Product Designer

Thaia
Full-timeBuenos Aires, Argentina

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Thaia

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations Support

Date Posted: 2026-06-12

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (4+ years)

Remote Status: Remote OK (with primary location in Buenos Aires, Argentina)

🚀 Role Summary

  • This role is a foundational position for product design within Thaia, requiring the establishment of a design system from inception.

  • The Product Designer will be responsible for the end-to-end design lifecycle, from initial concept through to implementation handoff, focusing on complex financial workflows and AI-driven conversational interfaces.

  • Key to success will be the ability to translate intricate financial data and business logic into intuitive and efficient user experiences that support sales and customer success operations.

  • This position demands a strong blend of visual design acumen, strategic product thinking, and the capacity to operate autonomously within a lean startup environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Designer," the nature of the company (accounting engine for modern finance teams) and the focus on financial workflows, invoice processing, and bank reconciliation indicate a strong connection to GTM operations support. The designer will be instrumental in shaping tools that directly impact sales enablement and customer success efficiency.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

  • End-to-End Product Design Ownership: Lead the design process for new features and product improvements, from initial user research and problem definition through wireframing, prototyping, visual design, and final handoff to the engineering team.

  • Design System Development: Architect and build Thaia's first comprehensive design system from the ground up, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency across all product interfaces. This includes defining UI components, typography, color palettes, and interaction patterns.

  • Complex Financial Workflow Design: Conceptualize and design user interfaces for challenging financial processes such as invoice processing, bank reconciliation, period-end close management, and accounting entry visualization, prioritizing clarity and accuracy.

  • AI-Driven Interface Design: Contribute to the evolution of the product's visual language and interaction models, particularly as it integrates more deeply with AI and conversational interfaces.

  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work in close partnership with engineering teams to ensure high-fidelity implementation of designs and provide ongoing design support during the development cycle.

  • User Validation & Feedback Integration: Actively participate in client conversations and user testing sessions to gather direct feedback, validate design decisions, and iterate based on real-world user needs and business context.

  • Visual Direction & Brand Alignment: Influence and contribute to the overall visual direction of the product, ensuring it aligns with modern SaaS aesthetics and strengthens the company's brand identity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize building foundational design infrastructure (design system) and tackling complex financial workflows, which are critical for GTM efficiency and customer adoption. The direct collaboration with founders and engineering highlights the strategic importance of this role in a startup environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Experience:

  • Minimum of 4 years of professional experience in product design, with a strong focus on digital products and user interfaces.

  • Proven experience designing for SaaS or fintech products, particularly those with high-information density interfaces and complex data visualization requirements.

  • Demonstrated experience operating as a sole designer within a startup or small team, showcasing initiative, self-direction, and the ability to establish design processes. Required Skills:

  • Product Design Expertise: Comprehensive understanding of the end-to-end product design lifecycle, including user research, wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and UX strategy.

  • Design System Development: Proven ability to conceptualize, build, and maintain design systems from scratch, including component libraries, style guides, and usage guidelines.

  • Figma Proficiency: Expert-level command of Figma for design, prototyping, and collaboration, including its advanced features for component management and design system implementation.

  • Visual Design Judgment: Strong aesthetic sensibility and the ability to make design decisions grounded in business context, user needs, and product goals, not just personal preference.

  • Information Architecture: Skill in organizing and structuring complex information effectively within user interfaces to ensure clarity and ease of navigation for financial data.

  • Prototyping & Interaction Design: Ability to create interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and user flows to stakeholders and engineering teams.

  • Fluent Conversational English: Essential for clear communication with founders, engineering, and potential international clients.

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience with AI-powered tools and designing conversational interfaces.

  • Familiarity with financial accounting principles, workflows, and terminology (e.g., invoice processing, reconciliation, chart of accounts).

  • Experience working with ERP systems and understanding integration challenges.

  • Startup environment experience or a demonstrated comfort with rapid iteration and ambiguity.

