UX/UI Designer / Product Designer (m/f/d)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX/UI Designer / Product Designer (m/f/d)

Company: Placetel

Location: Köln, Germany

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: October 28, 2025

Experience Level: Mid-Level

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and optimize user experiences for digital platforms, including websites, landing pages, and product portals, with a focus on clarity, usability, and conversion.

• Develop interactive prototypes to validate user flows and interface concepts, ensuring a seamless and intuitive customer journey.

• Collaborate closely with product owners, marketing, and development teams to translate complex user needs into elegant design solutions.

• Support UX research initiatives, including usability testing and A/B experiments, to drive data-informed design decisions.

• Maintain and extend design systems to ensure a consistent and brand-aligned digital experience across all customer touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role emphasizes a blend of UX and UI design skills, with a strong focus on product design within a SaaS B2B context. The "Digital & Growth Team" suggests a strategic focus on user acquisition, engagement, and retention through optimized digital touchpoints.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, design, and iterate on user interfaces for Placetel's digital presence, including websites, landing pages, and self-service customer portals.

• Craft intuitive and engaging user flows that guide both prospective and existing customers through complex processes, from evaluation to setup management.

• Develop high-fidelity interactive prototypes using industry-standard tools to effectively communicate design concepts and validate user journeys with stakeholders.

• Conduct and analyze user research, usability testing, and A/B experiments to gather insights and inform design improvements for enhanced usability, performance, accessibility, and conversion rates.

• Ensure design consistency and adherence to brand guidelines across all digital touchpoints, contributing to a cohesive and professional brand image.

• Actively participate in cross-functional team meetings, providing design expertise and collaborating with product management, marketing, and engineering to align on project goals and timelines.

• Contribute to the evolution and maintenance of Placetel's design system, ensuring its application across various digital products and platforms for efficiency and consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: Responsibilities highlight a proactive approach to user experience improvement, integrating research, design, and collaboration to achieve measurable business outcomes like conversion and customer satisfaction within a SaaS environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a background in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field is beneficial.

Experience: Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in UX/UI design, with a preference for work within SaaS or B2B companies.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in UX/UI design, with a strong portfolio demonstrating user-centered design principles and measurable impact.

• Proficiency in modern design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, XD), and other relevant software.

• Understanding of how designs translate into functional code, with basic knowledge of HTML/CSS.

• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and user feedback to make informed design decisions.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams.

• Fluent in German and comfortable working in an English-speaking team environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with design systems, including their creation, maintenance, and implementation.

• Familiarity with accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and best practices.

• Experience conducting and analyzing usability testing and A/B experiments.

• Knowledge of conversion rate optimization (CRO) principles and techniques.

• Exposure to AI-native SaaS solutions and their user experience implications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "basic knowledge of HTML/CSS" suggests that the designer will be expected to understand the technical feasibility of their designs and potentially collaborate closely with front-end developers on implementation details, ensuring a practical approach to design.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a diverse range of UX/UI design projects, with a clear emphasis on user-centered design methodologies.

• For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process followed, and the final solution.

• Highlight case studies that demonstrate a tangible, measurable impact on user experience, conversion rates, or business objectives.

• Include examples of interactive prototypes and user flows that illustrate your ability to craft intuitive digital journeys.

Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to user research, including methods for gathering user insights and conducting usability testing.

• Illustrate your process for translating research findings into actionable design recommendations and solutions.

• Provide examples of how you have collaborated with cross-functional teams (product, marketing, development) throughout the design lifecycle.

• Show evidence of your involvement in A/B testing and data-driven design decisions, including how you interpret results to refine designs.

• Showcase your experience in creating, maintaining, or utilizing design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their projects, explaining their design rationale, the problem-solving process, and the quantifiable outcomes achieved. Demonstrating an understanding of the full product development lifecycle from research to implementation is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Mid-Level UX/UI Designer with 3+ years of experience in Cologne, Germany, the estimated annual salary range is €50,000 - €65,000. This range accounts for the cost of living in Cologne and the specialized skills required for a SaaS B2B environment.

