Staff Product Designer - Portfolio Lead at Rise8

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer - Portfolio Lead
Company: Rise8
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Product Design / User Experience
Date Posted: July 22, 2025
Experience Level: 10+ Years
Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

Lead comprehensive product design initiatives, driving user-centered design (UCD) principles and agile methodologies within client organizations.
Transform client design cultures by implementing and mentoring on design thinking, user research, and feedback loop establishment through prototyping.
Act as a "full-stack" design lead, owning the holistic user experience, and contributing to greater design consistency and research operations scaling across product portfolios.
Coach and mentor other designers, fostering a learning environment and potentially contributing to design leadership and people leadership aspects depending on client needs.
Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, clients, and stakeholders to ensure project success and client satisfaction, with a focus on securely reducing cycle time.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a professional services context, emphasizing consulting and transformation of client organizations' software delivery practices. The "Portfolio Lead" aspect suggests a strategic focus on managing design consistency and intake processes across multiple projects or products within a client's ecosystem. The emphasis on security and reducing cycle time indicates a focus on efficient, yet secure, product delivery.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Spearhead the end-to-end product design process from initial user research and discovery through to final implementation, ensuring a focus on user outcomes.
Lead client engagements, acting as a trusted advisor to design leaders and stakeholders, facilitating workshops, and instilling user-centric design practices.
Develop and implement strategies to scale research operations, enhance design consistency across product portfolios, and define effective project intake processes.
Coach and mentor junior and mid-level designers through pairing and direct guidance, focusing on their growth in lean, agile, and user-centered design methodologies.
Facilitate cross-functional collaboration, ensuring seamless integration of design thinking into product development lifecycles and actively involving clients in the design process.
Contribute to the development of Rise8's internal design practices, community, and knowledge sharing through workshops, presentations, and practice evolution.
Design for diverse use cases, ranging from consumer-facing applications to internal tools, leveraging modern design systems and frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design work, strategic leadership, and people development, characteristic of a senior/staff level role in a consulting environment. The emphasis on "pairing" and client involvement stresses a collaborative and immersive approach to driving change.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in design principles, user experience, and related fields is expected, often demonstrated through a portfolio and extensive professional experience.

Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in product design, UX design, user research, service design, or a closely related field. Proven experience in a consulting role, working directly with clients or external stakeholders, is crucial.

Required Skills:

Product Design & UX Leadership: Proven ability to lead complex design projects from conception to delivery, managing the entire UX lifecycle.
User Research & Service Design Expertise: Deep experience in conducting user research (interviews, surveys, usability testing) and applying service design methodologies to map and improve user journeys.
Team Management & Coaching: Demonstrated experience in managing design teams, including performance management, skill development, and fostering a positive team environment.
Consulting & Client Engagement: Strong client-facing skills, including facilitation, presentation, and relationship management, with the ability to influence stakeholders and drive adoption of design practices.
Agile & Lean Methodologies: Proficiency in applying agile and lean principles to design processes, ensuring rapid iteration and continuous improvement.
Design Systems & Frameworks: Experience utilizing and contributing to modern design systems and frameworks (e.g., Material Design, USWDS, Tailwind CSS, iOS, Android guidelines).
Facilitation Skills: Excellent ability to facilitate workshops, design sprints, and collaborative sessions with diverse teams and stakeholders.
Problem-Solving & Uncertainty: Creative and analytical problem-solving skills, with a comfort level in navigating ambiguity and uncertainty.

