Senior UI/ UX Designer

Shield
Full-timeLisbon, Portugal

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UI/UX Designer

Company: Shield

Location: Lisboa, Portugal

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UI/UX Design, Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-04-20T11:57:45

Experience Level: Mid-to-Senior Level

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

  • Design intuitive, scalable, and visually compelling user interfaces for cutting-edge, data-driven applications within a collaborative, agile environment.

  • Own the end-to-end design process for complex product challenges, from initial discovery and user research through to final delivery and implementation.

  • Leverage modern AI-powered design and prototyping tools, such as Figma, Claude, and Cursor, to accelerate design workflows and bridge the gap between design and development.

  • Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of design into development and to align user needs with business objectives.

  • Contribute to the evolution and maintenance of the company's Design System, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency across all product interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned for a Senior UI/UX Designer who will be integral to a fast-moving, high-impact environment. The emphasis on AI-powered tools and data-heavy applications suggests a need for adaptability and a strong technical aptitude, beyond traditional UI/UX skills. The responsibility for owning design problems end-to-end indicates a high degree of autonomy and strategic input expected from the candidate.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

  • Design wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs for intricate, data-intensive applications, ensuring clarity and usability.

  • Drive the entire design lifecycle for assigned product features, encompassing user research, ideation, prototyping, user testing, and final implementation.

  • Utilize advanced features of Figma and explore emerging AI-assisted tools (Claude, Cursor) for rapid prototyping, concept validation, and efficient design-to-code translation.

  • Partner effectively with Product Managers to translate business requirements and user needs into compelling user experiences, and with Developers to ensure accurate and efficient implementation of designs.

  • Actively contribute to the company's Design System, enhancing its components, guidelines, and overall structure to support product scalability and maintain visual consistency.

  • Conduct comprehensive user research, including interviews, surveys, and usability testing, to gather actionable insights that inform design iterations and strategic product decisions.

  • Translate complex business and technical requirements into clear, intuitive, and user-friendly interfaces, ensuring a seamless user journey.

  • Proactively identify potential design-related risks, such as usability challenges or technical constraints, and develop mitigation strategies.

  • Stay abreast of the latest advancements in design tools, methodologies, and particularly AI-driven workflows, to continuously optimize and innovate design processes.

  • Champion user-centered design principles while effectively balancing the demands of speed, quality, and timely delivery in an agile setting.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a "full-stack" design approach, requiring ownership from concept to completion. The emphasis on data-heavy applications and AI tools suggests a need for a designer comfortable with complexity and technological innovation, rather than solely focusing on aesthetics.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in design principles, human-computer interaction, or a related field is implicitly expected.

Experience: 4+ years of progressive experience in product design, UX, and UI design, with a significant portion in B2B SaaS environments.

Required Skills:

  • User-Centered Design: Proven ability to deeply understand and advocate for user needs while effectively balancing them against business objectives and technical limitations.

  • Product Thinking: Demonstrated understanding of how design decisions influence product strategy, user value, and overall business outcomes.

  • Craft & Attention to Detail: Exceptional visual and interaction design skills, with a keen eye for detail in typography, layout, color, and motion.

  • Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams, particularly with engineers and product managers, fostering strong working relationships and integrated workflows.

  • Technical Fluency: Capacity to understand technical constraints and implications of design choices, facilitating smoother implementation and realistic design solutions.

  • Adaptability: Demonstrated ability to thrive in dynamic, fast-paced environments, embracing new tools, technologies, and evolving ways of working.

  • Problem Solving: Structured and analytical approach to tackling complex design challenges, especially within data-rich application contexts.

  • Curiosity & Learning Mindset: A proactive interest in exploring and adopting new tools, particularly AI-driven design technologies, and a commitment to continuous professional development.

  • Advanced Figma Proficiency: Mastery of Figma for wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity design, and collaborative workflows.

  • Portfolio: A strong, compelling portfolio showcasing end-to-end design projects, problem-solving abilities, and demonstrable impact.

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience designing complex, data-heavy, or enterprise-level B2B SaaS applications.

  • Exposure to design-to-code workflows or familiarity with component-based development principles.

  • Basic understanding of front-end technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript frameworks (e.g., React).

  • Experience in contributing to, maintaining, or building Design Systems from the ground up.

