UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UI Designer

Company: Sanoma Learning

Location: Warsaw, Poland; Madrid, Spain

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UI/UX Design, Digital Learning Platforms

Date Posted: March 21, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (Remote with occasional office visits quarterly)

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and evolve the visual language, components, and interaction patterns for digital learning products and platforms, with a strong emphasis on a component-based design system.

• Ensure all UI components and patterns are accessible, adhering to WCAG and inclusive design best practices, and collaborate with accessibility specialists and developers for implementation.

• Own and maintain shared Figma libraries, including variants, design tokens, and comprehensive documentation for both designers and developers.

• Partner closely with product designers and frontend developers to translate design specifications into framework-agnostic Web Components, ensuring visual consistency and ease of adoption across Sanoma Learning's European educational technology ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is crucial for establishing and scaling Sanoma Learning's design system, impacting the consistency and usability of their digital educational products across multiple European markets. The focus on component libraries, accessibility, and collaboration with developers highlights a mature approach to UI/UX development within the EdTech sector.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain reusable UI components, patterns, and layouts within Figma, ensuring consistency and scalability.

• Own and evolve the shared Figma component libraries, including the management of variants, design tokens, and detailed documentation.

• Guarantee that all designed components and patterns meet accessibility standards (WCAG, WAI-ARIA) and incorporate inclusive design principles from the outset.

• Collaborate closely with frontend developers to translate design specifications into framework-agnostic Web Components, facilitating seamless implementation.

• Create and provide clear, structured documentation, guidelines, and usage examples for both the design and development teams.

• Partner with product designers to understand their needs and ensure the design system effectively supports real-world use cases and user journeys.

• Participate actively in design reviews, providing constructive feedback on new component or pattern proposals to maintain system integrity.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of the design system by identifying areas for enhancement and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a proactive and ownership-driven approach to design system management. The role requires not just design execution but also strategic thinking around reusability, accessibility, and developer enablement, which are critical for scaling digital products in a large organization like Sanoma Learning.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating relevant experience and skills equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is expected.

Experience: Proven experience (typically 2-5 years) in UI design, with a significant focus on designing and managing component-based design systems or pattern libraries.

Required Skills:

• Expert-level proficiency in Figma, specifically in creating, maintaining, and scaling component libraries, variants, and design tokens.

• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing component-based systems, such as design systems, style guides, or pattern libraries.

• Solid understanding of fundamental design principles, including typography, color theory, spacing, and visual hierarchy.

• Strong knowledge of accessibility standards (WCAG, WAI-ARIA) and a proven ability to design inclusive, accessible UI patterns.

• Experience collaborating with accessibility specialists, QA teams, and developers to ensure successful and accessible implementation of designs.

• Ability to create clear, well-structured, and user-friendly documentation for design system usage.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across different disciplines and teams.

• English proficiency: C1/C2 level (both written and spoken communication).

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with Web Components or framework-agnostic design systems.

• Familiarity with design tokens and their mapping to code implementation.

• Motion design or micro-interaction design skills to enhance user experience.

• Knowledge of responsive design principles and experience with multi-platform adaptations.

• Prior contributions to open-source design system projects or significant internal design system initiatives.

• Spanish proficiency: B2/C1 level (both written and spoken communication) - required only for the Spain location.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must-have" requirements clearly define the core competencies for this role, prioritizing hands-on experience with Figma and design systems. The "Nice-to-have" skills suggest opportunities for candidates to differentiate themselves by demonstrating advanced knowledge in areas like Web Components or motion design, indicating a forward-thinking approach to UI development. The language requirements are location-specific and clearly delineated.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design System Showcase: A dedicated section demonstrating your experience in creating, managing, or significantly contributing to a design system. This should include examples of component libraries, variants, and how they were scaled.

• Accessibility Integration: Case studies or examples illustrating how you've incorporated accessibility (WCAG, WAI-ARIA) into your UI designs and component development.