Preferred Skills:

Design Leadership Coaching: Experience specifically coaching design leaders on user-centered design practices through pairing and enablement.
Workshop & Talk Development: A portfolio of developed and delivered talks and workshops aimed at improving design practices within organizations.
Front-End Development Knowledge: Understanding of front-end development principles and CSS, enabling better collaboration with engineering teams.
Cross-Functional Team Experience: Proven experience working effectively within cross-functional software development teams.
DoD/Government Sector Experience: Familiarity with the Department of Defense (DoD) or government software development environments, particularly "Software Factories."
Security Focus: A proactive approach to security in design and development, prioritizing risk management over strict compliance adherence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The extensive experience requirement and the emphasis on leadership, coaching, and client management underscore the "Staff" level designation. The preferred qualifications point towards candidates who can immediately contribute to Rise8's specific client engagements, especially those within the government sector. The mention of "securely reduce cycle time" implies a need for designers who understand the balance between speed and security.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Comprehensive Case Studies: Showcase end-to-end product design projects, detailing the problem, your role, the process followed, key decisions, challenges, and measurable outcomes.
Leadership & Mentorship Examples: Include evidence of leading design initiatives, coaching other designers, or facilitating team improvements.
Client Impact Demonstration: Highlight how your contributions directly impacted client satisfaction, project success, or organizational transformation.
Process Innovation: Demonstrate instances where you improved or adapted design processes to enhance efficiency, collaboration, or user outcomes.
Systemic Thinking: Illustrate how you've contributed to design consistency or scaled operations across multiple products or services within a portfolio.

Process Documentation:

Workflow Design & Optimization: Examples of designing, documenting, and optimizing design workflows, demonstrating an understanding of continuous improvement cycles.
Research-to-Implementation Mapping: Show how you translate user research insights into actionable design specifications and guide them through development.
Feedback Loop Integration: Provide examples of establishing and leveraging feedback loops with users and stakeholders to iterate on designs and validate solutions.
Cross-functional Process Integration: Illustrate how design processes were integrated with engineering, product management, and other functions to ensure alignment and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff Product Designer role, the portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond showcasing individual design skills to demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to drive process improvements and cultural change within client organizations. Quantifiable results and evidence of mentorship are key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $156,696.12 - $235,044.18 annually. This range is competitive for a Staff Product Designer role in the US, reflecting extensive experience and leadership responsibilities.

Benefits:

Flexible Schedule: Offers autonomy and work-life balance, supporting various working styles.
Premium Insurance: Comprehensive health, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage with significant employer contributions (up to 100% employee premium, up to 80% dependent premium for health).
Retirement: Generous 401k match at 10% of gross pay, supporting long-term financial planning.
Paid Time Off (PTO): A robust PTO package including 4 weeks of combined vacation and sick leave, plus 10 federal holidays, birthday, jury duty, and bereavement leave.
Education & Training: Annual budget of up to $3,500 for professional development, including classes, travel, and materials, aligning with the company's investment in employee growth.
Home Office & Merch: Annual stipends for home office technology ($750) and company merchandise ($100), enhancing the remote work experience.
Wellness Budget: Annual reimbursement of up to $500 for wellness activities or a monthly credit ($75) towards a Life Time membership, promoting employee well-being.
Equipment: Provision of a MacBook Pro to ensure employees have the necessary tools for their work.

Working Hours: While a standard 40-hour work week is implied for full-time employment, the mention of a "Flexible schedule" suggests some degree of autonomy in managing work hours to meet project demands and personal needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is broad, indicating that the final offer will heavily depend on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and how they align with the "Staff" level expectations and client needs. The benefits package is exceptionally strong, particularly the insurance coverage, 401k match, and professional development budget, which are attractive incentives for experienced professionals. The "2 days a week in office" for the Colorado Springs location indicates a hybrid model.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Professional Services / Technology Consulting, with a strong focus on U.S. Government modernization and digital transformation. Company Size: Rise8 is likely a growing mid-sized company, evidenced by its certification as a "Great Place to Work" with 100% employee satisfaction, suggesting a strong, positive internal culture. Founded: The founding date isn't specified, but the company's mission and focus on transforming government software delivery suggest a relatively modern, forward-thinking organization.

Team Structure:

Embedded Teams: Designers are primarily embedded within cross-functional client teams, working on a single product or service.
Design Community: Designers also form a broader Rise8 design community, meeting to share practices, evolve methodologies, and collaborate across client engagements.
Reporting: Staff Designers likely report to a Design Director or Practice Lead within Rise8, while also working closely with client-side product and design leaders.