  • Familiarity with AI-assisted design and prototyping tools beyond Figma, such as Claude and Cursor, or similar AI interaction tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Competencies" section in the original description provides excellent behavioral and soft skills that are crucial for this senior role. These have been integrated into the "Required Skills" to emphasize their importance. The distinction between required and preferred skills is based on the explicit statements in the job description.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Showcase end-to-end product design projects, detailing the problem, your role, the process undertaken, and the quantifiable outcomes or impact.

  • Demonstrate your ability to tackle complex, data-heavy interfaces, illustrating how you simplified intricate information for users.

  • Provide examples of your contribution to or creation of Design Systems, highlighting scalability, consistency, and efficiency improvements.

  • Illustrate your proficiency with modern design tools, particularly Figma, and any innovative use of AI or automation in your workflows.

Process Documentation:

  • Workflow Design and Optimization: Present case studies that detail how you mapped out and improved existing user workflows or designed new ones for optimal efficiency and user satisfaction.

  • Implementation and Automation: Show examples where your designs were translated into production-ready assets, and how you collaborated with engineering. Highlight any use of AI or automation to streamline this handoff.

  • Measurement and Performance Analysis: Demonstrate how you measured the success of your designs post-launch, using metrics and user feedback to identify areas for further iteration and improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on "owning design problems end-to-end" and the mention of "design-to-code workflows" and "AI-powered tools," a portfolio that explicitly demonstrates these capabilities will be highly advantageous. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they leverage technology to accelerate design and improve outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior UI/UX Designers in Lisbon, Portugal, with 4+ years of experience, and considering the specialized skills in B2B SaaS and AI tools, an estimated range would be €45,000 - €65,000 annually.

Benefits:

  • Opportunity to lead high-impact programs for leading financial institutions.

  • Direct influence on enterprise customer success, operational scalability, and long-term company growth.

  • Work with cutting-edge AI innovation and deep regulatory expertise.

  • Contribute to a fast-growing, mission-driven company shaping the future of communication governance and compliance.

  • Potential for exposure to recognized industry accolades and awards.

  • Competitive compensation package (specifics to be discussed).

  • Opportunities for professional development and staying at the forefront of design technology.

Working Hours: The role is implicitly full-time, likely adhering to standard business hours in Portugal (e.g., 40 hours per week), with potential for some flexibility given the agile work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on general market data for Senior UI/UX Designers in Lisbon, Portugal. Actual compensation will vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and the company's compensation strategy. The benefits listed are drawn directly from the company description, emphasizing the impact and growth potential of the role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Technology (FinTech), specifically focused on Digital Communications Governance and Archiving. Shield operates at the intersection of RegTech (Regulatory Technology) and AI. The company serves leading global financial institutions.

Company Size: Based on LinkedIn data, Shield's employee count is between 51-200 employees, indicating a growing company with established processes but still retaining some of the agility of a startup.

Founded: Shield was founded in 2016, giving it nearly a decade of experience in the market, with recognition from Deloitte Fast 500, Dun & Bradstreet, and industry awards.

Team Structure:

  • The UI/UX Designer will be part of a Product team, working closely with Product Managers and Engineering.

  • The team operates within an agile methodology, emphasizing collaboration and iterative development.

Methodology:

  • Data Analysis and Insights: The company heavily relies on AI and data to drive product decisions, so a data-informed design approach is crucial.

  • Workflow Planning and Optimization: Designing for complex regulatory environments requires meticulous workflow design and optimization for both end-users and compliance officers.

  • Automation and Efficiency Practices: Leveraging AI and efficient design processes is key to Shield's value proposition and internal operations.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on financial institutions and regulatory compliance means a high degree of professionalism, attention to detail, and understanding of complex requirements is expected. The blend of AI innovation with regulatory expertise is a unique selling proposition that shapes the company's culture and product development.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level position, indicating a need for independent problem-solving, significant design ownership, and the ability to mentor or guide more junior team members implicitly. The role requires a strategic contributor who can influence product direction.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, Senior UI/UX Designers typically report to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or a Senior Product Manager. The role involves close collaboration with Product Managers and Engineering Leads.

Operations Impact: The UI/UX Designer will directly impact enterprise customer success by creating intuitive and effective interfaces for Shield's governance and archiving platform. This role is critical for operational scalability, enabling more financial institutions to adopt and leverage the solution efficiently, and contributing to long-term company growth by enhancing user adoption and satisfaction.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Operations Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in designing for complex, data-intensive enterprise applications and gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI design tools.