  • Knowledge of accessibility standards (WCAG) to ensure inclusive design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "product thinking grounded in business context" and experience with "SaaS or fintech products with high information density interfaces" directly links this role to supporting GTM functions by creating efficient tools for finance teams. Proficiency in Figma is a critical technical requirement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Demonstrated Product Thinking: Showcase a strong portfolio that clearly articulates the problem, your design process, the decisions made, and the rationale behind them, with a focus on how design solutions addressed business objectives and user needs.

  • Visual Judgment & Execution: Include examples that highlight your aesthetic judgment, attention to detail, and ability to create polished, user-friendly interfaces for complex applications.

  • Design System Case Study: Present a case study or examples of your experience building or contributing to a design system, detailing the components created, the process of documentation, and the impact on design and development efficiency.

  • SaaS/Fintech Experience Examples: Feature projects related to SaaS or fintech, specifically demonstrating experience with data-dense interfaces, financial workflows, or complex B2B applications.

  • User Validation & Iteration: Include instances where user feedback or data influenced design iterations, showcasing your ability to test and refine designs based on real-world insights.

Process Documentation:

  • Workflow Mapping & Optimization: Provide examples of how you've mapped and analyzed existing workflows to identify pain points and opportunities for design-led optimization.

  • Design Handoff & Collaboration: Illustrate your process for handing off designs to engineering teams, including the use of design specifications, interactive prototypes, and collaborative tools to ensure design fidelity.

  • System Implementation & Maintenance: If applicable, show how you've contributed to the implementation and maintenance of design systems or style guides, ensuring consistency and scalability.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a foundational role like this, a portfolio is paramount. Emphasis should be placed on showcasing not just aesthetic skills but the ability to solve business problems through design, especially within data-intensive B2B environments. Demonstrating experience with design systems is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

  • Given the mid-senior level experience requirement (4+ years), the location in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the mention of competitive USD salary with equity, a typical range for a Product Designer with this profile in Buenos Aires could be between USD $40,000 - $70,000 annually. This estimation is based on market research for comparable roles in major tech hubs in Latin America and considering the company's European client base and USD compensation offering. Benefits:

  • Competitive USD Salary: Compensation will be benchmarked against international standards, paid in USD.

  • Equity Options: Opportunity to own a stake in the company's growth from its early stages.

  • Remote Work Flexibility: Ability to work remotely, offering a flexible work-life balance.

  • Direct Impact: Work directly with founders and have a significant influence on the product's direction and visual identity.

  • Professional Growth: Opportunity to build a design function from the ground up, developing leadership and strategic design skills.

  • International Exposure: Contribute to a product used by companies across Europe.

Working Hours:

  • Standard full-time hours, likely around 40 hours per week. However, given the startup environment and remote flexibility, there may be an expectation for adaptability and occasional work outside standard hours to meet deadlines or collaborate across time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on industry benchmarks for Buenos Aires and competitive USD offerings for remote roles in LatAm. The equity component is a significant part of the compensation package for early-stage startups.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech / Accounting Software / AI Solutions. Thaia operates at the intersection of financial technology and artificial intelligence, providing a critical backend system for modern finance teams. Their product aims to automate complex accounting tasks, directly impacting the efficiency and accuracy of financial operations for their clients.

Company Size: Small to Medium-sized Startup (implied by "first internal designer," "no established design structure," and "small team"). This suggests a dynamic, fast-paced environment where individual contributions are highly visible and impactful.

Founded: (Not specified, but implied to be relatively early-stage given the need to build foundational design infrastructure). This indicates a company in a growth phase, seeking to scale its product and operations.

Team Structure:

  • Lean & Cross-Functional: The product and engineering teams are likely small and highly integrated, with close collaboration between founders, engineers, and this first Product Designer.

  • Founder-Led: Decision-making is likely driven by the founders, with significant input from key early hires like this designer.

  • Direct Collaboration: Expect minimal hierarchy and direct lines of communication, with the designer working closely with engineering leads and founders on a daily basis.

