Staff Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer

Company: Booksy

Location: United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-02-22

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive product strategy and user experience through end-to-end design ownership for complex features.

• Lead discovery initiatives to deeply understand user needs and business objectives, translating insights into actionable design opportunities.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality, impactful user experiences.

• Contribute to the evolution of Booksy's design practice, tools, and ways of working, establishing design excellence within a design-led organization.

• Leverage AI tools and emerging technologies to enhance the design process and output, promoting innovation and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Staff Product Designer, indicating a senior individual contributor role with significant influence on product strategy and design direction. The emphasis on "design-led organization" and "establishing design excellence" suggests a need for a proactive designer who can not only execute but also shape processes and mentor others. The "scale-up" environment implies a dynamic, fast-paced setting where ambiguity is expected and problem-solving skills are paramount.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead comprehensive user and business problem discovery, synthesizing research, data, and insights into clear design opportunities.

• Define and articulate a compelling design vision that aligns with overarching product and business strategy.

• Partner with product management and engineering to shape product roadmaps and prioritization, ensuring design considerations are integrated early.

• Take ownership of end-to-end design for significant features and user experiences, from conceptualization to final delivery.

• Develop high-quality design artifacts across the full spectrum, including early concepts, detailed wireframes, interactive prototypes, and polished visual designs.

• Design and execute experiments (e.g., A/B tests) to validate hypotheses, inform decision-making, and measure the impact of design solutions.

• Contribute to and actively utilize the company's design system, ensuring consistency and scalability of design across products.

• Ship work iteratively, continuously measuring impact and refining designs based on user feedback and performance data.

• Collaborate effectively with engineering teams throughout the implementation phase to ensure design integrity and successful product launches.

• Advocate for user needs and design quality in cross-functional discussions and strategic planning.

• Present and defend design decisions clearly and persuasively to stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

• Contribute actively to the evolution of Booksy's design practice, tools, and methodologies, driving continuous improvement.

• Share knowledge, mentor junior designers, and raise the overall standard of design excellence across the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a senior-level individual contributor role that extends beyond pure design execution. It encompasses strategic thinking, leadership in discovery, influence on roadmapping, and active participation in shaping the design practice. The emphasis on iterative shipping, experimentation, and design systems points towards a modern product development approach, common in tech-scale-ups.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 5-10 years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record of delivering successful digital products.

Required Skills:

• Product Design: End-to-end ownership of product design, from initial concept and user research to detailed UI and final delivery.

• Discovery & Research: Expertise in leading user research, usability testing, and data analysis to uncover user needs and business opportunities.

• Prototyping: Proficiency in creating interactive prototypes (e.g., using Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) to test hypotheses and communicate design solutions.

• Design Systems: Experience working with and contributing to design systems, ensuring visual and interaction consistency across products.

• Interaction Design: Strong ability to define user flows, information architecture, and intuitive interaction patterns.

• Visual Design: Exceptional craft in visual design, including typography, color theory, layout, and brand consistency.

• Systems Thinking: Ability to understand and design for complex systems, considering the broader ecosystem of products and user journeys.

• Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with product managers, engineers, researchers, and other cross-functional stakeholders.

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex design concepts and rationale clearly to diverse audiences.

• Strategic Mindset: Ability to connect design decisions to business objectives and user outcomes, contributing to product strategy.

Preferred Skills:

• AI & Emerging Technologies: Familiarity and experience leveraging AI tools to enhance design processes, generate ideas, or improve outputs.

• Experimentation & A/B Testing: Experience in designing and analyzing experiments to validate design decisions and measure impact.

• Design Leadership: Experience mentoring junior designers or leading design initiatives within a team.

• Agile Methodologies: Deep understanding of Agile development processes and how design integrates within them.

• Data Analysis Tools: Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel) to inform design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills are comprehensive, focusing on both foundational design craft and strategic product thinking. The emphasis on "exceptional craft" and "systems thinking" points to a need for a designer with a high level of execution quality and a holistic view of the product. The inclusion of AI tools as a preferred skill reflects a forward-looking approach to design technology adoption.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design work is mandatory.

