Principal UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Principal UX Designer Company: intive Location: Remote: Poland Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: UX/Product Design Date Posted: May 14, 2026 Experience Level: Senior / Principal (10+ years) Remote Status: Fully Remote (within Poland)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end UX design processes, from initial user research and synthesis through concept development, prototyping, and final validation.
• Define overarching product strategy for client engagements, leveraging deep user insights and a strong understanding of business objectives.
• Champion Product Thinking and outcome-oriented methodologies, including Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD), hypothesis-driven design, and the establishment of clear success metrics.
• Establish and maintain high-quality design standards for all project deliverables, ensuring consistency and excellence across design teams.
• Engage directly with senior-level client stakeholders, presenting design concepts and fostering collaborative relationships.
• Act as a proactive evangelist for best design practices and emerging technologies within the company.
• Lead and mentor small to medium-sized design project teams (3-5 individuals), guiding both junior and senior designers.
• Contribute to presales activities by developing design artifacts, concepts, and effort estimates for proposals and pitches.
• Actively integrate and utilize AI tools and workflows across the entire design lifecycle, from research synthesis to ideation and prototyping.
• Understand and apply AI interaction patterns (automation vs. augmentation) to inform critical product design decisions.
• Proactively identify and advocate for AI adoption in client projects, highlighting opportunities where AI can create significant value, even if not initially considered by the client.
• Serve as an AI influencer within the design team, sharing knowledge, introducing new tools, and elevating AI literacy among colleagues.
• Contribute to intive's thought leadership through internal presentations, blog posts, and community engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role emphasizes a strong blend of strategic product thinking, hands-on design leadership, and forward-thinking AI integration, positioning the candidate as a key driver of innovation for intive and its clients. The "Principal" title and client-facing responsibilities indicate a significant level of autonomy and strategic influence.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Initiate and manage the full UX design lifecycle for complex digital products, ensuring alignment with user needs, business goals, and technological feasibility.
• Develop and articulate product strategies that are grounded in comprehensive user research, competitive analysis, and an understanding of market dynamics.
• Implement and champion Product Thinking principles, utilizing frameworks like JTBD and hypothesis-driven design to ensure solutions are outcome-oriented and measurable.
• Define, document, and enforce design quality standards, guidelines, and best practices across all design deliverables and project teams.
• Conduct persuasive presentations and discussions with senior client stakeholders, effectively communicating design rationale and securing buy-in.
• Drive the adoption of innovative design practices and AI-driven workflows within the organization, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
• Lead, mentor, and manage design project teams, providing direction, feedback, and support to ensure successful project outcomes.
• Collaborate with sales and account management teams during presales efforts, contributing design expertise, conceptualization, and resource estimation for proposals.
• Integrate AI tools and techniques into daily design workflows, optimizing processes for research synthesis, ideation, wireframing, and prototyping.
• Evaluate and apply appropriate AI interaction patterns (e.g., automation for repetitive tasks, augmentation for creative decision support) within product designs.
• Proactively identify and propose AI-driven solutions to clients, demonstrating their potential to enhance user experience and deliver business value.
• Act as a knowledge-sharing hub for AI in design, conducting internal workshops, contributing to thought leadership content, and encouraging AI adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic leadership role with a dual focus on delivering exceptional UX design and driving AI adoption. The emphasis on "end-to-end" design, "product strategy," and "client stakeholder interaction" points to a senior-level individual contributor with significant project ownership and client management duties.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• University degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• 8–12 years of progressive experience in UX/Product Design, with a significant portion ideally gained within a digital consulting or agency environment.
• Proven track record of leading design teams and successfully delivering complex, end-to-end digital products from conception to launch.
• Demonstrable experience in applying Product Thinking, JTBD, and hypothesis-driven design methodologies to achieve measurable business outcomes.
• Experience working within dual-track agile software delivery environments.

Required Skills:

• UX/Product Design: Expertise in conducting user research (qualitative and quantitative), information architecture, interaction design, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.
• Product Strategy: Ability to define product vision, strategy, and roadmaps, aligning user needs with business objectives and market opportunities.
• AI Fluency & Integration: Demonstrated active use of AI-augmented design workflows and a solid understanding of AI-powered product patterns and interaction models.
• Design Leadership & Mentorship: Proven ability to lead design teams, provide constructive feedback, and mentor junior and senior designers.
• Client-Facing Communication: Excellent presentation and negotiation skills, with the confidence to present and defend design decisions to senior client stakeholders.
• Prototyping Tools: High proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, etc.
• English Proficiency: Excellent command of the English language (C1 level or equivalent), both written and spoken.
• Analytical & Problem-Solving: Strong strategic thinking, analytical capabilities, and a pragmatic approach to problem-solving.

