UI Designer - Product

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UI Designer - Product

Company: Valsoft Corporation (collectionHQ)

Location: United Kingdom

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: Product Design / UI/UX Operations

Date Posted: 2026-03-23

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

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is crucial for translating product vision into tangible, high-fidelity user interface designs, directly impacting the user experience of SaaS and B2B products.

• The position emphasizes the creation and maintenance of reusable UI components and design systems within Figma, fostering consistency and efficiency across the product suite.

• A key aspect involves leveraging AI tools to accelerate design workflows, from ideation to iteration and production, aligning with modern GTM operational efficiencies.

• The UI Designer will collaborate closely with UX and Product teams to ensure designs are not only visually appealing but also functional, accessible, and aligned with business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UI Designer - Product," the emphasis on "turning defined ideas into clear, consistent, build-ready designs," working within an "established design framework," and "improving consistency and speed by building and maintaining reusable UI components" strongly aligns with the operational efficiency and standardization aspects expected in a Revenue Operations or GTM Operations context, specifically within Product Operations or Design Operations. The focus on developer handoff and clear annotations also points to a need for strong process documentation and collaboration between design and development, a hallmark of efficient product development lifecycles.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Translate product requirements, sketches, wireframes, and user research insights into polished, high-fidelity UI designs and interactive prototypes.

• Develop, manage, and maintain a robust component-based design system in Figma, including variants, states, and shared libraries, to ensure UI consistency across all product offerings.

• Collaborate closely with the Senior UX Designer to evolve and improve existing product UIs, ensuring adherence to the established design framework and brand guidelines.

• Prepare comprehensive design specifications for development teams, including clear annotations, interaction states, edge cases, and user flows, facilitating seamless developer handoff.

• Integrate and experiment with AI design tools to enhance ideation, accelerate iteration cycles, and optimize production workflows, contributing to faster product delivery.

• Apply and champion accessibility best practices (WCAG 2.2 fundamentals) throughout the design process, ensuring products are usable by a diverse user base.

• Contribute to early-stage product concepts by creating structure and defining patterns where they are not yet established, adapting between structured and undefined problem spaces.

• Work at a consistent pace to ensure the design pipeline remains ahead of development cycles, proactively identifying and addressing potential design bottlenecks.

• Participate actively in ideation sessions, brainstorming, and design critiques, offering practical solutions and contributing to the refinement of design approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of execution (turning requirements into designs) and proactive system building (component libraries, design systems). This dual focus is critical in operations roles where individuals must execute current tasks while also building scalable processes and assets for future efficiency. The emphasis on "work at pace" and "AI tools to speed up workflows" directly relates to operational efficiency and adopting new technologies for GTM advantage.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 2-5 years of dedicated UI design experience within digital product environments, with a strong preference for SaaS or B2B tools.

• Proven track record of creating and managing component-based design libraries, variants, and shared styles effectively within Figma.

Required Skills:

• UI Design Expertise: Proficient in crafting visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces for digital products.

• Figma Proficiency: Advanced skills in Figma, including deep understanding of components, variants, auto layout, and library management for design system implementation.

• Design System Management: Experience building and maintaining reusable UI components and design patterns that promote consistency and efficiency.

• Developer Handoff: Skilled in preparing detailed design specifications, annotations, and assets for seamless integration by development teams.

• Interaction Design Fundamentals: Good understanding of interaction states, edge cases, user flows, and micro-interactions that enhance usability.

• AI Tool Integration: Familiarity and practical experience with AI tools relevant to design workflows (e.g., ideation, content generation, prototyping assistance, workflow automation).

• Accessibility Standards: Solid understanding of WCAG 2.2 fundamentals and the ability to apply accessible design principles to create inclusive user experiences.

• Agility & Organization: Ability to work at a fast pace, manage multiple workstreams concurrently, and maintain a high level of organization and detail.

