Product Designer, (Consultant, Experience & Design)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer, (Consultant, Experience & Design)

Company: Fearless

Location: Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Experience & Design Operations / Product Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-15

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

Remote Status: Remote OK (with specific state restrictions)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic development, implementation, and governance of a scalable design system to ensure consistent, accessible, and user-centered digital experiences.

• Drive cohesive cross-product user experience strategies by designing shared capabilities such as navigation, authentication, search, and notifications.

• Champion accessibility and inclusive design principles, ensuring adherence to modern web standards and assistive technology support.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Content Strategists, and Accessibility specialists to deliver high-quality, user-friendly solutions.

• Act as a consultant, potentially spanning domains like Content Design, Product Design, Service Design, Content Strategy, and User Research at a practical application level.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Consultant, Experience & Design," indicating a need for individuals who can not only execute design tasks but also provide strategic guidance, influence stakeholders, and potentially adapt their skillset across various design disciplines. The emphasis on a design system and cross-product collaboration suggests a focus on operationalizing design for efficiency and consistency at an enterprise level.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Evolve and govern the organization's design system, ensuring consistency, scalability, accessibility, and usability across all digital products.

• Define, document, and maintain reusable UI components, interaction patterns, and implementation guidance in close partnership with design and engineering teams.

• Collaborate with engineering to enhance shared platform capabilities, including navigation, file uploads, validation patterns, and other reusable UI elements.

• Design cohesive user experiences that span multiple applications and user journeys, driving cross-product UX strategy and defining shared interaction models.

• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to balance competing stakeholder needs, establishing scalable UX solutions for adoption across multiple teams and products.

• Lead accessibility initiatives, ensuring compliance with WCAG 2.1/2.2, ARIA, keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and inclusive design practices across products.

• Partner with Product Managers, Content Strategists, Engineers, and Accessibility specialists throughout the entire product lifecycle, from discovery to validation.

• Advocate for user-centered design principles, effectively balancing technical constraints with business objectives and user needs.

• Create comprehensive documentation, standards, and implementation guides to facilitate consistent adoption of shared design patterns by development teams.

• Review product implementations to ensure strict alignment with established design system standards and accessibility requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong focus on design operations, system thinking, and cross-functional leadership. The role requires not just design execution but also the ability to influence product strategy, establish standards, and ensure consistent implementation, which are key aspects of effective GTM and product operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: No specific degree is mandated, but a strong portfolio and relevant experience are paramount.

Experience: 3+ years of experience in UX, Product Design, Interaction Design, or Design Systems.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience building, maintaining, and governing enterprise-scale design systems.

• Demonstrated ability to design complex workflows spanning multiple products or platforms.

• Strong understanding of human-centered design principles, information architecture, interaction design, and visual hierarchy.

• Experience collaborating closely with front-end engineering teams, with a solid understanding of modern web technologies.

• Deep knowledge of accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.1/2.2, ARIA, keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and inclusive design practices.

• Experience validating designs across various browsers, devices, assistive technologies, and email clients.

• Proficiency in designing multilingual and localization-ready user experiences.

• Familiarity with enterprise design systems such as U.S. Web Design System (USWDS), Material Design, or similar frameworks.

• Experience facilitating cross-functional collaboration and driving alignment across multiple product teams.

• Excellent communication, documentation, and stakeholder management skills.

• Proficiency with modern design and collaboration tools such as Figma, FigJam, Jira, and Confluence. Preferred Skills:

• Experience working on enterprise SaaS or government digital services.

• Familiarity with USWDS and federal accessibility requirements.

• Knowledge of front-end implementation considerations (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, component-based frameworks).

• Experience establishing design governance processes and design review practices.

• Experience working within Agile product delivery environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize both technical design skills and softer "consultant" skills like stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration. The explicit mention of USWDS and federal accessibility requirements points towards potential government or highly regulated sector clients, which is common for consulting firms.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A link to your portfolio is mandatory with your application.

• The portfolio should clearly articulate your previous work, design approach, and your specific role in creating solutions.

• Showcase examples demonstrating experience with enterprise-scale design systems, including component design, pattern definition, and governance.

• Include case studies that highlight complex workflow designs spanning multiple products or platforms.

• Demonstrate your understanding and application of accessibility standards (WCAG, ARIA) in your designs.