• Documentation Examples: Samples of clear, concise documentation for UI components or design patterns, showing how you guide developers and designers on usage.

• Figma Expertise: Visual evidence of advanced Figma skills, such as complex component setups, auto-layout usage, and well-organized library structures.

• Problem/Solution Framing: Examples where you identified a design challenge or inefficiency and how your component-based solution addressed it, ideally with measurable outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase your ability to map out design workflows, from ideation to implementation, and how you've optimized these processes for efficiency and collaboration.

• Component Development Lifecycle: Illustrate your understanding of the lifecycle of UI components, from initial design and prototyping to developer handoff and ongoing maintenance.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Provide examples of how you document and communicate design decisions, specifications, and updates to cross-functional teams (developers, product managers, QA).

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UI Designer role focused on a design system, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond static mockups to demonstrate a deep understanding of component architecture, scalability, accessibility, and the practicalities of developer collaboration. Explicitly requesting documentation examples and workflow illustrations will help assess a candidate's ability to operationalize design system principles.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Warsaw, Poland (B2B Contract): Given the mid-level experience and the B2B contract, a competitive gross monthly rate would typically range from 10,000 PLN to 16,000 PLN. This translates to an annual equivalent of approximately 120,000 PLN to 192,000 PLN. This estimate is based on market research for experienced UI Designers in Warsaw, considering the demand for specialized skills in design systems and EdTech.

• Madrid, Spain (Permanent Contract): For a permanent role in Madrid with similar experience, a gross annual salary would likely range from €35,000 to €48,000. This is derived from average salary data for UI Designers in Madrid, factoring in the specific requirements for design system expertise and the permanent employment contract.

Benefits:

• For Poland (B2B): While a B2B contract typically means benefits are managed by the individual contractor, Sanoma Learning may offer additional support or access to specific programs. This could include:

  • Access to professional development resources and training.
  • Opportunities to attend relevant industry conferences.
  • Potential for performance-based bonuses or project completion incentives.
  • Flexible working hours within the B2B framework.

• For Spain (Permanent Contract):

  • Competitive annual salary with potential for performance-based bonuses.

  • Health insurance coverage.

  • Paid time off (vacation, public holidays).

  • Opportunities for professional development, training, and conference attendance.

  • Access to a collaborative and international work environment.

  • Potential for flexible working arrangements.

  • Company pension contributions. Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week. While the role is remote-first with occasional office visits, core working hours will need to be aligned with team collaboration needs, particularly for real-time design reviews and developer sync-ups. Flexibility may be offered within these parameters.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary ranges are estimates based on available market data for mid-level UI Designers in Warsaw and Madrid, considering the B2B vs. permanent contract structures. Benefits are differentiated based on the employment type for each location. The note regarding B2B benefits highlights that direct employee benefits may not apply, but indirect support is likely.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education Technology (EdTech), Publishing. Sanoma Learning operates at the intersection of education and technology, aiming to enhance learning outcomes through digital solutions and innovative materials. This industry demands a focus on user needs, pedagogical effectiveness, and continuous technological advancement.

Company Size: Sanoma Learning is a large European organization, employing over 3,000 people across 12 countries. This scale implies a structured environment with established processes, but also opportunities for significant impact and cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: Sanoma Learning is part of the larger Sanoma Media company, which has a long history. Sanoma Learning itself has grown through acquisitions and organic development, positioning itself as a leading European learning company. This history suggests a stable foundation with a forward-looking vision for digital transformation in education.

Team Structure:

• Technology Organization: The UI Designer will be part of a large, cross-cultural Technology organization within Sanoma Learning. This indicates a diverse team with various specializations.

• Design System Team: Likely a dedicated or semi-dedicated team focused on the design system, comprising UI Designers, UX Designers, and potentially Design System Leads.

