Product Designer - 3

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Careers at Tide

Location: Sofia, Bulgaria

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-05-18

Experience Level: Mid-Level (4+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is central to shaping the user experience of Tide's financial management products, including Bookkeeping, Taxes, Insights, Invoicing, Payroll, and Filings across all global markets.

• You will be deeply embedded within a cross-functional squad, actively participating in the entire product development lifecycle, from initial discovery and research to launch and ongoing iteration.

• Leverage a comprehensive suite of Product Design skills to conceptualize, design, and deliver intuitive and visually appealing user experiences across both mobile and web platforms.

• Contribute to the growth and evolution of Tide's design practice by supporting OKR tracking, estimating design effort, and measuring the impact of design decisions on member experience and business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Designer - 3", the description clearly indicates a need for at least 4 years of experience and involvement in complex product design, aligning with a mid-level to potentially senior-mid-level Product Designer role. The "3" likely refers to an internal designation. The role emphasizes a strong connection to financial management products for SMEs, placing it within the Fintech sector.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Partner closely with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders within a cross-functional squad to ensure cohesive product development and delivery.

• Conduct user research, including running moderated sessions and analyzing usage data, to gain deep insights into member needs and pain points related to financial management.

• Translate complex user needs and business requirements into intuitive user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs for both mobile and web applications.

• Actively contribute to and utilize the Tide Design System to ensure consistency, scalability, and maintainability of design across all products, while also identifying opportunities for its enhancement.

• Clearly articulate design rationale and present design concepts, effectively communicating the "why" behind your work to stakeholders and team members.

• Collaborate with engineering teams to troubleshoot technical challenges during implementation, ensuring designs are technically feasible and meet quality and performance standards.

• Support the measurement of design impact by tracking relevant OKRs and analyzing key metrics post-launch to inform future iterations and improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a hands-on design role requiring end-to-end product lifecycle involvement, from ideation and research to iteration and impact measurement. The emphasis on financial management for SMEs and global markets suggests a need for adaptable design thinking.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong understanding of design principles, human-computer interaction, and user-centered design methodologies is expected, often gained through formal education or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: A minimum of 4+ years of dedicated experience in digital product design or UX roles, with a proven track record of designing complex, user-centric products for both web and mobile platforms.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrable proficiency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design.

• Strong Product Thinking capabilities, evidenced by a portfolio showcasing the ability to solve complex problems through design.

• Comprehensive User Experience (UX) Design skills, including user journey mapping, information architecture, and interaction design.

• Proven experience in conducting and leveraging User Research, including running moderated user sessions and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data.

• Excellent Visual Design skills with a keen eye for aesthetics, layout, typography, and brand consistency.

• Experience in developing and utilizing Design Systems to ensure scalable and consistent user experiences.

• Understanding of Accessibility standards and best practices to create inclusive digital products.

• Ability to create compelling Prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and user flows.

• Experience designing for both Mobile Platforms (iOS/Android) and Web Platforms.

• Strong Storytelling and communication skills to articulate design decisions and their underlying rationale.

• Impact-driven mindset with the ability to make pragmatic trade-offs and balance speed with quality.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the Fintech or financial services industry.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and working within cross-functional product squads.

• Experience with data analysis tools and interpreting usage analytics to inform design decisions.

• Knowledge of internationalization and localization considerations for global products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma, Design Systems, Accessibility, and User Research points to a modern, user-centered design approach. The requirement for a portfolio demonstrating "measurable impact (results)" is a critical differentiator for this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio or case study collection that clearly articulates your design process, from problem identification and user research to solution ideation, prototyping, and final implementation.

• Demonstrate a deep understanding of user needs and business objectives, showing how your design decisions directly addressed these.

• Showcase your ability to create engaging, intuitive, and visually polished user interfaces for both web and mobile applications.

• Include evidence of measurable impact and results achieved through your design work, such as improvements in user engagement, conversion rates, task completion times, or user satisfaction.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly outline the steps taken during the discovery phase, including user research methodologies employed, key insights gathered, and how these informed design direction.

• Detail the design and iteration phase, showcasing wireframes, prototypes, user testing feedback, and how designs were refined based on input and evolving requirements.

• Provide examples of how you have contributed to or utilized Design Systems and ensured adherence to accessibility standards throughout the design process.