• Demonstrate ownership of complex product challenges from initial discovery through to successful delivery.

• Include case studies that highlight your process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your design solutions.

• Showcase how you synthesized user research, data, and business requirements into tangible design outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your design process for each case study, detailing stages such as:

  • Discovery: How you identified and defined user and business problems.
  • Strategy: How you translated insights into design vision and roadmap alignment.
  • Design: Your approach to ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and visual design.
  • Validation: Methods used for testing hypotheses and gathering feedback (e.g., usability testing, A/B testing).
  • Delivery: Your collaboration with engineering and iterative refinement post-launch.

• Provide examples of how you have leveraged data and experimentation to inform design decisions and measure success.

• Document your experience working within or contributing to design systems, emphasizing consistency and scalability.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role. The emphasis is on demonstrating a mature design process that spans discovery, strategy, execution, and validation, with clear links to business and user outcomes. The expectation is not just polished final designs, but a clear narrative of the designer's thought process and problem-solving journey.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Flexible working hours to support work-life balance.

• Opportunity to work remotely within the United Kingdom, offering significant location flexibility.

• Access to a welcoming and supportive team environment, fostering collaboration and mutual growth.

• Opportunities for professional development and career advancement within an international, fast-growing company.

Working Hours:

• Full-time employment, typically around 40 hours per week.

• Flexible working hours are offered, allowing for adjustments to accommodate personal schedules while ensuring core collaboration times are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on UK market data for senior-level product design roles in tech. The provided benefits emphasize flexibility and professional growth, aligning with the company's scale-up nature and remote-first approach for this role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Beauty & Wellness Marketplace Technology. Booksy operates as a global marketplace connecting consumers with beauty and wellness professionals, facilitating bookings and business management for service providers.

Company Size: Booksy is a scale-up, indicating a company that has achieved product-market fit and is in a phase of rapid growth and expansion. This typically means a dynamic environment with evolving processes and increasing team size.

Founded: Booksy was founded in 2015, positioning it as a relatively established player in the tech scale-up space, with a history of product development and market traction.

Team Structure:

• The design team is growing, and this role is pivotal in shaping its future trajectory as Booksy aims to become a "design-led organisation."

• The Staff Product Designer will function as a solid individual contributor, taking ownership of significant product areas.

• Collaboration is key, with close partnerships expected with Product Managers, Engineers, and other cross-functional teams.

Methodology:

• Booksy operates in a fast-paced, evolving environment where clarity is brought to ambiguity.

• The company emphasizes inventive problem-solving and charting one's own path forward.

• Design is integrated into product roadmaps and prioritization from early stages.

• Iterative shipping, experimentation, and data-driven decision-making are core to the product development process.

Company Website: https://booksy.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is described as dynamic, challenging, and opportunity-rich, typical of a rapidly growing tech scale-up. The shift towards a "design-led organization" signifies a strategic investment in design as a core driver of business success, presenting a unique opportunity for senior designers to shape processes and impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Product Designer. This signifies a senior individual contributor role, recognized for deep expertise, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence product direction and design practice. It's a level where designers are expected to tackle highly complex problems, mentor others, and contribute to the evolution of the design function.

Reporting Structure:

• The Staff Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead, Head of Design, or Director of Product.

• They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads, forming a core triad for product development.

Operations Impact:

• By owning end-to-end design for significant features and shaping product strategy, the Staff Product Designer directly impacts user engagement, satisfaction, and retention.

• Their work influences the business's ability to attract and retain both service providers and consumers on the Booksy marketplace, thereby driving revenue growth.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific product areas or user segments within the beauty and wellness domain.

• Leadership: Transition into a formal leadership role (e.g., Design Manager, Lead Designer) as the design team expands, taking on direct reports and strategic team management.

• Strategic Influence: Increase influence on company-wide product strategy and business decision-making, becoming a key voice in defining the company's future.

