Lead UX Designer:in (d/m/w) - Federation Finance & Banking

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead UX Designer:in (d/m/w) - Federation Finance & Banking

Company: Haufe Group

Location: Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design Operations

Date Posted: May 22, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years Professional Experience

Remote Status: Hybrid (with weekly office presence)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead UX strategy and design coherence across the Finance and Banking federation, ensuring a unified and intuitive user experience for complex financial transactions.

• Drive the development and implementation of E2E user journeys, maintaining consistency and seamless integration with the overall product ecosystem.

• Champion discovery and research initiatives at the federation level, while also supporting research within individual teams to uncover user needs and pain points.

• Contribute to the evolution and consistent application of design systems and patterns across the entire product suite, ensuring a cohesive visual and interactive language.

• Act as a mentor and thought leader, elevating the UX maturity and design capabilities of teams within the federation and contributing to the overall UX vision of Haufe Group.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Lead UX Designer within a specialized "Federation" focused on Finance and Banking. This implies a strategic leadership position with a strong emphasis on driving consistency, process improvement, and team development across multiple product teams or squads contributing to the federation's offerings. The "d/m/w" designation (deutsch/männlich/weiblich) indicates a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The requirement for weekly office presence in Freiburg suggests a hybrid model that values in-person collaboration for key strategic discussions and team building.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Ensure UX coherence and drive continuous improvement within the Finance and Banking federation, collaborating closely with the Product Lead and fellow UX designers.

• Define, design, and optimize end-to-end (E2E) user journeys for the federation, ensuring they remain consistent and well-integrated with the broader product landscape.

• Provide UX guidance during team splits, organizational changes, and the formation of new teams, temporarily assuming UI/UX responsibilities until new roles are filled.

• Lead discovery and research activities at the federation level, identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement, and support research efforts within individual teams.

• Leverage a deep understanding of design systems to support their evolution and ensure the consistent utilization of patterns across the entire product, enhancing user experience and development efficiency.

• Represent the federation in cross-functional committees to advocate for overarching UX quality, making collaborative, binding decisions on global patterns and consistency issues.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on design execution (especially in new team formations), and a strong focus on design system governance. The emphasis on E2E user journeys and federation-level consistency points to a need for strong process thinking and the ability to connect disparate product elements into a cohesive whole, which is crucial for operations excellence in product development.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent knowledge and practical application of UX principles is expected.

Experience: Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in UX design with a proven track record in interaction design and information architecture.

Required Skills:

• Minimum 10 years of professional UX experience with a strong foundation in interaction design and information architecture.

• Ability to create visual artifacts and mockups to effectively communicate design concepts.

• Agile mindset and ability to work effectively across different "federations" or product areas, maintaining a holistic view of the product and user journeys.

• Proficiency in navigating ambiguity, self-directed learning, and productive work in unclear directions, with strong persuasive and argumentation skills.

• Demonstrated ability to propose effective next steps for knowledge acquisition and user insight generation.

• Skilled in mixed-methods research and data-driven decision-making, understanding when and how to validate UX decisions at different stages of development.

• Capacity to quickly grasp complex technical and organizational contexts and translate them into viable UX solutions, balancing high-level strategy with detailed execution.

• Experience integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a sparring partner in UX workflows, critically evaluating its application and understanding current UI patterns for AI-powered products.

• Excellent communication and feedback skills, actively fostering a collaborative and constructive team environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in mentoring junior designers or leading UX initiatives within a larger organization.

• Familiarity with financial services or banking industry specific UX challenges and user needs.

• Experience in advocating for and evolving design systems.

• Proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and drive consensus on design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 10+ years of experience, coupled with the "Lead" title, signifies a senior-level role demanding not just design expertise but also strategic thinking, leadership, and the ability to influence organizational processes and team dynamics. The C2 German proficiency is a critical requirement for day-to-day operations and collaboration within the German market.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 complex UX projects, ideally demonstrating E2E user journey design and optimization.

• Projects should highlight interaction design, information architecture, and visual design capabilities, with clear articulation of problem, process, solution, and impact.