Methodology:

Pairing: A core practice where two individuals work together at one workstation, fostering knowledge transfer and collaboration. This is applied at every moment, including pairing with client counterparts.
Agile & Lean: Emphasis on iterative development, rapid delivery, experimentation, and continuous learning.
User-Centered Design (UCD): Prioritizing end-user outcomes and integrating design thinking and user research throughout the product lifecycle.
Empathy & Kindness: A foundational ethos guiding interactions with colleagues and clients, aiming to create better outcomes through positive relationships.
Continuous Impact: Focus on delivering tangible results ("outcomes") that drive lasting progress, rather than just ideas.

Company Website: https://rise8.us/

📝 Enhancement Note: Rise8's culture is deeply rooted in its mission to improve government software through agile, user-centric practices. The emphasis on pairing, continuous learning, and employee experience ("customer experience starts with employee experience") suggests a highly collaborative and supportive work environment. The "Great Place to Work" certification is a strong indicator of positive employee sentiment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Product Designer. This level signifies a senior individual contributor with significant expertise, strategic influence, and leadership potential. It involves not only executing design work but also shaping design practices and mentoring others.

Reporting Structure: Typically reports to a senior leader within Rise8's design practice (e.g., Director of Design, Head of UX). Works closely with client-side product managers, engineers, and design leaders on a day-to-day basis.

Operations Impact: Staff Product Designers at Rise8 have a substantial impact by directly transforming client organizations' software delivery capabilities. This involves improving design quality, increasing delivery speed, enhancing user satisfaction, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within government agencies. They influence both product strategy and the development of design talent.

Growth Opportunities:

Design Leadership: Progression into roles with broader strategic oversight, managing larger design portfolios, or leading client-facing design transformations.
People Leadership: Opportunity to move into management roles, directly leading and developing teams of designers within Rise8.
Practice Development: Contribute to and lead initiatives that evolve Rise8's design methodologies, training programs, and service offerings.
Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like user research operations, design systems architecture, or service design strategy.
Client Relationship Management: Develop expertise in managing key client relationships at senior levels.

📝 Enhancement Note: Growth at Rise8 for designers is tied to increasing their impact as a consultant and leader. The "Staff" level is a significant step that opens doors to both strategic design leadership and people management, particularly within the context of transforming client organizations. The emphasis on "impact" and "outcomes" suggests that career progression is driven by tangible results.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This role is classified as Hybrid, requiring the employee to work on-site in Colorado Springs, CO, a few days a week (approximately 2 days). The rest of the work is distributed.

Office Location(s): Colorado Springs, CO. Specific office details would likely be shared during the interview process, but the expectation is for regular in-person collaboration.

Workspace Context:

Collaborative Hybrid Model: Combines the benefits of in-person collaboration, team building, and focused work with the flexibility of remote work.
Embedded Client Work: Significant time will be spent embedded within client teams, requiring adaptability to different client environments and workflows.
Design Community Interaction: Opportunities to connect with fellow Rise8 designers in person or virtually for knowledge sharing and practice development.
Tools & Technology: Access to standard professional design tools, likely including high-performance laptops (MacBook Pro provided) and collaborative software.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is typical, but the "Flexible schedule" benefit suggests that employees have some discretion in managing their hours, provided project needs and client commitments are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role in Colorado Springs requires a candidate comfortable with both remote collaboration and regular in-office engagement. The embedded nature of the work means adapting to various client environments will be a key aspect of the work experience.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: HR or recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and salary expectations.
Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager (likely a Design Director or similar) to delve into experience, leadership style, and approach to design challenges.
Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where candidates present their portfolio, focusing on key case studies that demonstrate leadership, process transformation, and impact. Expect to discuss specific examples of coaching, facilitation, and client engagement.
Team/Peer Interviews: Interviews with other designers or cross-functional team members to assess collaboration skills, technical proficiency, and cultural alignment.
Final Interview/Executive Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss strategic thinking, long-term vision, and fit within Rise8's overall mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your Staff-level capabilities: leadership, coaching, client transformation, and end-to-end process ownership.
Focus on Impact & Outcomes: Clearly articulate the problem, your unique contribution, the process, and the tangible, measurable results achieved. Quantify impact wherever possible (e.g., reduced cycle time, improved user satisfaction scores, increased efficiency).
Highlight Leadership & Mentorship: Include examples of how you've coached, mentored, or led other designers, or how you've influenced design practices within an organization.
Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives, explaining the context, your decision-making process, and the lessons learned.
Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your process, rationale, and how you would handle specific client scenarios or challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