• Adaptability: Comfortable working in diverse problem spaces, from highly structured existing design systems to undefined "blank canvas" scenarios.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in fast-paced, startup-like environments where rapid iteration and adaptability are key.

• Exposure to AI-enabled product features, such as prompt engineering, AI-driven recommendations, or automation within user interfaces.

• Experience managing or contributing to multiple distinct products or design systems simultaneously.

• Basic prototyping skills that extend beyond static screens to interactive flows and user journey simulations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "SaaS or B2B tools" and "component-based design in Figma" are critical keywords for operations-focused roles in tech. The inclusion of "AI tools in design workflows" and "WCAG 2.2 fundamentals" signals a forward-thinking approach to design operations, focusing on efficiency, scalability, and inclusivity, which are core tenets of modern GTM operations. The preference for "fast-paced or startup-like environments" suggests an operational need for individuals who can adapt quickly and drive initiatives with minimal oversight.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• UI Design Excellence: Showcase a range of polished UI designs for digital products, demonstrating a strong understanding of visual hierarchy, typography, color theory, and layout principles.

• Figma Component Mastery: Provide clear examples of complex component systems built in Figma, illustrating the use of variants, states, auto layout, and shared libraries. Highlight how these components ensure consistency and efficiency in design.

• Process & Workflow Documentation: Include case studies that detail your design process from problem identification to final UI execution. Explain your workflow, how you incorporated user feedback, and how you prepared designs for developer handoff.

• Problem-Solving & Iteration: Demonstrate how you've taken ambiguous requirements or rough concepts and iteratively developed them into refined, user-centric interfaces, highlighting the decision-making process.

• AI Tool Application (if applicable): Showcase any projects where AI tools were leveraged to enhance design outcomes, speed up workflows, or generate innovative solutions.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Clearly articulate your design process, including how you approach translating requirements into actionable design tasks and how you manage your workload across multiple projects.

• System Implementation: Detail your experience in building, maintaining, or contributing to design systems and component libraries, emphasizing the benefits for consistency, scalability, and developer efficiency.

• Performance Analysis: For case studies, demonstrate how your design solutions contributed to positive outcomes, such as improved user engagement, conversion rates, or task completion times. Quantify impact where possible.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations roles, a portfolio isn't just about aesthetics; it's about demonstrating process, efficiency, and impact. This section emphasizes showcasing the how and why behind the designs, focusing on systemization (design systems, components), efficiency (AI tools, fast pace), and clear collaboration (developer handoff, process documentation). This aligns with an operational mindset where repeatable processes and measurable results are paramount.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Flexible Remote Work: Full remote working arrangement within the United Kingdom, offering significant work-life balance and autonomy.

• Contract Duration: A 6-month fixed-term contract with a strong potential for extension or conversion to a permanent role, providing stability and career progression opportunities.

• Exposure to AI in Design: Opportunity to work with and gain practical experience in leveraging cutting-edge AI tools within design workflows.

• Professional Development: Potential for growth and learning within a dynamic software company, with opportunities to contribute to diverse product initiatives.

• Collaborative Team Environment: Work within a supportive team structure, reporting to a Senior UX Designer and collaborating with product managers and developers.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours (estimated at 40 hours per week), with flexibility typically afforded in remote contract roles, allowing for focused work blocks and efficient task management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is crucial for contract roles, providing a benchmark. The benefits highlight the appeal of remote work and the potential for long-term engagement, which is attractive for operations professionals seeking stability and growth. Mentioning "AI tools" as a benefit underscores the company's commitment to modern operational practices.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software Solutions for Libraries (Public and Academic)

Company Size: Valsoft Corporation is a large, privately held company with a portfolio of software businesses. collectionHQ, as part of the Fluent Software Group/Valsoft, operates within this larger structure, likely benefiting from corporate resources while maintaining a focused team environment. The specific team size is small (Product Manager, Senior UX Designer, 4 Developers, 1 Tester), suggesting a close-knit, agile operational unit.

