Lead Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer

Company: Qasa

Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design Leadership

Date Posted: 2026-08-28

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (Minimum 3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and grow a team of talented product designers, acting as a player-coach to foster both individual development and team output.

• Drive the strategic direction of product design, ensuring alignment with overall company objectives and product vision.

• Own the end-to-end design process, from user research and ideation to high-fidelity UI design and usability testing, with a focus on creating seamless user journeys.

• Spearhead the adoption and integration of AI tools within the design workflow to enhance efficiency and innovation.

• Champion and evolve Qasa's design system, ensuring scalability, consistency, and effective collaboration between design and engineering teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a critical leadership function within Qasa's product development. The "player-coach" model indicates a hands-on leadership approach, requiring the individual to both manage a team and contribute directly to design execution. The emphasis on AI integration suggests a forward-thinking design practice focused on leveraging emerging technologies.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Development: Manage, mentor, and grow a team of product designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment. Conduct performance reviews and support career development.

• Design Strategy & Vision: Collaborate with the Chief Product Officer (CPO) and product team to translate business strategy into a cohesive design vision and roadmap.

• Hands-on Design Execution: Lead by example through hands-on design work, creating high-fidelity UI, mapping user journeys, and developing polished interfaces for Qasa's digital products across all markets.

• Design System Ownership: Lead the design perspective of the design system, defining components, patterns, and guidelines to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficient implementation by engineering.

• AI Integration & Workflow Enhancement: Pioneer and integrate AI tools and methodologies into the design process to boost efficiency, explore new creative avenues, and improve design outcomes.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Foster strong partnerships with product management and engineering teams, ensuring clear communication, shared understanding, and seamless integration of design into the development lifecycle.

• User Advocacy & Research: Champion user-centricity by advocating for user needs and usability across the organization. Lead and champion user research and usability testing initiatives.

• Process Optimization: Define and refine design processes to ensure speed, efficiency, and high-quality output, setting a benchmark for the design team.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Effectively communicate design decisions, rationale, and impact to various stakeholders across the company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on strategic leadership and tactical execution. The emphasis on "ownership" across craft, process, and people suggests significant autonomy and responsibility for the overall design function. The explicit mention of AI adoption points to a role that is at the forefront of design technology trends.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in design principles, human-computer interaction, or a related field is expected, demonstrated through experience and portfolio.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in product design, with a significant portion in senior or lead roles (e.g., Staff, Principal, Senior Product Designer).

• Proven track record of leading and managing design teams, with a genuine passion for people development.

• Extensive experience designing for digital consumer-facing products, ideally within C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer) marketplaces or similar platforms.

• Demonstrated experience in developing and leading design systems, including component libraries, pattern definition, and operational guidelines.

• Hands-on experience and a deep, demonstrated interest in integrating AI tools and methodologies into design workflows. Required Skills:

• Product Design: Comprehensive expertise in end-to-end product design, including user research, UX strategy, interaction design, and visual design.

• UI/UX Design: Mastery in creating intuitive, engaging, and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces and seamless user experiences.

• Design Systems: Deep understanding and practical experience in building, maintaining, and leading design systems.

• Team Leadership & Management: Proven ability to manage, mentor, and inspire a team of designers.

• AI & Emerging Technologies: Hands-on experience with and a strong curiosity for AI tools and their application in design.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Excellent ability to partner effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, and other stakeholders.

• User Research & Usability Testing: Proficiency in conducting and leveraging user research and usability testing to inform design decisions.

• Data Analysis & Interpretation: Strong ability to interpret data and analytics insights to guide design strategy and optimize user experiences.

• Visual Design & Craftsmanship: A keen eye for detail, aesthetics, and high-fidelity visual design.

• Design Thinking: A strong advocate for and practitioner of user-centered design methodologies.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the PropTech or Real Estate/Rental market.

• Production agency experience, bringing a diverse project perspective.

• Experience working closely with or supporting a CPO.

• Knowledge of front-end development principles to facilitate better collaboration with engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 10+ years of experience and previous Staff/Principal/Senior Product Designer roles indicates this is a senior leadership position. The emphasis on "production-focused portfolio" and "operational experience across guidelines, patterns, and systems" suggests the need for a designer who can not only conceptualize but also implement and scale design solutions effectively. The "genuine interest in growing people" points to a strong people-management component.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Production-Focused Work: Showcase end-to-end design projects that have been successfully launched and are in production, demonstrating impact and real-world application.