• Mentorship: Formalize mentorship of junior designers, contributing to the development of the broader design talent pool.

• Process Innovation: Lead initiatives to improve design tooling, workflows, and methodologies within Booksy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title indicates a significant career milestone, offering both deep individual contribution and potential for future leadership. The emphasis on shaping design practice and influencing strategy provides a compelling growth trajectory beyond typical design execution.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This role is designed for candidates based within the United Kingdom, offering the flexibility to work from home.

Office Location(s): United Kingdom. While fully remote, candidates must be legally based in the UK. The company has international teams, suggesting a global perspective.

Workspace Context:

• Collaboration: Expect frequent virtual collaboration through video conferencing, messaging platforms, and collaborative design tools. Building strong relationships with remote colleagues will be essential.

• Tools & Technology: Access to a modern technology stack, including design software, project management tools, communication platforms, and potentially AI-enhanced design tools.

• Team Interaction: While remote, opportunities for team interaction will likely be facilitated through virtual team meetings, design critiques, and social events. The company emphasizes a "welcoming team which is always ready to help."

Work Schedule:

• Full-time position with flexible working hours. This allows individuals to structure their workday around personal needs while ensuring availability for core team meetings and collaborative sessions. Standard business hours within the UK timezone (e.g., GMT/BST) are generally expected for primary availability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature necessitates strong self-discipline and proactive communication. The emphasis on flexibility within a full-time structure is a key benefit for work-life integration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: AI-assisted review for essential skills and qualifications, followed by a recruiter screen to assess cultural fit and basic requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where candidates present their portfolio, focusing on 2-3 key case studies. This is a critical step to evaluate design process, strategic thinking, craft, and communication.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: In-depth discussion with the hiring manager and potentially other senior designers or product team members to assess experience, problem-solving abilities, and alignment with team values.

• Cross-functional Interview: An interview with a product manager and/or engineering lead to evaluate collaboration skills and ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.

• Final Round/Executive Interview: Potentially a final discussion with a senior leader to confirm strategic alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio around distinct case studies. For each case study, clearly outline:

  • The problem you were solving (user and business context).
  • Your specific role and responsibilities.
  • Your design process (discovery, ideation, prototyping, testing, iteration).
  • Key decisions and trade-offs made.
  • The final solution and its impact (quantifiable metrics where possible).
  • Lessons learned.

• Highlight Ambiguity & Strategy: Showcase examples where you navigated ambiguity, defined unclear problems, or influenced product strategy. Demonstrate how your design thinking directly led to business outcomes.

• Showcase Craft & Systems: Ensure visual and interaction design quality is high. If possible, demonstrate experience with design systems, showing how you maintained consistency or contributed to them.

• Tell a Story: Be prepared to walk through your process verbally, explaining your rationale and decision-making at each stage. Focus on the "why" behind your design choices.

• Tailor to Booksy: Research Booksy's product and target audience. Be ready to discuss how your skills and experience align with their specific challenges and goals.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for potential design exercises, which could range from a take-home challenge to a live whiteboarding session. These will likely focus on problem-solving, ideation, and articulating your thought process under pressure.

• Practice thinking aloud and explaining your approach clearly, even if you don't reach a fully polished solution.

• Consider how you would approach a problem within Booksy's domain (e.g., improving discovery for users, streamlining booking for providers).

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes a thorough evaluation of design skills, strategic thinking, and collaborative capabilities. The portfolio is the cornerstone, so candidates must be prepared to present it in a narrative, impact-driven manner.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma is likely the primary tool, given its industry prevalence. Proficiency in Sketch or Adobe XD might also be relevant.

• Design Systems: Experience with tools or methodologies for managing and contributing to design systems.

• Collaboration: Slack for communication, Zoom/Google Meet for meetings.

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar for tracking tasks and progress.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar to understand user behavior and measure design impact.