• Provide examples of cross-product user experience strategies and cohesive design solutions. Process Documentation:

• Showcase ability to create clear and comprehensive documentation for design systems, including component specifications, usage guidelines, and implementation guidance.

• Demonstrate experience in documenting design governance processes and establishing design review practices.

• Examples of how you've facilitated cross-functional collaboration and alignment through documented processes.

• Illustrate how you translate user research and business requirements into actionable design documentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio and specific case studies is critical for design roles, especially in consulting. Candidates should prepare to showcase their ability to operationalize design through systems, documentation, and demonstrable impact on cross-functional teams and product consistency.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $77,326 - $115,000 per year (Hiring Range)

• Minimum Salary: $77,326

• Salary Midpoint: $100,524

• Maximum Salary: $125,655

• This position is eligible for a discretionary bonus based on individual and company performance. Benefits:

• Flexible, life-friendly schedules.

• 100% medical HSA plan coverage + HSA contributions.

• Dental & vision covered 100% for employee and dependents.

• Competitive premiums for HMO/PPO and dependent coverage.

• 401(k) with a 4% company match and immediate vesting.

• Paid Parental Leave and 12 weeks paid FMLA.

• Generous PTO, 11 Federal Holidays, a Birthday Holiday, and Sick Leave.

• Up to 15 days for Jury Duty and Bereavement Leave.

• Education, wellness, and tech allowances.

• Referral bonus program ($6K–$12K per referral).

• Pet insurance & discount plans.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• Legal support, life insurance, and disability coverage.

• Performance-Based Bonuses recognizing individual contributions and company success.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week (flexible scheduling available).

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a mid-level Product Designer role with specialized design systems and accessibility expertise. The benefits package is robust, emphasizing work-life balance, health and financial well-being, and professional development, which are attractive to experienced professionals. The mention of performance-based bonuses aligns with a consulting environment where impact is highly valued.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Integration Consultancy, Technology, Software, Consulting, Government & Public Sector.

Company Size: Fearless is a mid-sized consultancy, likely employing between 200-500 professionals based on typical consultancy structures that support diverse project needs. This size allows for both specialized expertise and a cohesive culture.

Founded: The founding date is not specified, but the company's mission suggests a focus on modern digital solutions and iterative development.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer will likely be part of a larger Experience & Design practice within Fearless, which may include other designers, researchers, and strategists.

• They will work in a project-based, cross-functional team structure, collaborating with Product Managers, Engineers, Content Strategists, and Accessibility specialists.

• Reporting will likely be to a Design Lead or Practice Manager within Fearless, while also aligning with client project leads. Methodology:

• Iterative Development: Fearless emphasizes iterative development to deliver smart, user-friendly solutions.

• User-Centered Design: A core tenet, ensuring products meet user needs.

• Evidence-Based Solutions: Balancing organizational goals with user needs through data and research.

• Inclusive and Sustainable Design Practices: Commitment to equity, curiosity, and innovation.

• Agile Methodologies: Preferred for product delivery, fostering adaptability and collaboration.

Company Website: https://jobs.fearless.com/us/en

📝 Enhancement Note: Fearless operates as a digital integration consultancy, suggesting a client-facing role where adaptability, strong problem-solving, and the ability to integrate into diverse project teams are key. Their "Purple Culture" emphasizes valuing individuals, supporting growth, autonomy, and community, which is a significant differentiator in the consulting space.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a "Consultant, Experience & Design" at a mid-level, requiring 3+ years of experience. It's a step towards senior design roles, offering opportunities to lead design system initiatives, influence cross-product strategies, and develop expertise in specialized areas like accessibility and potentially other design domains.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will report to a manager or lead within Fearless, while collaborating closely with client-side project teams. This dual reporting structure is common in consulting.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's impact is operationalized through the creation and maintenance of a scalable design system, which directly influences:

• Efficiency: Accelerating delivery timelines by providing reusable components and patterns.

• Consistency: Ensuring a unified user experience across diverse products and applications.

• Quality: Upholding accessibility standards and usability best practices.

• Scalability: Enabling teams to build and iterate rapidly.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design System Leadership: Deepen expertise in design operations, system governance, and scaling design practices.

• Cross-Disciplinary Skill Development: Opportunity to span domains like Content Design, Product Design, Service Design, Content Strategy, and User Research, as stated in the role description.