• Visual Design & UI Mastery: Highlight high-fidelity UI designs, demonstrating exceptional craft, attention to detail, and a strong understanding of visual hierarchy and aesthetics.

• UX Strategy & Problem Solving: Include case studies detailing complex user problems and how you approached them, outlining your design process, research methodologies, and rationale for key decisions.

• Design System Contributions: Showcase experience with design systems, whether through creation, contribution, or leadership. Detail how you've ensured consistency and scalability.

• AI Integration Examples: If possible, include examples of how you've experimented with or implemented AI tools to enhance design workflows or outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Provide examples of how you've mapped, analyzed, and optimized design workflows to improve efficiency and quality.

• System Implementation & Scalability: Demonstrate your understanding of how to implement and scale design systems and processes across teams and products.

• Metrics & Impact Analysis: Show how you've measured the impact of your design work using data and analytics, focusing on user behavior, conversion rates, and business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead Product Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to showcase not just aesthetic skill but also strategic thinking, leadership capability, and a deep understanding of design systems and their operationalization. The inclusion of AI in design processes is a key differentiator.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for Lead Product Designer roles in Stockholm, Sweden, with 10+ years of experience and leadership responsibilities, the estimated annual salary range is approximately SEK 750,000 - 1,000,000. This estimate considers the seniority of the role, the company's scale-up status in the Nordics, and the specific responsibilities including team management and AI integration.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: Reflecting seniority and responsibilities.

• Stock Options/Equity: Potential for participation in company growth.

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive health insurance and wellness programs.

• Professional Development: Budget for training, conferences, and continuous learning, especially in AI and design.

• Generous Paid Time Off: Standard vacation days plus potential for additional days.

• Pension Contributions: Employer contributions to retirement savings.

• Office Perks: Located in a vibrant area of Stockholm with amenities, potential for team events and social activities.

• Flexible Work Arrangement: Hybrid model allowing for work-life balance.

Working Hours:

Standard full-time working hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility offered through the hybrid work model. The focus is on results and efficient work, rather than strict adherence to hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimation is based on publicly available data for senior design leadership roles in Stockholm, considering Qasa's position as a growing scale-up. Benefits are inferred based on typical offerings for such roles in tech companies in Sweden.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Qasa operates within the PropTech and FinTech sectors, specifically transforming the rental housing market across the Nordics. This involves creating a leading digital platform that streamlines the renting process for both landlords and tenants.

Company Size: Qasa is a fast-growing scale-up, indicating a dynamic environment with established processes but still retaining agility. This size typically means more opportunities for impact and influence compared to a large corporation, but with a more structured approach than a very early-stage startup.

Founded: Founded in 2014, Qasa has a history of growth and market leadership in Sweden, now expanding across the Nordics. This implies a stable foundation with ambitious growth plans.

Team Structure:

• The design team is described as "small, talented" and will be led by this role.

• The Lead Product Designer reports to the CPO (Chief Product Officer), indicating a close working relationship with product leadership.

• Collaboration is expected to be tight with Product and Engineering teams, forming a core product development triad.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a key aspect, with designers needing to advocate for users across the entire organization. Methodology:

• AI-First Design Workflow: A strategic initiative to integrate AI tools for enhanced design processes.

• User-Centric Approach: Deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs through research and testing.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Utilizing data and analytics to inform and validate design choices.

• Agile Development: Implied by the scale-up nature and focus on speed and efficiency.

• Transparency: Information sharing across the company, fostering an informed and collaborative environment.

Company Website: https://careers.qasa.se/

📝 Enhancement Note: Qasa's culture is characterized by growth, innovation (AI focus), and a strong user-centric ethos. The scale-up stage suggests a balance between established processes and the need for agile adaptation. The emphasis on transparency is a notable cultural differentiator.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a significant step into design leadership. It is not just about individual contribution but also about shaping the design function, leading a team, and influencing product strategy. It sits at the intersection of senior individual contributor (IC) and management, often termed a "player-coach" or "Lead" role.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Product Designer reports directly to the Chief Product Officer (CPO). This provides a direct line of communication to top-level product strategy and decision-making. The role also manages a small team of product designers, creating a direct reporting line for them.

Operations Impact: The Lead Product Designer has a direct and substantial impact on Qasa's success by:

• Enhancing User Experience: Directly influencing customer satisfaction, retention, and acquisition through superior product design.

• Driving Product Strategy: Contributing to the strategic direction of product development, ensuring design is a key enabler of business goals.

