Lead Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer

Company: Rec Technologies

Location: San Francisco, California, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design (AI & Operations Focus)

Date Posted: May 20, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end design of AI-powered consumer booking and registration experiences, as well as complex staff-side administrative tools.

• Define and champion the company's design system, ensuring coherence and scalability across all product surfaces.

• Drive user research initiatives for both consumer and staff audiences, translating insights into actionable design strategies.

• Mentor and elevate the design team through high-craft work, sharp feedback, and a strong design point of view.

• Partner closely with Product Management and Engineering teams throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from ideation to launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Staff+ Individual Contributor (IC), indicating a high level of autonomy, strategic impact, and expectation for setting design standards, rather than managing a team directly. The emphasis on AI-powered features and operational tools suggests a need for designers who can navigate complex technical integrations and user flows with a human-centered approach.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete design process for AI-driven consumer features, focusing on intuitive interactions, trust-building, and user delight.

• Design and iterate on robust staff-side administrative tools that streamline day-to-day operations for recreation facilities.

• Develop, document, and maintain Rec's design system, ensuring consistency in UI components, patterns, and brand guidelines.

• Conduct user research, including interviews, usability testing, and surveys, to gather insights from diverse user groups (e.g., parents, program administrators).

• Translate user research findings and business requirements into high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and detailed design specifications.

• Collaborate with product managers to define product strategy and with engineers to ensure faithful implementation of designs.

• Actively participate in design critiques, providing constructive feedback to peers and stakeholders to elevate the overall quality of design work.

• Champion user-centered design principles and advocate for user needs throughout the product development process.

• Contribute to the product roadmap by identifying opportunities for design innovation and user experience improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities highlight a dual focus on consumer-facing and operational (staff-side) tools, with a significant emphasis on integrating AI. This requires a designer adept at understanding both user personas and complex workflows, with the ability to design for efficiency and user trust in AI-assisted scenarios. The responsibility for stewarding the design system indicates a need for a systems thinker who can maintain consistency at scale.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for roles of this caliber. A strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent experience and skills will be highly valued.

Experience: 10+ years of progressive experience in product design, with a proven track record of shipping successful products.

Required Skills:

• Extensive experience in end-to-end product design, encompassing user research, UX/UI design, interaction design, and visual design.

• Demonstrated experience designing complex operational or administrative tools for internal users.

• Proven experience designing and implementing AI-powered product features, with a strong understanding of user trust and AI interaction principles.

• Expertise in building, maintaining, and scaling design systems using tools like Figma, Sketch, or similar.

• Proficiency in conducting user research, usability testing, and translating findings into actionable design solutions.

• Strong systems thinking capabilities, with the ability to design cohesive and scalable product experiences.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with experience working effectively with product managers and engineers.

• Natural leadership qualities, with the ability to mentor, provide feedback, and elevate the design craft of a team.

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with a strong bias for action and ownership.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the SaaS industry, particularly in platforms serving the recreation or sports management sector.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and cross-functional team collaboration within a fast-paced startup environment.

• Experience designing for mobile-first experiences.

• A portfolio that showcases a diverse range of projects, including complex operational tools and innovative AI-driven features.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 10+ years of experience, coupled with the "Staff+" designation, signifies a senior leadership role. The emphasis on AI and operational tools suggests a need for candidates who can bridge the gap between advanced technology and practical business application, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of user needs in both consumer and enterprise contexts.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 significant projects demonstrating end-to-end design ownership, ideally including at least one complex operational tool and one AI-driven feature.

• Clearly articulate your role, process, and impact in each project, emphasizing problem definition, user research, design decisions, and final outcomes.

• Include detailed case studies that illustrate your systems thinking approach, particularly how you've contributed to or built design systems.

• Present examples of your work with AI-powered features, explaining how you addressed user trust, utility, and interaction design challenges.

Process Documentation:

• For each portfolio project, provide a clear narrative of your design process, from initial problem identification and user research to iteration and final launch.

• Detail how you approached the design of operational workflows, focusing on efficiency, clarity, and ease of use for staff users.

• Explain your approach to designing AI interactions, including how you considered explainability, error handling, and user control.

• Document your contributions to design systems, outlining component creation, pattern definition, and adherence to design principles.