Methodology:

  • Agile & Iterative: Given the startup context and focus on rapid development, an agile methodology with frequent iterations and feedback loops is probable.

  • Data-Informed Design: While not explicitly stated, the company's focus on an "accounting engine" implies a data-driven approach to product development, which should extend to design decisions informed by user behavior and business metrics.

  • AI Integration: The company leverages AI, suggesting a forward-thinking approach to technology and product development, which this role will help translate into user-facing experiences.

Company Website: https://thaia.na.teamtailor.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is heavily influenced by its startup nature, emphasizing autonomy, direct impact, and rapid iteration. The product's focus on finance and AI suggests a technically sophisticated and fast-evolving environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a foundational, influential individual contributor at a mid-to-senior level. It's the first dedicated product designer, meaning the individual will set the standard for design within the company and build its core design infrastructure. This is an opportunity to establish a design practice from the ground up.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will likely report directly to a founder or Head of Product (if such a role exists). There are no existing design team members to manage at this stage.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work will have a direct and substantial impact on the company's Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy and operational efficiency. By designing intuitive interfaces for complex financial workflows, the designer will:

  • Enhance Sales Enablement: Create clear and compelling product demonstrations and user experiences that sales teams can leverage to articulate value.

  • Improve Customer Success: Design efficient tools that reduce onboarding friction, improve user adoption, and enable customer success teams to support clients more effectively.

  • Drive Product Adoption: Ensure the product is not only functional but also user-friendly and visually appealing, leading to higher customer satisfaction and retention.

  • Establish Brand Identity: Shape the visual language of the product, contributing to Thaia's overall brand perception and market positioning.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Leadership of Design Function: As the company grows, this role is poised to become the Head of Design or Design Lead, responsible for building and mentoring a design team.

  • Strategic Product Influence: Deep involvement in product strategy, working closely with founders to shape the long-term vision and roadmap.

  • Specialization in FinTech/AI Design: Develop deep expertise in designing for complex financial systems and emerging AI technologies.

  • Build a Design System: Gain invaluable experience in establishing and scaling a design system, a highly sought-after skill in the industry.

  • Equity Appreciation: As the company scales, the value of initial equity grants can significantly increase.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity for significant career growth and impact, moving from a sole contributor to a potential design leader. The direct link to GTM operations is a key selling point for ambitious operations-minded candidates.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This role is advertised as "Remote OK," with a primary focus on Buenos Aires, Argentina. This suggests a hybrid or fully remote work model is supported, with potential for occasional in-person collaboration if based locally.

Office Location(s): While the company has clients in Europe (Spain, UK, France), the primary talent hub mentioned is Buenos Aires, Argentina. This implies that while the company is international, there's a specific focus on building a team presence or leveraging talent in this region.

Workspace Context:

  • Independent Work: Expect a high degree of autonomy, requiring self-discipline and effective time management for remote work.

  • Collaborative Tools: Reliance on digital collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Figma, project management software) for communication and design handoff.

  • Fast-Paced Startup Culture: The environment will be dynamic, with a focus on rapid iteration, problem-solving, and direct contribution to product development.

  • Direct Access to Founders: Opportunities for frequent interaction and collaboration directly with the company's leadership.

Work Schedule:

  • Standard full-time commitment (approx. 40 hours/week).

  • Flexibility inherent in a remote role, but potential need for overlap with European or other team members' working hours for real-time collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote aspect is a key benefit, but candidates should be prepared for the demands of a startup environment and potential cross-time zone collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  • Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications, experience, and design thinking.

  • Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A session where you present your portfolio, discussing key projects, your design process, decision-making, and how your work aligns with Thaia's needs (complex financial workflows, SaaS, design systems). Expect deep dives into your thought process and business context.

  • Founder/Leadership Interview: A conversation with founders to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, appetite for startup pace, and understanding of Thaia's mission.