Benefits:

• Remote-First Setup: Enjoy the flexibility to work from where you are most productive, supported by a company culture that embraces remote collaboration.

• Flexible Working Hours: Tailor your work schedule to optimize your productivity and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

• Comprehensive Digital Projects: Opportunity to work on challenging and innovative digital projects within a rapidly growing SaaS company.

• Young, Motivated Team: Collaborate with a dynamic, interdisciplinary team of digital professionals dedicated to advancing business communication and customer experience.

• Flat Hierarchies & Ownership: Experience a culture that values autonomy, provides a high degree of freedom, and encourages taking ownership of your work.

• Stability and Growth: Be part of a forward-thinking, AI-driven environment with the security of a stable company and opportunities for professional advancement.

• Welcoming Culture: Immerse yourself in an open and collaborative atmosphere, enhanced by regular team events.

• Modern Office Space: Access to a well-equipped, centrally located office in Cologne’s Südstadt with amenities including free water, coffee, and fruit.

Working Hours: The role is full-time, with an expected 40 hours per week. Flexible working hours are a core benefit, allowing for adaptation to personal productivity peaks and work-life balance needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on data from reputable salary aggregation sites and industry reports for UX/UI Designers in Germany, specifically Cologne, considering the mid-level experience and SaaS/B2B focus. Benefits highlight a strong emphasis on work-life balance and professional autonomy.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Placetel operates in the Technology sector, specifically within the Communication and Cloud Solutions (UCaaS - Unified Communications as a Service) sub-industry. As part of Gamma Communications, it leverages cutting-edge, AI-native SaaS technologies.

Company Size: Placetel is a growing company, part of a larger European entity (Gamma Communications), indicating a dynamic environment with potential for both startup agility and established corporate structure. The "Digital & Growth Team" is likely a focused unit within this larger organization.

Founded: Founded in 2008, Placetel has a decade of experience in the market, evolving into a significant player in cloud-based business communication solutions.

Team Structure:

• The UX/UI Designer will join the Digital & Growth Team, suggesting a specialized unit focused on user acquisition, engagement, and retention through digital channels.

• This team likely comprises professionals from marketing, product, design, and potentially data analysis, fostering a cross-functional approach.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using data analytics, A/B testing, and user research to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Agile Development: Collaboration with development teams implies an agile or iterative development process, where designs are continuously refined.

• User-Centricity: A core principle is creating seamless, user-centric digital experiences that drive clarity, usability, and customer success.

• AI-Native Solutions: The company's focus on AI-native SaaS solutions suggests an environment that embraces innovation and leverages AI for product development and customer interaction.

Company Website: https://placetel.de

📝 Enhancement Note: Placetel's position as part of Gamma Communications provides a blend of startup dynamism and established market presence. The "Digital & Growth Team" focus indicates that this role is central to driving business outcomes through user experience optimization.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level Product Designer, requiring 3+ years of experience. It signifies a designer capable of independent work, contributing significantly to project design from concept to execution, and influencing product direction through user advocacy and data-informed insights.

Reporting Structure: The designer will report within the Digital & Growth Team, likely to a Product Owner, Head of Digital, or Design Lead. This structure suggests direct access to decision-makers and a collaborative environment where design is integrated early in the product lifecycle.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on revenue and business decisions by enhancing user acquisition through optimized websites and landing pages, improving customer retention via intuitive self-service portals, and driving overall customer satisfaction through superior digital experiences. The focus on conversion and usability directly ties design efforts to business KPIs.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like user research, interaction design, design systems, accessibility, or conversion optimization.

• Leadership Potential: With proven success, potential to move into a Senior Product Designer role, mentor junior designers, or take on lead design responsibilities for key product areas.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain valuable experience working closely with product management, marketing, and engineering, broadening understanding of the full product lifecycle and business strategy.

• Industry Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in the UCaaS and AI-native SaaS market, becoming an expert in designing for business communication solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Digital & Growth Team" context suggests this role is not just about aesthetics but about driving measurable business results. Career growth will likely be tied to demonstrating impact on KPIs and expanding responsibilities within product development and team leadership.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Placetel operates on a "remote-first" setup, meaning remote work is the primary mode of operation. However, they maintain a physical office in Cologne for those who prefer or need to work from a central location.