• Include examples of how you have utilized mixed-methods research and data to inform design decisions.

• Demonstrate experience with design systems, including contributions to their development or consistent application.

Process Documentation:

• Be prepared to discuss your personal UX process, including how you approach discovery, research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.

• Articulate your approach to fostering UX coherence and consistency across multiple teams or product areas.

• Explain how you would integrate AI as a tool in your UX workflow and critically evaluate its output.

• Detail your experience in mentoring and elevating the UX maturity of teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead UX role, the portfolio is paramount. It should not just display finished work but the process behind it, demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to lead and mentor. The emphasis on E2E journeys and design systems aligns with operational efficiency and product scalability.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on the experience level (10+ years), the Lead UX Designer role, and the location in Germany (Freiburg im Breisgau), a competitive salary range would typically fall between €75,000 - €100,000 gross per year. This estimate considers industry benchmarks for senior UX professionals in Germany, factoring in the specific responsibilities and the "Lead" designation.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model: Flexible combination of office presence and remote work, allowing for a balance between collaboration and individual focus.

• Weekly Office Presence: Dedicated time for in-person collaboration, team building, and strategic discussions at the Freiburg im Breisgau office.

• Flexible Working Hours: Adaptable work schedule to accommodate personal needs and optimize productivity.

• Continuing Education and Development Opportunities: Access to training, workshops, conferences, and other resources to foster professional growth and skill enhancement in UX and related fields.

• Great Place to Work® Certification: Recognition of a positive and supportive work environment.

• Team-Centric Recruiting: Involvement of the team in the interview process, fostering a sense of shared ownership and ensuring cultural fit.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the flexible working hours policy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on general market data for Lead UX Designers in Germany. Specific compensation will depend on the candidate's precise experience, negotiation skills, and the company's internal compensation structure. The benefits listed are directly from the job description and highlight a modern, employee-centric approach.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software Development, specifically focused on business software solutions for self-employed individuals and small businesses (e.g., accounting, payroll, taxes, finance). Haufe Group operates within the broader FinTech and Business Productivity Software sectors.

Company Size: The Haufe Group is a significant player with multiple entities, suggesting a medium to large enterprise size. The job description mentions "teams" and "federations," indicating a structured, possibly matrixed organizational approach.

Founded: The Haufe Group has a long history, founded in 1930, implying a stable, established company with deep market knowledge and a culture that balances tradition with innovation. Lexware, the specific product area, is a leading brand in its segment in Germany.

Team Structure:

• The role is part of a "Federation" for Finance and Banking within Lexware Office.

• This federation is led by a Federation Lead (Emily).

• Within the federation, there are dedicated UX Designers (Katrin & Denis) working directly in teams.

• A Scrum Master (Lydia) facilitates cross-team collaboration and continuous improvement.

• Strategic, global UX topics are managed by Laura & Thomas.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: The mention of Scrum Masters and teams implies an agile development methodology (e.g., Scrum, Kanban).

• Data-Driven Design: The emphasis on "datengestütztes Arbeiten" (data-driven work) and "Mixed-Methods" research indicates a strong reliance on user data and research findings to inform design decisions and process optimization.

• Design Systems: The focus on design systems points to a structured approach to product development, aiming for consistency, efficiency, and scalability.

• Hybrid Collaboration: The work model blends remote flexibility with mandatory weekly in-office presence, fostering both individual productivity and team synergy.

Company Website: https://www.haufegroup.com/ / https://www.lexware.de/

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Federation" structure suggests a deliberate organizational design for managing complex product portfolios. For a UX lead, understanding this structure and how different federations/teams interact is key to driving consistent UX outcomes and ensuring operational alignment across the product suite. The company's long history suggests a stable environment, while its focus on modern software solutions indicates a commitment to innovation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior, "Lead" level position. It requires not only advanced UX design skills but also the ability to strategize, mentor, and influence across multiple product teams and stakeholders. The role is critical for ensuring the operational efficiency and strategic direction of UX within the Finance and Banking federation.

