Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Virtual Vaults

Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX Design

Date Posted: 2026-06-04

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the end-to-end design process for new features, from initial user research and concept development to final handoff to engineering teams.

• Conduct comprehensive user research, including interviews, usability tests, and analysis of session recordings and event data, to deeply understand user needs and pain points within the M&A lifecycle.

• Actively contribute to and evolve the company's design system, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency across the product.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and other stakeholders within a development team to translate complex requirements into intuitive and effective user experiences.

• Explore and integrate AI capabilities into the product, ensuring these features are user-friendly, logical, and add significant value to the M&A dealmaking process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role emphasizes end-to-end ownership of features, requiring a candidate who can manage the entire design lifecycle independently, from discovery to delivery. The mention of AI integration suggests a forward-thinking product strategy and a need for designers comfortable with emerging technologies.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the design of features from ideation through to implementation, including user interviews, concept sketching, wireframing, prototyping, and final UI design.

• Execute qualitative and quantitative user research methods to gather insights into user behavior, motivations, and challenges in using M&A software.

• Develop and maintain detailed user personas, journey maps, and other UX artifacts to inform design decisions.

• Create high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes in Figma, ensuring they are production-ready and clearly spec'd for engineering.

• Champion the design system by contributing new components, patterns, and guidelines, and by ensuring its consistent application across the platform.

• Collaborate with product owners to define feature requirements, user stories, and success metrics.

• Work with engineers to ensure accurate implementation of designs and to address any technical constraints or opportunities.

• Analyze user behavior data and session recordings to identify areas for improvement and to validate design choices.

• Contribute to the strategic direction of the product by identifying user needs and market opportunities through design thinking.

• Provide and receive constructive feedback within the design team to foster continuous improvement and elevate the overall quality of design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design thinking and tactical execution. The emphasis on user research, design systems, and cross-functional collaboration points to a mature product development process where design is integral to feature creation.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field is often beneficial, demonstrating a foundational understanding of design principles.

Experience: 3+ years of experience as a Product Designer or UX Designer, with a proven track record in a product-centric environment.

Required Skills:

• Product Design: Proven ability to design user-centric products from concept to launch.

• UX Design: Strong understanding of user experience principles and best practices.

• User Research: Proficiency in conducting various user research methodologies, including interviews, usability testing, and analyzing session recordings and event data.

• Figma Proficiency: Advanced skills in using Figma for wireframing, prototyping, creating specifications, and collaborating on design files.

• Design Systems: Experience in creating, maintaining, and actively contributing to design systems.

• Data Analytics: Ability to leverage analytics tools and data to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Collaboration: Excellent teamwork and communication skills, with experience working effectively with product managers, engineers, and customer success teams.

• Critical Thinking: Ability to ask probing questions, challenge assumptions, and validate hypotheses.

• Feedback Integration: Skill in both giving and receiving constructive feedback to improve design outcomes.

Preferred Skills:

• UX Writing: Experience collaborating with or contributing to UX writing, understanding text as an integral part of design.

• Motion & Micro-interactions: Functional and purposeful use of motion and micro-interactions to enhance user experience.

• AI Integration: Familiarity with or interest in integrating AI capabilities into user interfaces and workflows.

• M&A/SaaS Domain Knowledge: Understanding of the M&A lifecycle or experience designing for SaaS platforms.

• Tool Proficiency: Experience with additional tools such as Notion, Userpilot, and AI assistants like Claude.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills emphasize hands-on design execution and research capabilities, with a strong preference for candidates who can operate autonomously within a product team and contribute to the growth of design practices. The mention of specific tools like Notion and Claude suggests an environment that embraces modern productivity and AI tools.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating your end-to-end product design process.

• Clearly articulate the problem, your role and responsibilities, the design process undertaken, key decisions made, and the measurable outcomes achieved.

• Highlight your ability to conduct user research and translate insights into design solutions.

• Demonstrate your proficiency with Figma, including wireframes, interactive prototypes, and final UI designs.

• Include examples of your contributions to or use of design systems.