Preferred Skills:

• UI Design: Solid understanding of UI design principles and ability to collaborate effectively with UI designers.
• Service Design: Knowledge and experience in Service Design methodologies and their application.
• Technical Context: Understanding of the technical implications and possibilities within software development.
• Presales Support: Experience contributing to proposals, pitches, and client presentations in a presales capacity.
• Generalist Curiosity: A broad interest in business, technology, and adjacent design disciplines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "T-shaped profile" requirement suggests a deep specialization in UX design accompanied by a broad understanding of related disciplines (UI, Research, Service Design, tech context). The explicit mention of AI fluency and active use of AI tools is a critical differentiator for this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end UX design projects, demonstrating your process from problem definition to final solution.
• Case studies that clearly articulate the user problem, business context, your role, design decisions made, and the resulting impact or outcomes.
• Evidence of applying Product Thinking, JTBD, or hypothesis-driven design within your projects.
• Examples of leading design initiatives or mentoring junior designers, if applicable.
• Demonstrations of how AI tools or AI-driven insights were integrated into your design process or final product.
• Prototypes (interactive if possible) that effectively communicate user flows and key interactions.

Process Documentation:

• Within your portfolio, clearly document your design process for each case study, detailing the methodologies employed at each stage (e.g., user research techniques, ideation methods, validation approaches).
• Showcase how you establish and enforce design quality standards and best practices within project teams.
• Provide examples of how you collaborate with development teams and manage the handoff of design assets.
• Illustrate your approach to defining and measuring success metrics for designed products.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the Principal level and emphasis on AI, the portfolio should not only showcase design execution but also strategic thinking, leadership, and innovative application of new technologies like AI. Candidates should be prepared to discuss the ROI and measurable impact of their design work.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: To be determined based on candidate experience, qualifications, and regional market rates within Poland for a Principal UX Designer role. Based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in Poland, a competitive salary range for a Principal UX Designer with 8-12 years of experience and AI expertise would likely fall between PLN 20,000 - PLN 30,000 gross per month. This estimate considers the senior nature of the role, the specialized AI skills required, and the consulting environment.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model: Flexible work arrangements with the option to work remotely or from intive's offices.
• Equipment Choice: Option to choose your preferred work equipment (MacBook or Dell laptop).
• Flexible Benefits: Access to flexible benefits including Pyszne.pl vouchers, mobile phone, and data subscription (via modem or cash benefit).
• Performance Management: Regular partnership meetings with a dedicated manager to discuss performance, career goals, and development.
• Training & Development: Comprehensive learning opportunities including courses, conferences, language classes, Udemy licenses, and a Team Lead training program.
• Health & Wellness:
  • Medicover healthcare package.
  • More Smile Dental Package.
  • Multisport card.
  • Group Insurance.
  • Sport Subsidy.
• Community & Culture: Access to intive Hubs for interest-based communities and internal knowledge exchange.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week.
• The company promotes flexibility, allowing for adjustments to schedules where feasible, balancing project needs with employee well-being.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is an estimate based on general market data for senior UX roles in Poland and the specific requirements of this Principal-level position, including AI expertise. Actual compensation will be determined by intive. The benefits package is robust, emphasizing flexibility, professional development, and employee well-being.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Digital Transformation, Software Development, Consulting. intive operates across key sectors including Automotive & Mobility, Commerce, Financial Services, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Technology, Media & Communication. Company Size: Approximately 2000 professionals across four continents. This indicates a large, established global company with significant resources and a broad client base. Founded: intive has a history of growth and integration, with its current form resulting from mergers of established tech companies. This suggests a company with a solid foundation and a forward-looking approach.

Team Structure:

• The UX Design team is part of a larger professional services organization, likely comprising diverse specialists.
• This role involves leading small design teams (3-5 people) and mentoring both junior and senior designers, indicating a hierarchical structure within the design function.
• Collaboration is expected across multiple disciplines (UI, research, tech) and directly with client stakeholders at management levels.

Methodology:

• Agile Thinking: Core to intive's approach, emphasizing adaptability and iterative development.
• Product Thinking & Outcome Orientation: Focus on delivering measurable business value through user-centered solutions.
• AI Integration: A strategic focus on leveraging AI tools and workflows in design and advocating for AI adoption with clients.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Emphasis on user research, synthesis, and success metrics to inform design choices.