Founded: Valsoft Corporation was founded in 1995. collectionHQ's specific founding date is not provided but operates under Valsoft's umbrella.

Team Structure:

• The immediate team is based in Scotland, UK, and comprises a Product Manager, Senior UX Designer, four Developers, and one Tester. This structure is lean and efficient, typical of product development teams focused on delivering value quickly.

• The UI Designer will report directly to the Senior UX Designer, indicating a clear reporting line and a primary collaborator for design strategy and execution.

Methodology:

• The team is driving "change in internal processes to increase efficiencies and drive growth," indicating a commitment to operational excellence and continuous improvement.

• The design process is guided by research, customer insights, and product priorities, ensuring a data-driven approach to feature development.

• Emphasis is placed on working at pace and ensuring design is ahead of development, reflecting an agile and efficient operational cadence.

Company Website: https://valsoftcorp.com/ (Company general), https://www.collectionhq.com/ (Likely product website)

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding the company's industry (libraries) provides context for the user base and potential design considerations. The small, focused team structure suggests a need for individuals who can be highly collaborative and self-sufficient, common in operations roles driving specific initiatives within larger organizations. The explicit mention of "driving change in internal processes to increase efficiencies" is a direct alignment with operations goals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level UI Designer (2-5 years experience). This role is focused on execution and contribution within an established framework, with opportunities to influence and build. It's a critical operational role bridging strategy and implementation.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Senior UX Designer, with close collaboration with Product Management and Engineering. This structure allows for focused design mentorship and clear alignment with product direction.

Operations Impact: The UI Designer's work directly impacts the usability, consistency, and adoption of collectionHQ's software products. High-quality UI design contributes to customer satisfaction, reduced support load, and ultimately, revenue growth by making the product more appealing and effective. The focus on reusable components and AI tools also impacts the operational efficiency of the product development lifecycle.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design System Expansion: Potential to take on greater ownership of the design system, leading initiatives for its expansion, refinement, and adoption across more products.

• AI Design Specialization: Develop expertise in leveraging AI tools for design, potentially becoming a go-to resource for the team on AI-driven design workflows and applications.

• Product Ownership: With strong performance and demonstrated understanding of product strategy, there's potential to move towards more senior design roles, UX strategy, or even Product Management roles, particularly if the contract converts to permanent.

• Cross-Product Influence: Gain experience across multiple products, understanding diverse user needs and contributing to a unified user experience strategy across the collectionHQ platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section details how a UI Designer role contributes to broader operational goals. The "Operations Impact" section specifically links design work to revenue and efficiency. The "Growth Opportunities" are framed in terms of expanding operational capabilities (design systems, AI) and career progression within a product development context.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This arrangement offers maximum flexibility for the contractor, allowing them to work from any location within the United Kingdom.

Office Location(s): CollectionHQ team is based in Scotland, UK. However, this specific role is designated as TELECOMMUTE within the United Kingdom.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Digital Environment: The team relies heavily on digital collaboration tools (e.g., Figma, potentially Slack, Jira, video conferencing) to maintain connectivity and workflow efficiency.

• Tooling: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma) and potentially AI tools will be provided or expected. The company is investing in "driving change in internal processes," suggesting an openness to adopting effective tools.

• Team Interaction: Regular virtual meetings, design critiques, and sync-ups will be essential for maintaining alignment and fostering a sense of team despite the remote setup.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected. While remote, maintaining consistent availability during core UK working hours is likely important for effective collaboration with the Scotland-based team and developers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature is a key aspect of the work environment. The "Workspace Context" emphasizes the digital tools and collaborative norms that are critical for remote operations teams to function effectively and maintain productivity.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: A more in-depth session with the Senior UX Designer and potentially the Product Manager. This will involve a walkthrough of your portfolio, focusing on your UI design process, Figma skills, component management, and how you've handled similar design challenges. Expect questions about your approach to developer handoff and accessibility.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a small design exercise or present a detailed case study from your portfolio that demonstrates your ability to solve a specific product design problem, focusing on your process, rationale, and final UI output.

