KNA Senior Product Designer I (India)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: KNA Senior Product Designer I (India)

Company: Kaplan

Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: May 5, 2026

Experience Level: 6+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days remote / 2 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the end-to-end design execution for holistic, cross-platform user experiences, ensuring a consistent UI/UX across all touchpoints.

• Act as a strategic partner in product strategy, aligning design initiatives with the product area's vision and contributing to an impactful team roadmap.

• Drive operational excellence in the design process, adeptly balancing speed and quality based on project scope, user needs, and business objectives.

• Champion a data-informed approach by collaborating with User Research and Analytics to gather insights and validate product decisions.

• Lead the evolution and documentation of visual design patterns and style guides, socializing system improvements across cross-functional teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is clearly focused on Product Design with a strong emphasis on UX/UI principles, user-centricity, and strategic product contribution. The "Senior Product Designer I" title suggests a mid-to-senior level position within a product development team, requiring leadership in design execution and process optimization. The hybrid work model indicates a need for strong remote collaboration skills alongside in-office engagement.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the application of strong principles of visual hierarchy, typography, and information architecture to design holistic, cross-platform user experiences with consistent UI/UX.

• Serve as a strategic partner, aligning design work with the product area's vision and actively contributing to a goal-oriented, impactful team roadmap for product development.

• Maintain operational excellence by consistently balancing the speed and quality of the design process based on project scope and user/business impact, ensuring efficient workflow management.

• Proactively partner with User Research and Analytics to define data needs, conduct studies, analyze findings, and validate all product changes through robust data analysis.

• Lead the evolution of visual design patterns and style guides, documenting breakdowns and socializing system improvements across the cross-functional team to ensure design system integrity.

• Clearly articulate complex design decisions and ideas to cross-functional partners, leading focused group conversations to drive actionable next steps and consensus.

• Demonstrate advanced proficiency in design tools, including Figma, to effectively visualize user flows and interactions, staying current on industry trends and best practices in digital product design.

• Actively mentor junior and mid-level designers, providing constructive feedback and contributing to the overall design culture and team development.

• Drive the adoption and refinement of design systems, ensuring scalability and consistency in user interface elements and user experience patterns.

• Contribute to product discovery and roadmap definition by collaborating closely with Product Management and Engineering to balance user needs with business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of individual contribution in design execution and leadership in process optimization, strategy, and mentorship. The emphasis on "operational excellence" and "balancing speed and quality" is crucial for candidates to understand the performance expectations in a fast-paced product environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• A minimum of 6 years of professional work experience as a UX/UI designer or Product Designer, with a strong track record of successfully delivering impactful design projects.

• Proven experience in leading design initiatives and mentoring junior designers, contributing to team growth and design culture.

• Demonstrated experience in shaping team norms and processes to drive operational excellence within a product development team.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in design and prototyping tools, with a strong emphasis on Figma for visualizing user flows, interactions, and motion.

• Deep understanding of visual hierarchy, layout principles, and typography to produce visually cohesive and compelling designs.

• Strong comprehension of information architecture and cross-platform flows to design holistic user experiences, anticipating all potential states and feature overlaps.

• Expertise in identifying, documenting, and socializing new design patterns and system improvements across a product team and its stakeholders.

• Proven ability to partner strategically with Product Management and Engineering to contribute to product discovery, roadmap definition, and balancing user needs with business goals.

• Demonstrated proficiency in leading data-informed design, proactively defining qualitative and quantitative data needs, and partnering with research and analytics to validate product changes.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex design decisions for cross-functional partners and lead focused group discussions.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with, building, and maintaining comprehensive design systems.

• Experience designing for learning management systems (LMS) or similar educational technology products.

• Experience in both web design and mobile application design (iOS/Android).

• Experience working effectively within a global team environment.

• Experience working in a remote or hybrid work setting, demonstrating strong remote collaboration skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize advanced technical design skills, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities. The "6+ years" combined with "Senior Product Designer I" indicates a need for candidates who can operate independently, mentor others, and contribute to process improvements, not just execute tasks. The emphasis on Figma is a critical technical requirement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 comprehensive case studies demonstrating your end-to-end product design process, from initial concept to final implementation.