Reporting Structure: The Lead UX Designer will work closely with the Federation Lead (Emily) and collaborate with other strategic UX points of contact (Laura & Thomas) for global UX themes. They will also guide and mentor the UX designers embedded within the federation's teams (Katrin & Denis). This indicates a matrixed reporting and collaboration structure, common in agile organizations.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the usability and effectiveness of financial software used by a significant customer base. By ensuring consistent, intuitive user experiences and driving UX maturity, this role contributes to customer satisfaction, adoption rates, and ultimately, the revenue and market leadership of Lexware's finance and banking solutions. Efficient UX processes and well-governed design systems also directly impact development speed and cost.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership: Opportunity to shape the UX vision and strategy for a critical product federation, influencing product direction and organizational design.

• Mentorship & Team Development: Develop leadership and coaching skills by mentoring UX designers and raising the overall UX maturity of multiple teams.

• Cross-Federation Influence: Potential to extend influence and best practices to other product federations within Haufe Group, contributing to a holistic UX strategy.

• Industry Expertise: Deepen knowledge in the FinTech and business software domains, becoming an expert in user needs within financial services for SMBs.

• AI Integration: Gain hands-on experience and develop expertise in applying AI within UX workflows, a rapidly growing and valuable skill.

📝 Enhancement Note: A "Lead" role in UX often bridges individual contribution with team and organizational influence. This position offers significant opportunities for professional development in leadership, strategy, and domain expertise, moving beyond pure design execution towards operational excellence in product development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The Haufe Group offers a hybrid work environment. While remote work is supported, there is a mandatory weekly presence at the office in Freiburg im Breisgau. This suggests an office designed to facilitate collaboration, innovation, and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): The primary office location mentioned is Munzinger Straße 9, Freiburg im Breisgau, 79111, Germany. Freiburg im Breisgau is known for its quality of life and is a pleasant city in the Baden-Württemberg region.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office likely features meeting rooms, project spaces, and common areas designed to encourage spontaneous interaction and planned collaboration among team members.

• Hybrid Setup: The workspace will accommodate both remote and in-office employees, with technology supporting seamless communication and participation (e.g., video conferencing, shared digital whiteboards).

• Team Focus: The weekly office presence is specifically for team interaction, exchange, and strategic alignment, indicating a culture that values face-to-face connection for critical activities.

• Operations Tools: Access to standard office technology and potentially specialized UX/design tools will be provided.

Work Schedule: While primarily a full-time role (approx. 40 hours/week), the "flexible working hours" benefit allows for adaptation of the daily schedule, provided core responsibilities and collaboration needs (including weekly office presence) are met. This flexibility is crucial for operations professionals who may need to balance deep work with team syncs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with a mandatory weekly office day is a key aspect of the work environment. It aims to capture the benefits of both remote flexibility and in-person collaboration, which is particularly important for strategic roles like Lead UX Designer that require significant stakeholder interaction and team alignment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process: The job description explicitly states "Team-Recruiting," meaning the team members themselves conduct the interviews. This suggests a multi-stage process involving direct interaction with potential colleagues and collaborators.

• Stage 1: Initial Screening/Introduction: Likely an initial conversation with HR or a team lead to assess basic fit and understand motivations.

• Stage 2: Team Interviews: In-depth discussions with various team members (Federation Lead, UX Designers, Scrum Master, Strategic UX Leads). These interviews will likely focus on:

  • UX Design Skills & Process: Evaluating your approach to interaction design, information architecture, research methodologies, and problem-solving.
  • Strategic Thinking: Assessing your ability to think about UX at a federation and product level, beyond individual features.
  • Mentorship & Leadership: Gauging your experience and aptitude for guiding and developing other designers.
  • Collaboration & Communication: Understanding how you work with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, etc.) and communicate your ideas.
  • Cultural Fit: Determining alignment with Haufe Group's values and the team's working style.

• Stage 3: Portfolio Review & Case Study Presentation: A dedicated session where you present your portfolio and potentially walk through a specific case study in detail, demonstrating your problem-solving process and impact.

