Senior UX Designer (all genders)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer Company: Starface GmbH Location: Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Job Type: Full-Time Category: User Experience (UX) / User Interface (UI) Design, Product Development Operations Date Posted: 2025-07-10 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (3-5 years) Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the establishment and growth of a new interdisciplinary UX/UI team within the STARFACE Group, defining its structure and operational cadence.
• Drive the strategic vision for user experience across all STARFACE digital platforms, including PBX systems, mobile applications, desktop apps, and web portals.
• Implement and refine robust design processes, standards, and toolchains to ensure consistent and high-quality user experiences throughout the product lifecycle.
• Conduct comprehensive user research, including usability testing and user interviews, to inform data-driven product development decisions and optimize user journeys.
• Foster strong cross-functional collaboration with Product Owners, development teams, and stakeholders to translate user needs into technically feasible and market-oriented solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Senior UX Designer," the description strongly emphasizes building and leading a team, suggesting a potential for future team leadership responsibilities. The focus on establishing processes and toolchains also indicates a significant operational component to this role, bridging design strategy with practical implementation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the recruitment, onboarding, and development of a dedicated UX/UI design team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance environment.
• Architect and execute the end-to-end design process for STARFACE's product portfolio, from user research and ideation to wireframing, prototyping, and final UI design.
• Develop intuitive and engaging user interfaces for STARFACE's PBX systems, mobile applications, desktop clients, and administrative web portals, catering to both end-users and administrators.
• Plan, execute, and analyze user research methodologies, including usability testing, user interviews, surveys, and heuristic evaluations, to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
• Translate complex requirements and user feedback into clear, actionable design specifications and prototypes for development teams, ensuring alignment with product roadmaps and business objectives.
• Facilitate and moderate cross-functional workshops, brainstorming sessions, and design sprints to gather requirements, generate ideas, and drive consensus on solutions.
• Define, document, and evangelize design systems, style guides, and best practices to ensure UI consistency, scalability, and efficiency across all digital touchpoints.
• Monitor industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitor offerings in UX/UI design and business communication to identify innovative opportunities for product enhancement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design leadership and hands-on execution, typical for a senior role with team-building expectations. The emphasis on establishing "Designprozesse, Standards und Toolchains" points to a significant operational responsibility in standardizing and optimizing the design workflow.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A completed university degree in UX/UI Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, Digital Design, or a closely related field is required. This academic foundation ensures a theoretical understanding of user-centered design principles and research methodologies.

Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in UX/UI design, with a demonstrated track record of successfully designing and launching software products.
• Experience within a B2B SaaS or software product environment is highly preferred, as it indicates familiarity with complex user workflows and enterprise-level application design.
• Prior experience in leading design teams, mentoring junior designers, or establishing design processes within an organization is a significant advantage and strongly desired.

Required Skills:

• UX Design Expertise: Proficient in the full spectrum of UX design activities, including user research, persona development, user journey mapping, information architecture, and interaction design.
• UI Design Proficiency: Strong visual design skills, including layout, typography, color theory, and the ability to create aesthetically pleasing and functional user interfaces.
• Wireframing & Prototyping: Advanced proficiency in creating low-fidelity wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes using industry-standard tools.
• Usability Testing & Analysis: Demonstrated experience in planning, conducting, and analyzing usability tests and user interviews to gather actionable insights.
• Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts, rationale, and user research findings effectively to diverse audiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Design System Management: Experience in creating, maintaining, and scaling design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency across multiple products.
• Agile Methodologies: Familiarity with agile development frameworks such as Scrum or Kanban, and experience working within agile teams.
• Familiarity with Collaboration Tools: Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools like JIRA and Confluence for workflow tracking and documentation.
• Domain Knowledge: Understanding of PBX systems, Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), or business communication technologies is beneficial but not mandatory.
• German & English Proficiency: Excellent command of both German and English, both written and spoken, for effective communication within the company and with international stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "mindestens 3 Jahre Berufserfahrung" combined with the opportunity to build a team suggests this is a pivotal role. The emphasis on building processes and toolchains indicates that candidates with experience in operationalizing design workflows will be highly valued.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Comprehensive Case Studies: Showcase at least 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating your end-to-end UX design process for complex software products or platforms. Each case study should clearly outline the problem, your role, the methodologies employed, design solutions, and measurable outcomes.
• User Research Integration: Provide evidence of how user research (interviews, surveys, usability testing) directly informed your design decisions and led to tangible improvements in user experience or product metrics.
• Prototyping Capabilities: Include interactive prototypes or detailed walkthroughs of prototypes that illustrate key user flows and interactions, demonstrating your ability to convey complex ideas effectively.
• Design System Examples: If applicable, present examples of design systems or style guides you have contributed to or developed, highlighting your approach to consistency, scalability, and component-based design.
• Collaboration & Iteration: Demonstrate your ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (product managers, developers) and showcase how you iterated on designs based on feedback and testing.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Illustrate your methodologies for mapping out and optimizing user workflows, including examples of process diagrams or flowcharts you have created.
• Usability Testing Protocols: Include examples of usability test plans, scripts, and analysis reports that showcase your systematic approach to evaluating user interfaces.
• Design Process Standards: Articulate your approach to establishing and documenting design processes, standards, and best practices to ensure consistency and quality within a team.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's emphasis on building a team and establishing processes, a portfolio that highlights not just design output but also the process behind it, including team collaboration and workflow optimization, will be critical. Demonstrating experience in creating and implementing design standards is a key differentiator.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior UX Designer with 3-5 years of experience in Karlsruhe, Germany, the estimated annual gross salary typically ranges from €60,000 to €80,000. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in the German tech sector, considering the cost of living in Karlsruhe and the responsibilities outlined, including team-building potential.

