UX / UI Product Designer

Serve First CX Limited
Full_timeMilton Keynes, United Kingdom

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX / UI Product Designer Company: Serve First CX Limited Location: Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design / User Experience Date Posted: January 20, 2026 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5+ Years) Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

  • Spearhead the end-to-end user experience (UX) design for complex B2B SaaS products, focusing on customer feedback dashboards and AI-driven alerts.
  • Own and evolve the company's design system, ensuring consistency and scalability across all user interfaces (UI).
  • Conduct comprehensive user research, including interviews, usability testing, and feedback sessions, to translate customer insights into actionable design improvements.
  • Drive rapid iteration cycles by leveraging product analytics and qualitative feedback to continuously refine user journeys and workflows.
  • Foster strong cross-functional collaboration with Product, Backend, and Frontend engineering teams to ensure seamless design implementation and pixel-perfect execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is positioned as a critical individual contributor responsible for the entire product design lifecycle within a fast-moving startup environment. The emphasis on "end-to-end UX," "own the design system," and "drive user research" indicates a significant level of autonomy and strategic input expected from the candidate. The mention of "AI powered workflows" and "AI design/copy tools" suggests a forward-thinking approach to design technology.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

  • Shape End-to-End UX: Map, design, and optimize critical B2B workflows, including survey creation, analytics dashboards, and AI-driven alerting systems. This involves creating detailed product journey maps, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.
  • Own the Design System: Define, maintain, and evolve UI patterns, components, and accessibility rules within Figma. Partner closely with engineering teams to ensure precise implementation and adherence to design standards.
  • Drive User Research: Plan and execute qualitative and quantitative user research initiatives, such as in-depth interviews, usability tests, surveys, and heuristic reviews with enterprise customers.
  • Iterate Relentlessly: Employ a data-informed design approach by utilizing analytics tools (Heap, GA, in-app analytics) and qualitative feedback to identify areas for improvement and implement iterative design enhancements.
  • Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Work collaboratively with Product Managers, Backend Engineers, and Frontend Engineers, clarifying requirements, delivering detailed design specifications, and reviewing implemented builds.
  • Leverage AI Tools: Utilize AI-powered design and copywriting tools to accelerate the design process while maintaining ownership and validation of the final user experience and outcomes.
  • Document Everything: Maintain comprehensive and up-to-date documentation for user flows, UI components, design rationale, and best practices to support a distributed team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic ownership and hands-on execution. The emphasis on "optimizing critical B2B workflows," "owning the design system," and "driving user research" suggests the successful candidate will be instrumental in defining and refining the core product experience. The requirement to "leverage AI wisely" and "document everything" points to a need for both innovation and robust process management.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience and a deep understanding of UX/UI principles is paramount. Experience: A minimum of 5 years of dedicated experience in designing complex B2B SaaS products is required, with a proven track record in areas such as dashboards, workflows, and administrative interfaces.

Required Skills:

  • B2B SaaS Product Design: 5+ years of experience designing user-centric interfaces for complex B2B Software-as-a-Service products.
  • User-Centered Process: Demonstrated ability to execute a complete user-centered design process, from initial research and ideation through prototyping and delivering shipped UI.
  • UX Research Mastery: Strong proficiency in conducting user interviews, surveys, usability tests, and heuristic evaluations to gather actionable insights.
  • Figma Proficiency: Expert-level command of Figma (or equivalent tools like Sketch, Adobe XD) for design, wireframing, and creating interactive prototypes.
  • Design System Experience: Experience in defining, managing, and working with established design systems.
  • Engineering Collaboration: Ability to effectively hand off design specifications and collaborate with React engineers for pixel-perfect implementation.
  • Accessibility (WCAG): Solid understanding and practical application of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) principles.
  • Responsive Design: Proficiency in designing for various screen sizes and devices.
  • Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a preference for asynchronous communication methods.

Preferred Skills:

  • Customer Feedback/Analytics Platforms: Prior experience designing for or within customer feedback, survey, or analytics platforms.
  • React Component Libraries: Familiarity with React component libraries such as Storybook, Chakra UI, or Material UI (MUI).
  • Motion/Interaction Design: Skills in motion graphics and interaction design, potentially using tools like Lottie or Framer Motion.
  • Basic HTML/CSS: Ability to perform minor code tinkering or direct implementation reviews.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must Haves" clearly define the core competencies and experience level required. The "Nice to Haves" offer a pathway for candidates to differentiate themselves and demonstrate a broader skill set that aligns with the company's product roadmap, particularly concerning advanced interaction design and technical familiarity.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • User-Centered Process Demonstration: Showcase a comprehensive user journey from initial problem definition and user research through wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final shipped UI.
  • B2B SaaS Workflow Optimization: Highlight specific case studies where you have successfully designed and improved complex B2B workflows, demonstrating an understanding of enterprise user needs.
  • Design System Contributions: Include examples of your involvement in creating, evolving, or utilizing a design system, demonstrating an ability to ensure UI consistency and scalability.
  • Research-to-Impact Translation: Present projects that clearly articulate how user research insights directly informed design decisions and led to measurable improvements or successful product launches.