• Final Interview: Potentially a discussion with a lead from Valsoft or the relevant business unit to confirm fit and discuss contract terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your UI design skills, component-based design in Figma, and experience with SaaS/B2B products.

• Detail Your Process: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your design process (sketches, wireframes, user flows, prototyping), your design decisions, and the final UI outcomes. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Figma & Components: Explicitly demonstrate your Figma proficiency, showing examples of well-structured components, variants, and how you've maintained design system consistency.

• Showcase Problem-Solving: Focus on how you translated requirements into effective UI solutions, especially in situations with ambiguity or established constraints.

• Quantify Impact: If possible, include metrics or outcomes related to your designs (e.g., improved conversion, reduced task time).

• Accessibility & AI: If applicable, highlight any projects where accessibility or AI tools played a significant role.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Product: Research collectionHQ and its target audience (public/academic libraries) to understand their needs and potential pain points.

• Focus on UI Execution: If given a design challenge, concentrate on delivering polished UI, clear states, and thoughtful interactions, rather than deep UX research.

• Figma Proficiency: Be ready to demonstrate your Figma skills live or explain your approach to building components and maintaining consistency.

• Communication: Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely. Be prepared to explain the rationale behind your design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides concrete advice for operations candidates on how to approach the application and interview process, emphasizing the need to showcase process, system thinking, and efficiency – key traits for operations professionals. The focus on portfolio as a demonstration of process is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is the core design tool. Advanced proficiency in creating and managing component libraries, variants, auto layout, and shared styles is essential.

• AI Design Tools: Familiarity with tools that assist in ideation, content generation, prototyping, or workflow automation (e.g., Midjourney for inspiration, tools for automated design system checks, AI-powered prototyping assistants). Specific tools are not listed, implying a willingness to adapt.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's built-in capabilities, experience with other prototyping tools may be beneficial for complex interactive flows.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the UI Designer role, but awareness of how design integrates with product management platforms (e.g., Jira, Asana) and GTM CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) for feature tracking and user feedback loops is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Highlighting Figma as the primary tool is critical for operations roles focused on standardization and efficiency. The mention of AI tools suggests a company embracing modern operational technologies to gain a competitive edge in product development speed and quality.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Efficiency & Speed: A drive to "work at pace" and use AI tools to accelerate workflows points to a culture that values rapid iteration and productive output.

• Consistency & Standardization: Building and maintaining reusable components and design systems underscores a commitment to consistency, which is a core operational principle for scalability and maintainability.

• Data-Driven Decisions: The team works from "defined direction based on research, customer insight, and product priorities," indicating that decisions are informed by data and user needs rather than solely subjective preferences.

• Collaboration & Communication: Close collaboration with UX, Product, and Engineering is fundamental, requiring strong communication skills and a team-oriented approach to problem-solving.

• Continuous Improvement: The company's explicit goal to "increase efficiencies and drive growth" through process change highlights a culture of ongoing improvement and adaptation.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Pods: The small, dedicated team structure promotes a highly collaborative, integrated approach where design, product, and engineering work in tight alignment.

• Feedback-Oriented: Participation in ideation sessions and design critiques suggests an environment where constructive feedback is shared and valued to refine designs.

• Remote-First Communication: Expect a reliance on digital communication channels and structured virtual meetings to ensure effective information exchange and project alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section translates the job description's implicit requirements into explicit values and cultural norms relevant to operations. The emphasis on efficiency, consistency, and data-driven approaches are hallmarks of successful operations teams.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Consistency and Innovation: Maintaining design consistency across established and new product areas while also allowing for creative solutions and feature innovation can be a delicate balance.

• Pace of Development: Working to keep design ahead of fast-paced development cycles requires excellent time management, prioritization, and efficient workflow execution.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Learning to leverage AI tools in a way that genuinely enhances design outcomes and workflows, rather than just being a novelty, requires experimentation and critical evaluation.