Benefits:

• Flexible Working Hours: Adapt your work schedule to your personal needs, provided service times are covered, promoting work-life balance.
• Hybrid Working Model: Enjoy the flexibility of combining remote work with in-office collaboration.
• Company Events: Participate in regular company celebrations and social gatherings, fostering team spirit and camaraderie.
• Retirement Plan: Access to a company-sponsored pension scheme to support long-term financial security.
• Ergonomic Workspace: Benefit from electrically height-adjustable desks to promote a healthy and comfortable working environment.
• Wellness Initiatives: Enjoy complimentary fruit baskets and beverages provided in the office.
• Mobile Office & International Work: Opportunity for remote work and the ability to work from abroad for up to two weeks annually within the EU.
• Team Socials: Opportunities for informal gatherings, such as "Bier nach Vier" on Fridays, to connect with colleagues.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility to accommodate personal schedules as long as core service requirements are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided benefits are comprehensive and align well with modern tech company offerings, emphasizing flexibility and employee well-being. The inclusion of "Mobile Office and annually up to 2 weeks working from abroad (EU)" is a significant perk for flexibility-seekers.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Information Technology and Services, specifically focusing on Telecommunications and Unified Communications (UCaaS) solutions. STARFACE GmbH develops and markets its own IP-based communication platform. Company Size: While not explicitly stated in the provided data, the mention of building a team and having a "startup character" suggests a growing company, likely in the range of 50-250 employees. This size often offers a dynamic environment with opportunities for significant impact. Founded: Starface GmbH was founded in 2005, indicating over 15 years of experience in the telecommunications market, providing a stable yet innovative foundation.

Team Structure:

• Operations Team Aspect 1: The UX/UI team is in its nascent stages, with the Senior UX Designer tasked with its formation. This means the initial team will likely be small, possibly starting with the designer and potentially one or two additional hires.
• Operations Team Aspect 2: The Senior UX Designer will likely report into a Head of Product, Product Management Lead, or potentially a CTO, depending on the organizational structure at STARFACE GmbH. Collaboration will be tight with Product Owners and Engineering leads.
• Operations Team Aspect 3: Expect close and constant collaboration with Product Management for requirements gathering and roadmap alignment, and with Software Development teams for seamless implementation of designs. Interaction with Marketing and Sales may also occur for user insights and product positioning.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis and Insights Methods: The role mandates a data-driven approach, utilizing insights from usability testing, user interviews, analytics tools, and market research to inform design decisions.
• Workflow Planning and Optimization Strategies: A core aspect of the role involves defining, documenting, and continuously improving design workflows to enhance efficiency, quality, and team productivity.
• Automation and Efficiency Practices: While not explicitly stated for design, the broader company ethos likely values efficiency. The designer will be expected to leverage tools and processes that streamline the design lifecycle.

Company Website: http://starface.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's description as having a "startup character" despite being founded in 2005 suggests a culture that values agility, innovation, and employee autonomy, even within a more established business. This implies a less bureaucratic environment where new ideas are welcomed.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This position is positioned as a Senior UX Designer, signifying a level of expertise and responsibility beyond junior or mid-level roles. The added dimension of building and potentially leading a UX/UI team elevates it towards a lead or managerial track within the design function.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer will likely report to a Product Management lead or a CTO, depending on the company's internal structure. They will work closely with Product Owners and Development Leads, forming a core product development triad.

