Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer (UX/UI)

Company: Pavago

Location: Kenya

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-05-17

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Design intuitive, modern, and user-friendly digital experiences across web and mobile products, blending UX thinking, UI design, user research, and product problem-solving for a remote-first organization.

• Collaborate closely with product management and engineering teams to translate innovative ideas into both visually appealing and highly functional product interfaces and workflows.

• Drive product discovery through extensive user research, including interviews, usability testing, and survey analysis, to inform design decisions and enhance user satisfaction.

• Develop and maintain scalable design systems, ensuring consistency in UI elements, typography, and color palettes across all digital touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Product Designer with a strong emphasis on UX/UI, requiring a blend of research, design, and collaborative skills. The remote-first nature and "U.S. Hours (Flexible)" indicate a need for strong self-management and asynchronous communication capabilities. The focus on user engagement, retention, and smooth handoffs suggests a results-oriented approach to design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive user research, including user interviews, usability testing, and surveys, to gather insights and identify user needs and pain points.

• Create detailed user flows, personas, and journey maps to visualize user interactions and inform the design process.

• Design and prototype user experiences using industry-standard tools like Figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch, translating concepts into wireframes and interactive click-through prototypes.

• Develop polished web and mobile interfaces, establishing and maintaining scalable design systems with reusable components, typography, and color systems for brand consistency and efficiency.

• Ensure designs adhere to usability best practices and accessibility standards, including WCAG guidelines, guaranteeing responsive experiences across various devices and screen sizes.

• Collaborate effectively with Product Managers, Developers, and stakeholders to support seamless product handoffs using tools such as Figma Dev Mode, Zeplin, or InVision.

• Utilize analytics tools like Mixpanel, Amplitude, and Hotjar to monitor user behavior, analyze product performance, and iterate on designs based on data-driven feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly outline a full-cycle product design process, from initial research and discovery to final handoff and post-launch analysis. The emphasis on specific tools and methodologies (e.g., user flows, personas, WCAG, Figma Dev Mode) indicates a need for practical, hands-on experience.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong understanding of Design Principles, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), and related fields is expected, often gained through formal education or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: Minimum of 2+ years of dedicated Product Design, UX/UI experience, with a proven track record of delivering user-centered digital products.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A robust portfolio demonstrating strong UX thinking, exceptional UI craftsmanship, and successful product design outcomes.

• User Research: Proficiency in conducting user interviews, usability testing, and surveys to extract actionable insights.

• UX/UI Design Tools: Expertise in Figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity UI design.

• Design Process: Demonstrated experience with user flows, personas, journey maps, and wireframes.

• Design Systems: Ability to create, maintain, and scale design systems, including reusable components, typography, and color palettes.

• Responsive Design: Strong understanding and practical application of designing for various devices and screen sizes.

• Usability & Accessibility: Deep knowledge of UX principles, usability heuristics, and adherence to WCAG accessibility standards.

• Collaboration: Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with experience working closely with product managers and developers.

• Handoff Tools: Familiarity with design handoff tools such as Zeplin or InVision, and proficiency in Figma's Dev Mode.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for SaaS platforms, consumer applications, or enterprise tools.

• Basic understanding of HTML/CSS to better collaborate with developers.

• Familiarity with product analytics tools (e.g., Mixpanel, Amplitude, Hotjar) and A/B testing methodologies.

• Experience in scaling design systems across multiple products or teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a strong portfolio as the primary validation of skills. The preferred skills suggest a candidate who can contribute to a more mature product development environment, understanding the technical and analytical aspects that complement design.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Detailed case studies showcasing the end-to-end design process for at least 2-3 significant projects, highlighting problem definition, user research, design decisions, and outcomes.

• UX Problem Solving: Clear demonstration of how you approached and solved complex user problems, supported by research and user feedback.

• UI Craftsmanship: High-quality visual design examples that exhibit attention to detail, aesthetic sensibility, and brand consistency.

• Prototyping Skills: Interactive prototypes or video demonstrations of user flows and key interactions to showcase usability and user experience.

• Design System Contributions: Examples of contributions to or creation of design systems, demonstrating an understanding of scalability and consistency.

Process Documentation:

• User Flow Mapping: Presentation of user flow diagrams to illustrate how users navigate through a product or feature.

• Research Synthesis: Documentation of research findings, including key insights from user interviews and usability tests, and how they informed design iterations.

• Design Handoff Examples: Samples of design specifications or handoff documentation provided to engineering teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role. Candidates should prepare to articulate their design process, the rationale behind their decisions, and the impact of their work, using specific examples from their past projects.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the remote nature and the specified location (Kenya), and considering the 2-5 years of experience requirement for a Product Designer role, a competitive salary range would typically fall between KES 2,000,000 - KES 4,000,000 annually, or approximately $17,000 - $33,000 USD. This estimate is based on regional salary benchmarks for skilled tech professionals in Kenya and considering the international hiring context for remote roles.