• Improving Operational Efficiency: Leading the design system and AI adoption can significantly streamline product development cycles and reduce technical debt.

• Building Design Capability: Growing the design team and elevating the overall design maturity of the company.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Progression: Potential to grow into a Head of Design or VP of Product role as the company scales.

• Strategic Influence: Deeper involvement in company-wide strategy and decision-making.

• Specialization: Opportunity to become a recognized expert in AI-driven design or advanced design systems.

• Team Building: Further develop skills in hiring, mentoring, and scaling design teams.

• Industry Impact: Contribute to shaping the future of rental platforms and PropTech design.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for career advancement within Qasa, moving from a senior design lead to potentially broader product leadership. The focus on AI and design systems also provides opportunities for specialization and staying at the forefront of design innovation.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Qasa maintains a physical office presence in Stockholm, emphasizing in-person collaboration. The role is described as hybrid, requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in the office. This suggests a blend of focused individual work and collaborative team activities.

Office Location(s): The office is located in Södermalm, Stockholm, a vibrant and accessible area known for its creative and tech scene. This location offers good public transport links and amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office serves as a central point for team interaction, brainstorming, and cross-functional meetings.

• Technology Enabled: Access to necessary design tools and technology, with an emphasis on adopting new AI tools.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for daily interaction with design, product, and engineering teams, fostering a cohesive work environment.

• Hybrid Flexibility: While office presence is encouraged, the hybrid model acknowledges the need for flexibility and work-life balance.

Work Schedule: Full-time position with a standard 40-hour work week. The hybrid setup allows for flexibility in structuring days, balancing in-office collaboration with remote focus time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model indicates a company that values in-person collaboration for innovation and team cohesion but also recognizes the benefits of remote work for focused tasks and employee well-being. Södermalm is a well-regarded location for tech companies in Stockholm.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Screening: Review of CV and portfolio for relevant experience, leadership skills, and design craft.

• Initial Interview (Hiring Manager/Recruiter): Discussion on background, motivation, leadership philosophy, and initial fit with the role and Qasa's culture.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A deep dive into selected portfolio projects, focusing on problem-solving, design process, impact, and leadership experience. This may include a hands-on design exercise or case study presentation.

• Team & Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with the CPO, key product team members, and engineering leads to assess collaboration style, strategic thinking, and technical understanding.

• AI/Design System Deep Dive: Specific discussions or exercises focusing on your experience with AI in design and your approach to leading design systems.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a co-founder or senior executive to discuss vision and cultural alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your leadership, hands-on design skills, design system experience, and any AI integration work.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process, key decisions, challenges, and quantifiable outcomes/impact.

• Highlight Leadership: Explicitly detail instances where you led a team, mentored designers, or influenced product strategy.

• Showcase AI & Systems: Dedicate specific slides or sections to your experience with AI tools and your approach to design systems.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design philosophy, how you handle conflict, your approach to mentorship, and how you stay updated on design trends.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design System Exercise: Be ready to discuss how you would evolve or lead Qasa's design system, or critique an existing component.

• AI Integration Scenario: Prepare to discuss how you would approach integrating a new AI tool into the design workflow or solve a specific design problem using AI.

• Problem-Solving Case Study: You might be given a hypothetical problem related to Qasa's product and asked to outline your design approach. Focus on user needs, business goals, and a clear process.

• Leadership Scenario: Be ready to discuss how you would handle team performance issues, motivate a team, or resolve disagreements between design and engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess both technical design expertise and leadership capabilities. The portfolio is central, and candidates should prepare to articulate their strategic thinking and impact. Specific attention will be paid to AI and design system experience.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, industry standard), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Slack.

• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Maze, Hotjar, Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel.

• Design System Management: Tools integrated within Figma/Sketch, Storybook (for engineering handoff), or dedicated design system platforms.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics, Tableau, Power BI (for advanced analytics and dashboarding). CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and marketing automation tools can provide context for user journeys and data flow. Emerging AI Tools:

• Generative AI tools for ideation (e.g., Midjourney, DALL-E for inspiration), AI-powered design assistants, AI for user research analysis, and AI for code generation/documentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in industry-standard design tools like Figma is expected. The role will require familiarity with product analytics platforms and a proactive approach to adopting and integrating new AI design tools. Understanding the broader tech stack helps in collaborating effectively with engineering.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Work Smart: Emphasizes efficiency, innovation, and finding effective solutions rather than just working long hours. This aligns with the AI integration goal.