Operations Impact: The Senior UX Designer will have a direct and significant impact on the user experience of STARFACE's core products, influencing customer satisfaction, adoption rates, and ultimately, revenue. By establishing best practices and a strong design function, they will contribute to the long-term competitiveness and user-centricity of STARFACE's offerings.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Develop leadership and team-building skills by establishing and managing the UX/UI team, defining its operational framework, and mentoring designers.
• Industry Specialization: Deepen expertise in the UCaaS and business communication sector, becoming a subject matter expert in user needs and design challenges within this domain.
• Strategic Influence: Gain opportunities to influence product strategy and roadmap decisions based on user insights and design thinking, potentially moving into Product Design Lead or Head of Design roles as the team and company grow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The dual focus on design excellence and team establishment presents a unique growth trajectory. Candidates can expect to hone both their individual design craft and their leadership/operational management abilities, offering a well-rounded career development path.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Karlsruhe, Germany, with a hybrid work arrangement. This suggests a modern office space designed to facilitate collaboration and creative work, complemented by the flexibility of remote work.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located in the heart of Karlsruhe, Germany, implying accessibility and a vibrant urban setting.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office space is likely designed to foster interaction among product, development, and design teams, with meeting rooms, whiteboards, and common areas.
• Operations Tools and Technology: Expect access to standard design software (Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite), collaboration platforms (JIRA, Confluence), and potentially user research tools. The company's commitment to building a team implies investment in necessary design infrastructure.
• Operations Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with product managers, developers, and potentially other designers as the team grows, facilitating knowledge sharing and collaborative problem-solving.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is around 40 hours per week, with flexible working hours, allowing for a balance between focused individual work and collaborative team activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "heart of Karlsruhe" location is a positive attribute, suggesting good transport links and access to amenities. The hybrid model, coupled with a commitment to a positive work environment, indicates a company that values employee well-being and productivity.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Process Step 1 (Initial Screening): A preliminary call, likely with HR or a hiring manager, to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest in the role. Be prepared to briefly discuss your experience in building design processes and teams.
• Process Step 2 (Portfolio Presentation & Technical Interview): A more in-depth session where you present your portfolio. Expect questions about your design process, how you handle user research, decision-making rationale, and how you've collaborated with development teams. Be ready to discuss specific case studies in detail.
• Process Step 3 (Team & Stakeholder Interaction): You may meet with Product Owners, development leads, or other key stakeholders to assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate into the existing team structure.
• Process Step 4 (Final Evaluation): A final interview, potentially with senior leadership, to discuss your vision for the UX/UI team at STARFACE, your strategic approach, and overall fit with the company culture and goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Prioritize Process: For this role, demonstrating how you achieve results is as important as the results themselves. Clearly articulate your design process, including research methodologies, iteration loops, and collaboration strategies.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to showcase the impact of your design work. This could include improvements in conversion rates, task completion times, user satisfaction scores, or reduction in support tickets.
• Highlight Team Building/Process Establishment: Since this is a key responsibility, select case studies or prepare specific examples that illustrate your experience in setting up design workflows, establishing standards, or mentoring other designers.
• Tell a Story: Structure your portfolio presentations like compelling narratives. Explain the context, the challenge, your approach, the solution, and the outcome. Make it engaging and easy to follow.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Be prepared for a potential design challenge, either take-home or live, that simulates a real-world problem STARFACE might face. Focus on demonstrating your problem-solving approach, user-centricity, and ability to translate requirements into a design solution.
• Process & Strategy Questions: Anticipate questions about how you would build a UX team from scratch, establish design standards, prioritize design initiatives, and measure the success of UX efforts within a B2B SaaS context.
• Stakeholder Management: Prepare examples of how you have effectively managed stakeholder expectations and communicated design decisions to non-design audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on team building and process establishment means that candidates should be ready to discuss their philosophy and practical experience in these areas, not just their design portfolio. Demonstrating a strategic and operational mindset will be key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Highly likely to be a primary tool for UI design, wireframing, and prototyping, given its industry prevalence and collaborative features.
• Sketch: Potentially used for UI design and prototyping, especially if existing projects utilize it.
• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator): May be used for asset creation, image editing, and visual design elements.
• Prototyping Tools (e.g., InVision, Principle): Could be used in conjunction with design tools for more advanced interactive prototypes and user flow simulations.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Behavior Analytics Platforms (e.g., Hotjar, Mixpanel, Amplitude): Useful for understanding user interactions on web portals and apps, tracking user journeys, and identifying points of friction.
• Product Analytics Tools: To measure feature adoption, user engagement, and overall product performance.
• BI Tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI): Potentially used for broader data analysis and reporting, though less common for direct UX design work unless integrated with user data.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot): While not directly a design tool, understanding how user data is managed in CRMs can provide valuable context for user segmentation and personalization.