• Clearly articulate your role and contributions within each project, highlighting your strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and design decision-making rationale.

• Present a strong balance of visual design execution and user experience strategy, demonstrating your ability to create both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional interfaces.

• Include examples of how you've leveraged user research, data analysis, and stakeholder feedback to inform and iterate on your designs.

Process Documentation:

• For each case study, clearly document the design process followed, including:
  • Discovery & Research: How you identified user needs, conducted competitive analysis, and defined project scope.
  • Ideation & Design: Your approach to wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and iterative design.
  • Implementation & Handoff: How you collaborated with engineering for seamless implementation and ensured design consistency.
  • Measurement & Iteration: How you tracked post-launch performance and incorporated feedback for future iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing final UI screens. Candidates must demonstrate a structured, data-informed, and collaborative design process, with a clear ability to articulate their impact and learnings. The emphasis on Figma and cross-platform design is critical.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in Bangalore, India, with 6+ years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is ₹1,500,000 to ₹2,500,000 (INR). This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model: Offers a flexible work-life balance with a blend of remote and in-office work (2 days in office required).

• Voluntary Provident Fund (VPF) & Employee Provident Fund (EPF): A voluntary and statutory savings scheme for retirement planning.

• Gift of Knowledge Program: Provides tuition assistance and substantial discounts on Kaplan courses for employees and their close family members, supporting continuous learning.

• Comprehensive Health Benefits: New hire eligibility starts on day 1 of employment, covering medical needs.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO): Includes 10 National Holidays, 15 Earned Leaves, 12 Sick Leaves, plus one (1) Volunteer Day for community engagement.

• Gratuity: Applicable upon completion of 5 years of service as per the Gratuity Act, offering a lump-sum retirement benefit.

• Competitive Base Salary: Determined by qualifications, experience, and market data.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, typically around 40 hours per week. The hybrid schedule allows for flexibility. A 30-day notification period is preferred for transitioning candidates.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on typical compensation for senior-level design roles in India's tech/education sector. The benefits package is comprehensive, with a strong emphasis on learning and development, health, and work-life balance, which are attractive to experienced professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education Technology (EdTech) and Professional Development. Kaplan is a global leader in lifelong learning, offering a wide range of educational services from test preparation to higher education and professional certifications.

Company Size: Kaplan is a large, established global organization with a significant presence across multiple countries, including a growing team in India. This means opportunities for impact within a structured environment that also fosters innovation.

Founded: Kaplan was founded over 80 years ago, signifying a long history of educational leadership and a stable, reputable brand in the market. The India office was established in 2018, indicating a dynamic, growth-focused segment of the company.

Team Structure:

• Product Design Team: The role is part of a product design team, likely comprising UX designers, UI designers, and potentially UX researchers and content strategists.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: This role will work closely with Product Managers, Software Engineers, User Researchers, and Analytics specialists.

• Reporting Structure: Likely reports into a Design Lead, Head of Product Design, or a Senior Product Manager within a specific product vertical.

• Global Integration: The India team contributes significantly to global product development, necessitating collaboration with international teams.

Methodology:

• User-Centric Design: A strong emphasis on understanding and addressing user needs through research and iterative design.

• Data-Informed Decisions: Utilizing analytics and user research findings to guide design choices and measure impact.

• Agile Development: Likely operating within an Agile or Lean development framework, requiring adaptability and collaboration.

• Design System Utilization: Leveraging and contributing to established design systems for efficiency and consistency.

Company Website: https://www.kaplan.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Kaplan's long history combined with its modern EdTech focus provides a unique context. The India office's relative newness (since 2018) suggests a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment where new team members can have a significant impact. Understanding the global nature of the company is key for collaboration.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer I position, indicating a level where individuals are expected to lead significant design efforts, mentor junior team members, and influence product strategy. It's a crucial step towards becoming a Principal Designer or Design Lead.

Reporting Structure: The designer will report to a design manager or lead, working within a product pod that includes Product Managers and Engineers. This structure allows for deep collaboration and focused impact on specific product areas.

Operations Impact: The role directly impacts the user experience of Kaplan's educational products, influencing student engagement, learning outcomes, and overall product adoption. Successful design contributes to customer satisfaction, retention, and ultimately, revenue growth for the company.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific design disciplines (e.g., interaction design, visual design, design systems) and explore emerging technologies.