  • Industry Specialization: Become an expert in the RegTech and FinTech space, understanding the unique design challenges and regulatory landscapes of financial institutions.

  • Leadership Potential: Opportunity to influence design strategy, evolve the Design System, and potentially mentor junior designers as the team grows.

  • Cross-functional Exposure: Gain in-depth understanding of product management, engineering processes, and the regulatory requirements driving Shield's product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Why Join Shield" section strongly emphasizes the impact and growth potential. The role is positioned as one that offers significant influence and contribution to the company's mission and growth within a specialized, high-value industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is specified as On-site, suggesting a physical office presence in Lisbon. This implies a collaborative environment where in-person interaction with colleagues is expected.

Office Location(s): Lisboa, Portugal. Specific office details are not provided but would typically include amenities conducive to a tech work environment.

Workspace Context:

  • The workspace is expected to be collaborative, fostering close interaction between designers, product managers, and engineers, especially given the agile methodology and focus on design-to-code workflows.

  • Access to modern design tools, including Figma and potentially AI-assisted platforms, will be standard.

  • Opportunities for direct engagement with colleagues on design challenges, problem-solving sessions, and feedback loops are integral to the work environment.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours are expected, with a focus on agile delivery. While on-site, there might be some flexibility in daily start/end times, but the core requirement is presence for team collaboration and project milestones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement indicates a preference for in-person collaboration, which is often beneficial for complex design problem-solving and fostering team cohesion in a tech environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  • Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and fit with the role requirements.

  • Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: You will likely present your portfolio, walking through 1-2 key projects. Be prepared to discuss your design process, decision-making, challenges faced, and outcomes achieved, with a focus on data-heavy applications and AI tool usage.

  • Technical/Skills Assessment: This may involve a design exercise or a more in-depth discussion about your proficiency with Figma, design systems, and your understanding of technical constraints.

  • Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers and Engineering Leads to assess collaboration style, product thinking, and ability to integrate designs into development workflows.

  • Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss cultural fit, long-term vision, and overall alignment with Shield's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Highlight AI Integration: Showcase any projects where you've used AI tools (Claude, Cursor, etc.) to enhance your design process, accelerate prototyping, or improve outcomes.

  • Data-Heavy Design: Dedicate a case study to a complex, data-rich application, detailing how you approached information architecture, data visualization, and user interaction to make it intuitive.

  • End-to-End Ownership: Clearly delineate your specific contributions and the full lifecycle of your involvement in each project.

  • Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced user errors, increased task completion time) to demonstrate the value of your designs.

  • Showcase Design System Work: If you have experience with design systems, present examples of your contributions and how they led to greater consistency and efficiency.

Challenge Preparation:

  • Be ready for a design challenge that may involve simplifying a complex data set or improving an existing interface for a financial application.

  • Practice articulating your design decisions clearly and concisely, explaining the rationale behind your choices, especially in relation to user needs and business goals.

  • Prepare to discuss how you would approach integrating AI tools into a given design problem or workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI tools, data-heavy applications, and end-to-end ownership means candidates should tailor their portfolio and interview preparation to specifically address these aspects. Demonstrating an understanding of the FinTech/RegTech space will also be beneficial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • Figma: The core design tool for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and collaboration. Advanced proficiency is a must.

  • AI-Assisted Design Tools: Explicitly mentioned are Claude and Cursor. Candidates should be familiar with or eager to learn how these tools can be integrated into design workflows for rapid prototyping, content generation, or code assistance.

  • Prototyping Tools: Figma's prototyping capabilities are primary, but experience with other specialized prototyping tools may be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

  • While not explicitly listed for the designer, understanding how user behavior is tracked and analyzed (e.g., using tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) is crucial for data-informed design.

CRM & Automation:

  • While not directly used by designers, an understanding of how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms function can provide context for B2B SaaS product design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Claude and Cursor indicates a forward-thinking approach to design tooling. Candidates who can demonstrate experience or a strong willingness to learn and integrate these AI tools will be highly valued.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • User-Centered Design: A fundamental value, ensuring that user needs are paramount in all design decisions.

  • Product Thinking: A strong emphasis on understanding the business context and how design contributes to product success and user value.

  • Craft & Attention to Detail: A commitment to high-quality execution in visual and interaction design.