• Project Management & Collaboration Tools (e.g., JIRA, Confluence): Essential for workflow management, task tracking, documentation, and team communication, particularly within an agile development environment.
• User Research Platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback): Tools for remote usability testing, user interviews, and feedback collection.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost a given for modern UX roles. Experience with agile project management tools like JIRA and Confluence is also highly advantageous due to the collaborative nature of product development.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental value is placing the user at the center of all design decisions, ensuring that products are intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable to use.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasizing the use of data from user research, analytics, and testing to validate design hypotheses and drive product improvements.
• Collaboration & Communication: Fostering an environment of open communication and close collaboration between design, product, and development teams to ensure alignment and shared understanding.
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation: Encouraging a mindset of ongoing learning, experimentation, and process optimization to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
• Quality & Consistency: A commitment to delivering high-quality, consistent user experiences across all STARFACE products and platforms.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role requires seamless integration with Product Management to understand business goals and user needs, and with Engineering to ensure designs are technically feasible and well-implemented.
• Feedback-Driven Iteration: An open culture for giving and receiving constructive feedback on designs and processes, facilitating iterative improvements and collective problem-solving.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging practices like design critiques, internal workshops, and documentation sharing to build collective knowledge and elevate the team's capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's emphasis on "startup character" and "flat hierarchies" suggests a culture that values initiative, direct communication, and a willingness to contribute across different areas. Candidates who thrive in such environments will be well-suited.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Team Building from Scratch: Establishing a new UX/UI team requires significant effort in recruitment, defining roles, setting up processes, and fostering a cohesive team culture.
• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Effectively translating user desires into designs that are feasible within the existing technical architecture and development timelines.
• Driving Design Adoption: Ensuring that design principles and best practices are understood and adopted across different departments and by various stakeholders.
• Keeping Pace with Technology: Staying current with evolving UX/UI trends, tools, and best practices, particularly within the dynamic field of business communication technology.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Gain hands-on experience in team leadership, mentorship, and operational management by building and guiding the UX/UI team.
• Strategic Product Influence: Play a key role in shaping the product vision and strategy by leveraging user insights and design thinking to influence the product roadmap.
• Industry Expertise: Deepen knowledge in the UCaaS and business communication sector, understanding the unique user needs and design challenges specific to this market.
• Process Optimization Mastery: Develop expertise in establishing and refining design workflows, which are transferable skills valuable in any product development organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge and growth opportunity lie in the dual responsibility of excelling as a Senior UX Designer while also building and operationalizing a new design function within the company. Success in this area will be highly rewarding.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach building a UX/UI team from the ground up at STARFACE? What are your key priorities in the first 90 days?" Focus on recruitment strategy, defining team roles, establishing core processes, and initial project planning.
• "Describe your process for developing and implementing a design system. What are the key components and how do you ensure its adoption across teams?" Highlight your understanding of scalability, consistency, and collaboration with developers.
• "How do you balance user needs with business objectives and technical constraints when making design decisions? Can you provide an example?" Emphasize your problem-solving approach and ability to find pragmatic solutions.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about STARFACE and our mission in the business communication space?" Research STARFACE's products, market position, and recent news.
• "Describe your ideal team environment and how you foster collaboration and a positive design culture." Align your response with STARFACE's stated values and culture.
• "How do you measure the success of your UX initiatives and demonstrate their impact on the business?" Prepare metrics and examples that show ROI and user satisfaction improvements.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Process: Clearly articulate the why and how behind your design choices for each case study. Explain the user problems you were solving and the research that informed your solutions.
• Demonstrate Collaboration: Highlight instances where you worked effectively with product managers and developers, showing how you integrated their feedback and technical considerations into your designs.
• Showcase Iteration: Present how your designs evolved through feedback, testing, and iteration, demonstrating a flexible and adaptive approach.
• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, use data to illustrate the impact of your work, such as improved usability scores, conversion rates, or task completion times.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to discuss not only your design skills but also your vision for team leadership and process implementation. Showing enthusiasm for building something new and shaping the future of UX at STARFACE will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on join.com.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight relevant B2B SaaS experience, user research methodologies, and any experience in process establishment or team guidance. Select case studies that best demonstrate your problem-solving skills and impact.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your years of experience, key skills in UX/UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing, and any leadership or team-building responsibilities. Quantify achievements where possible.
• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on clear storytelling and explaining your design process and decision-making. Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with STARFACE's products, target market, and company culture. Understand their position in the UCaaS industry to better align your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

⚠️ 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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