• Showcase how you've used data and analytics to inform design decisions and measure success. Process Documentation:

• For each case study, detail the specific research methodologies used (e.g., user interviews, usability testing, data analysis).

• Explain your approach to iterating on designs based on feedback from users, stakeholders, and data.

• Document your collaboration process with product managers and engineers, including handoff procedures and issue resolution.

• Illustrate how you've contributed to or leveraged a design system to ensure consistency and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is crucial for this role, as it directly demonstrates the candidate's ability to execute the core responsibilities. The emphasis on end-to-end process, research, and measurable outcomes is key for demonstrating impact in a product design context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: €3,800 - €5,000 per month (gross), dependent on experience and skills.

Benefits:

• Full-time Contract: 32 to 40 hours per week.

• Paid Time Off: 25 vacation days per year.

• Pension Scheme: 100% paid by Virtual Vaults, with an option for employees to contribute additional funds.

• Professional Development: A personal training budget is allocated for continuous learning and skill enhancement.

• Commuting Allowance: Reimbursement for travel costs at €0.23 per km or a provided OV Business Card for those living more than 10 km from the office.

• Team & Social Events: Regular company outings, team activities, Hackathons, Summer BBQs, Hold-My-Beer sessions, and attendance at events like Vrienden van Amstel Live.

• Culture: An open, flat, and collaborative work environment.

Working Hours: The standard work week is 32 to 40 hours, allowing for some flexibility within the full-time employment type. A hybrid work model is in place.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a mid-level Product Designer in Rotterdam. The benefits package is comprehensive, with a strong emphasis on professional development and employee well-being, including a generous pension contribution and team-building activities that foster a positive work culture. The hybrid work model offers a good balance between in-office collaboration and remote flexibility.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: SaaS (Software as a Service), FinTech (Financial Technology), specifically focusing on M&A lifecycle management and Virtual Data Room solutions.

Company Size: The exact size is not specified, but the description implies a growing company that has evolved from a Virtual Data Room provider to a full M&A lifecycle platform, suggesting a dynamic and expanding team.

Founded: Virtual Vaults has a history that began with a Virtual Data Room and has since evolved into a comprehensive M&A lifecycle platform, indicating a journey of innovation and growth.

Team Structure:

• The product design team consists of two Product Designers, a UX Writer, and a Lead Product Designer, indicating a structured but collaborative design function.

• Product Designers work within development teams, collaborating closely with Product Owners and Engineers.

• The company emphasizes cross-functional collaboration across Product, Engineering, and Customer Success. Methodology:

• Agile Development: Implied through daily stand-ups and close collaboration within dev teams.

• User-Centric Design: Central to the product development process, driven by user research and data analysis.

• Design Systems: Actively used and contributed to, promoting consistency and efficiency.

• AI Integration: A strategic focus for future product development.

Company Website: https://jobs.virtualvaults.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Virtual Vaults positions itself as a leader in modern European dealmaking infrastructure. The company culture appears to value ownership, collaboration, continuous improvement, and a human-centric approach to technology. The growth trajectory suggests opportunities for individuals to contribute significantly to product evolution.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a mid-level, suitable for individuals with 3+ years of experience. It offers a significant degree of autonomy and ownership over features, moving beyond junior support to lead design initiatives within a development team.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will report to the Lead Product Designer and work within a cross-functional development team. This structure allows for direct mentorship and peer collaboration within the design function, while also fostering strong partnerships with product and engineering.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work directly influences the usability, efficiency, and adoption of Virtual Vaults' M&A platform. By creating intuitive and effective user experiences, they enable deal teams to streamline complex processes, gain better control and insight, and ultimately improve deal outcomes. Their contributions to the design system and AI integration will shape the future scalability and innovation of the product.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Senior Product Designer role, taking on more complex projects, mentoring junior designers, and contributing more strategically to the design vision.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like AI-driven design, complex workflow design for financial services, or advanced user research techniques.

• Impactful Projects: Involvement in shaping core product features and strategic initiatives, such as AI integration, which offers significant visibility and learning opportunities.