• Quantify the impact of your design work where possible, using metrics related to user engagement, task completion rates, efficiency gains, or customer satisfaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead Product Designer role, especially one focusing on AI and operational tools, the portfolio is critical. It should not only display visual polish but also a deep understanding of complex problem-solving, user-centricity, and the ability to create scalable, coherent systems. Emphasis on AI interaction design and operational efficiency will be key differentiators.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $180,000 – $250,000 base salary per year, plus meaningful equity.

Explanation of Range: This range is competitive for a Lead Product Designer role in San Francisco with 10+ years of experience, particularly in a high-growth tech startup environment. Factors influencing the final offer include the candidate's specific experience, demonstrated impact, and alignment with the company's strategic needs, especially in AI and operational tool design.

Benefits:

• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO): Encourages work-life balance and allows employees to take time off as needed.

• Top-Tier Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance: Comprehensive coverage to support employee well-being.

• 401(k) Plan: A retirement savings plan to support long-term financial security.

• Meaningful Equity: Opportunity to share in the company's success and growth.

Working Hours: While the standard workweek is typically 40 hours, the emphasis on "Be Relentless" and "Own it" suggests an environment where dedication and flexibility are valued. The on-site requirement implies adherence to standard business hours in San Francisco, with potential for occasional extended hours to meet project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range and equity component are strong indicators of the seniority and expected impact of this role. The benefits package is standard for a tech startup, with the "Flexible PTO" often signaling a culture that prioritizes results over strict hour tracking, within reasonable professional boundaries.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (SaaS), specifically focused on the Recreation sector. Rec is modernizing a traditionally underserved market by providing a digital platform for booking, training, and engagement within recreation facilities.

Company Size: Likely a growth-stage startup. The description mentions a "small but talented design team" and partnering with Product and Engineering, suggesting a lean, agile organization. This size offers opportunities for significant impact and direct influence.

Founded: The company's founding date is not explicitly stated, but the context of reimagining an industry and building AI-powered products implies a relatively modern company, likely founded within the last 5-10 years, and experiencing rapid growth.

Team Structure:

• The design team is described as "small but talented," with the Lead Designer expected to "elevate the people around you" without direct reports, suggesting a collaborative, peer-mentorship model.

• Close partnerships are expected with Product Management and Engineering, indicating a cross-functional, agile team structure common in tech startups.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Product Development: The company collects data on registrations, bookings, programs, and payments, which forms the "system of record" for recreation. AI is being built directly into this data surface.

• Mobile-First & AI-Powered Design: The company is focused on designing for the modern digital landscape, emphasizing mobile experiences and leveraging AI to create new product capabilities.

• Iterative Development: The value "Be Relentless. Move fast. Own it. Ship real value early and often" points to an agile, iterative approach to product development, prioritizing rapid deployment and continuous improvement.

Company Website: https://rec.us/

📝 Enhancement Note: Rec positions itself as a disrupter in the recreation industry, leveraging technology and AI to modernize a $105B market. The company culture appears to be driven by ambition, speed, ownership, and collaboration, common traits in successful tech startups aiming for rapid growth and market impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Staff+ Individual Contributor (IC) role, signifying a senior level of expertise and influence. It's positioned for individuals who can set strategic direction, mentor others, and tackle the most complex design challenges, rather than managing direct reports. This level typically involves driving significant product initiatives and shaping the design practice within the organization.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Product Designer will likely report to a senior leader such as the Head of Product, VP of Product, or Chief Technology Officer. While there are no direct reports, the role involves informal leadership and mentorship within the design team and cross-functionally.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the company's mission to "power recreation worldwide." By designing both consumer-facing experiences and critical operational tools, the Lead Designer influences user adoption, facility efficiency, and the overall success of the Rec platform. The integration of AI is a key differentiator, positioning Rec's products at the forefront of innovation in the industry.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Opportunity to shape the design vision and practice at a rapidly growing company, potentially leading to future leadership roles (e.g., Head of Design, Director of Product Design) as the company scales.

• Specialization in AI Product Design: Deepen expertise in designing cutting-edge AI-powered experiences, a highly sought-after skill set in the tech industry.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Gain extensive experience collaborating with Product and Engineering, fostering a comprehensive understanding of product development strategies and business operations.