Process Documentation:

  • Workflow Design & Optimization: Document the process by which you approach mapping and optimizing user flows, including methodologies for identifying pain points and designing solutions.
  • System Implementation & Automation: Detail your experience in collaborating with engineering teams for system implementation and how you ensure design integrity throughout the development cycle.
  • Measurement & Performance Analysis: Explain how you use data and analytics to measure the performance of your designs post-launch and how this informs future iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "user-centred process" and a portfolio that shows "research to prototypes to shipped UI" is critical. Candidates should prepare to walk through their design process in detail, highlighting their problem-solving approach, research methodologies, and the impact of their design decisions. Demonstrating an ability to work within or contribute to a design system is also a key expectation.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Senior UX/UI Product Designer with 5+ years of experience in the UK, a competitive salary is expected. For Milton Keynes, this could range from £55,000 to £75,000 per annum, depending on the candidate's specific experience, portfolio strength, and negotiation.

Benefits:

  • Competitive Salary: A remuneration package commensurate with experience and market rates.
  • Hybrid Working Model: Flexibility to work from home and in the Milton Keynes office, with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office.
  • Standard UK Pension: Contribution to a workplace pension scheme as per statutory requirements.
  • Holiday Allowance: 20 days of paid annual leave, in addition to UK public holidays.
  • Generous Kit & Software Budget: Allocation for essential hardware and software to support your work effectively.
  • Direct Impact: Opportunity to make a significant impact on the product experience within a small, agile team.

Working Hours: Standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility often afforded to accommodate project needs and personal work styles, aligning with the company's async-first communication approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on the UK market for a senior-level design role in a tech startup. The benefits package is detailed, with a specific mention of hybrid work and a kit budget, which are attractive perks for design professionals. The "direct impact" benefit underscores the startup environment's appeal.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / SaaS (Software-as-a-Service), specifically focused on Customer Experience (CX) through feedback analysis and AI-driven insights. Company Size: Startup (well-funded), indicating a lean, agile, and potentially fast-paced environment with significant growth potential. This size typically means flatter hierarchies and more direct access to leadership. Founded: The company is a "fast moving, well funded start up," implying it is relatively young and in a growth phase, likely prioritizing innovation and rapid product development.

Team Structure:

  • Product-Centric: The team appears to be structured around product development, with close collaboration between Product, UX/UI Design, Backend, and Frontend Engineering.
  • Cross-Functional Pods: It's likely that work is organized into small, agile teams or pods focusing on specific product areas or features.
  • Reporting: The UX/UI Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product or a similar product leadership role, with direct interaction with engineering leads.

Methodology:

  • Agile Development: The emphasis on "iterate fast," "ship small, test, and improve" strongly suggests an Agile or Lean development methodology.
  • Data-Driven Design: Reliance on "Heap, GA, in-app analytics" and qualitative feedback indicates a commitment to data-informed decision-making.
  • Async-First Communication: The mention of "async first" communication points to a culture that values thoughtful, written communication over constant real-time meetings, especially important for a distributed team.

Company Website: servefirst.co.uk

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is shaped by its startup status and focus on CX and AI. Candidates should expect a dynamic environment where their contributions have a visible impact. The "async-first" approach is a key cultural differentiator that candidates should be prepared for.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a Mid-to-Senior level Product Designer position. The expectation to "own the end to end product experience," "own the design system," and "drive user research" signifies a high degree of responsibility and autonomy, typical of senior individual contributors. Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report into a Product Management function, working closely with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and other designers (if any). This structure allows for direct influence on product strategy and execution. Operations Impact: The designer's impact is direct and significant, shaping the core user experience of a B2B SaaS platform that turns customer feedback into actionable insights. Success in this role will directly influence user adoption, satisfaction, and the perceived value of the product, ultimately contributing to customer retention and revenue growth.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Leadership in Design: Opportunity to become the primary owner and leader of the design function as the company scales, potentially leading to a Head of Design role.
  • Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-driven product design, customer feedback analysis platforms, or advanced interaction design.
  • Broader Product Strategy: Gain exposure to and influence over product strategy, roadmapping, and business objectives due to the direct impact and close collaboration with product leadership.
  • Mentorship: As the team grows, opportunities to mentor junior designers may arise.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential within a startup environment. The emphasis on "maximum autonomy" and "direct impact" suggests that a proactive and driven designer can quickly expand their influence and career trajectory beyond core design responsibilities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, with a requirement to be in the Milton Keynes office at least 2 days per week. This suggests a modern office space designed for collaboration and focused work. Office Location(s): Milton Keynes, United Kingdom. This location offers a balance between accessibility and potentially lower operational costs compared to major metropolitan hubs. Workspace Context:

  • Collaborative Hub: The office environment is likely set up to facilitate cross-functional collaboration, with meeting rooms, breakout spaces, and communal areas for design and engineering teams to interact.
  • Technology Enabled: A "Generous kit & software budget" implies access to high-end hardware (e.g., powerful laptops, large monitors) and necessary design software (Figma, prototyping tools, potentially AI tools).
  • Team Interaction: The hybrid model ensures regular face-to-face interaction with colleagues, fostering team cohesion and facilitating spontaneous problem-solving sessions.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour week is implied, the "async first" culture suggests flexibility in how and when work is completed, provided deadlines are met and collaboration remains effective. This can be beneficial for deep work and managing personal schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model in Milton Keynes provides a structured approach to in-office collaboration while retaining flexibility. The company's investment in "kit & software" indicates a commitment to providing designers with the best tools for their trade.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  • Initial Screening: A brief call to assess initial fit, understand experience, and discuss the role's scope.
  • Portfolio Review & Deep Dive: A dedicated session where candidates present their portfolio, walking through 1-2 key projects. This stage focuses heavily on the candidate's user-centered process, problem-solving skills, and ability to articulate design decisions and outcomes.
  • Design Challenge/Exercise: Candidates may be given a small design problem or prompt to solve, either as a take-home assignment or a live exercise, to assess their practical skills and approach to specific design tasks.
  • Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers and Engineering Leads to assess collaboration style, communication, and technical understanding.
  • Final Interview: Potentially with a founder or senior leadership to discuss culture fit, strategic thinking, and long-term vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Focus on Process: Clearly articulate your "user-centred process" for each case study. Show how you arrived at your solutions, not just the final designs.
  • Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, include metrics, data, or qualitative feedback that demonstrate the positive impact of your designs. Use terms like "increased conversion by X%," "reduced task completion time by Y," or "improved user satisfaction scores."
  • Showcase B2B SaaS: Prioritize projects that are complex B2B SaaS products, dashboards, or workflow-heavy applications.
  • Design System Example: If you have experience with design systems, dedicate a section or highlight relevant aspects within your case studies.
  • Figma Expertise: Be prepared to discuss your Figma workflow, component usage, and prototyping capabilities.
  • Storytelling: Structure your case studies like a narrative: problem, your role, process, solution, results, and learnings.

Challenge Preparation:

  • Understand the Context: If given a take-home challenge, thoroughly research Serve First CX's product and market to inform your approach.
  • Prioritize Key Workflows: Focus on designing for core B2B workflows relevant to customer feedback, analytics, or AI alerts, as these are central to the company's offering.
  • Demonstrate Research & Iteration: Even in a short exercise, show how you would approach user validation or iteration based on hypothetical feedback.
  • Clear Communication: Present your solution clearly, explaining your rationale and design choices concisely.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount for this role. Candidates must be prepared to deeply articulate their design process, research methodologies, and the tangible impact of their work. The emphasis on B2B SaaS and design systems is a key differentiator.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • Figma: The core tool for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and design system management. Mastery is expected.
  • Prototyping Tools: (Likely integrated within Figma or separate tools like InVision, ProtoPie) for creating interactive user flows and testing concepts.

Analytics & Reporting:

  • Heap: For product analytics, user behavior tracking, and understanding user journeys.
  • Google Analytics (GA): For website traffic analysis and broader user acquisition/behavior metrics.
  • In-app Analytics: Proprietary or third-party tools used within the application to track user engagement and feature usage.

CRM & Automation:

  • While not explicitly mentioned for the designer, familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) can provide context for B2B user needs.
  • AI Design/Copy Tools: Mentioned as a tool to accelerate work, implying familiarity with emergent AI assistance in the design workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable. Understanding how to leverage product analytics tools like Heap and GA to inform design decisions is also a key requirement, demonstrating a data-driven approach. Familiarity with AI tools for design acceleration is a forward-looking expectation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of enterprise B2B customers through thoughtful design.
  • Data-Driven Iteration: A culture that values making informed decisions based on user data and analytics to continuously improve the product.
  • Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and close teamwork across product, engineering, and design, facilitated by an "async-first" approach.
  • Autonomy & Ownership: Empowering individuals to take ownership of their work and drive outcomes with minimal bureaucracy.
  • Innovation: A willingness to explore new technologies, such as AI, to enhance product capabilities and user experience.