• Leadership Development: Mentorship opportunities for junior designers, leading design initiatives, and potentially taking on leadership roles in specific projects or feature areas.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gaining deeper understanding of product management, engineering workflows, and business strategy through close collaboration.

• Career Progression: Potential pathways to Principal Product Designer, Design Lead, or Manager roles within Kaplan's global design organization.

• Learning & Development: Access to Kaplan's "Gift of Knowledge" program for further education and professional development.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior role, candidates will be looking for clear pathways for growth. Highlighting mentorship, leadership opportunities, and the potential to influence product strategy is crucial for attracting experienced talent.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role operates under a hybrid work model, requiring 2 days per week in the Kaplan Bangalore office and allowing 3 days for remote work. This suggests an office designed to foster collaboration and connection.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Specific details about the office facilities or accessibility can be obtained upon inquiry.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office is likely equipped with meeting rooms, brainstorming areas, and possibly hot-desking facilities to support the hybrid model and team collaboration.

• Technology & Tools: Access to standard office technology, high-speed internet, and potentially specialized design hardware or software licenses. The job description emphasizes Figma proficiency.

• Team Interaction: The in-office days are designed for focused team collaboration, design reviews, workshops, and building team cohesion. Remote days allow for focused individual work.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time work hours (approximately 40 hours per week) with flexibility afforded by the hybrid model. The preference for a 30-day notification period indicates a structured onboarding process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of the work environment. Candidates will want to understand the purpose of the in-office days (collaboration, team building) and how the company supports effective remote work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Submission: Submit resume and portfolio through the provided link.

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications for minimum qualifications and alignment with role requirements.

• Portfolio Review: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, detailing their process, design decisions, and impact for 2-3 key projects. Expect detailed questions about your approach to user-centricity, problem-solving, and collaboration.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be given a design challenge or asked to elaborate on a specific case study in more detail to assess your problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and design execution.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and technical proficiency.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Final interview with the Design Lead or Hiring Manager to discuss role fit, career aspirations, and cultural alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Structure your portfolio presentations as compelling stories, clearly outlining the problem, your process, your solutions, and the measurable impact.

• Process Over Pixels: While visual design is important, emphasize your thought process, user research methodologies, and how you arrived at your solutions.

• Figma Proficiency: Be prepared to walk through interactive prototypes in Figma, explaining your design system contributions and interaction design choices.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time, improved user satisfaction scores).

• Tailor to Kaplan: Understand Kaplan's mission and products; consider how your past work aligns with their goals in education technology.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Problem: Thoroughly analyze any design challenge prompt, identifying core user needs and business objectives.

• Outline Your Approach: Clearly articulate your proposed design process, including research, ideation, prototyping, and testing phases.

• Focus on Rationale: Be prepared to justify every design decision, linking it back to user needs, business goals, or design principles.

• Time Management: Practice presenting your thoughts concisely and effectively within a given time frame.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a senior design role is rigorous and heavily focused on the portfolio. Candidates must be prepared to deeply articulate their process, rationale, and impact. Practice presenting case studies clearly and concisely.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Advanced proficiency is a must.

• Prototyping Tools: Figma's native prototyping capabilities, or potentially tools like InVision, Principle, or Adobe After Effects for more complex animations.

• Design Systems Tools: Experience with tools for documenting, maintaining, and contributing to design systems.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Platforms: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, or Maze for conducting user interviews and usability testing.

• Analytics Platforms: Familiarity with tools such as Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or product-specific analytics dashboards to understand user behavior and product performance.

• Data Visualization Tools: Basic understanding of how data is presented, potentially involving tools like Tableau or Power BI if they are used for reporting design impact.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct requirement for this role, understanding how design impacts the user journey within a CRM (like Salesforce) or marketing automation platforms can be beneficial.

• Project Management Tools: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for managing design tasks and collaborating with engineering teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a required tool. Proficiency in other design and prototyping tools, along with an understanding of analytics and project management software, is expected for a senior-level designer working in an agile environment.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of students and learners.

• Innovation & Creativity: Encouraging new ideas and approaches to solve educational challenges.