• Stage 4: Final Discussion/Offer: A concluding conversation to discuss any remaining questions and potential offer details.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best demonstrate your experience in leading UX initiatives, driving E2E user journeys, implementing design systems, and working in complex, potentially ambiguous environments. Showcase your impact with quantifiable results where possible.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, design, testing), the challenges faced, the solutions implemented, and the outcomes or impact achieved.

• Showcase Process, Not Just Pixels: Highlight your thinking, your research insights, your decision-making rationale, and your ability to adapt. For this role, emphasize how you ensured UX coherence and drove team maturity.

• Prepare for Questions: Be ready to discuss your design choices, your collaboration methods, and how you handle feedback and disagreements. Expect questions about your experience with AI in UX.

• German Language Proficiency: Be prepared to present and discuss your portfolio in German, as C2 level is required.

Challenge Preparation:

• Anticipate UX Challenges: Be ready for hypothetical scenarios related to designing for financial services, improving complex workflows, integrating AI features, or resolving inconsistencies within a product ecosystem.

• Focus on Process and Rationale: For any challenge, emphasize your thinking process, your research-driven approach, and your ability to justify your design decisions.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Think about how you would involve stakeholders (Product, Engineering, other UX) in solving the challenge.

• AI Integration: Prepare to discuss how you would leverage AI as a tool, its potential benefits, and its limitations in a UX context, particularly for financial applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Team-Recruiting" approach emphasizes a strong focus on team fit and collaborative potential. Candidates should prepare to engage deeply with their potential colleagues, showcasing not just technical skills but also their ability to contribute to a positive and productive team dynamic. The portfolio review is a critical component, so thorough preparation is essential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX/UI Design Software: Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, XD), or similar. Figma is increasingly dominant for collaborative design.

• Prototyping Tools: Experience with tools like Figma, InVision, Axure RP, or Adobe XD for creating interactive prototypes to test user flows and gather feedback.

• User Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for conducting user interviews, usability testing, surveys, and analyzing qualitative/quantitative data (e.g., UserTesting.com, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Maze).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Understanding of tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar to track user behavior on digital products.

• Product Analytics: Experience with platforms like Mixpanel, Amplitude, or Pendo for in-depth analysis of user interactions and feature adoption.

• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for creating dashboards and communicating insights to stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how UX impacts customer journeys within a CRM context is beneficial. Familiarity with CRM concepts and potentially how UX design can optimize CRM workflows.

• Project Management & Collaboration Tools: Proficiency in tools like Jira, Confluence, Asana, or Trello for managing projects, tracking tasks, and documenting processes, especially within an agile framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description emphasizes "discovery and research," "design systems," and "data-driven work." Therefore, expertise in comprehensive UX design and research tools is essential. The mention of AI also suggests an awareness of emerging tools and capabilities in that space.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A deep understanding and focus on user needs, ensuring that complex financial processes are translated into intuitive and satisfying user experiences. This is core to the "Federation Finance & Banking" focus.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Strong emphasis on working together within the team and across federations, exemplified by the "Team-Recruiting" approach and the hybrid work model.

• Continuous Improvement & Agility: Commitment to iterative development, learning from data, and adapting to organizational changes, as evidenced by the mention of Scrum Masters and agile methodologies.

• Excellence & Quality: Driving high standards in UX design, ensuring consistency, and advocating for the best possible user experience across the product suite.

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: Embracing new technologies like AI and actively seeking ways to improve processes and user interactions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role requires seamless collaboration with product management, engineering, and potentially marketing and sales teams to ensure a unified product vision and execution.

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: An expectation to actively mentor junior designers and share knowledge to elevate the UX capabilities across the federation.

• Data-Informed Discussions: Collaboration is expected to be grounded in user research, data analysis, and design system principles, leading to objective and effective decision-making.