CRM & Automation:

Emerging Technologies:

• Openness to and experience with AI tools that enhance the design process (e.g., AI-powered ideation, content generation, workflow automation).

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools aren't listed, the role implies a need for proficiency in industry-standard design software, collaborative platforms, and an understanding of how to leverage data and emerging technologies to improve design outcomes.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for user needs in all design decisions.

• Excellence & Craft: Striving for high-quality design execution and a polished user experience.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with cross-functional partners to achieve shared goals.

• Innovation & Adaptability: Embracing new technologies (like AI) and adapting to change in a fast-paced environment.

• Impact-Driven: Focusing on design solutions that deliver measurable business and user value.

• Generosity: Sharing knowledge, supporting colleagues, and contributing to a positive team culture.

Collaboration Style:

• Proactive & Partnership-Oriented: Building strong, trusting relationships with Product Managers and Engineers to co-create solutions.

• Transparent Communication: Openly sharing design rationale, research findings, and potential challenges.

• Iterative & Feedback-Driven: Engaging in regular design critiques and incorporating feedback constructively.

• Strategic Integration: Actively participating in roadmap planning and product strategy discussions, providing design's unique perspective.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "design-led," "scale-up," and "ambiguity" suggests a culture that values initiative, strategic contribution, and continuous improvement. The "welcoming team" aspect indicates a supportive, collaborative atmosphere is also a priority.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Thriving in an environment where processes are still being defined and requiring self-direction to create clarity.

• Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Finding optimal solutions that satisfy diverse stakeholder requirements and drive business growth.

• Rapid Iteration Cycles: Adapting to fast-paced development cycles and delivering high-quality work under tight timelines.

• Establishing Design Excellence: Contributing to the ongoing effort to embed design as a strategic function and raise the bar for design quality across the organization.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong team cohesion and effective communication in a fully remote setting.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Impact: Opportunity to shape product strategy and contribute to a design-led organizational shift.

• Skill Expansion: Exposure to AI tools and emerging technologies, fostering innovation in design processes.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the design team.

• Industry Exposure: Working within a rapidly growing global marketplace in the beauty and wellness sector.

• Process Improvement: Driving improvements in design workflows, tools, and methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a senior role in a scale-up environment, offering significant opportunities for professional growth and making a tangible impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to define a product strategy or roadmap for a significant feature. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your strategic thinking, research synthesis, and ability to align design with business goals.)

• "Walk us through a complex product design challenge you tackled from discovery to launch. What were the key user and business problems, how did you approach them, and what was the measurable impact?" (Be ready to present 1-2 strong portfolio case studies.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Booksy's mission and the beauty/wellness industry?" (Show genuine interest and research.)

• "How would you contribute to Booksy becoming a more 'design-led' organization?" (Demonstrate understanding of design's strategic role and your proactive approach.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each case study as a narrative with a clear beginning (problem), middle (your process and solutions), and end (outcome and impact).

• Focus on Impact: Quantify results wherever possible (e.g., "increased conversion by X%", "reduced task completion time by Y%"). If metrics are unavailable, focus on qualitative impact and user feedback.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively – wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and final UI designs. Explain your design decisions and the rationale behind them.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, trade-offs, and alternative approaches you considered.

• Demo Your Process: Clearly articulate your steps, from initial research and ideation through to testing and iteration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on articulating your design process, showcasing strategic thinking, and demonstrating how you drive business impact through user-centered design. Be ready to defend your design decisions and articulate your value proposition clearly.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

• Customize your CV: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in product design, working in scale-ups, end-to-end product ownership, and any experience with AI tools or driving design strategy. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, well-organized, and features 2-3 strong case studies that best showcase your skills in discovery, strategy, execution, and impact. Be ready to present these effectively.

• Research Booksy: Familiarize yourself with Booksy's product, target audience, and recent company news. Understand their business model and market position.

• Practice your Narrative: Prepare to articulate your design process, decision-making rationale, and the impact of your work clearly and concisely for interview stages.

⚠️ 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.