Senior Product Designer - Zagreb, Croatia

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer Company: Speechify Location: Zagreb, Croatia Job Type: Full-time Category: Product Design / GTM Operations Date Posted: 2026-01-09 Experience Level: 5-10 Years Remote Status: Remote Solely

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive product innovation by pitching, prototyping, testing, building, shipping, and iteratively refining new features for Speechify's suite of text-to-speech products.
• Enhance the user experience and interface (UX/UI) across our native iOS and Android applications, ensuring a cohesive and intuitive design language.
• Redesign and optimize critical user journeys, including onboarding flows, to improve user acquisition, engagement, and retention.
• Play a pivotal role in shaping the product roadmap, contributing strategic insights and design-led opportunities for growth and user value.
• Contribute to the evolution of the design organization by refining internal processes and fostering a high-performing design culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the original posting is for a Product Designer, the emphasis on influencing the product roadmap, refining core user flows, and the company's mission to remove reading barriers strongly aligns with GTM Operations principles. This role will require a deep understanding of user acquisition, engagement, and retention strategies, often supported by operational excellence in design execution. The remote-only nature and focus on asynchronous work also point to a need for strong operational discipline.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, design, and deliver user-centered features for Speechify's iOS, Android, Mac, Chrome Extension, and Web App platforms, from initial ideation through to final release and post-launch analysis.
• Conduct user research, usability testing, and competitive analysis to identify user needs, pain points, and opportunities for product improvement and feature development.
• Develop high-fidelity prototypes and design specifications to effectively communicate design solutions to engineering, product management, and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineers to ensure design feasibility, technical implementation, and alignment with product goals and business objectives.
• Champion a data-driven design approach, leveraging analytics and user feedback to inform design decisions and measure the impact of design changes on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, engagement metrics, and user satisfaction.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of Speechify's design system, ensuring consistency and scalability across all product touchpoints.
• Actively participate in design critiques and provide constructive feedback to peers to foster continuous improvement and elevate the overall quality of design output.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies (especially in AI and audio), and best practices in UX/UI design to bring innovative ideas to the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are expanded to emphasize the end-to-end design process, including research, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making, which are critical for a Senior Product Designer influencing product strategy and user journeys. The inclusion of specific platforms (iOS, Android, Mac, Chrome Extension, Web App) and technologies (AI, audio) adds crucial context.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field; or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 5-10 years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record of designing and shipping consumer-facing digital products across multiple platforms (web, mobile).

Required Skills:

• Product Thinking & Strategy: Ability to understand business objectives, market dynamics, and user needs to translate them into effective product design strategies.
• User Experience (UX) Design: Deep understanding of user-centered design principles, information architecture, interaction design, and user flows.
• User Interface (UI) Design: Proficiency in creating visually appealing, intuitive, and consistent user interfaces, with a strong grasp of visual hierarchy, typography, and layout.
• Prototyping & Wireframing: Expertise in using design tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) to create interactive prototypes and wireframes for user testing and stakeholder communication.
• User Research & Testing: Experience conducting qualitative and quantitative user research, including interviews, surveys, usability testing, and analyzing results to inform design decisions.
• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale, present ideas effectively, and collaborate cross-functionally with PMs, engineers, and executives.
• Customer-Centricity: Demonstrated ability to empathize with users, gather and incorporate customer feedback into the design process.
• Data Analysis: Familiarity with interpreting product analytics and user data to identify opportunities for design optimization.
• Platform Proficiency: Understanding of design principles and constraints specific to iOS, Android, and web platforms.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with audio-centric products or technologies.
• Familiarity with AI-driven features and their design implications.
• Experience in a high-growth startup environment, particularly with asynchronous work cultures.
• Knowledge of design systems and their implementation.
• Experience in refining onboarding and core user flows for engagement and retention.
• Craftsmanship in typography, information design, and micro-interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level is inferred from the "Senior" title and the breadth of responsibilities. Preferred skills are derived from the company's product domain (audio, AI) and work environment (startup, remote).