• Illustrate your approach to collaborating with product and engineering teams to ensure successful implementation and to troubleshoot any technical challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are robust, emphasizing not just the final designs but the entire process, the rationale behind decisions, and, critically, the measurable impact of the design work. This aligns with a professional design practice focused on driving business outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the location (Sofia, Bulgaria), the mid-level experience requirement (4+ years), and the Fintech industry context, a competitive salary range is estimated. For a Product Designer with this profile in Sofia, the annual gross salary typically falls between €30,000 and €50,000. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, portfolio strength, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Competitive Compensation: A strong base salary reflecting experience and market value.

• Time Off: Generous paid time off to ensure work-life balance and prevent burnout.

• Parental Leave: Comprehensive support for new parents.

• Sabbatical: Opportunity for extended leave to recharge and pursue personal interests.

• Health Insurance: Robust health insurance coverage for employees and potentially dependents.

• Mental Wellbeing: Programs and resources dedicated to supporting mental health.

• Volunteering & Development Days: Paid time off for volunteering or professional development activities.

• Learning & Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, training, and skill enhancement.

• Work Outside the Office (WOO): Flexibility to work remotely or from alternative locations.

• Home Office Setup: Support for creating an ergonomic and productive home workspace.

• Laptop Ownership: Provision of a high-quality laptop for work.

• Fully Covered Multi Sports Card: Access to fitness facilities and sports activities.

• Monthly Food Vouchers: Additional support for meal expenses.

• Snacks & Meals: On-site provisions for food and refreshments.

Working Hours: Standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the hybrid work model and WOO policy. Specific daily hours may be adjusted based on team needs and individual arrangements, provided business objectives are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on general market data for UX/Product Designers in Sofia, Bulgaria, considering the experience level and the provided benefits package. The extensive list of benefits indicates a company that invests in employee well-being and professional growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech. Tide operates in the rapidly evolving financial technology sector, focused on providing business banking and administrative solutions for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). This environment is characterized by innovation, data-driven decision-making, and a strong emphasis on user experience to simplify complex financial processes.

Company Size: Tide is a significant player in the Fintech space, with over 2,500 employees globally and a member base exceeding 1.8 million. This scale suggests a well-established organization with structured processes but also a dynamic and growth-oriented culture.

Founded: Tide was founded to address the unmet needs of SMEs in banking and business administration. Its founding principles likely revolve around efficiency, affordability, and a user-centric approach to financial services. The company has grown significantly since its inception, evidenced by its substantial funding and international presence.

Team Structure:

• The Admin Services team is a core part of Tide, focusing on financial management products. It is described as a "major growth phase" area.

• The role is embedded within a cross-functional squad, implying a collaborative structure that includes Product Managers, Engineers, Designers, and potentially QA or Data Analysts.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Tide emphasizes using data to understand member needs and guide product development, a core tenet for fintech companies.

• Product-Led Growth: The company focuses on product development to drive user acquisition and retention, meaning design plays a crucial role in the user journey.

• Agile Development: The mention of cross-functional squads and iterative development suggests an agile or similar iterative development methodology.

• User-Centric Design: The entire role is built around understanding and designing for the end-user (SMEs).

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Tide's focus on SMEs and its rapid growth within the competitive Fintech landscape mean that operational efficiency and user experience are paramount. The company's size and global presence suggest opportunities for impact and exposure to diverse markets.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Product Designer, likely mid-level, requiring 4+ years of experience. It involves a high degree of autonomy within a squad but also necessitates collaboration within the broader Design practice. The expectation is for the designer to contribute significantly to product strategy and execution, not just visual execution.

Reporting Structure: The designer will be embedded within a cross-functional squad. While reporting lines aren't explicitly detailed, they would typically report to a Design Lead or Head of Product Design, while working day-to-day with a Product Manager and Engineering Lead within their squad. They will also collaborate with colleagues within the Design practice.

Operations Impact: The designer's impact is direct and significant. By improving the user experience of financial management tools (invoicing, bookkeeping, taxes, etc.), they directly contribute to Tide's mission of helping SMEs save time and money. This can lead to increased member acquisition, retention, satisfaction, and ultimately, revenue growth for Tide. Their work is measured against OKRs, linking design efforts directly to business outcomes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX/Product Design, such as user research, interaction design, or design systems, within the context of financial products.