  • Collaboration: A culture of working closely with Product and Engineering, fostering open communication and shared ownership.

  • Technical Fluency: An appreciation for design that is technically feasible and well-integrated with development.

  • Adaptability: Embracing change, new tools, and fast-paced environments.

  • Problem Solving: A structured, analytical approach to overcoming design challenges.

  • Curiosity & Learning Mindset: A drive to continuously learn, especially regarding new technologies like AI in design.

Collaboration Style:

  • The team operates with an agile methodology, meaning iterative feedback loops, regular check-ins, and cross-functional team involvement are standard.

  • Expect close partnership with Product Managers for requirements and strategy, and with Engineers for implementation and technical feasibility.

  • Design reviews are likely a regular part of the process, encouraging constructive feedback and shared problem-solving.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's values, as outlined in the "Competencies" section, directly inform the expected team culture and collaboration style. Candidates should align with these principles, demonstrating a proactive, user-focused, and collaborative approach.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Designing for Complexity: Tackling intricate, data-heavy interfaces for regulated financial institutions requires careful information architecture and user experience design to avoid overwhelming users.

  • Balancing Speed and Quality: In a fast-paced environment, maintaining high design standards while meeting aggressive delivery timelines will be a constant challenge.

  • Integrating AI Tools: Effectively adopting and integrating new AI-powered design tools into existing workflows while ensuring quality and efficiency.

  • Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring seamless communication and buy-in from Product, Engineering, and other stakeholders on design decisions, especially in a complex domain.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • AI Design Tool Mastery: Gaining deep expertise in leveraging AI tools like Claude and Cursor to revolutionize design workflows.

  • FinTech/RegTech Specialization: Developing a niche expertise in designing for the highly regulated financial services industry.

  • Design System Evolution: Contributing significantly to and potentially leading the expansion and refinement of Shield's Design System.

  • Product Strategy Influence: As a senior member, having a greater voice in product strategy and direction through design leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to the role's description and industry. The growth opportunities are derived from the company's focus on innovation and the senior nature of the position.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • "Describe a complex, data-heavy application you designed. What were the main challenges, and how did you use design to simplify it for users?" (Focus on your process, tools, and outcomes.)

  • "How have you used AI-powered tools or automation in your design process? Can you give an example of how it accelerated your work or improved the final product?" (Highlight familiarity with Claude, Cursor, or similar.)

  • "Walk me through your process for taking a design from initial concept to final implementation with engineering. How do you ensure smooth handoffs and address technical constraints?" (Emphasize collaboration and technical fluency.)

Company & Culture Questions:

  • "What interests you about Shield and our mission in communication governance and compliance for financial institutions?" (Research Shield's product, market position, and recent news.)

  • "How do you approach contributing to and evolving a Design System? What are the key principles you follow?" (Demonstrate understanding of scalability and consistency.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Structure: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the design process (research, ideation, iteration), the solutions, and the measurable impact.

  • AI Demonstration: If possible, show a brief example of how you used AI tools in the process or discuss the potential for their application.

  • Data Focus: For data-heavy applications, use clear visualizations and explain your design choices for presenting complex information effectively.

  • Conciseness: Be prepared to present your most impactful projects within the allocated time, focusing on the most relevant aspects for this role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should strongly emphasize the specific tools (Figma, Claude, Cursor), the nature of the product (data-heavy, FinTech, compliance), and the seniority of the role (end-to-end ownership, strategic input).

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UI/UX Designer position:

  • Submit your application through the provided link on Comeet.

  • Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to specifically highlight projects demonstrating experience with complex, data-heavy applications, end-to-end design ownership, and any use of AI-assisted design tools.

  • Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly lists your 4+ years of experience in product/UX/UI design, emphasizing B2B SaaS, and prominently features your proficiency with Figma and familiarity with AI design tools. Use keywords from the job description.

  • Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, decision-making, and the impact of your work, especially relating to the challenges and requirements outlined for this role. Prepare to discuss your experience with design systems and collaboration.

  • Company Research: Thoroughly research Shield, its products, its place in the FinTech/RegTech market, and its company culture to demonstrate genuine interest and alignment during the interview process.

⚠️ 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.


Application Requirements

Candidates must have 4+ years of experience in product, UX, or UI design, preferably within a B2B SaaS environment. Proficiency in Figma, a strong portfolio of end-to-end design work, and familiarity with AI-assisted prototyping tools are required.