations-focused framework.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Speechify operates as a 100% distributed company, meaning there are no physical offices. This fosters a truly remote work environment where employees can work from anywhere.
Office Location(s): Employees are located globally. For this specific role, the candidate is based in Tallinn, Estonia, and is expected to work asynchronously with colleagues worldwide.

Workspace Context:

• Asynchronous Collaboration Hub: The primary workspace is digital, relying heavily on communication and collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Notion, Figma) to facilitate seamless interaction across different time zones.
• Focus on Output: The environment is geared towards productivity and results, with an emphasis on clear communication and well-documented work rather than synchronous meetings for all tasks.
• Technology-Rich: Employees are expected to have reliable internet access and the necessary hardware to perform their roles effectively, with the company providing relevant software and tools.

Work Schedule: Speechify champions an asynchronous work culture. While a full-time commitment is expected (around 40 hours per week), employees have flexibility in structuring their workday to accommodate personal needs and optimize productivity, provided they meet deadlines and collaborate effectively with their teams. This requires strong self-discipline and communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment description emphasizes the operational implications of a fully remote and asynchronous setup. This includes the reliance on digital tools, the focus on output, and the need for self-management, all of which are critical considerations for operations professionals.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application & Portfolio Review: Candidates submit their resume and portfolio. The hiring team will review these to assess experience, design skills, and alignment with the role's requirements.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion focused on your experience, design philosophy, and how you approach product challenges. Expect questions about your past projects and how you've handled specific design scenarios.
• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a take-home design challenge or present a detailed case study from your portfolio. This assesses your problem-solving skills, design process, and ability to articulate your rationale.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineers to evaluate collaboration skills, communication style, and ability to work effectively within a distributed team.
• Final Interview: Potentially with a founder or senior leadership, focusing on cultural fit, long-term vision, and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Process, Not Just Pixels: Clearly articulate your design process, including research, problem definition, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the impact of your design work (e.g., improved conversion rates, increased user engagement, reduced task completion time).
• Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as compelling narratives that highlight the problem, your approach, your role, the challenges faced, and the final solution and its results.
• Tailor to Speechify: Emphasize projects that demonstrate experience with consumer-facing apps, AI/audio technologies, or accessibility, if applicable. Highlight your understanding of asynchronous work and distributed teams.
• Clarity and Conciseness: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and clearly communicates your skills and achievements.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Problem: If given a challenge, thoroughly understand the user problem and business goals before jumping into solutions.
• Think Aloud: If presenting a live challenge or case study, articulate your thought process, assumptions, and rationale clearly.
• Focus on Strategy: Demonstrate strategic thinking by considering the broader product vision, user needs, and business objectives.
• Prioritize: In a time-constrained challenge, focus on delivering a core solution and clearly state any assumptions or areas you would explore further with more time.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice for navigating the interview process, with a strong emphasis on how to present one's portfolio and approach challenges in a way that aligns with operational efficiency and demonstrable impact. The focus on "quantifying impact" and "strategic thinking" is particularly relevant for operations-minded candidates.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable for collaborative design and prototyping), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).
• Collaboration & Communication: Slack (essential for distributed teams), Notion or similar (for documentation, process guidelines, and knowledge sharing), Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides).
• User Research & Testing: Tools like UserTesting.com, Maze, or internal methods for conducting usability studies and gathering feedback.
• Project Management: Tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello may be used for tracking design tasks and sprint progress.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools such as Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics to track user behavior, feature adoption, and conversion funnels.
• Data Visualization: While not a primary tool for designers, understanding how data is visualized in dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Looker) can be beneficial for interpreting performance metrics.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly used by designers, an understanding of how CRM systems (like Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms (like HubSpot) feed into user data and product engagement can be valuable context.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section lists tools relevant to a Senior Product Designer, with an emphasis on those critical for remote and collaborative environments (Figma, Slack, Notion). It also highlights the importance of analytics tools, reflecting the data-driven nature of modern product development and operations.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven: A strong focus on delivering tangible results and making a meaningful difference in users' lives, particularly for those with learning challenges.
• Data-Informed Decision Making: Utilizing analytics and user research to guide design choices and product strategy, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness.