• Leadership Development: As experience grows, there's potential to move into Senior Product Designer roles, mentor junior designers, or take on product ownership within squads.

• Cross-Market Exposure: Designing for multiple markets (UK, India, Germany, France) provides valuable experience in adapting products to diverse user needs and regulatory environments.

• Contribution to Design Practice: Opportunity to influence the evolution of Tide's design processes, standards, and the Design System itself.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for growth within a rapidly expanding Fintech company, with opportunities to impact core products and contribute to the broader design maturity of the organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Tide champions a flexible workplace model that supports both in-person and remote work, with offices designed as hubs for innovation and team-building. This suggests a hybrid environment where regular in-person interaction is encouraged for collaboration and fostering community, while also allowing for remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): While the role is based in Sofia, Bulgaria, Tide has offices in various locations globally, including London, Serbia, Romania, Lithuania, Hyderabad, Berlin, Paris, and Luxembourg. The Sofia office specifically houses a member support and technology centre.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Offices are designed to foster team spirit and collaboration, suggesting open-plan areas, meeting rooms, and common spaces conducive to interaction.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Employees will have access to the necessary tools for design and collaboration, including Figma, and will be expected to utilize Tide's internal communication and project management platforms.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages regular in-person gatherings, providing opportunities for spontaneous discussions, brainstorming sessions, and building relationships with colleagues across different functions within the squad and the wider company.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is typical, but the hybrid and WOO policies offer flexibility. This allows designers to structure their days to optimize personal productivity, whether that involves focused work at home or collaborative sessions in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Tidean Ways of Working" emphasizes a blend of flexibility and intentional in-person collaboration. For a designer, this means opportunities for focused deep work at home and dynamic, interactive sessions in the office.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and portfolio. Be prepared to articulate your experience and suitability for the role.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: Expect a session where you present your portfolio, walking through 1-2 key case studies. Focus on your process, problem-solving approach, design rationale, and measurable impact.

• Technical/Design Interview: This may involve a design challenge or a deeper dive into specific design skills, such as UX strategy, interaction design, or Figma proficiency. You might be asked to critique an existing design or solve a hypothetical problem.

• Cross-functional Team Interview: Meet with potential team members (Product Manager, Engineers) to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A final discussion to assess overall fit, career aspirations, and alignment with Tide's values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose case studies that best showcase your skills relevant to this role (complex digital products, web/mobile, financial management if possible).

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study with a clear narrative: the problem, your role, the process, the solution, and the results. Quantify impact whenever possible.

• Highlight Process: Show how you arrived at the solution. Include wireframes, user flows, research findings, and iterations.

• Emphasize Figma: Demonstrate your proficiency in Figma, perhaps by showing component usage, design system contributions, or complex prototyping.

• Be Ready for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, trade-offs made, and how you handle feedback or technical constraints.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, ensure you grasp the user and business goals. Ask clarifying questions.

• Focus on Process: Demonstrate a structured approach to problem-solving, even if time is limited. Sketch out user flows, identify key user needs, and propose potential solutions.

• Communicate Clearly: Articulate your thought process verbally or through sketches. Explain your assumptions and rationale.

• Consider Trade-offs: Discuss potential limitations or alternative solutions, showing you understand the realities of product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to evaluate not just design skills but also problem-solving ability, collaborative potential, and cultural alignment. A well-prepared, impactful portfolio presentation is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is explicitly stated as a requirement and will be the primary tool for wireframing, prototyping, visual design, and collaboration. Proficiency is essential.

• Design Systems: Experience with understanding, using, and contributing to design systems is critical for ensuring brand consistency and design scalability across Tide's product suite.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the core design responsibilities, but understanding how design impacts user onboarding, engagement, and retention within a CRM context could be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the cornerstone of the design tech stack. Designers are expected to be data-informed, meaning they should be comfortable working with and interpreting data from various analytics platforms, even if they aren't the primary users of those platforms.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Member Focus: A strong commitment to understanding and serving the needs of SMEs, ensuring products are intuitive and valuable. This translates to user-centric design practices.

• Data-Driven: Decisions are informed by data and insights, promoting a culture of continuous learning and optimization. Designers are expected to be analytical and evidence-based.