• Client Impact & Advisory: Develop strong client-facing skills, becoming a trusted advisor in design and user experience.

• Specialization: Further specialize in areas like advanced accessibility, federal design standards (USWDS), or enterprise SaaS design.

• Consulting Career Progression: Advance within Fearless's consulting framework, potentially moving into Senior Consultant, Lead Consultant, or practice management roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path is clearly defined within a consulting framework, emphasizing skill expansion and client advisory capabilities. The role is designed to build operational design expertise and strategic thinking, crucial for senior GTM and product operations roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a remote-first position, with employees working from their home offices.

Office Location(s): Fearless is licensed to hire in 15 specific states: Alabama, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. While the role is remote, candidates must reside in one of these states.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: Expect to utilize digital collaboration tools extensively (Figma, FigJam, Jira, Confluence, etc.) for design, communication, and project management.

• Client-Facing Interaction: The role involves significant interaction with client teams, requiring a professional and adaptable remote work setup.

• Focus on Autonomy: The "Purple Culture" emphasizes autonomy and clarity, meaning the remote environment supports independent work with clear objectives.

• Technology Access: Employees receive technology allowances, suggesting access to necessary hardware and software for effective remote work.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, with an emphasis on "flexible, life-friendly schedules," allowing for a degree of autonomy in managing work hours within project deadlines and client needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of the role, coupled with specific state hiring restrictions, is crucial information for applicants. The emphasis on collaboration tools and client interaction highlights the need for strong remote communication and self-management skills.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Introductory Interview: A screening call with a recruiter to assess rapport, review experience, discuss salary expectations, and explain the role details.

• Technical Assessment: A role-specific assessment designed to evaluate practical design skills. This could involve a design challenge, a portfolio walkthrough, or a problem-solving exercise.

• Skills + Business Fit Interview: A deeper dive session to review assessment results, explore situational and values-based questions, and evaluate alignment with Fearless's culture and project requirements.

• Customer Interviews (Potential): For specific projects, interviews with clients may be included.

• Background Check & Security Clearance (Potential): May be required depending on the client project.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best demonstrate your experience with design systems, cross-product design, accessibility, and complex workflows.

• Showcase Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, decisions, and impact in each project. Use "I" statements for your actions.

• Highlight Process: Detail your design process, from discovery and research to iteration and implementation guidance.

• Demonstrate Impact: Quantify results where possible (e.g., efficiency gains from design system adoption, improved accessibility scores, user satisfaction improvements).

• Accessibility Focus: Ensure your portfolio explicitly addresses how you incorporate accessibility into your design process and deliverables.

• Visual Clarity: Present your work in a clean, organized, and visually appealing manner.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the "Why": For any assessment or challenge, focus on understanding the underlying business and user problems.

• Design System Thinking: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach building or evolving a design system, including governance and adoption strategies.

• Accessibility Expertise: Be ready to discuss WCAG guidelines and practical application in design.

• Cross-Product Strategy: Think about how to create cohesive experiences across multiple applications.

• Stakeholder Management: Prepare examples of how you've managed competing needs and driven alignment.

• Tools Proficiency: Be comfortable discussing your experience with Figma, Jira, and Confluence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess both technical design capabilities and cultural fit. A strong, well-articulated portfolio is paramount, and candidates should prepare to discuss their process, impact, and alignment with Fearless's values and consulting approach.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Core tool for UI design, prototyping, and component creation. Expect advanced usage for design system development.

• FigJam: For collaborative ideation, whiteboarding, and workshop facilitation.

• Jira: For project management, task tracking, and workflow management, especially in Agile environments.

• Confluence: For documentation, knowledge sharing, and creating design system guidelines.

Analytics & Reporting: While not explicitly listed as primary tools for this role, understanding how to leverage analytics to inform design decisions and measure impact would be beneficial. This might involve familiarity with tools used by client teams.

CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable to this design role, but understanding how design systems integrate with broader product development and deployment pipelines is important.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and collaborative tools like FigJam is essential. Experience with project management tools like Jira and documentation platforms like Confluence is also critical for seamless integration within development workflows and for managing design system documentation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Value as a Whole Person: Fearless embraces individuality and supports employees beyond their job title, fostering a holistic work environment.

• Strength and Passion Alignment: Employees are matched with work that leverages their core strengths and interests.