Office Location(s): The primary office is centrally located in Cologne’s Südstadt, offering modern workspaces and excellent equipment. This location provides a hub for team collaboration and in-person interaction when desired.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Flexibility: The remote-first approach offers significant autonomy and flexibility, allowing designers to optimize their personal work environment for maximum productivity and work-life balance.

• Collaborative Tools: Expect a tech stack that supports seamless remote collaboration, likely including tools for communication (e.g., Slack, Teams), project management (e.g., Jira, Asana), and design collaboration (e.g., Figma).

• In-Person Opportunities: The Cologne office serves as a point for face-to-face meetings, team events, and spontaneous collaboration, fostering team cohesion and a sense of community.

• Modern Equipment: High-quality equipment is provided, ensuring designers have the tools necessary to perform their job effectively, whether at home or in the office.

Work Schedule: Flexible working hours are a key benefit. While full-time (40 hours/week) is expected, the specific daily schedule can be adapted to individual needs and team coordination requirements, facilitating effective management of design projects and personal commitments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "remote-first" model combined with a physical office in a prime location offers the best of both worlds: autonomy and flexibility for daily work, with opportunities for in-person collaboration and team building.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with HR or a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and salary expectations.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: A detailed discussion with the hiring manager and/or a senior designer. This will involve presenting your portfolio, walking through key projects, explaining your design process, and discussing your approach to problem-solving and user-centered design.

• Skills Assessment/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a take-home design exercise or a live design challenge focusing on a specific problem relevant to Placetel's digital products. This assesses your design thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to articulate your solutions.

• Cross-Functional Interview: An opportunity to meet with key stakeholders from product, marketing, or development teams to assess collaboration style and understanding of business objectives.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to confirm fit with company culture and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 3-5 of your strongest projects that best represent your skills and experience relevant to SaaS/B2B product design.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process (research, ideation, testing, iteration), your design decisions, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your user-centered approach, how you incorporated user feedback, and how you collaborated with others.

• Showcase Deliverables: Include wireframes, user flows, high-fidelity mockups, prototypes, and any relevant research findings or data.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved task completion times, reduced support tickets).

• Tailor to Placetel: If possible, include a project that demonstrates an understanding of communication tools or SaaS platforms.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: Research Placetel's products, target audience, and current digital presence to inform your approach to any design challenge.

• Focus on Process: Even if you don't have a perfect solution, demonstrate a strong, logical design process. Explain your assumptions, the steps you'd take, and how you'd validate your ideas.

• Time Management: If it's a timed exercise, allocate time for understanding the brief, ideation, design, and preparation for presentation.

• Articulate Rationale: Be prepared to clearly explain why you made certain design choices, linking them back to user needs and business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes portfolio presentation and design rationale. Candidates should be prepared to defend their design decisions with data and a clear understanding of user needs within a business context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expected to be the primary tool for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration, given its industry prevalence.

• Adobe Creative Suite (CC): Photoshop, Illustrator, and potentially Adobe XD for graphic design, asset creation, and historical project work.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's capabilities, other tools like InVision, ProtoPie, or Axure might be used for more complex interactive prototypes.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Google Analytics: Likely used for website traffic analysis, user behavior tracking, and understanding conversion funnels.

• Hotjar / FullStory: Tools for heatmaps, session recordings, and user feedback to understand user interactions on digital platforms.

• A/B Testing Platforms: Tools like Optimizely, VWO, or Google Optimize for running experiments to test design variations and measure impact.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot): While not a primary tool for the designer, understanding how customer data is managed and how designs integrate with CRM workflows is beneficial.

• Marketing Automation Tools: Familiarity with how marketing campaigns and lead nurturing flows interact with landing pages and website design.

• Project Management Software: Tools such as Jira, Asana, Trello, or Monday.com for task management, sprint planning, and team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost certainly a requirement. Familiarity with analytics and A/B testing tools is crucial for a "Growth Team" role, as it implies a data-driven approach to design optimization.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the user, ensuring that all designs prioritize clarity, usability, and a positive experience.