Collaboration Style:

  • Async-First Communication: Emphasis on clear, detailed written communication (e.g., in Slack, documentation platforms) to minimize unnecessary meetings and respect focus time.
  • Cross-Functional Partnership: Working side-by-side with Product and Engineering, fostering a shared understanding of goals and challenges.
  • Feedback Exchange: A culture that encourages constructive feedback during design reviews and build inspections to ensure quality and alignment.
  • Documentation as Collaboration: Maintaining well-documented flows, components, and rationale serves as a continuous form of collaboration and knowledge sharing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "async-first" communication style is a significant aspect of the team's collaboration. Candidates should be comfortable with this approach and understand its implications for communication and team interaction.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Rapid Iteration in a Startup: Balancing the need for rapid iteration and shipping features with maintaining design quality and system integrity.
  • Complex B2B Workflows: Designing intuitive and efficient user experiences for intricate B2B processes that often have steep learning curves.
  • AI Integration: Effectively integrating AI-powered features into the user experience in a way that is genuinely beneficial and transparent to users.
  • Scalability of Design System: Evolving the design system to support new features and a growing user base while ensuring consistency.
  • Distributed Team Communication: Maintaining strong collaboration and design alignment within a hybrid and async-first team structure.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Advanced AI in Design: Gaining hands-on experience with AI tools and their application in product design workflows.
  • Customer Feedback & Analytics Expertise: Deepening knowledge in designing for platforms that analyze customer feedback and provide actionable insights.
  • Design Leadership: Opportunity to shape the future of design at Serve First CX and potentially lead design initiatives as the company grows.
  • Product Strategy Influence: Direct involvement in product roadmap discussions and strategic planning due to the role's impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents exciting challenges related to scaling a product and design system in a startup environment, alongside opportunities to work with cutting-edge AI technology.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • "Describe your process for mapping and optimizing a complex B2B workflow. Walk me through a specific example from your portfolio." (Focus on your methodology, research, and how you identified and solved pain points.)
  • "How do you approach building or contributing to a design system? What are the key considerations for ensuring its adoption and scalability?" (Highlight your understanding of component-based design, documentation, and collaboration with engineers.)
  • "Imagine we are launching a new AI-powered alerting feature. How would you approach the UX design and user research for this feature?" (Demonstrate your thought process for designing with AI, user education, and potential ethical considerations.)

Company & Culture Questions:

  • "Why are you interested in Serve First CX and our mission to turn customer feedback into actionable insights?" (Research the company's product, market, and mission.)
  • "How do you adapt to a fast-paced startup environment with a focus on rapid iteration?" (Highlight your ability to be agile, prioritize, and manage ambiguity.)
  • "Describe your experience working in a hybrid or remote environment, and how you ensure effective collaboration, especially with an async-first approach." (Emphasize your communication skills and proactive collaboration strategies.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Structure: Begin with a brief overview of Serve First CX and the role. Then, select 1-2 projects that best demonstrate your core strengths relevant to the job description (B2B SaaS, complex workflows, research-driven design, design systems).
  • Storytelling: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role and responsibilities, your design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the solutions you implemented, and the measurable outcomes or learnings.
  • Visuals: Use high-quality visuals, including wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes (if possible), and final UI mockups.
  • Quantify Impact: Integrate metrics and data points throughout your presentation to showcase the tangible results of your design work.
  • Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs made, and how you handle challenges or feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to extensively discuss their portfolio, focusing on their process and impact. Understanding the company's specific focus on customer feedback and AI is crucial for tailoring responses.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX / UI Product Designer position:

  • Submit your application through the provided link on the Serve First CX careers page.
  • Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your most relevant B2B SaaS, workflow optimization, and user research case studies. Ensure it clearly demonstrates your user-centered process from research to shipped product.
  • Resume Optimization: Update your resume to explicitly mention your experience with Figma, design systems, B2B SaaS products, user research methodologies, and any experience with analytics tools like Heap or GA. Quantify achievements where possible.
  • Interview Preparation: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on articulating your design process, rationale, and the impact of your work. Prepare answers to common UX interview questions and company-specific inquiries.
  • Company Research: Thoroughly research Serve First CX's product, mission, and any recent news or announcements. Understand their target market and competitors to better align your responses with their business objectives.

⚠️ 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.


Application Requirements

Candidates must have 5+ years of experience designing complex B2B SaaS products and a strong portfolio demonstrating a user-centered design process. Proficiency in Figma and a solid understanding of accessibility and responsive design principles are also required.