• Reporting Structure: The UI Designer will likely report to a Design Lead, UX Manager, or Head of Design within the Technology organization.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Close collaboration is expected with frontend developers, product designers, accessibility specialists, QA engineers, and product managers.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: Sanoma Learning likely employs agile methodologies for product development, requiring flexibility and iterative design processes.

• User-Centered Design: A strong emphasis on understanding teacher and student needs drives the development of their products, ensuring a user-centric approach in design.

• Data-Informed Design: While not explicitly stated, a company focused on "highest learning impact" would likely leverage data and analytics to inform design decisions and measure success.

• Component-Based Development: The role's focus on design systems and Web Components points to a robust adoption of component-based methodologies in both design and development.

Company Website: https://www.sanoma.com/learning/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Sanoma Learning's position as a large, established EdTech player in Europe is key. The "cross-cultural community" and "largest cross-cultural community of Sanoma Learning" within the Technology organization suggest a global mindset and the need for adaptable design solutions that cater to diverse educational contexts. The emphasis on "highest learning impact" reinforces the mission-driven nature of the company.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a mid-level UI Designer, typically requiring 2-5 years of dedicated experience. It signifies a transition from executing individual design tasks to taking ownership of key design system elements and collaborating strategically with development teams. The role is pivotal in ensuring design consistency and scalability across multiple products and regions.

Reporting Structure: The UI Designer will likely report to a UX Manager, Design Lead, or Head of Design within Sanoma Learning's Technology organization. They will work closely with a community of designers and a larger team of frontend developers, product owners, and other stakeholders involved in digital product development.

Operations Impact: The UI Designer's impact is significant, directly influencing the user experience, brand consistency, and development efficiency of Sanoma Learning's digital educational products. By creating and maintaining a robust design system, they enable faster product development cycles, ensure accessibility, and deliver a more cohesive and professional user interface for millions of students and teachers across Europe. Their work contributes to the company's mission of providing high-impact learning solutions.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in design systems, accessibility, or specific areas of UI/UX within the EdTech domain.

• Leadership: Progress to a Senior UI Designer role, leading design system initiatives, mentoring junior designers, or taking on design lead responsibilities for specific product areas.

• Cross-functional Roles: Transition into Product Design, UX Research, or even roles with a more strategic focus on design operations or platform strategy.

• Continuous Learning: Access to Sanoma Learning's resources for professional development, including training, workshops, and potentially conference attendance, fostering ongoing skill enhancement in UI/UX and related fields.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for growth within a structured organization, particularly for those passionate about design systems and their impact on product development and user experience in the EdTech sector. The emphasis on hands-on contribution to a scalable system provides valuable experience for future career advancements.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is primarily remote, with an expectation of occasional visits to the office (once per quarter) in Warsaw or Madrid. This hybrid model aims to balance the flexibility of remote work with the benefits of in-person collaboration and team building.

Office Location(s):

• Warsaw, Poland: The office serves as a hub for Polish employees, offering facilities for occasional team meetings, workshops, and collaborative sessions.

• Madrid, Spain (Tres Cantos): Similarly, the Madrid office provides a physical space for team interactions and company events for employees in Spain.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Despite being remote-first, the quarterly office visits and emphasis on collaboration suggest a culture that values teamwork and direct interaction. The design system work itself necessitates close collaboration with developers and product designers.

• Tools & Technology: Employees will have access to Sanoma Learning's digital tools and platforms, including Figma for design, and likely project management and communication tools (e.g., Slack, Jira, Confluence). The company's commitment to digital learning implies a modern and well-equipped technology stack.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for interaction will occur through virtual meetings, design critiques, and the planned in-person gatherings, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time schedule (approx. 40 hours/week) is expected. While remote, adherence to core working hours for team synchronization and responsiveness is important. The hybrid nature allows for flexibility in managing personal work-life balance, with the understanding that quarterly office visits will require dedicated time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model, with its emphasis on remote work supplemented by quarterly office visits, is a key aspect of the work environment. This structure is designed to foster both autonomy and connection, crucial for a design system role that requires deep individual focus and strong team synergy.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess foundational skills, experience with Figma, and design system work.