• Process Improvement: Contribution to evolving design processes, methodologies, and the design system itself.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role provides a solid foundation for career progression within product design, especially in the SaaS and FinTech sectors. The emphasis on ownership, user research, and strategic contributions allows for significant professional development and the potential to move into leadership or specialized design roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job listing indicates a hybrid work arrangement, meaning employees will split their time between working remotely and in the Rotterdam office. This suggests a blend of focused individual work and collaborative team interaction.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located at K.P. van der Mandelelaan 60, 3062 MB Rotterdam, Netherlands. This location is accessible for commuting within the Rotterdam area and surrounding regions.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office serves as a space for team stand-ups, design reviews, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional meetings.

• Tooling: While not explicitly detailed, it's standard for such roles to have access to modern design software (Figma), collaboration tools (Notion), and potentially AI-powered design assistants.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages intentional in-office days for synergistic collaboration, knowledge sharing, and building team cohesion.

Work Schedule: The standard work week is 32 to 40 hours, with flexibility expected within a full-time commitment. The hybrid nature allows for a degree of autonomy in managing one's schedule, balancing personal needs with collaborative requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is designed to balance the benefits of remote work (focus, flexibility) with the advantages of in-office collaboration (team building, spontaneous ideation). Candidates should be comfortable with structured in-office days for key team activities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Ronde 1: Video-intake: A 30-minute initial screening with the Recruiter (Arjan ten Brinke) to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and motivation.

• Ronde 2: Video-interview: A 30-minute discussion with the Chief Product Officer (Pepijn van de Vondervoort) and UX Lead (Jannita Schnitzler) to delve deeper into design philosophy, experience, and strategic thinking.

• Ronde 3: Take-home assignment: A practical exercise designed to evaluate design skills, problem-solving abilities, and process. This is a critical step to demonstrate hands-on capabilities.

• Ronde 4: Live interview: A 60-minute session with the broader team to assess collaboration, cultural fit, and how the candidate would integrate into the existing design and development environment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling is Key: Structure your case studies to tell a compelling narrative of the problem, your process, and the impact. Clearly define the "why" behind your design decisions.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (mockups, prototypes, user flows) to illustrate your design process. Include key artifacts like wireframes, user journey maps, and research summaries.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time, improved user satisfaction scores).

• Highlight Collaboration: Explain how you worked with Product, Engineering, and other stakeholders. This is crucial for a role that emphasizes teamwork.

• Tailor to Virtual Vaults: Research Virtual Vaults' product and target audience. Subtly align your case studies with the challenges they are trying to solve (e.g., simplifying complex M&A processes, integrating AI).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: For the take-home assignment, thoroughly analyze the brief. Identify the core problem and the constraints.

• Structure Your Approach: Plan your design process, including research, ideation, solution development, and presentation.

• Focus on Process: The assignment will likely assess not just the final design, but also the rationale and methodology behind it.

• Practice Presentation: Be ready to walk through your assignment and your portfolio during the live interview. Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to progressively evaluate candidates, starting with a broad screening and moving towards in-depth technical and team fit assessments. The take-home assignment is a significant component, requiring candidates to demonstrate practical application of their skills.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design tool for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and collaboration. Proficiency is essential.

• Notion: Used for documentation, project management, and knowledge sharing.

• Userpilot: Likely used for in-app guidance, onboarding, and user feedback collection.

• Claude (AI Assistant): Potential use for research assistance, content generation, or idea exploration within the design process.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: (Specific tools not mentioned, but likely includes platforms for tracking user behavior, feature adoption, conversion rates, and engagement metrics).

• User Session Recording Tools: (e.g., Hotjar, FullStory) for analyzing user interactions and identifying pain points.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding how the product integrates with CRM systems or how design impacts user engagement within automated workflows can be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack emphasizes modern, collaborative, and AI-integrated tools. Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable. Familiarity with Notion and AI assistants like Claude suggests an environment that values efficiency and leverages cutting-edge technology in its workflows.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Make It Matter: A focus on delivering work that has a tangible impact and is genuinely valuable to users and the business.