• Remote Collaboration: Ensuring seamless communication and collaboration with a remote team requires proactive effort and mastery of digital communication tools.

• Accessibility Implementation: Consistently applying WCAG 2.2 principles across diverse design elements and ensuring they are correctly implemented by developers.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen Figma Expertise: Become a power user of Figma, mastering its advanced features for design systems and complex UIs.

• AI Design Skills: Gain hands-on experience and potentially develop specialized skills in using AI for creative and operational design tasks.

• Product Design Acumen: Develop a stronger understanding of product strategy, user research methodologies, and the broader product development lifecycle from a GTM perspective.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Enhance skills in working effectively with product managers and engineers, understanding their perspectives and contributing to integrated product solutions.

• Design System Ownership: Potential to grow into a role with greater responsibility for the design system's strategy and governance.

📝 Enhancement Note: Framing challenges as opportunities for growth is key for operations roles. This section highlights how tackling these challenges will build valuable skills in process optimization, technology adoption, and cross-functional collaboration, all critical for career advancement in operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process & Workflow: "Walk me through your process for taking a rough wireframe to a polished, build-ready UI. How do you ensure consistency and handle edge cases?" Focus on detailing your steps, tools (especially Figma), and decision-making logic.

• Component Systems: "Describe your experience building and managing component libraries in Figma. What are the key benefits, and how do you ensure adoption and maintenance?" Be ready to show examples from your portfolio and discuss best practices.

• AI in Design: "How have you used AI tools in your design workflow? What are the benefits and limitations you've observed?" Be prepared to discuss specific tools and concrete examples of how they improved efficiency or outcomes.

• Accessibility: "How do you incorporate accessibility (WCAG 2.2) into your UI designs? Can you provide an example?" Discuss specific techniques and considerations.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Understanding CollectionHQ: "What do you know about collectionHQ and its users (libraries)? How might that influence your design approach?" Research the company and its market.

• Remote Work & Collaboration: "How do you maintain productivity and collaborate effectively in a fully remote environment?" Highlight your communication strategies and self-management skills.

• Working with Constraints: "How do you approach designing within an established design framework, and how do you contribute to defining new patterns when working from a blank canvas?" Demonstrate adaptability and an understanding of design system evolution.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the Problem: For each case study, clearly state the problem or objective.

• Detail Your Role & Process: Explain your specific contributions and walk through your design steps, showing key artifacts (sketches, wireframes, user flows, final UIs).

• Showcase Figma & Components: Dedicate time to demonstrating your Figma skills, highlighting your component system and its benefits.

• Explain Your Decisions: Articulate the rationale behind your design choices, referencing user needs, business goals, and design principles.

• Highlight Efficiency & Impact: If applicable, discuss how your designs contributed to efficiency (e.g., reusable components) or positive outcomes (metrics).

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice for preparing for interviews, focusing on demonstrating operational thinking – process, efficiency, systemization, and problem-solving. The emphasis on portfolio presentation as a way to showcase these traits is crucial for operations roles.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your UI design experience, specifically mentioning Figma, component-based design, and any experience with SaaS/B2B products. Ensure your portfolio is easily accessible and showcases relevant projects.

• Resume Optimization: Use keywords from the job description such as "UI Design," "Figma," "component-based design," "design systems," "developer handoff," "WCAG 2.2," and "AI tools" to ensure your resume is ATS-friendly and clearly communicates your qualifications.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, component management strategies, and experience with AI tools. Prepare specific examples from your portfolio to illustrate your skills and problem-solving abilities.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Valsoft Corporation and collectionHQ, understanding their mission, industry, and the potential user base (libraries). This demonstrates genuine interest and allows you to tailor your responses to their specific context.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details, particularly regarding salary and benefits, should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions. The contract nature of this role means terms and conditions should be thoroughly reviewed.