• Coaching, Not Micromanagement: A supportive leadership style focused on guidance and development.

• Autonomy and Clarity: Empowering individuals with the freedom and clear direction to drive impact.

• Equity, Curiosity, and Innovation: A commitment to diversity, continuous learning, and creative problem-solving.

• Meaningful Work: Focus on delivering impactful solutions that matter.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Seamless collaboration with diverse teams (Product, Engineering, Content, Accessibility) is fundamental.

• Client Partnership: Building trust and serving as a trusted advisor to clients.

• Community Focus: Fostering a sense of community among Fearless team members.

• Open Communication: Encouraging clear, persuasive, and data-informed communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Purple Culture" is central to Fearless's identity. Candidates should demonstrate an understanding and alignment with these values, particularly around autonomy, collaboration, continuous learning, and a people-centric approach, which are vital for success in a consulting environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Competing Needs: Effectively managing diverse stakeholder requirements and project constraints to deliver scalable UX solutions.

• Driving Adoption: Ensuring consistent adoption of design system components and patterns across multiple product teams with varying priorities.

• Maintaining Consistency at Scale: Governing and evolving a design system that serves a growing portfolio of products and applications.

• Bridging Design and Engineering: Ensuring accurate implementation of designs and seamless collaboration with front-end developers.

• Navigating Client Environments: Adapting to different client cultures, processes, and technical stacks within consulting engagements.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Accessibility Expertise: Deepen knowledge in WCAG, ARIA, and assistive technologies, becoming a go-to expert.

• Design System Strategy: Develop skills in strategic design operations, governance models, and scaling design practices across large organizations.

• Cross-Disciplinary Exploration: Gain practical experience in Content Design, Service Design, and User Research, broadening professional capabilities.

• Consulting Skills Development: Enhance client advisory, stakeholder management, and business acumen through project experience.

• Federal Design Standards: Specialize in USWDS and federal government digital service requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents opportunities to tackle complex design operational challenges and grow into a specialized consultant with a broad skillset, particularly in design systems and accessibility.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for building or evolving a design system. How do you ensure adoption across teams?" (Focus on governance, documentation, and collaboration strategies.)

• "Walk me through a time you had to balance competing stakeholder needs to achieve a unified UX solution across multiple products. What was your approach?" (Highlight negotiation, compromise, and strategic decision-making.)

• "How do you approach ensuring accessibility in your designs? Can you give an example of a challenge you faced and how you overcame it?" (Demonstrate knowledge of WCAG and practical application.)

• "Describe your experience collaborating with front-end engineering teams. How do you ensure design fidelity and maintainability of components?" (Focus on communication, understanding technical constraints, and partnership.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do you embody Fearless's 'Purple Culture' values like autonomy, curiosity, and equity in your work?" (Connect your personal work style and values to the company's ethos.)

• "How do you approach learning new skills or adapting to new project requirements, reflecting our emphasis on continuous learning and adaptability?" (Showcase your growth mindset.)

• "What does 'meaningful work' mean to you, and how do you see yourself contributing to Fearless's mission of building a better tomorrow?" (Align your motivations with the company's purpose.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly state the problem, your role, the solution, and the impact.

• Highlight Design System Work: Dedicate specific slides or sections to your design system contributions, showcasing components, patterns, and governance.

• Emphasize Accessibility: Explicitly detail your accessibility considerations and solutions within your case studies.

• Showcase Collaboration: Illustrate how you worked with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design decisions, process, and challenges.

• Practice Your Walkthrough: Rehearse presenting your portfolio to ensure a smooth, concise, and engaging delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design execution but also strategic thinking, operationalizing design through systems, and embodying the consulting mindset required by Fearless.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Fearless jobs portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and prominently features projects demonstrating expertise in design systems, accessibility, and cross-product UX. Tailor any accompanying case studies to highlight relevant skills.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to emphasize keywords such as "design systems," "UX design," "accessibility," "WCAG," "Figma," "cross-product strategy," and "stakeholder management." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, your role in specific projects, and your understanding of Fearless's values and consulting approach. Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail.

• Company Research: Thoroughly review Fearless's website, particularly their "Purple Culture" and mission statement, to understand their values and approach to digital integration consulting. Research the USWDS if you have limited experience with it.

⚠️ 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.

---