Design Thinking Scenario: Be ready for a hypothetical scenario where you need to diagnose a client's design challenges and propose a phased approach to improvement.
Process Improvement Proposal: Prepare to discuss how you would establish or improve design operations, research functions, or design systems within a government context.
Coaching/Facilitation Demonstration: You might be asked to walk through how you would coach a junior designer on a specific technique or facilitate a challenging stakeholder meeting.
Company Research: Understand Rise8's mission, values, and methodologies. Be prepared to articulate how your experience aligns with their approach to government modernization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to thoroughly evaluate not just design skills, but also leadership, consulting acumen, and the ability to drive change. A strong, well-prepared portfolio presentation is paramount for this role. Candidates should be ready to discuss their experience in terms of impact and transformation.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, XD), InVision, Axure RP. Proficiency in at least one major design tool is essential.
User Research Platforms: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Hotjar, Maze, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey. Experience with tools for conducting usability testing, surveys, and gathering user feedback.
Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Slack, Microsoft Teams. Familiarity with tools used for agile development, documentation, and team communication.
Design Systems: Experience working with and potentially contributing to design systems and style guides.

Analytics & Reporting:

Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics. Understanding how to interpret user behavior data.
Product Analytics: Mixpanel, Amplitude. Tools for understanding in-product user journeys and feature adoption.
Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Looker. Ability to present data and insights clearly, though direct expertise might not be required for designers.

CRM & Automation:

CRM: Salesforce (less likely for direct designer use, but understanding its role in the ecosystem is beneficial).
Automation: Familiarity with workflow automation concepts, though specific tools beyond design/collaboration software are less directly relevant to the core design role.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is design-focused, familiarity with the broader technology stack used in software development, especially analytics and collaboration tools, is beneficial for effective cross-functional work. Expertise in core design and research platforms is non-negotiable.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

Kindness & Empathy: A core tenet guiding all interactions, promoting a supportive and collaborative environment.
Purpose-Driven: Commitment to making a tangible positive impact on the world, particularly through improving government software.
Continuous Learning: Encouraging curiosity, experimentation, and ongoing skill development for all team members.
Collaboration & Pairing: Valuing teamwork and knowledge sharing through practices like pairing.
Outcome-Oriented: Focusing on delivering measurable results and driving relentless progress.
Security-Minded: Prioritizing secure practices and risk management in development processes.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are expected to work seamlessly with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders, acting as bridges between disciplines.
Client Partnership: Actively involves clients in the design process, fostering trust and shared ownership.
Open Communication: Encourages candid feedback and transparent communication to drive continuous improvement.
Knowledge Sharing: Active participation in the internal design community to share learnings, best practices, and innovative approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: Rise8's culture emphasizes a human-centric approach, both internally and externally. The values are geared towards creating a positive impact through collaborative, agile, and empathetic work practices. A candidate's ability to embody these values will be a key factor in their success.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Client Transformation Resistance: Government organizations can sometimes exhibit resistance to adopting new methodologies or cultural shifts; overcoming this requires strong change management and influencing skills.
Navigating Complex Bureaucracies: Working within government structures can involve navigating complex processes, approvals, and legacy systems.
Balancing Speed and Security: The directive to "securely reduce cycle time" presents a challenge in finding the optimal balance between rapid delivery and robust security measures.
Diverse Client Needs: Adapting design approaches and communication styles to meet the unique needs and maturity levels of various government clients.
Maintaining Design Cohesion: Ensuring design consistency and quality across diverse projects within a client's portfolio requires strong systemic thinking and leadership.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Advanced Design Methodologies: Opportunities to deepen expertise in cutting-edge UX research, service design, and strategic design practices.
Government Sector Expertise: Gaining specialized knowledge and experience working within the U.S. Federal Government, particularly in defense or intelligence sectors.
Leadership Development: Formal and informal coaching on people management, client relationship management, and strategic consulting.
Industry Conferences & Training: Utilization of the annual education budget for attending relevant design conferences, workshops, and pursuing certifications.
Internal Knowledge Sharing: Learning from a community of experienced designers and consultants within Rise8.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to consulting, particularly within the government sector. Rise8 provides a structured environment for growth, enabling professionals to develop specialized skills and leadership capabilities.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