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase at least 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating your involvement in the entire product design lifecycle from research and discovery through to prototyping, delivery, and iteration.
• Platform Diversity: Include examples of work on both mobile (iOS/Android) and web/browser-based platforms to demonstrate versatility.
• Problem/Solution Framing: Clearly articulate the user problem or business challenge addressed, your design process, the decisions made, and the rationale behind them.
• Impact & Metrics: Quantify the impact of your designs whenever possible, using metrics related to user engagement, conversion rates, task completion, or user satisfaction.
• Prototyping & UX Flow: Demonstrate your ability to create interactive prototypes and illustrate complex user flows and interaction patterns.

Process Documentation:

• Research & Discovery: Evidence of user research methodologies, competitive analysis, and how insights were translated into design requirements.
• Design Iteration: Examples of how user feedback and data were used to iterate on designs, showing a progression from initial concepts to refined solutions.
• Collaboration & Handoff: Showcase how you collaborated with product managers and engineers, including documentation and handoff processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Portfolio requirements are tailored to senior-level design roles, emphasizing comprehensive case studies, measurable impact, and end-to-end process demonstration. This is crucial for evaluating a candidate's ability to drive product strategy and execution.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in European tech hubs with a focus on remote work, and considering Speechify's growth stage and funding, a competitive salary range for Zagreb, Croatia, is estimated to be between €50,000 - €80,000 annually. This range accounts for the 5-10 years of experience required and the senior nature of the role.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: Performance-based compensation package.
• Remote Work: Fully remote position with the flexibility to work from anywhere within Croatia (or potentially wider EU, subject to company policy).
• Impactful Product: Opportunity to work on a product that genuinely changes lives and assists millions with learning disabilities.
• Cutting-Edge Technology: Involvement in the rapidly evolving domains of Artificial Intelligence and audio technology.
• Growth & Development: Opportunities for professional growth, skill development, and career advancement within a fast-paced startup environment.
• Dynamic Culture: A collaborative and innovative team environment that values autonomy, drive, and continuous improvement.
• Asynchronous Work Culture: A commitment to an exceptional asynchronous work culture, fostering focus and creativity.

Working Hours: Speechify operates with a strong emphasis on an asynchronous work culture. While a standard 40-hour work week is typical, the focus is on output and results rather than strict adherence to office hours, allowing for flexibility in scheduling.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary range is an estimate based on market research for a Senior Product Designer in Zagreb, Croatia, considering the full-time, remote nature and the company's industry. Benefits are extrapolated from typical offerings for remote tech roles and Speechify's stated values.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, EdTech, AI, Audio, Software. Speechify operates at the intersection of several high-growth industries, leveraging AI to revolutionize how people consume written content through text-to-speech technology. This positions the company as an innovator in accessibility and learning enhancement.

Company Size: Approximately 200 employees globally. This size indicates a dynamic, fast-paced environment where individual contributions are highly visible and impactful, while still offering the resources and structure of a growing organization.

Founded: Speechify was founded with a mission to remove reading barriers. While the exact founding year is not specified, its growth to over 50 million users and recognition from major tech players (Google, Apple) suggests a mature yet rapidly scaling company.

Team Structure: Speechify operates as a 100% distributed company with no physical offices. The design team is likely integrated within product squads, working closely with product managers, engineers, and potentially AI researchers. The structure emphasizes autonomy and cross-functional collaboration in a remote setting.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Product Development: Emphasizes using analytics and user feedback to inform product decisions and design iterations.
• Agile & Iterative Design: Focus on pitching, prototyping, shipping, and refining features, suggesting an iterative development process.
• Asynchronous Collaboration: A core tenet of the company's operational model, requiring clear communication and documentation.
• Cross-Functional Teams: Designers work alongside engineers and PMs to achieve product goals.

Company Website: Speechify.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Company culture details are inferred from the provided description, emphasizing the remote-first, data-driven, and collaborative nature of Speechify, which is critical for operations professionals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer. This level implies significant autonomy, ownership, and the ability to lead design initiatives from conception to execution. It requires not only strong craft but also strategic thinking, product sense, and the ability to mentor others.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Design, Design Lead, or a senior product leader. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific product initiatives. The remote, distributed nature means collaboration will be primarily asynchronous and digital.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on Speechify's mission by improving the user experience of its core text-to-speech technology. Success in this role will lead to increased user adoption, engagement, and retention, directly contributing to revenue growth and market leadership in the accessibility and learning technology space. The design decisions will influence how millions of users interact with information, making it a highly impactful position.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership & Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers and contribute to the strategic direction of the design team as it scales.
• Product Strategy Influence: Grow from executing on features to proactively identifying and driving new product opportunities based on user insights and market trends.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-driven features, audio UX, or accessibility design.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: Potential to move into Product Management or other strategic roles within a growing tech company.
• Industry Expertise: Become a leading voice in the EdTech, accessibility, and audio technology design space.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis focuses on how a Senior Product Designer contributes to operational efficiency and growth, and outlines potential career trajectories within a rapidly scaling tech company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Speechify operates as a 100% distributed company, meaning there are no physical offices. The "work environment" is entirely digital and asynchronous.