• Industry Impact: Contribute to transforming a large, traditional industry (recreation), offering a unique opportunity to see the tangible effects of your design work on businesses and communities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Staff+ IC designation is crucial. It implies that career growth here is not necessarily about climbing a management ladder but about deepening expertise, increasing strategic influence, and potentially becoming a recognized authority in specific product areas like AI or design systems within the company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job posting specifies "San Francisco — in-office most days at our downtown SF office," indicating a preference for an in-office, collaborative work environment. This suggests a structured setup designed to foster team interaction and spontaneous collaboration.

Office Location(s): Downtown San Francisco, a well-connected urban hub with access to public transportation and amenities, suitable for professionals working in a major tech city.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on "in-office most days" and "Win Together" suggests a workplace that values face-to-face interaction, team brainstorming, and spontaneous problem-solving.

• Tools & Technology: As a tech company, expect access to modern design software (Figma, Sketch), collaboration tools (Slack, Notion), and potentially dedicated hardware for design work. The focus on AI implies exposure to cutting-edge development tools and methodologies.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with design peers, product managers, engineers, and potentially leadership, fostering a dynamic and integrated work setting.

Work Schedule: The standard workweek is likely 40 hours, typical for a full-time role. However, given the startup culture ("Be Relentless," "Own it") and the nature of a Lead role, there may be expectations for flexibility and dedication to meet project deadlines and drive initiatives forward. The "in-office most days" policy reinforces a structured work schedule.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "in-office most days" policy in San Francisco indicates a return-to-office trend or a deliberate choice to foster close-knit team collaboration. This environment is ideal for designers who thrive on in-person synergy, rapid feedback loops, and a strong sense of team cohesion.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess alignment with the role's requirements, particularly experience in AI design, operational tools, and design systems.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: Expect to present your portfolio, discussing key projects in depth, your design process, and how you've handled complex challenges. A design exercise or case study may be given, focusing on problem-solving, AI integration, or designing for operational efficiency.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Discussions with Product Managers and Engineers to evaluate collaboration skills, technical understanding, and ability to integrate design into the development workflow.

• Hiring Manager/Leadership Interview: A final conversation with the hiring manager or a senior leader to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall alignment with Rec's mission and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your experience with AI product design, complex operational tools, and design systems. Clearly articulate your specific contributions.

• Tell a Story: For each project, walk through the problem, your process, the challenges you faced, the decisions you made, and the measurable impact of your work. Use visuals effectively to support your narrative.

• Highlight AI Nuances: Be prepared to discuss how you approached user trust, explainability, and interaction design specifically for AI-powered features.

• Demonstrate Systems Thinking: Clearly explain your role in developing or maintaining design systems, emphasizing your approach to consistency, scalability, and component-based design.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs, such as improvements in user engagement, efficiency, or task completion rates.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with the recreation industry and the types of challenges faced by both consumers and facility operators.

• AI Application Thinking: Brainstorm potential AI applications within the recreation booking and management space. Consider how AI can enhance user experience or operational efficiency.

• Operational Workflow Design: Think about common workflows in managing recreation programs (e.g., class registration, facility scheduling, permit applications) and how they could be improved through design.

• Communication: Practice articulating your design process and rationale clearly and concisely, as you'll need to present your ideas effectively to a mixed audience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Lead role will be rigorous, focusing on strategic thinking, leadership potential, and deep expertise. The portfolio review is paramount, and candidates should be prepared to discuss their work in detail, demonstrating not just design skills but also business acumen and an understanding of complex product challenges.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable given industry trends and design system focus), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).

• Collaboration: Slack, Jira, Confluence, Asana, Notion.

• User Research: UserTesting.com, Maze, Optimal Workshop, or similar platforms for remote research and testing.

• Design System Management: Tools integrated with Figma/Sketch (e.g., Abstract, Zeroheight) or custom solutions.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics, Pendo.

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Looker, or internal dashboards for tracking key performance indicators (KPIs).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a designer's tool, understanding CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and workflow automation tools can be beneficial for context, especially when designing staff-side tools that might integrate with or complement these systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern design tools, particularly Figma, and experience with design system management platforms are essential. Familiarity with product analytics tools is also highly advantageous for a designer focused on impact and data-driven iteration.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Be Relentless: This value emphasizes a proactive, fast-paced approach to product development. For operations, it means a commitment to shipping value quickly, iterating efficiently, and owning tasks through to completion. It implies a culture where initiative is rewarded.

