Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Coates Group

Location: Chicago, IL

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX) / User Interface (UI)

Date Posted: August 13, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design for Coates' software products, including the Digital Signage Content Management System (CMS) known as Switchboard™.

• Translate complex requirements into intuitive and visually appealing product design concepts, flow diagrams, storyboards, and site maps.

• Solve product usability challenges and enhance the overall user journey for a global customer base.

• Collaborate closely with Product Owners and Engineering leads to ensure seamless integration of design into the software development lifecycle.

• Uphold design best practices, including adherence to accessibility standards, to create inclusive and effective digital experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the core job title is "Product Designer," the description clearly indicates a strong focus on UX/UI design within a software product context. This role bridges the gap between user needs and technical implementation, requiring a deep understanding of design principles, user research, and collaborative development processes, crucial for operations professionals aiming to optimize user-facing systems.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive product design concepts from intricate sets of requirements, ensuring alignment with business objectives and user needs.

• Produce high-fidelity solutions, including detailed flow diagrams, graphic designs, storyboards, and site maps that clearly articulate user pathways and interface layouts.

• Proactively identify and resolve product usability challenges, enhancing the overall user experience and satisfaction.

• Collaborate effectively with Product Owners and Engineering leads to drive the development of innovative and efficient design solutions.

• Implement and advocate for design best practices across all deliverables, ensuring adherence to established accessibility standards and guidelines.

• Actively participate in the design research process, supporting Product Owners in formalizing design research into actionable insights and compelling ideas.

• Partner with Product Owners to establish and refine frameworks for measuring product success, continuously optimizing designs for maximum impact and ROI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on approach to design, emphasizing the creation of tangible design artifacts (flow diagrams, storyboards, site maps) and problem-solving. The collaboration with Product Owners and Engineering leads underscores the importance of cross-functional teamwork, a hallmark of successful operations roles. The focus on "success frameworks" and "optimization" points to a results-oriented mindset aligned with revenue operations and GTM strategies.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field is highly beneficial.

Experience: 5+ years of dedicated experience in a digital design role, with a proven track record in product design, UX, or UI.

Required Skills:

• Exceptional high-fidelity wireframing and prototyping skills, grounded in strategic thinking and user insights.

• Proficiency in UI design tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD, demonstrating mastery in creating detailed interface designs.

• Deep understanding of design processes, methodologies, and core design principles.

• Strong user experience (UX) design capabilities, including the ability to create essential artifacts like Information Architecture diagrams, Archetypes + Personas, Customer Journey Maps, User Flows, Scenarios, Wireframes, and Prototypes.

• Experience in conducting and utilizing usability testing scripts and methodologies.

• Skilled in Adobe's Creative Suite, particularly After Effects, InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop, for creating and manipulating visual assets.

• Competent in graphic design principles and outputting assets optimized for web and digital platforms.

• Proficient in HTML5 and CSS3, with an understanding of CSS animation for implementing interactive elements. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with video editing and animation software, enhancing dynamic content creation.

• Familiarity with front-end development concepts beyond HTML/CSS, such as basic JavaScript, to better understand technical constraints and possibilities.

• Experience designing for international markets, understanding localization and cultural nuances.

• Background in designing for hardware-integrated software solutions or digital signage platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The extensive list of required tools and methodologies (Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, Adobe Creative Suite, HTML5/CSS3, UX artifacts) indicates a need for a highly skilled designer who can execute end-to-end design processes. The emphasis on a strong portfolio showcasing "beautiful, usable experiences" is critical. For operations professionals, this translates to a need for demonstrable skills in system design, process visualization, and user-centric problem-solving.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 5 years of professional digital design work, with a strong emphasis on product design, UX, and UI.

• Demonstrations of creating high-quality, usable experiences across various devices and contexts, highlighting strategic thinking and user-centric problem-solving.

• Examples of detailed flow diagrams, graphic designs, storyboards, and site maps developed from complex requirements.

• Case studies that illustrate the ability to identify and solve product usability challenges, with clear explanations of the design process and outcomes.