Office Location(s): N/A (Fully Remote). Employees are located across various regions, with this specific role based in Zagreb, Croatia.

Workspace Context:

• Digital Collaboration Hub: The primary workspace is digital, relying on tools like Slack, Zoom, Figma, and project management software for communication, collaboration, and design work.
• Focus on Asynchronous Work: The environment is optimized for deep work, with an emphasis on clear documentation, asynchronous communication, and respect for different time zones and working styles.
• Empowerment and Autonomy: Employees are trusted to manage their time and workflow effectively, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility.
• Global Team Interaction: Opportunities to collaborate with a diverse, international team of talented professionals from leading tech companies and academic institutions.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is a baseline, the emphasis is on flexibility and output. Employees are encouraged to structure their days to maximize productivity and creativity, aligning with the asynchronous work culture, with core overlap for critical meetings and team syncs as needed.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment is defined by its fully remote and asynchronous nature, highlighting the operational requirements for effective digital collaboration and self-management.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in Speechify's mission.
• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A deep dive into your portfolio, focusing on specific case studies. This may be followed by a design challenge designed to assess your problem-solving skills, design process, and ability to articulate your rationale.
• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: Conversation with the hiring manager and/or key team members (e.g., Product Manager, Lead Engineer) to discuss your experience, approach to design, and collaboration style.
• Final Round/Executive Interview: Potentially a conversation with a senior leader to discuss strategic thinking, long-term vision, and overall fit with the company culture and mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 2-3 of your strongest, most relevant case studies that highlight end-to-end product design, particularly on mobile and web platforms.
• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), the solutions you proposed, and the outcomes/impact. Use visuals effectively.
• Highlight Quantifiable Results: Wherever possible, showcase metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion, engagement, reduced errors).
• Explain Your "Why": Be prepared to articulate the rationale behind your design decisions, showing your critical thinking and strategic approach.
• Demonstrate Collaboration: Briefly touch upon how you collaborated with PMs and engineers.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: Carefully read and understand the design challenge prompt. Ask clarifying questions if needed.
• Focus on Process: Even if you don't have a fully polished final design, clearly demonstrate your thought process, research approach, and design rationale.
• Time Management: Allocate your time wisely between research, ideation, sketching, and presenting your solution.
• Articulate Clearly: Be prepared to present your solution verbally, explaining your approach and the trade-offs you considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice on how to navigate the interview process and present a compelling portfolio for a senior-level design role, emphasizing the operational aspects of design delivery and communication.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable given industry trends and collaborative remote work), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).
• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, or similar platforms for remote usability testing and feedback collection.
• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides).
• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for task tracking and workflow management.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Mixpanel, Amplitude, Google Analytics, or internal BI tools for tracking user behavior and feature adoption.
• A/B Testing Platforms: Optimizely, VWO, or in-house tools for experimental design and validation.

CRM & Automation: While not directly a designer's primary tool, familiarity with how CRMs (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and marketing automation platforms influence user journeys and data collection can be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tool stack is inferred based on industry standards for remote, collaborative product design teams, with a strong emphasis on digital collaboration and data-driven decision-making tools.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values (Inferred from company mission and description):