• Win Together: This highlights collaboration and cross-functional teamwork. Operations professionals are expected to communicate openly, support colleagues across departments (Product, Engineering, Marketing), and contribute beyond their defined role to achieve collective success.

• Take Pride: This value encourages a sense of ownership and accountability for the quality and success of the product. It translates to meticulous attention to detail, a commitment to excellence, and treating the company's mission as personal.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect close collaboration with Product Managers to define requirements and strategy, and with Engineers to ensure feasibility and high-quality implementation. Communication will likely be frequent and direct.

• Feedback-Oriented: The culture values "sharp feedback" and "opinions worth following," suggesting an environment where constructive criticism is encouraged to improve design quality and product outcomes. Design critiques are a key part of this.

• Agile & Iterative: The "ship real value early and often" ethos means collaboration will be ongoing, with frequent touchpoints and adjustments based on user feedback and performance data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values are action-oriented and team-focused. For a Lead Designer, this means not only delivering excellent design work but also actively contributing to a positive and productive team dynamic, fostering collaboration, and demonstrating a strong work ethic.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Consumer & Operational Needs: Designing for two distinct user bases (consumers booking recreation and staff managing facilities) with potentially conflicting needs and priorities.

• Designing Trustworthy AI: Effectively designing AI-powered features that users find useful, reliable, and transparent, especially in a sector where trust is paramount.

• Scaling a Design System: Evolving and maintaining a design system in a fast-growing startup environment to ensure consistency while accommodating new features and evolving product needs.

• Defining New Product Categories: Pioneering experiences for AI-assisted recreation booking and management, which may involve educating users and establishing new interaction paradigms.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Product Design Specialization: Gaining deep expertise in the rapidly evolving field of AI product design, including ethical considerations, user interaction patterns, and emerging technologies.

• Design System Leadership: Developing advanced skills in creating and scaling robust design systems, a highly valuable skill for senior designers.

• Cross-Functional Product Strategy: Deepening understanding of product strategy, business operations, and engineering challenges through close collaboration with other departments.

• Mentorship and Influence: Honing leadership and mentorship skills by guiding junior designers and influencing the broader product development process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of a senior role in a growing tech company, particularly one at the forefront of AI integration. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering pathways to becoming a subject matter expert and a significant contributor to the company's strategic direction.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing an AI feature that helps a parent find the best swim class for their child, considering factors like age, skill level, schedule, and instructor reviews?" (Focus on AI interaction, user profiling, and data utilization).

• "Describe your process for designing a new administrative dashboard for a parks & recreation director to track program enrollment and facility usage. What key metrics would you focus on?" (Focus on operational tools, data visualization, and user needs of administrators).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Rec's mission to reimagine the recreation industry?" (Demonstrate genuine interest and alignment with the company's purpose).

• "How do you embody the value 'Be Relentless' in your design work?" (Connect your work ethic and approach to the company's core values).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Start with a high-level overview of Rec and the role, then dive into 2-3 key projects. For each project, clearly state the problem, your specific role and contributions, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), key decisions, and the measurable impact.

• Highlight AI & Operations: Dedicate specific sections or talking points to your experience with AI-powered features and complex operational tools. Be ready to discuss the unique challenges and solutions for these areas.

• Design System Focus: If you have strong design system experience, be prepared to elaborate on your approach to component design, pattern libraries, and governance.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Aim for clear, concise explanations. Use visuals effectively and be mindful of time. Practice your presentation to ensure a smooth and impactful delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of strategic thinking, deep design expertise (especially in AI and operational tools), strong collaboration skills, and a genuine enthusiasm for Rec's mission. Be ready to back up your claims with specific examples from your portfolio.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Ashby link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating your experience with AI product design, complex operational/admin tools, and design systems. Clearly articulate your process and impact in each case study.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly showcases 10+ years of relevant experience, emphasizing leadership, core design skills, and any experience relevant to SaaS, AI, or the recreation industry. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice your portfolio presentation, focusing on storytelling, articulating your design process, and quantifying the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your approach to user research, AI interaction design, and building scalable systems.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Rec, its mission, its products, and its stated values. Understand the recreation industry and the challenges Rec aims to solve. Prepare thoughtful questions for the interviewers.

⚠️ 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.