• Evidence of collaboration with Product Owners and Engineering leads, showcasing effective teamwork and communication in a development environment. Process Documentation:

• Documentation of your design process, including how you approach understanding requirements, conducting user research, and iterating on designs based on feedback and testing.

• Examples of how you have collaborated with stakeholders to define success metrics and used these to optimize product solutions.

• Demonstrations of adherence to design best practices and accessibility standards in your work.

• Examples of creating and maintaining design systems or style guides to ensure consistency across products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for a "strong portfolio full of beautiful, usable experiences designed for all kinds of devices and contexts" is paramount. For operations roles, this translates to a need for a portfolio that not only showcases design skills but also demonstrates an understanding of process efficiency, system integration, and measurable impact—akin to a process optimization portfolio for operations professionals.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $110,880 - $126,000 per year.

• Minimum: $110,880/year

• Midpoint: $118,440/year

• Maximum: $126,000/year

Explanation of Range: Pay is determined by relevant experience, skills, education, internal equity, and market data. Candidates meeting minimum qualifications but with less direct experience may be placed nearer the minimum, while highly experienced candidates with strong role alignment may be placed closer to the maximum.

Benefits:

• Annual Market Competitive Bonus Program: Performance-based incentive to reward contributions.

• Flexible Work Options (Thrive Program): A suite of flexible work arrangements to accommodate work-life balance.

• Health and Wellbeing Programs (Thrive Program): Dedicated resources and activities to support physical and mental well-being.

• Global Wellness Paid Day Off (Thrive Program): An annual paid day off specifically for recharging and prioritizing personal wellness.

• Give Back Day (Thrive Program): A paid day off to engage in community service and make a positive impact.

• Potential for Rapid Career Advancement: Opportunities for growth are highlighted due to company expansion plans.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week.

• Flexibility: The "Thrive Program" includes flexible work options, suggesting a degree of autonomy in managing work schedules, which is beneficial for deep work and process analysis.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is specific and tiered, indicating a structured compensation approach. The benefits package emphasizes work-life balance and employee well-being, with programs like "Thrive" offering tangible advantages. For operations professionals, flexible work hours can be crucial for uninterrupted data analysis and process refinement. The mention of a bonus program aligns with performance-driven operations roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically focused on digital hardware, proprietary content management systems, and industry-leading signage solutions for customer experiences. The company serves global brands, with a notable presence in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector (e.g., McDonald's).

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the description mentions "9 offices around the world" and serving "over 50 global markets," suggesting a mid-to-large-sized global enterprise.

Founded: Almost 60 years ago, indicating a stable, established company with a long history of innovation.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer will collaborate with "Product Owners and Engineering leads," suggesting a cross-functional, agile team structure.

• The company operates globally with multiple offices, implying a diverse and potentially distributed team environment.

• The culture emphasizes a blend of "family-owned business values" and a "start-up spirit," aiming for a supportive yet innovative atmosphere. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The role requires understanding design research, formalizing insights, and using data to define and optimize product success metrics.

• Agile Development: Collaboration with Product Owners and Engineering leads points towards agile methodologies for product development.

• User-Centricity: A strong emphasis on user experience, usability challenges, and creating engaging customer experiences.

Company Website: https://coatesgroup.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Coates Group positions itself as a leader in customer experience technology with a long history and a forward-looking vision. The culture aims to balance stability with innovation. For operations professionals, understanding this blend is key; it suggests a company that values established processes while encouraging new ideas and efficiencies. The global reach implies a need for scalable solutions and cross-cultural awareness.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-to-senior level Product Designer, requiring substantial experience (5+ years) and the ability to work autonomously. It involves significant responsibility in shaping product design and collaborating with senior technical and product leadership.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will collaborate with Product Owners and Engineering leads, implying a matrixed reporting structure common in agile environments. They will likely report into a Design Lead or Head of Product Design, with direct project-based collaboration across teams.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work directly influences customer engagement and brand experience through digital solutions. Optimizing the CMS and other software directly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of clients' operations, and by extension, Coates Group's revenue through client satisfaction and retention.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in UX/UI for specific product lines (e.g., digital signage, QSR technology) or advanced design techniques.