• Efficiency & Speed: As a fintech company aiming to save SMEs time and money, there's an inherent value placed on efficiency in both product development and internal processes.

• Innovation: The fintech industry demands constant innovation, encouraging creative problem-solving and the exploration of new solutions.

• Collaboration & Transparency: The "One Team" ethos emphasizes working together, sharing knowledge, and ensuring everyone's voice is heard, fostering an inclusive and open environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Embedded in Squads: Designers work closely within cross-functional teams, fostering tight collaboration with product and engineering.

• Design Practice Community: Designers also connect with fellow designers to share best practices, provide feedback, and contribute to the overall design maturity at Tide.

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role requires seamless collaboration with product managers for strategy and requirements, and engineers for implementation feasibility and quality assurance.

• Feedback Culture: Expect a culture where constructive feedback is shared and received openly to improve designs and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Tide's culture appears to be a blend of a fast-paced, innovative fintech environment with a strong emphasis on user needs, data, and collaborative teamwork. The "One Team" and diversity champions aspects highlight a commitment to inclusivity.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Speed and Quality: In a growth-phase fintech, there's often pressure to move quickly. The challenge lies in maintaining high design quality and user experience standards while iterating rapidly.

• Designing for Complexity: Financial management involves complex processes and regulations. Translating these into simple, intuitive user experiences requires significant skill and attention to detail.

• Global Product Adaptation: Designing for multiple markets (UK, India, Germany, France) means understanding diverse user behaviors, cultural nuances, and regulatory landscapes, requiring adaptable design solutions.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring all stakeholders within a squad and across the design practice are aligned on design vision and priorities can be challenging.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen Fintech UX Expertise: Gain specialized knowledge in designing financial products for SMEs, a valuable niche within UX.

• Contribute to Design Systems: Actively participate in the growth and refinement of Tide's Design System, building expertise in scalable design practices.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from more senior designers or to mentor junior team members as you progress.

• Industry Trends: Exposure to the latest trends in Fintech, product design, and user research methodologies.

• International Exposure: Working on products for different global markets provides invaluable experience in localization and international design thinking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to a growing, global Fintech company. The growth opportunities are tied to developing specialized skills and contributing to the strategic direction of the design function.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex digital product you designed from concept to launch. What was the core problem, your specific role, and what were the measurable outcomes?" (Focus on your process, rationale, and impact).

• "How do you approach user research for a new feature? Walk me through how you'd conduct a moderated user session for our invoicing product." (Demonstrate your research methodology and user empathy).

• "Tide has a Design System. How would you contribute to it, or how have you leveraged design systems in previous roles to ensure consistency and scalability?" (Highlight your understanding of design system principles and practical application).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Tide and our mission to help SMEs?" (Connect your values and career goals to Tide's mission).

• "How do you handle constructive feedback on your designs, especially from non-designers?" (Show your collaborative spirit and openness to iteration).

• "Describe a time you had to make a trade-off between design perfection and launch speed. How did you approach it?" (Demonstrate your pragmatism and understanding of business realities).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: For each case study, follow a clear narrative:

Problem > Your Role > Process (Research, Ideation, Design, Testing) > Solution > Impact/Results.

• Quantify Everything: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., "increased conversion by X%", "reduced task completion time by Y%", "improved user satisfaction scores by Z points").

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals – wireframes, user flows, prototypes, high-fidelity mockups, and even screenshots of the live product if available.

• Highlight Figma Usage: Point out specific Figma features or workflows you used effectively, especially those related to components, prototyping, or collaboration.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design decisions, technical constraints, alternative solutions you considered, and how you collaborated with engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on articulating a clear, impact-driven design process and demonstrating an understanding of Tide's mission and the Fintech landscape.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Careers at Tide platform.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 1-2 of your strongest case studies that best showcase your end-to-end product design process, user research capabilities, visual design skills, and measurable impact, with a preference for web and mobile platforms.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 4+ years of experience in product design/UX, emphasizing skills in Figma, user research, design systems, and experience with complex digital products. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your selected case studies, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of your design process, rationale, and impact. Be ready to discuss your Figma proficiency and any contributions to design systems.

• Research Tide: Familiarize yourself with Tide's products, mission, and target audience (SMEs). Understand their current design aesthetic and user experience to better tailor your application and interview responses.

⚠️ 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.