• Collaboration: Fostering a team environment where cross-functional partners work together effectively.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Using insights from data and research to inform product development and design.

• Continuous Improvement: A mindset of constantly seeking ways to enhance products, processes, and personal skills.

• Impact & Purpose: Driving meaningful change in education and empowering individuals through learning.

Collaboration Style:

• Partnership: Working closely with Product Management and Engineering as equal partners in the product development lifecycle.

• Open Communication: Encouraging transparent and constructive feedback within the design team and across disciplines.

• Shared Ownership: Taking collective responsibility for the success of the product, from ideation through launch and iteration.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively sharing best practices, learnings, and design insights within the team and broader organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: Kaplan's culture likely emphasizes its mission-driven nature in education. The values of user-centricity, innovation, and data-driven approaches are standard for tech companies, but the "Impact & Purpose" aspect is particularly strong for EdTech.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Global & Local Needs: Designing for a global user base while potentially adapting to regional nuances or specific market requirements.

• Navigating Legacy Systems: Potentially integrating new designs with existing, established product architectures or design systems.

• Driving Adoption of New Design Patterns: Introducing and socializing new design standards or system improvements within established teams.

• Maintaining Design Quality at Speed: Continuously balancing the need for rapid iteration with maintaining high standards of UX and UI.

• Remote Collaboration: Effectively contributing and leading design efforts in a hybrid environment, ensuring seamless communication and engagement.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to attend industry conferences, workshops, and pursue certifications in specialized areas of UX/UI design.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Developing leadership capabilities through mentoring junior designers and leading design projects.

• Product Strategy Input: Gaining deeper insight into product strategy and contributing to the long-term vision of Kaplan's offerings.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Expanding knowledge in areas like product management, agile methodologies, and data analytics.

• "Gift of Knowledge" Program: Direct access to tuition assistance and discounts for personal and family education.

📝 Enhancement Note: Senior roles often come with complex challenges. Highlighting these, along with the corresponding growth opportunities, helps candidates understand the scope of the role and its potential for professional development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How do you approach designing for a global audience with diverse needs and technical capabilities?" (Focus on research, localization, and scalable design patterns).

• "Describe a time you had to balance user needs with significant business constraints or technical limitations. What was your approach and the outcome?" (Highlight problem-solving, negotiation, and iterative solutions).

• "How do you ensure your design decisions are informed by data and user research? Walk us through a specific example." (Emphasize your process for defining data needs, conducting research, and integrating findings).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Kaplan's mission and its role in lifelong learning?" (Research Kaplan's values, products, and recent news).

• "How do you approach mentoring junior designers? What's your philosophy on providing feedback?" (Demonstrate leadership and a supportive approach to team development).

• "Describe your ideal collaborative environment. How do you work with Product Managers and Engineers?" (Emphasize partnership, clear communication, and shared goals).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: Have a clear, consistent structure for each case study (Problem, Your Role, Process, Solution, Outcome, Learnings).

• Be Concise: Practice your presentation to fit within the allocated time, focusing on the most impactful aspects of your work.

• Engage Your Audience: Ask questions, invite discussion, and be prepared to answer detailed follow-ups about your decisions.

• Highlight Figma Skills: Be ready to share your screen and walk through interactive prototypes, explaining your design choices and the user flows.

• Showcase Impact: Clearly articulate the business and user value derived from your design solutions, using data where possible.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and a clear understanding of the design process, all within the context of Kaplan's mission and the hybrid work environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer I position:

• Submit your application through the Kaplan Careers portal, ensuring your resume and portfolio are up-to-date and readily accessible.

• Tailor your resume: Highlight experience in UX/UI design, product strategy, Figma proficiency, design systems, and any relevant EdTech experience. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate your portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest case studies that best demonstrate your end-to-end design process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Ensure clear articulation of your role and the outcomes.

• Prepare your portfolio presentation: Practice walking through your case studies, focusing on your strategic thinking, design rationale, and how you utilized data and user research. Be ready to demonstrate Figma prototypes.

• Research Kaplan: Understand the company's mission, values, products, and recent developments in the EdTech space. Prepare to explain why you are a good fit for their culture and goals.

⚠️ 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.