  • Technical/Collaboration Interview: Potential discussion with engineering leads to evaluate collaboration style, design handoff process, and Figma proficiency.

  • Case Study/Design Challenge (Potential): You might be asked to complete a small design challenge or case study relevant to Thaia's product to evaluate your problem-solving skills and design approach in a practical scenario.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest projects that best showcase your ability to handle complex, data-dense interfaces, build design systems, and solve business problems within a SaaS or fintech context.

  • Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the constraints, your process (research, ideation, iteration), the design decisions you made and why, and the outcome/impact. Quantify results where possible.

  • Highlight Business Context: Emphasize how your design decisions were grounded in business goals, user needs, and product strategy, rather than just aesthetic preferences.

  • Showcase Design System Work: If you have experience building or contributing to design systems, dedicate a section or project to this, detailing components, principles, and implementation.

  • Demonstrate Figma Skills: Be prepared to discuss your proficiency with Figma, including its advanced features for collaboration and design system management.

  • Prepare for "Sole Designer" Questions: Be ready to discuss how you would approach building a design system from scratch, prioritizing tasks, and establishing design processes in a startup environment.

Challenge Preparation:

  • Understand Thaia's Product: Research Thaia's existing product (if available) and understand the challenges of designing for accounting software and AI-driven financial tools.

  • Focus on Process & Rationale: For any design challenge, emphasize your thought process, problem-solving approach, and rationale behind your design choices.

  • Consider Constraints: Acknowledge the limitations of a startup environment (time, resources) and propose practical, scalable solutions.

  • Prepare to Discuss AI: If AI is part of the challenge, think about how to design intuitive and trustworthy AI interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's portfolio and their ability to articulate design decisions within a business context, especially concerning complex financial workflows and the foundational aspects of building a design system.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

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

  • Design System Tools/Libraries: Experience with creating and managing component libraries within Figma or other design system platforms (e.g., Storybook, Zeroheight, though Figma's capabilities are likely sufficient here).

Analytics & Reporting:

  • Product Analytics Tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Pendo): While not explicitly required, familiarity with tools that track user behavior and product engagement will be beneficial for informing design decisions and measuring impact.

  • Data Visualization Tools: Understanding how to design for data visualization within dashboards and reports is crucial given the company's focus on financial data.

CRM & Automation:

  • CRM Systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot): While the designer won't manage these, understanding how design impacts CRM data and sales workflows can be advantageous.

  • Collaboration & Project Management Tools (e.g., Slack, Asana, Jira, Trello): Essential for communication, task management, and collaboration with engineering and founders.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the cornerstone of the tech stack for this role. A strong understanding of how design integrates with product analytics and project management tools will be highly valued.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • Ownership & Initiative: A strong emphasis on taking ownership of tasks and projects without needing constant direction, especially given the "build it" nature of the role.

  • Pragmatism & Business Acumen: Valuing design decisions that are grounded in business context and deliver tangible value, rather than being purely aesthetic.

  • Collaboration & Direct Communication: Expectation of open, direct communication and close collaboration with engineering and founders, with minimal bureaucracy.

  • Agility & Adaptability: A comfort with rapid iteration, fast-paced development, and the ability to pivot when necessary, common in startup environments.

  • User-Centricity: While building from scratch, the ultimate goal is to serve finance teams effectively, so understanding and advocating for user needs is paramount.

Collaboration Style:

  • Integrated Teamwork: The designer will be an integral part of the product development team, working hand-in-hand with engineers and founders daily.

  • Feedback-Driven: A culture that encourages open feedback, both giving and receiving, to foster continuous improvement.

  • Transparent Communication: Reliance on transparent communication channels (e.g., Slack, regular syncs) to keep everyone aligned on design progress and decisions.

  • Shared Goal Orientation: A collective focus on building a successful product and achieving company objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values proactive individuals who can thrive in a lean, fast-paced environment and contribute strategically to product development, particularly in areas that support GTM efficiency.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Building from Scratch: Establishing a design system, processes, and best practices for the first time within the company. This requires significant initiative and strategic thinking.