Operations Strategy: "Describe how you would approach transforming a government agency's design culture to embrace user-centered design and agile practices. What are the key phases, potential roadblocks, and success metrics?" (Focus on process implementation, stakeholder buy-in, and measurable outcomes).
Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: "How do you build trust and effective working relationships with clients who may be unfamiliar with or resistant to modern design practices? Provide an example of a challenging stakeholder and how you managed them." (Highlight communication, empathy, and influence).
Problem-Solving & Efficiency: "Imagine a client needs to significantly reduce the cycle time for their software delivery while maintaining high security standards. How would design contribute to this goal? What specific design processes or strategies would you prioritize?" (Emphasize efficiency, security integration, and outcome-driven design).

Company & Culture Questions:

Company Operations Culture: "What aspects of Rise8's culture and methodology resonate most with your professional philosophy? How do you see yourself contributing to our 'Great Place to Work' environment?" (Showcase alignment with values like kindness, purpose, and learning).
Team Dynamics: "Describe your ideal team environment and your role within it. How do you approach pairing with colleagues and clients?" (Focus on collaboration, knowledge sharing, and client integration).
Impact Measurement: "How do you measure the success and impact of your design work, both in terms of user outcomes and business value for the client?" (Be ready to discuss metrics, ROI, and qualitative impact).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Narrative Structure: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your specific role and contributions, the process used (highlighting UCD, agile, research), the challenges faced, and the ultimate outcomes achieved.
Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics wherever possible to demonstrate the success of your projects (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction scores).
Showcase Leadership: Explicitly detail instances of mentorship, team leadership, facilitation, or influencing organizational change.
Be Ready to Defend Decisions: Understand the 'why' behind every decision you made in your projects and be prepared to articulate your rationale clearly.
Tailor to Rise8: Connect your experiences and approach to Rise8's mission and methodology, particularly their focus on government modernization and their core values.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to drive tangible change within organizations, particularly governmental ones. Understanding Rise8's unique methodology (pairing, culture) is key to success.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Product Designer position:

Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link.
Prepare a Portfolio: Curate 3-5 robust case studies that highlight your leadership in end-to-end product design, your experience in client transformation, and your ability to coach/mentor. Focus on demonstrating measurable impact and process improvements.
Tailor Your Resume: Update your resume to prominently feature your 10+ years of experience, specific achievements in UX, user research, service design, team management, and consulting. Use keywords from the job description, such as "user-centered design," "agile," "pairing," "client engagement," and "portfolio strategy."
Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio presentation, focusing on clear storytelling, quantifiable results, and articulating your leadership and mentorship capabilities. Be prepared to discuss your approach to overcoming challenges in government modernization projects.
Research Rise8: Thoroughly understand Rise8's mission, values, methodology (especially pairing and their focus on government clients), and their "Great Place to Work" certification. Prepare questions that show your engagement and understanding of their business.

⚠️ 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.

Staff Product Designer - Portfolio Lead