• Leadership: Transition into a Senior Product Designer role, leading design initiatives, or potentially moving into a Product Management track by leveraging deep product understanding.

• Cross-Functional Development: Gain exposure to engineering processes and product strategy, enhancing a holistic understanding of product lifecycle management.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers as the team grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant growth potential beyond pure design, with opportunities to influence product strategy and potentially move into leadership or product management. This aligns with operations career paths where individuals can grow from execution to strategy and management by demonstrating impact and acquiring broader business acumen.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is described as "Hybrid," indicating a mix of remote and in-office work. This suggests a modern work environment that balances flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration.

Office Location(s): Chicago, Illinois. The description also mentions "9 offices around the world" and serving "over 50 global markets," indicating a global presence with the Chicago office serving as a key hub.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on collaboration with Product Owners and Engineering leads suggests a team-oriented workspace where designers actively engage with other functions.

• Technology-Enabled: As a technology company, expect access to modern design tools and software (Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, etc.) and potentially advanced hardware for testing.

• Global Interaction: The role supports "International markets," implying opportunities to interact with global teams and understand diverse user needs.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, with flexible options available through the "Thrive Program." This flexibility can be advantageous for operations professionals who need to manage focused work periods for complex analysis and process design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work model is a key feature. For operations roles, this balance is often ideal, allowing for focused, uninterrupted work at home and collaborative sessions in the office. The Chicago location places the role in a major tech and business hub.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely involves a review of your resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications and design aesthetic.

• Portfolio Presentation: A crucial step where you will present your portfolio, walking through case studies and explaining your design process, rationale, and impact. Be prepared to discuss specific projects in detail.

• Technical/Skills Assessment: May include a design challenge or a discussion focused on specific tools (Figma, Sketch) and methodologies (UX research, wireframing, prototyping).

• Behavioral/Team Fit Interviews: Discussions with Product Owners, Engineering Leads, and potentially HR to assess collaboration skills, problem-solving approach, and cultural alignment with Coates Group's values.

• Final Interview: Likely with senior leadership to discuss strategic fit and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate the required skills (UX/UI, wireframing, problem-solving, collaboration). Prioritize projects that align with Coates Group's industry (digital signage, QSR, customer experience tech).

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the challenges you encountered, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes or impact. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Process: Detail your thought process, research methods, design decisions, and how you iterated based on feedback or testing. This is where operations parallels are strong – show your systematic approach.

• Showcase Usability & Strategy: Emphasize how your designs solved specific usability issues and contributed to strategic business goals. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., "improved conversion rates by X%", "reduced task completion time by Y%").

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your experience with Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, and the Adobe Creative Suite, and how you leverage them effectively.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Thinking: Be prepared for a design challenge that tests your problem-solving skills. Focus on understanding the brief, asking clarifying questions, defining the problem space, brainstorming solutions, and presenting your approach clearly.

• Prototyping & Wireframing: If a challenge involves creating a prototype or wireframes, focus on clarity, usability, and demonstrating a logical user flow.

• Communication: Practice articulating your design decisions and rationale concisely and persuasively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and design challenges is standard for design roles. For operations candidates, this translates to preparing a portfolio that showcases process optimization, system design, and quantifiable results, mirroring the "storytelling" and "impact demonstration" required here.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UI Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD (proficiency required in at least one, likely Figma given industry trends). These are essential for creating wireframes, mockups, and interactive prototypes.

• Graphic Design & Asset Creation: Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects) for detailed visual design, image editing, and motion graphics.

• Web Technologies: HTML5, CSS3, CSS Animation for understanding front-end implementation and creating web-ready assets.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed for the designer, an understanding of how design impacts analytics is crucial. Familiarity with tools that track user behavior and engagement (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) would be beneficial.

• The role involves collaborating with Product Owners to define success metrics, implying an indirect interaction with reporting dashboards. CRM & Automation:

• No specific CRM or automation tools are listed for this role, but understanding how design integrates with customer-facing systems is valuable. Experience with tools that manage customer interactions or automate workflows could be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily focused on design tools. For operations professionals, understanding the interplay between design and user behavior analytics, as well as how design choices impact CRM data integrity or automation workflows, adds significant value.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Curiosity & Charisma: Encourages an open, engaging, and inquisitive approach to problem-solving and collaboration.