  • Designing for Complexity: Translating intricate financial accounting logic and data into user-friendly interfaces that are both powerful and intuitive.

  • Balancing Aesthetics & Functionality: Ensuring visual appeal while prioritizing the functional requirements and accuracy critical for financial applications.

  • Startup Pace & Ambiguity: Navigating the inherent unpredictability and rapid pace of a startup, requiring adaptability and strong prioritization skills.

  • Sole Designer Role: Operating autonomously without immediate design peers, requiring self-motivation and the ability to seek feedback effectively from non-designers.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Design Leadership: Opportunity to define and lead the design function as the company scales.

  • FinTech & AI Design Specialization: Deep dive into the nuances of designing for financial services and cutting-edge AI applications.

  • Full Product Lifecycle Exposure: Gain comprehensive experience across the entire product development lifecycle in a high-growth startup.

  • Strategic Impact: Directly influence the product's direction and business success from an early stage.

  • Mentorship from Founders: Learn directly from experienced entrepreneurs about building and scaling a tech company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are significant but offer substantial growth potential for ambitious designers looking to make a foundational impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • "How would you approach building a design system from scratch for a company like Thaia?" (Focus on phases, key components, prioritization, and collaboration with engineering).

  • "Describe a time you had to design for a complex, data-intensive interface. What were the challenges, and how did you address them?" (Highlight your process, decision-making, and user-centric solutions).

  • "How do you balance aesthetic quality with the functional requirements of a B2B SaaS product, especially in the fintech space?" (Discuss your approach to user needs, business goals, and visual design).

  • "Imagine you have limited time and resources. How would you prioritize design tasks and features?" (Demonstrate your judgment, understanding of impact, and ability to make trade-offs). Company & Culture Questions:

  • "What interests you about Thaia's mission and the challenges of designing for modern finance teams?" (Showcase your research and genuine interest).

  • "How do you handle constructive criticism or disagreement on design decisions, especially when working closely with founders or engineers?" (Focus on your collaborative and problem-solving approach).

  • "Describe your ideal working relationship with an engineering team." (Emphasize clear communication, shared understanding, and efficient handoff processes).

  • "What does 'ownership' mean to you in a startup environment?" (Align your understanding with the company's values). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Structure for Impact: Organize your presentation logically, following a clear narrative for each project: problem > your role > process > solution > outcome.

  • Quantify When Possible: Use metrics to demonstrate the impact of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction).

  • Explain the 'Why': For every design decision, be ready to articulate the rationale behind it, referencing user research, business goals, or design principles.

  • Showcase Figma Mastery: Be prepared to briefly demonstrate or discuss specific Figma features you used for efficiency, collaboration, or design system management.

  • Address the "Sole Designer" Aspect: Frame your experience and approach to highlight your ability to operate independently and proactively build foundational design elements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of strategic thinking, practical design skills, and a proactive, collaborative attitude suitable for a foundational role in a startup.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

  • Submit your application: Via the provided link on Thaia's teamtailor portal.

  • Tailor your Resume: Highlight experience in product design, SaaS/Fintech, design systems, Figma proficiency, and any experience with complex financial workflows or AI. Quantify achievements where possible.

  • Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-4 strong projects that best demonstrate your skills relevant to Thaia's needs. Ensure each project clearly outlines the problem, your process, your decisions (and the 'why'), and the outcomes. Dedicate space to showcase any design system work.

  • Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your chosen projects, focusing on business context, user-centricity, and your ability to operate autonomously. Be ready to discuss your Figma expertise.

  • Research Thaia: Understand their product, target market (finance teams in Europe), and company mission. Prepare thoughtful questions about their vision for design and product development.

⚠️ 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.


Application Requirements

Requires 4+ years of product design experience with a portfolio demonstrating business-grounded design decisions. Must have experience with high-density SaaS or fintech interfaces and proficiency in Figma.