• Be Honest: Fosters transparency, integrity, and open communication. This is reflected in the company's practice of sharing information widely.

• Make an Impact: Focuses on delivering tangible results and contributing meaningfully to Qasa's mission of transforming the rental market. This drives the pursuit of user satisfaction and business growth.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The design team is expected to work closely with Product and Engineering, forming a cohesive unit focused on delivering value.

• Open Communication: Encouraged through transparency and the hybrid work model, facilitating knowledge sharing and feedback.

• User-Centric Advocacy: Designers are expected to be strong advocates for the user, influencing decisions across departments.

• Data-Informed: Collaboration is built on a foundation of data analysis and user insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: Qasa's values are geared towards a modern, efficient, and impactful work environment. The emphasis on honesty and transparency suggests a culture of trust and open feedback, crucial for a collaborative design team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Design Practice: Growing the design team and processes to support Qasa's expansion across the Nordics while maintaining quality and consistency.

• AI Integration Complexity: Successfully integrating novel AI tools into established workflows requires careful planning, experimentation, and change management.

• Balancing Hands-on vs. Management: Effectively dividing time and energy between individual design contributions and team leadership.

• Maintaining Craftsmanship at Scale: Ensuring high design quality and attention to detail as product complexity and team size increase.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Continuously ensuring alignment and strong collaboration between Design, Product, and Engineering, especially with rapid growth.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Opportunity to become a thought leader in applying AI to product design within the PropTech/FinTech space.

• Design Leadership Development: Formal and informal training in people management, strategic leadership, and scaling design functions.

• Industry Conferences & Workshops: Support for attending relevant design, AI, and PropTech events.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and potentially receive mentorship from senior leadership within Qasa.

• Product Strategy Involvement: Deeper engagement in shaping the overall product roadmap and company strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a growing scale-up in a leadership role, focusing on scaling, innovation, and balancing multiple responsibilities. The growth opportunities are significant, offering paths for both technical specialization and broader leadership development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach leading the design team at Qasa, balancing hands-on work with people management?" (Prepare to discuss your player-coach philosophy, mentorship style, and team-building strategies.)

• "Describe your experience with design systems. How would you lead and evolve Qasa's design system to support our growth and AI initiatives?" (Focus on scalability, governance, component libraries, and collaboration with engineering.)

• "What are your thoughts on AI in product design? How have you used AI tools, or how would you propose integrating them into our design workflow to improve efficiency and outcomes?" (Be ready with specific examples or a strategic proposal.)

• "How do you ensure design decisions are user-centric and data-informed? Walk us through a project where you used research and analytics to drive significant design improvements." (Structure your answer using STAR method and highlight metrics.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Qasa's mission and the rental market?" (Research Qasa's business model, market position, and recent news.)

• "How do you see your leadership style fitting with Qasa's values of 'Work Smart, Be Honest, Make an Impact'?" (Connect your personal values and leadership approach to these core tenets.)

• "How would you foster collaboration between design, product, and engineering teams?" (Discuss your approach to communication, feedback loops, and shared ownership.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: For each project, clearly define the problem, your specific role, the process you followed, key decisions and rationale, challenges encountered, and the measurable impact or outcome.

• Focus on Leadership: Highlight instances where you led initiatives, mentored designers, or influenced strategic direction.

• Demonstrate Craftsmanship: Ensure your visual examples are polished and clearly communicate your UI/UX expertise.

• Explain Your 'Why': Be prepared to articulate the rationale behind your design choices, not just the 'what'.

• Practice Your Narrative: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it flows well, stays within time limits, and effectively communicates your value.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, hands-on design skills, and a proactive approach to innovation (AI, design systems). Be ready to discuss both your process and your impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Visit the Qasa careers page and submit your application through their portal.

• Tailor Your Resume: Ensure your resume highlights your 10+ years of experience, leadership roles, design system expertise, and any experience with AI or consumer-facing products. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select your strongest projects that showcase leadership, hands-on design skills, design systems, and AI integration. Prepare a clear narrative for each project, focusing on problem, process, impact, and your role.

• Prepare for the Interview: Research Qasa's mission, products, and recent news. Practice articulating your leadership philosophy, design strategy, and how you would approach the role's key responsibilities, especially around team management and AI.

• Research Qasa's Product: Familiarize yourself with Qasa's platform to understand their user experience and identify potential areas for design improvement or innovation.

⚠️ 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.

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