• Customer Obsession: Deep empathy for users and a commitment to understanding and solving their problems.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication, constructive feedback, and a willingness to work together across disciplines and time zones.
• Agility & Iteration: Embracing a fast-paced environment, being comfortable with change, and continuously refining products based on feedback and performance.
• Ownership & Accountability: Taking responsibility for projects from conception to completion and driving them to successful outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Asynchronous First: Prioritizing asynchronous communication methods (detailed messages, documentation, recorded demos) to accommodate a global, remote team.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Working closely and proactively with Product Managers and Engineers, fostering a shared understanding of goals and challenges.
• Feedback Loops: Actively seeking and providing constructive feedback to continuously improve designs and processes.
• Knowledge Sharing: Contributing to a shared knowledge base through documentation, design system updates, and internal presentations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture and values are interpreted through an operational lens, emphasizing aspects like data-driven decision-making, impact measurement, and efficient collaboration, which are crucial for operational success in a distributed team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for a Global, Asynchronous Audience: Effectively catering to diverse user needs and cultural contexts while working across multiple time zones requires robust user research and clear communication strategies.
• Balancing Innovation with Scalability: Introducing new, cutting-edge features (especially AI-driven ones) while ensuring the product remains stable, performant, and easy to use for a broad user base.
• Driving Consensus in a Remote Environment: Aligning stakeholders with diverse opinions (PMs, Engineers, Leadership) on design direction and priorities without the benefit of in-person interaction.
• Maintaining Design Quality at Speed: Delivering high-quality design solutions rapidly in a fast-paced startup environment without compromising user experience or accessibility.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AI & Audio UX: Opportunity to become a specialist in designing for cutting-edge AI and audio technologies within the TTS domain.
• Mastering Asynchronous Design Operations: Developing expertise in managing design workflows, communication, and collaboration in a fully remote, asynchronous setting.
• Strategic Product Influence: Gaining experience in shaping product roadmaps and contributing to high-level business strategy.
• Mentorship and Leadership: Potential to mentor junior designers and take on leadership responsibilities as the design team grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section identifies potential challenges and growth areas from an operational perspective, focusing on the complexities of remote work, scaling design, and strategic product development, offering a clear path for professional development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to influence a product roadmap based on user research or data. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on data analysis, stakeholder management, and impact.)
• "How do you approach designing for accessibility, particularly for users with learning differences? Walk us through a relevant example." (Highlight customer-centricity, empathy, and inclusive design principles.)
• "Our team works asynchronously. How would you ensure effective collaboration and alignment with product managers and engineers across different time zones?" (Emphasize communication strategies, documentation, and proactive engagement.)
• "Pitch a new feature for Speechify that leverages AI to enhance the reading experience. What problem does it solve, who is the target user, and how would you validate its success?" (Assess product thinking, creativity, and understanding of the company's mission.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Speechify's mission to make reading accessible for everyone?" (Demonstrate alignment with company values and passion for the product.)
• "How do you handle constructive criticism or conflicting feedback from stakeholders like PMs and engineers?" (Assess collaboration, negotiation, and resilience.)
• "Describe your ideal remote work environment and how you maintain productivity and focus." (Showcase self-management, discipline, and understanding of asynchronous work.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the process you followed, the challenges encountered, your solutions, and the quantifiable results.
• Highlight Process & Rationale: Go beyond showcasing final designs; explain why you made certain decisions and how your process led to the outcome.
• Demonstrate Collaboration: Mention how you worked with cross-functional teams and incorporated their feedback.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, user research methods, and technical constraints.
• Focus on Impact: Quantify the success of your projects whenever possible (e.g., percentage increase in engagement, reduction in support tickets, improved task completion rates).

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation guidance is tailored to elicit responses that demonstrate operational excellence, strategic thinking, and an understanding of Speechify's unique remote and mission-driven culture.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link, ensuring all required fields are completed accurately.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that best represent your end-to-end design process, focusing on consumer-facing products, UI/UX refinement, and ideally, any experience with audio, AI, or accessibility. Quantify your impact with metrics wherever possible.
• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience relevant to product strategy, cross-functional collaboration, user research, and working in distributed or remote environments. Use keywords from the job description.
• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design process, your contributions to specific projects, and how you handle feedback and collaboration. Be ready to discuss your understanding of Speechify's mission and its impact.
• Research Speechify: Familiarize yourself with Speechify's products, mission, and recent news. Understand their user base and the challenges they aim to solve, particularly for individuals with learning differences.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions to provide a comprehensive view for operations professionals. All details should be verified directly with Speechify during the application and interview process.