2. Hiring Manager/Recruiter Call: A discussion to understand your background, motivation for the role, and initial fit with the company culture.

3. Design Challenge/Portfolio Presentation: You will likely be asked to present your portfolio, focusing on 1-2 key projects that demonstrate your design system expertise, accessibility considerations, and collaboration skills. A specific design task or case study might also be part of this stage.

4. Technical/Team Interview: A session with the hiring manager and/or team members (designers, developers) to delve deeper into your technical skills, problem-solving approach, and understanding of design system principles and accessibility.

5. Final Interview: Potentially a meeting with a senior leader to discuss cultural fit, career aspirations, and overall alignment with Sanoma Learning's vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Design Systems: Dedicate a significant portion of your portfolio to design system projects, showcasing your process from component creation to documentation and implementation.

• Showcase Figma Mastery: Provide examples of your Figma library structure, variant usage, and auto-layout best practices.

• Emphasize Accessibility: Clearly articulate your approach to accessibility in design, providing specific examples of how you've ensured WCAG compliance and inclusive design.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Use case studies to illustrate how you've worked with developers and product designers, including examples of design handoff and feedback loops.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio logically with clear project descriptions, your role, challenges, solutions, and outcomes.

• Prepare for a Walkthrough: Be ready to walk through your projects, explaining your design decisions, process, and the impact of your work.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design System Thinking: Be prepared for tasks that involve evaluating existing components, proposing new ones, or documenting patterns.

• Accessibility Scenarios: Anticipate scenarios where you'll need to apply accessibility principles to solve design problems.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Consider how you would handle design conflicts, feedback from developers, or requests from product managers.

• Documentation Skills: Practice articulating complex design ideas clearly and concisely, as documentation is a key part of this role.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess not just design talent but also the ability to contribute to and manage a complex, scalable design system within a large organization. A strong portfolio showcasing practical application of design system principles, accessibility, and collaborative workflows will be critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is the core design tool. Expertise in creating, managing, and scaling component libraries, variants, auto-layout, and design tokens within Figma is essential.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma offers robust prototyping, familiarity with other tools for more advanced interactions might be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

Development Technologies (for collaboration):

• Web Components: A strong understanding of Web Components is a significant plus, as the role involves collaborating on their design and implementation.

• HTML/CSS: Fundamental knowledge of how UI translates to code is important for effective collaboration with frontend developers.

• JavaScript Frameworks (e.g., React, Vue, Angular): Awareness of common frontend frameworks used in web development can enhance collaboration with developers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack heavily emphasizes design tools, particularly Figma, given its central role in design system management. The mention of Web Components highlights a modern approach to frontend development, and an understanding of related technologies will greatly facilitate collaboration with the engineering teams.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Learning & Impact: A core value is to create products that have the "highest learning impact," meaning a focus on pedagogical effectiveness and student outcomes. Designers are expected to contribute to this mission.

• Collaboration & Community: Sanoma Learning fosters a large, cross-cultural community. This implies a value placed on teamwork, knowledge sharing, and building strong relationships across diverse teams.

• Innovation & Digital Transformation: As a leading learning company, there's an inherent value placed on embracing new technologies and driving the digital transformation of education.

• User-Centricity: Understanding and addressing the needs of teachers and students is paramount, driving design decisions.

• Quality & Consistency: The emphasis on design systems and reusable components underscores a commitment to high-quality, consistent user experiences across all products.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative environment where designers work hand-in-hand with developers, product managers, and UX researchers.

• Iterative Feedback: A culture of continuous feedback and iteration is likely, especially within agile development frameworks. This involves open communication during design reviews and throughout the development lifecycle.

• Knowledge Sharing: The large community suggests a culture that encourages sharing best practices, learnings, and insights, particularly around design systems and accessibility.