Benefits:

• Remote Work Stipend: Potential for a stipend to support home office setup and operational costs.

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive health coverage, potentially including international plans for remote employees.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, sick leave, and public holidays.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, workshops, conferences, and access to online learning platforms.

• Flexible Work Hours: While adhering to "U.S. Hours (Flexible)," there's likely a degree of autonomy in scheduling to accommodate personal needs.

• Team Events: Virtual team-building activities and potential for occasional in-person meetups.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility to align with U.S. business hours for effective collaboration with product and engineering teams. This typically means core hours during late afternoon/evening in Kenya.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on typical compensation for experienced Product Designers in Kenya and international remote roles. Specific benefits can vary significantly for remote positions, so candidates should inquire about health coverage, stipends, and professional development budgets. The "U.S. Hours" aspect is crucial for managing expectations regarding work schedule.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Pavago operates within the technology sector, likely focusing on software development or digital product creation, given the Product Designer role. The company appears to be growth-oriented, seeking to build modern digital experiences.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the presence of a dedicated Product Designer role and the mention of collaboration with product and engineering teams suggest a mid-sized to growing tech company, likely beyond the startup phase but still agile.

Founded: The company was founded in 2020, indicating it is a relatively young, dynamic organization focused on innovation and establishing its market presence.

Team Structure:

• The design team likely includes other designers (UX/UI, graphic) and works in close partnership with Product Management and Engineering.

• Reporting structure would likely be to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or a Senior Product Manager.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using analytics (Mixpanel, Amplitude) and user feedback (Hotjar, surveys) to inform design iterations.

• Agile Development: Likely follows agile methodologies, requiring designers to be adaptable and responsive to changing requirements and feedback.

• User-Centered Approach: Prioritizes understanding and meeting user needs through research and testing.

Company Website: https://www.pavago.co/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's founding in 2020 suggests a modern, potentially fast-paced culture. The focus on UX/UI and collaboration implies a team that values user experience and teamwork. The "U.S. Hours" requirement indicates a global outlook.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Product Designer. Individuals are expected to have a solid foundation (2+ years) and be capable of independent work on design projects, contributing to the design system, and collaborating effectively.

Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report to a Design Lead, Head of Product, or a Senior Product Manager. This structure provides guidance and mentorship while allowing for significant autonomy in day-to-day design tasks.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's impact is direct and significant, influencing user engagement, retention, product adoption, and overall user satisfaction. Their work directly contributes to the usability and appeal of Pavago's digital products, which in turn affects business metrics like conversion rates and customer loyalty.

Growth Opportunities:

• Senior Product Designer: With demonstrated success and expanded scope, progression to a Senior Designer role is a natural path, involving more complex projects, mentorship of junior designers, and strategic input.

• Lead Designer/Design Manager: For those interested in leadership, opportunities may arise to lead design initiatives, manage a team, or shape the overall design strategy.

• Design Systems Specialist: Specialization in design systems is also a potential growth area, focusing on building and maintaining robust, scalable systems.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Gaining deeper insights into product management or engineering can lead to hybrid roles or broader product ownership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Growth into" section in the job description clearly outlines potential career trajectories. This role offers a solid foundation for product design careers, with clear pathways for advancement within the company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a fully remote position, meaning there is no central office location that employees are required to attend. The work environment is home-based.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote and based in Kenya, the mention of "U.S. Hours (Flexible)" suggests that collaboration will primarily occur with colleagues or stakeholders in the United States.

Workspace Context:

• Home Office: Employees are expected to maintain a productive and ergonomic home office setup.

• Digital Collaboration: The primary workspace is digital, relying heavily on communication and collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Figma, project management software).

• Asynchronous Communication: Given the potential time zone differences, proficiency in asynchronous communication is key, with clear documentation and well-articulated messages.

Work Schedule: Approximately 40 hours per week. The "U.S. Hours (Flexible)" implies a core requirement to be available for meetings and collaborative sessions during typical U.S. business hours, which would translate to late afternoons and evenings in Kenya. This flexibility allows for work-life balance but requires careful time management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature combined with the "U.S. Hours" requirement is a critical aspect of the work environment. Candidates must be comfortable with asynchronous communication and managing their schedule to accommodate U.S. time zones.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief review of your application and resume to assess basic qualifications and fit.

• Recruiter Interview: A conversation to discuss your experience, motivations, and understanding of the role, as well as to assess cultural fit and salary expectations.

• Portfolio Review + Design Task: This is a crucial stage where you'll present your portfolio, discussing your design process and contributions. You may also be given a small design task or challenge to complete.

• Client Interview: A more in-depth discussion with key stakeholders (e.g., Product Manager, Engineering lead) to evaluate your design skills, problem-solving abilities, and collaboration style.

• Offer: The final stage, extending a job offer if all previous stages are successful.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Frame your case studies as compelling stories, detailing the problem, your role, the process, your solutions, and the impact.