Company Website: intive.com

📝 Enhancement Note: intive's client roster (Audi, BMW, Meta, Warner Bros. Discovery) highlights its capability to serve large, reputable brands, suggesting a high standard of work and complex project environments. The company's emphasis on innovation, sustainability, and AI positions it as a forward-thinking player in the digital transformation space.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Principal UX Designer. This is a senior leadership role, typically the highest individual contributor level before moving into management or a specialized expert track. It signifies significant autonomy, strategic influence, and responsibility for complex projects and team guidance. Reporting Structure: The Principal UX Designer will likely report to a Head of Design, Design Director, or a Senior Operations/Product Lead. They will, in turn, lead and mentor junior and senior designers. Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on revenue and business decisions by defining product strategy, ensuring high-quality user experiences that drive customer adoption and satisfaction, and supporting presales efforts that secure new business. The integration of AI also positions the role to unlock new value propositions for clients.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to further develop team leadership and management skills, potentially moving into a Design Manager or Director role.
• AI Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-driven design, becoming a recognized internal and potentially external thought leader in this emerging field.
• Client Strategy: Expand influence on client product strategy and digital transformation initiatives.
• Cross-Disciplinary Growth: Broaden understanding and application of UI, Service Design, and technical aspects through diverse project work.
• Thought Leadership: Contribute to intive's reputation through articles, conference participation, and internal knowledge sharing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Principal level suggests a pathway for continued individual contribution at a high strategic level or a transition into formal management. The emphasis on AI provides a clear avenue for specialization and impact.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment. Employees are welcome but not required to be in intive's offices, offering significant flexibility. Office Location(s): While remote within Poland is the primary mode, intive has multiple "intive Hubs" which may serve as collaborative spaces or points of connection for employees choosing to work from an office. Specific locations are not detailed but are implied to exist in Poland.

Workspace Context:

• Flexibility: The ability to work remotely provides a high degree of autonomy over the immediate workspace.
• Technology: Access to company-provided equipment (MacBook or Dell) ensures a capable and standardized setup for design work.
• Collaboration: Opportunities for collaboration exist through digital tools and potentially through informal interactions at intive Hubs, fostering a sense of community despite remote work.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time schedule (approx. 40 hours/week) is expected.
• Flexibility is a key offering, allowing for adjustments to working hours to accommodate personal needs and project demands, promoting a healthy work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Hybrid Work, Flexibility & Balance" benefit highlights intive's commitment to employee well-being and autonomy, which is highly valued by design professionals. The remote-first approach within Poland is a significant draw for talent seeking location independence.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, CV, and portfolio to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.
• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion focused on your experience, leadership capabilities, product thinking, and understanding of UX principles. Be prepared to articulate your approach to end-to-end design.
• Portfolio Presentation & Case Study Review: A key stage where you will present 1-2 detailed case studies from your portfolio. This will likely include discussing your process, design decisions, challenges, and outcomes, with a strong emphasis on how you applied strategic thinking and potentially AI.
• Team/Peer Interview: Interaction with other designers or team members to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and technical depth. Expect discussions around AI integration and best practices.
• Client Stakeholder/Presales Simulation (Potentially): You may be asked to simulate a client presentation or discuss how you would approach a specific client challenge, demonstrating your client-facing confidence and strategic acumen.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your Principal-level capabilities: end-to-end ownership, strategic thinking, team leadership, and AI integration.
• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the process followed (including any AI tools used), key decisions and rationale, challenges overcome, and measurable outcomes. Use visuals effectively.
• Highlight AI Impact: Specifically call out instances where AI tools or insights influenced your design process or the final product's success. Quantify this impact where possible.
• Demonstrate Product Sense: Articulate how your designs solved business problems and delivered tangible value, not just aesthetic appeal.
• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your leadership style, how you mentor others, how you handle ambiguity, and your perspective on the future of AI in design.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready for potential design exercises or scenario-based questions that test your problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and ability to apply design frameworks under pressure.
• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, especially when discussing complex design challenges or AI implementation strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical application of skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to communicate complex ideas effectively, particularly concerning AI. A strong, well-documented portfolio demonstrating end-to-end process and impact is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (explicitly mentioned), Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, Axure RP. Proficiency in at least one leading tool like Figma is essential.
• User Research & Testing: Tools for surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform), user interview platforms (e.g., Zoom, UserTesting.com), analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel).
• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Slack, Microsoft Teams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude for user behavior analysis and performance tracking.
• Tableau, Power BI, Looker for data visualization and dashboard creation.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding CRM principles and how UX design impacts CRM adoption and efficiency is beneficial.
• Familiarity with workflow automation concepts and tools that can impact user journeys within digital products.
• AI Tools: Explicitly mentioned as a requirement. This could include AI-powered research synthesis tools, ideation assistants, content generation tools, AI prototyping plugins, or AI-driven analytics platforms. Candidates should be prepared to discuss specific tools they have used.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and the general requirement for AI tools are key indicators. Candidates should highlight their experience with a broad range of design and collaboration tools, and critically, demonstrate practical application of AI in their design workflows.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Excellence: A drive to create pioneering digital experiences and push the boundaries of technology, including AI.
• Agile & Adaptive: Embracing change, iterative development, and pragmatic approaches to problem-solving over rigid dogma.
• Client-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding and meeting client needs, building trusted partnerships, and delivering measurable value.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: A "Here to Help" mindset, valuing teamwork, knowledge sharing, and mutual support across diverse teams and disciplines.
• Continuous Learning: Fostering curiosity and empowering team members to learn, grow, and take ownership of their careers through ongoing development.
• Impact-Driven: A pragmatic, hands-on attitude focused on achieving tangible, measurable results.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect close collaboration with UI designers, researchers, engineers, product managers, and client stakeholders.
• Open Communication: Encouragement of feedback exchange, internal talks, and knowledge sharing to foster a collective learning environment.
• Mentorship & Guidance: A culture where senior members actively mentor and support the growth of junior and peer colleagues.
• Data-Informed: Decisions are expected to be informed by user data, research insights, and performance metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: intive's culture appears to value both high performance and a supportive, collaborative environment. The emphasis on "pragmatic over dogmatic" and "AI evangelism" suggests an openness to new ideas and flexible application of methodologies.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Comfortably working in fast-changing project contexts and driving clarity where none exists.
• Client Expectation Management: Balancing ambitious design solutions with client constraints (budget, timeline, existing technology).
• AI Adoption Advocacy: Persuading clients and internal teams to embrace AI-driven solutions and workflows, potentially requiring education and evangelism.
• Leading Diverse Teams: Effectively guiding and motivating design teams with varying levels of experience and expertise.
• Staying Ahead of AI Trends: Continuously learning and adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape of AI tools and their application in design.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Expertise: Become a go-to expert within intive for AI in UX design, potentially leading workshops and defining best practices.
• Strategic Product Leadership: Develop deeper strategic capabilities by working on high-impact projects for major clients.
• Mentorship & Management: Enhance leadership skills through formal mentorship and potential team management responsibilities.
• Industry Exposure: Gain experience across diverse industries (Automotive, Finance, Healthcare, Media) through intive's client portfolio.
• Formal Training: Access to courses, conferences, and certifications to continuously upskill in UX, AI, and related fields.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant opportunities for professional growth, particularly in the rapidly advancing field of AI and strategic product definition. The challenges are inherent to a senior consulting role and provide fertile ground for skill development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the end-to-end UX design of a complex digital product. What was your process, and what were the key outcomes?" (Focus on process, strategy, and impact.)
• "How do you apply Product Thinking and methodologies like JTBD or hypothesis-driven design in your work? Provide an example." (Demonstrate structured problem-solving.)
• "What is your experience with AI tools in the design process? Can you share an example of how you used AI to enhance research synthesis, ideation, or prototyping, and what was the impact?" (Be specific about tools and results.)
• "How do you approach defining and enforcing design quality standards within a project team?" (Showcase your leadership and process orientation.)
• "Imagine a client is hesitant to adopt AI in their product. How would you advocate for its integration and demonstrate its value?" (Test your persuasion and AI evangelism skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on what you know about intive, how do you see your skills and experience contributing to our mission of creating pioneering digital experiences?" (Show research and alignment.)
• "How do you embody intive's values of agile thinking, client-centricity, and continuous learning in your daily work?" (Connect your experience to their stated values.)
• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid or remote environment. How do you ensure effective collaboration and communication?" (Address remote work expectations.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each case study, clearly outline: Problem/Opportunity, Your Role, Process (highlighting AI use), Key Decisions & Rationale, Challenges, Outcomes/Impact (quantify with data/metrics).
• Storytelling: Frame your presentations as compelling narratives that showcase your strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and design leadership.
• AI Integration: Explicitly detail where and how AI tools or insights played a role, explaining the benefits achieved (e.g., faster research synthesis, novel ideation, improved prototype fidelity).
• Client Focus: Emphasize how your designs delivered business value and met client objectives. Be prepared to discuss ROI.
• Engagement: Be interactive and prepared to answer questions about your process, decisions, and the broader implications of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership, practical AI application, and strong client-facing communication skills. Quantifiable results and clear articulation of process are key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Principal UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link.
• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature 2-3 of your strongest projects that demonstrate end-to-end UX leadership, strategic product thinking, and practical application of AI in design. Ensure case studies clearly articulate your process, role, and quantifiable impact.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords such as "Principal UX Designer," "Product Strategy," "AI-Augmented Design," "JTBD," "Figma," "Team Leadership," and "Client Stakeholder Management." Quantify achievements wherever possible.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, leadership philosophy, and approach to AI integration. Be ready to present your portfolio case studies compellingly, focusing on strategy, problem-solving, and measurable outcomes.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research intive's services, client portfolio, and company values. Understand their focus on innovation, AI, and specific industry sectors to align your responses with their strategic direction.

⚠️ 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.