• Speak Up, Step Up: Encourages proactive communication, taking initiative, and owning responsibilities.

• Excellence Every Day: A commitment to high standards and continuous improvement in all aspects of work.

• Enjoy the Ride: Fosters a positive, human-centric, and enjoyable work environment.

Collaboration Style:

• Open Communication: Encourages transparency and sharing of ideas.

• Team-Oriented: Emphasis on winning together, both within the product team and with customers.

• Feedback-Driven: Actively gives and receives constructive feedback to enhance designs and processes.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers work closely with Product Owners and Engineers, ensuring alignment and shared understanding throughout the development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's core values are designed to foster a proactive, impactful, and collaborative culture. For a Product Designer, this means being comfortable taking ownership, contributing to discussions, and working closely with diverse teams to achieve shared goals.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Diverse Users: Balancing the needs of sophisticated M&A advisors with less experienced users, ensuring the platform is both powerful and accessible.

• Evolving Product Landscape: Integrating new features and AI capabilities seamlessly into an existing, mature product while maintaining consistency and usability.

• Data Interpretation: Effectively translating complex user data and analytics into actionable design improvements.

• Managing Stakeholder Expectations: Aligning design vision with business objectives and technical feasibility across various departments.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Design: Gaining hands-on experience in designing AI-powered features and understanding their user implications.

• M&A Domain Expertise: Deepening knowledge of the M&A process and the specific challenges faced by deal teams.

• Design System Advancement: Contributing to the growth and sophistication of a company-wide design system.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Enhancing skills in working with product, engineering, and customer success teams.

• Mentorship: Learning from experienced designers and product leaders within the company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a growing SaaS company in a complex domain, offering significant opportunities for a designer eager to learn and make an impact. The company's focus on AI and product evolution provides a fertile ground for professional growth.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance the needs of different user groups with conflicting requirements. How did you approach it?" (Focus on user research, prioritization, and compromise.)

• "How do you ensure your designs are scalable and maintainable within a growing design system?" (Prepare to discuss your experience with design systems, component libraries, and documentation.)

• "Walk us through a feature you designed that involved integrating AI. What were the key challenges and how did you address them?" (Emphasize user-centricity, ethical considerations, and clear communication of AI functionality.)

• "How do you use data and analytics to inform your design decisions, and how do you measure the success of those decisions?" (Be ready with specific examples of metrics and analytical approaches.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Virtual Vaults and our mission to transform dealmaking?" (Research the company's product, market position, and values.)

• "How do you embody our company values like 'Speak Up, Step Up' and 'Make It Matter' in your daily work?" (Connect your past experiences to these values.)

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with Product Managers and Engineers. How do you handle disagreements?" (Highlight your communication and problem-solving skills.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the 'Why': Clearly state the business problem or user need that initiated the project.

• Define Your Role: Be explicit about your contributions, especially if it was a team effort.

• Showcase Your Process: Walk through your research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and UI design stages. Explain the rationale for key decisions at each step.

• Highlight Iterations: Show how feedback (from users, data, or peers) influenced your design evolution.

• Quantify Results: Present the impact of your design using metrics and user feedback.

• Keep it Concise: Aim for 15-20 minutes for your portfolio walkthrough, leaving ample time for Q&A.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a structured design process, strong user empathy, collaborative capabilities, and a results-oriented mindset. Understanding Virtual Vaults' specific market and product challenges will be key to tailoring responses.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on jobs.virtualvaults.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features 2-3 detailed case studies that showcase your end-to-end product design process, user research, problem-solving skills, and measurable outcomes. Tailor the presentation to highlight relevant experience, such as working with design systems and complex workflows.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 3+ years of experience in product/UX design, highlighting proficiency in Figma, user research, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords such as "Product Design," "UX Design," "Figma," "User Research," and "Design Systems."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design philosophy, process, and the impact of your work. Prepare to discuss your experience with the tools mentioned (Figma, Notion) and your approach to user research and data analysis for the assigned interviews.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Virtual Vaults, its M&A platform, target audience, and company values. Understand their market position and how your design skills can contribute to their mission.

⚠️ 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.