• Authenticity & Diversity: Values genuine interactions and leverages the varied perspectives of its "Crew" to foster innovation.

• Expertise & Creativity: Strives for excellence in skill while encouraging imaginative solutions and new ideas.

• Kindness & Collaboration: Promotes a supportive environment where teamwork and mutual respect are paramount.

• Continuous Evolution: A core value driven by the company's purpose, "Always Evolving," pushing for constant improvement and adaptation.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role requires close collaboration with Product Owners and Engineering leads, indicating a highly integrated, team-based approach.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Design research and success metrics are central, suggesting that decisions are backed by data and insights.

• Iterative Design: The emphasis on solving usability challenges and optimizing solutions implies an iterative design process that welcomes feedback and refinement.

• Global Perspective: Working on international markets requires an adaptable and inclusive collaboration style.

📝 Enhancement Note: Coates Group cultivates a culture that blends a supportive, family-like atmosphere with the drive for innovation and continuous improvement. This dual focus is important for operations professionals, who often need to balance process adherence with the drive for efficiency and new solutions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Technical Constraints: Designing intuitive experiences while working within the technical limitations and development timelines of software projects.

• Global Market Adaptation: Ensuring designs are effective and culturally appropriate across diverse international markets.

• Driving Adoption of New Designs: Effectively communicating the value of design changes to stakeholders and users to ensure successful implementation and adoption.

• Staying Ahead of Design Trends: Continuously learning and adapting to new design tools, methodologies, and user expectations in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen UX/UI Expertise: Opportunities to specialize in specific areas of user experience or interface design.

• Product Strategy Involvement: Gain deeper insights into product management, market analysis, and strategic decision-making.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Work closely with engineers to understand software architecture and development pipelines, broadening technical understanding.

• Mentorship and Leadership: Potential to mentor junior designers and grow into leadership roles within the design team.

• Industry Exposure: The company's global reach and innovative solutions offer exposure to cutting-edge technology in customer experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a product designer in a tech company, requiring adaptability and problem-solving. The growth opportunities are significant, offering paths for specialization, leadership, and broader strategic involvement, which are highly relevant for career progression in operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex product requirement you translated into a user-friendly design. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your systematic approach, problem-solving, and impact).

• "How do you balance user needs with technical feasibility and business goals in your design process?" (Highlight your understanding of trade-offs and collaborative problem-solving).

• "Walk me through a customer journey map you created. What insights did it reveal, and how did you use them to improve the user experience?" (Demonstrate your user-centric thinking and data utilization).

• "How do you ensure your designs adhere to accessibility standards? Can you provide an example?" (Showcase your commitment to inclusive design). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Coates Group and this specific Product Designer role?" (Research their mission, products, and recent achievements. Connect your skills to their goals).

• "How do you approach collaboration with Product Owners and Engineers?" (Emphasize your communication, teamwork, and ability to translate between disciplines).

• "Coates Group values 'Always Evolving.' How have you demonstrated this value in your past roles?" (Provide examples of learning new skills, adapting to change, or driving innovation). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your specific role and contributions, the design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the solutions, and the measurable impact.

• Quantify Your Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced user errors, increased engagement).

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design decisions, tool usage, and problem-solving approach.

• Showcase Process, Not Just Polish: While polished visuals are important, demonstrating your thought process and how you overcame challenges is often more critical.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a structured, data-informed approach to design, mirroring the analytical and process-oriented mindset of operations professionals. Emphasizing how design contributes to business outcomes is key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the official Coates Group careers portal or the provided Lever link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience with UI/UX design tools, specific design methodologies (e.g., user research, wireframing, prototyping), and your 5+ years of relevant experience. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your skills in product design, UX/UI, and problem-solving. Ensure it clearly articulates your process, role, and impact, especially for digital signage or complex software systems.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on the problem, your solution, your process, and the measurable results. Be ready to discuss your design philosophy and collaboration style.

• Research Coates Group: Understand their products (especially Switchboard™ CMS), target industries (QSR), company values, and recent news to 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.

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