• Mission-Driven: A deep commitment to Speechify's mission of removing reading barriers and making learning accessible. This drives decision-making and prioritizes user impact.
• Innovation & Curiosity: A drive to explore new technologies (AI, audio) and push the boundaries of what's possible in text-to-speech technology.
• Customer Focus: A strong emphasis on understanding and serving the needs of users, particularly those with learning differences.
• Autonomy & Ownership: Empowering individuals to take responsibility for their work and make impactful decisions.
• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where ideas are shared openly, feedback is constructive, and cross-functional teams work cohesively, especially in a remote setting.
• Efficiency & Focus: Valuing deep work, effective communication, and streamlined processes to achieve high output in a fast-paced environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Asynchronous First: Communication and collaboration are primarily handled asynchronously through tools like Slack and documented discussions, respecting diverse working hours and locations.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Designers work closely and collaboratively with Product Managers and Engineers, acting as integral members of product teams.
• Design Critiques: Regular opportunities for designers to share work, receive constructive feedback, and contribute to collective problem-solving.
• Data-Informed Discussions: Design discussions are often informed by user data and analytics, leading to objective decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section extrapolates Speechify's values and collaboration style based on its mission, remote-first nature, and operational focus, crucial for understanding how the team functions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Design Systems: As Speechify grows and expands its product offerings, maintaining and scaling a consistent design system across multiple platforms will be a continuous challenge.
• Balancing Innovation with User Needs: The rapid pace of AI and audio technology presents exciting opportunities, but designers must balance cutting-edge features with the core needs and accessibility requirements of their user base.
• Remote Collaboration Dynamics: Ensuring effective communication, alignment, and team cohesion within a fully distributed team requires deliberate effort and strong operational processes.
• Data Interpretation: Translating complex user data and analytics into actionable design insights can be challenging, requiring strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Prioritization in a Fast-Paced Environment: Effectively prioritizing design initiatives and managing multiple projects simultaneously in a high-growth startup.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Mastering AI/Audio UX: Deepen expertise in designing for emerging technologies and unique interaction paradigms in audio interfaces.
• Leading Design Initiatives: Grow into a leadership role, mentoring junior designers and influencing product strategy at a higher level.
• Contributing to Design Operations: Help shape and refine the design processes, tools, and culture within Speechify.
• Industry Exposure: Gain experience working with world-class talent and potentially present work at industry conferences.
• Impactful Product Development: Directly contribute to a product that has a profound positive impact on millions of users worldwide.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges and growth opportunities are framed within the context of a senior role in a fast-growing, remote tech company, focusing on operational aspects of design scaling and leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you significantly influenced a product roadmap. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on strategic thinking, data utilization, and collaboration.)
• "Walk us through your process for redesigning a key user flow (e.g., onboarding, conversion). How do you identify opportunities, and how do you measure success?" (Emphasize user research, iterative design, and metric-driven outcomes.)
• "How do you balance user needs with business goals and technical constraints in your design process?" (Showcase your problem-solving skills and ability to make trade-offs.)
• "Tell us about your experience with designing for accessibility. How do you ensure inclusivity in your designs?" (Crucial given Speechify's mission.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Speechify's mission and our text-to-speech technology specifically?" (Connect your personal values and career goals to the company's purpose.)
• "How do you approach collaboration in a fully remote and asynchronous environment?" (Highlight your communication strategies, documentation habits, and proactive engagement.)
• "Describe a time you received difficult feedback on your design. How did you handle it, and what did you learn?" (Assess your receptiveness to feedback and ability to iterate.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of the project and the core problem. Then, dive into your process, highlighting key decisions and challenges. Conclude with the solution and its impact.
• Emphasize Your Role: Clearly define your specific contributions, especially if it was a team project.
• Visual Storytelling: Use mockups, prototypes, user flows, and data visualizations to support your narrative.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, research findings, and trade-offs.
• Connect to Speechify: If possible, draw parallels between your past work and Speechify's challenges or opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions are tailored to a senior product design role, focusing on strategic thinking, process, impact, and cultural fit, with specific advice for portfolio presentation in a remote context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Speechify careers portal via the provided link.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features case studies demonstrating end-to-end product design for consumer-facing applications, ideally on mobile and web platforms. Highlight your process, problem-solving skills, and measurable impact.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight relevant experience in UX/UI design, user research, prototyping, and cross-functional collaboration, using keywords from the job description such as "consumer-facing products," "product roadmap," and "user flows."
• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to articulate your design philosophy, your approach to user-centered design, and your passion for Speechify's mission. Practice presenting your portfolio case studies concisely and effectively.
• Research Speechify: Understand Speechify's products, mission, target audience, and recent achievements (e.g., Apple Design Award). Consider how your skills and experience align with their growth objectives and unique operational model (remote, asynchronous).

⚠️ 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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