• Empowerment & Ownership: The role's focus on owning design system elements suggests a culture that empowers individuals to take responsibility and drive initiatives forward.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to be a blend of mission-driven innovation and collaborative execution. For a UI Designer role focused on a design system, understanding how to foster consistency while enabling diverse product teams is key. The emphasis on "learning impact" and "highest learning impact" provides a strong guiding principle for design decisions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Design Systems: Ensuring the design system effectively scales to meet the needs of numerous products and teams across different European markets, each with potentially unique requirements.

• Maintaining Consistency: Balancing the need for design system adherence with the creative freedom and specific needs of individual product teams.

• Cross-Cultural Adaptation: Designing components and patterns that are inclusive and effective across diverse cultural and linguistic contexts within Europe.

• Bridging Design & Development: Effectively translating design specifications into framework-agnostic Web Components and ensuring seamless implementation and ongoing maintenance, requiring strong collaboration with developers.

• Advocating for Accessibility: Continually championing and integrating accessibility best practices in a fast-paced development environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Design System Deep Dive: Opportunity to become a subject matter expert in design systems, component architecture, and design token implementation.

• EdTech Industry Insights: Gain in-depth knowledge of the European EdTech landscape, pedagogical approaches, and user needs in education.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Enhance collaboration and communication skills by working closely with developers, product managers, and UX researchers from various backgrounds.

• Accessibility Certifications: Potential to pursue further certifications or training in accessibility standards and inclusive design.

• Leadership Potential: Develop leadership skills by mentoring junior designers, leading design system initiatives, or contributing to design strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the strategic importance and complexity of managing a design system for a large, international organization. The growth opportunities highlight the potential for specialization and leadership within a growing and impactful industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your experience building or maintaining a design system. What was your specific role, and what were the key challenges and successes?" (Focus on ownership, component lifecycle, and documentation.)

• "How do you ensure accessibility is integrated into your UI designs and component development process? Can you provide an example?" (Highlight WCAG knowledge and practical application.)

• "Walk us through a complex component you designed in Figma. Explain your thought process, the variants you created, and how you documented it for developers." (Demonstrate Figma proficiency and documentation clarity.)

• "How would you handle a situation where a product team wants to deviate significantly from the established design system for a specific feature?" (Assess negotiation, compromise, and advocacy skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Sanoma Learning and the EdTech industry?" (Showcase research and alignment with the company's mission.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with developers and product managers, especially in a remote or hybrid setting?" (Highlight communication and teamwork skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Start with an overview of your design system philosophy and experience. Then, dive into 1-2 detailed case studies that best represent your contribution to design systems, accessibility, and collaboration.

• Figma Walkthrough: Be prepared to share your screen and navigate through your Figma files, demonstrating your component libraries, variants, and documentation setup.

• Storytelling: Frame your projects as stories – identify the problem, explain your approach and design decisions, showcase the solution, and articulate the impact or outcomes.

• Focus on Process: Emphasize your process, not just the final visuals. Explain why you made certain decisions, especially regarding components, accessibility, and developer handoff.

• Metrics: If possible, include quantitative data on efficiency gains, adoption rates, or reduction in design/development time due to your design system contributions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating deep practical experience with design systems, a strong commitment to accessibility, and excellent collaborative skills. Being able to articulate your process and impact using concrete examples from your portfolio will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features your work on design systems, component libraries, and accessibility. Tailor your project selection to highlight skills most relevant to this role.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your experience with Figma, design systems, WCAG, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description such as "design system," "component libraries," "Figma," "accessibility," and "Web Components."

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on explaining your design process, your role in design system development, and how you ensure accessibility. Be ready to discuss hypothetical scenarios related to design system management and collaboration.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Sanoma Learning's mission, products, and their position in the European EdTech market. Understand their commitment to digital transformation and learning impact.

⚠️ 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.