• Collaboration: An emphasis on working effectively within a cross-functional team, valuing diverse perspectives and collective problem-solving.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A belief in using data, research, and experimentation to inform design choices and measure success, rather than relying solely on intuition.

• Continuous Improvement: A proactive mindset towards enhancing existing experiences and exploring new solutions, driven by a desire for efficiency and excellence.

• Innovation: Embracing new technologies (like AI) and methodologies to create cutting-edge solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are expected to work closely with product managers, marketers, and developers, participating actively in planning and review sessions.

• Open Communication: A culture that encourages open feedback, constructive criticism, and transparent communication about design challenges and solutions.

• Shared Ownership: The team likely shares a collective responsibility for the success of Placetel's digital products and growth initiatives.

• Agile Mindset: Embracing iterative design processes, quick feedback loops, and adaptability to changing requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture appears to be a blend of modern tech company values: user-focused, data-driven, collaborative, and innovative, with a strong emphasis on growth and continuous improvement within a remote-first setting.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Effectively translating complex SaaS functionalities into simple, intuitive user experiences while meeting conversion and business objectives.

• Maintaining Consistency Across Platforms: Ensuring a cohesive and branded digital experience across various touchpoints, from marketing websites to complex user portals, especially in a remote-first environment.

• Adapting to Rapid Growth: Keeping pace with the evolving needs of a rapidly growing SaaS company and its user base, requiring flexibility and quick iteration.

• Integrating AI Features: Designing intuitive user interfaces for AI-powered features, ensuring they are understandable and valuable to users without being overly complex.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Tool Mastery: Deepening expertise in tools like Figma and exploring advanced prototyping techniques.

• User Research Methodologies: Gaining hands-on experience with a wider range of UX research methods, including ethnographic studies, in-depth interviews, and quantitative analysis.

• Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Developing a strong understanding of CRO principles and mastering A/B testing for significant impact on business metrics.

• Design System Leadership: Potentially taking a leading role in evolving or expanding the company's design system.

• AI in UX: Learning how to effectively design for AI-driven products and features.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a growing SaaS company, focusing on the intersection of user experience, business growth, and technological advancement. The growth opportunities are geared towards deepening core design skills and expanding into specialized areas.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting user needs with business requirements. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, negotiation skills, and data-driven decision-making.)

• "Walk us through a complex user flow you designed. What were the key challenges, and how did you ensure its usability and efficiency?" (Use a portfolio example; highlight your problem-solving and iterative process.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Placetel and our mission of 'simple communication'?" (Research Placetel's products and market position.)

• "How do you see your skills contributing to a 'Digital & Growth Team'?" (Connect your UX/UI expertise to growth metrics like conversion, engagement, and retention.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, aim for: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Outcome/Impact.

• Be Data-Centric: Whenever possible, quantify the results of your designs. If exact numbers aren't available, discuss the metrics you would aim to improve and how you'd measure them.

• Showcase Your Process: Don't just show final screens. Explain your wireframing, user flow mapping, prototyping, and testing phases.

• Articulate Design Rationale: Be ready to explain why you made specific design choices. Connect them to user needs, business goals, and design principles.

• Engage Your Audience: Treat it as a collaborative discussion, not a lecture. Be open to questions and feedback throughout.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to present their portfolio as a series of case studies, focusing on their problem-solving process, user empathy, and the measurable business impact of their design decisions. Understanding Placetel's products and the SaaS/B2B context is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX/UI Designer / Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on join.com.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 3+ years of UX/UI design experience, specifically mentioning SaaS, B2B, and digital growth initiatives. Use keywords from the job description like "user-centered design," "prototyping," "usability testing," "Figma," and "conversion optimization."

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, showcases relevant projects with clear case studies, and is easily accessible. Be ready to discuss your process and outcomes in detail.

• Research Placetel: Understand their products, target audience, and recent company news. Familiarize yourself with their current digital presence (website, product portals) to anticipate potential design challenges and opportunities.

• Practice Your Pitch: Be ready to articulate your design philosophy, your approach to problem-solving, and how your skills align with Placetel's goals for the Digital & Growth Team.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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