• Process Focus: Clearly articulate your design process, from research and ideation to iteration and final delivery. Highlight how you used specific tools and methodologies.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively – mockups, wireframes, user flows, prototypes – to illustrate your work.

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

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with Pavago's likely focus (web/mobile, SaaS, user-friendly experiences).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design task, ensure you fully understand the problem statement, target users, and any constraints.

• Time Management: Practice completing design exercises within a given timeframe.

• Articulate Rationale: Be prepared to explain your design choices and trade-offs clearly and concisely.

• Focus on Principles: Demonstrate your understanding of UX/UI principles, even in a short exercise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess a candidate's practical skills, problem-solving abilities, and collaborative potential. The portfolio review is a key component, so candidates must prepare to present their work effectively.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expected to be the primary tool for UX/UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency in its latest features, including Dev Mode, is essential.

• Adobe XD / Sketch: Experience with these alternatives is a plus and indicates broader design tool familiarity.

• Zeplin / InVision: Tools for design handoff, collaboration, and prototyping, used to facilitate communication with developers.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Mixpanel / Amplitude: Experience using these product analytics platforms to track user behavior, analyze engagement, and inform design decisions is highly beneficial.

• Hotjar: Useful for understanding user behavior through heatmaps, session recordings, and user feedback surveys.

CRM & Automation: (Less directly relevant to Product Designer, but understanding is a plus)

Other:

• User Research Tools: Experience with survey platforms (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform) and user interview platforms.

• Communication Tools: Proficiency in Slack, Zoom, and project management tools like Jira or Asana.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma, along with analytics and handoff tools, highlights the modern, data-informed design workflow at Pavago. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with these specific tools.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs through thoughtful design and research.

• Collaboration: High value placed on teamwork, open communication, and constructive feedback loops between design, product, and engineering.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Reliance on user data and analytics to guide design choices and measure success.

• Efficiency & Scalability: A focus on creating designs and systems that are efficient to build and scale effectively across products.

• Innovation: Encouragement to explore new ideas and solutions to create modern, intuitive digital experiences.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to be integral members of product teams, working hand-in-hand with PMs and engineers daily.

• Open Feedback: A culture that encourages constructive criticism and iterative improvement through regular design reviews and discussions.

• Knowledge Sharing: Active participation in sharing design knowledge, best practices, and insights within the team and broader organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture appears to be collaborative, user-focused, and data-informed, typical of modern tech companies. The remote aspect necessitates strong communication and a proactive approach to collaboration.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Time Zone Management: Effectively collaborating and attending meetings across significant time zone differences (Kenya to U.S. hours) requires disciplined scheduling and communication.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong team cohesion and clear communication without in-person interaction requires proactive effort and proficiency with digital tools.

• Balancing UX & UI: Effectively merging deep UX problem-solving with high-fidelity UI craftsmanship to create products that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

• Rapid Iteration: Adapting to fast-paced development cycles and incorporating feedback quickly while maintaining design integrity.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced UX/UI Techniques: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas like user research methodologies, interaction design patterns, and advanced prototyping.

• Design Systems Specialization: Potential for focused training and development in building and managing scalable design systems.

• Product Strategy Involvement: Growing involvement in product strategy discussions and contributing to the long-term vision of the product.

• Industry Trends: Staying abreast of emerging design trends, tools, and best practices through online courses, webinars, and industry events.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are primarily related to the remote nature and the need for adaptability. The growth opportunities are well-defined and aligned with typical career progression paths for product designers.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for tackling a new product feature from initial concept to final design. How do you incorporate user research and data?" (Focus on your end-to-end process, research methods, and data utilization.)

• "How do you balance competing stakeholder needs and user requirements when making design decisions?" (Highlight your negotiation skills, user advocacy, and ability to find solutions.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Pavago and this specific Product Designer role?" (Research Pavago’s products and mission. Connect your skills and aspirations to their goals.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with remote engineering and product teams?" (Emphasize your communication style, tool proficiency, and proactive engagement strategies.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio logically, with clear case studies. Start with an overview, dive into the problem, your process, your solutions, and the impact.

• Narrative: Tell a compelling story for each project. Explain "why" behind your decisions.

• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals. Show wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and final UI designs.

• Metrics: Quantify your achievements whenever possible.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Focus on the most impactful projects and key learnings.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of the design process, user advocacy, effective collaboration, and the ability to articulate design decisions and their impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and prominently features 2-3 in-depth case studies that highlight your UX thinking, UI craftsmanship, and problem-solving abilities relevant to web and mobile product design.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your 2+ years of experience, proficiency in required design tools (Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch), experience with UX research, prototyping, design systems, and accessibility standards. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, design decisions, and project outcomes. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions and be ready to discuss your contributions to user engagement and product success.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Pavago's products and mission by visiting their website (pavago.co). Understand their likely target audience and consider how your design philosophy aligns with their goals.

⚠️ 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.