• Constructive Feedback: A culture that values open and honest feedback, both giving and receiving, to foster growth and improve outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Haufe Group's values likely align with a commitment to customer success through innovative software and a supportive, collaborative work environment. For a Lead UX Designer, embodying these values means being a proactive, user-focused, and collaborative team member who drives operational excellence in design.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Federation Needs with Global Consistency: Effectively managing the diverse needs and priorities of different teams within the Finance & Banking federation while ensuring overarching product consistency and adherence to global design patterns.

• Navigating Organizational Complexity: Adapting to and influencing organizational changes, such as team splits and new team formations, while maintaining UX momentum and quality.

• Integrating AI Thoughtfully: Critically evaluating and strategically integrating AI into UX workflows and product features, ensuring it enhances rather than detracts from the user experience.

• Elevating UX Maturity: Mentoring and guiding teams that may have varying levels of UX understanding or experience, driving a higher standard of design practice across the board.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Gaining buy-in and aligning diverse stakeholders (Product Leads, Engineers, other UX professionals) on UX strategies and design decisions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced UX Leadership: Developing strategic leadership skills, including roadmap planning, team management, and cross-functional influence.

• FinTech/SaaS UX Specialization: Deepening expertise in the specific UX challenges and opportunities within the financial technology and SaaS space for SMBs.

• AI in Design: Becoming a go-to expert on leveraging AI tools and patterns for UX design and product development.

• Design System Governance: Gaining experience in leading the evolution and adoption of robust design systems at scale.

• Cross-Functional Impact: Expanding influence beyond UX to impact product strategy and operational efficiency across the business.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a senior, strategic role in a growing tech organization. They offer significant opportunities for professional growth by pushing the candidate to develop advanced problem-solving and leadership skills.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to establish UX consistency across multiple product teams or a complex product ecosystem. What was your approach, and what were the outcomes?"

• "How would you approach defining and evolving E2E user journeys for our Finance & Banking federation, considering the needs of different user segments and product components?"

• "Imagine a new team is being formed within the federation. What are your immediate UX priorities and how would you ensure a smooth transition and effective UX contribution?"

• "How do you balance advocating for user needs with business objectives and technical constraints when making design decisions?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Haufe Group and Lexware, and why are you interested in contributing to our Finance & Banking solutions?"

• "How do you foster collaboration and knowledge sharing within a UX team and with cross-functional partners?"

• "Describe your ideal hybrid work environment and how you ensure productivity and connection in such a model."

• "Our team emphasizes 'Team-Recruiting.' What does this mean to you, and how do you see yourself contributing to this process?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: Organize your presentation logically, starting with the overarching problem and business context, then detailing your process, solutions, and impact.

• Highlight Leadership: For each project, emphasize your role in driving decisions, influencing stakeholders, and guiding the design process, especially if you led the initiative.

• Showcase Process: Detail your research methods, ideation techniques, and how you iterated based on feedback and data. For this role, explicitly mention how you ensured consistency and applied design systems.

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

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Prepare to answer detailed questions about any aspect of your projects, including your reasoning, challenges, and trade-offs.

• German Language: Ensure your presentation and Q&A are delivered confidently in German.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily assess strategic thinking, leadership potential, and collaborative skills, in addition to core UX expertise. Candidates should prepare to articulate their methodologies and impact in a clear, structured, and data-informed manner, specifically within the context of financial software and a hybrid work environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on jobs.smartrecruiters.com.

• Tailor your Resume and Cover Letter: Highlight your 10+ years of UX experience, emphasizing interaction design, information architecture, leadership, and experience with design systems. Explicitly mention your German language proficiency (C2 level).

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select projects that best showcase your ability to lead UX initiatives, drive E2E user journeys, and ensure consistency. Be prepared to present these in detail, focusing on your process, impact, and how you collaborated with teams. Ensure your portfolio can be presented in German.

• Prepare for Team Interviews: Research Haufe Group and Lexware. Familiarize yourself with their products and target audience. Prepare specific examples that demonstrate your strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to mentor and collaborate within a hybrid and agile environment.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse your portfolio presentation and be ready to articulate your UX philosophy, your approach to complex challenges, and your experience with AI in design, all in German.

⚠️ 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.