Product Designer (h/f)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer (h/f)

Company: Smile Group (UX-Republic)

Location: Bordeaux, France

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: May 12, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years (Minimum 6 years required)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This is a high-impact Product Designer role, focusing on the complete UX/UI lifecycle from user research to high-fidelity visual design.

• The role emphasizes a "Product Thinking" mindset, requiring the designer to actively challenge backlogs and prioritize features for optimal product success and business KPI alignment.

• Data-informed design is a core expectation, with the use of analytics tools like Hotjar and Mixpanel to guide design decisions and measure impact.

• The designer will operate as a pivot within an Agile Squad, fostering close daily collaboration with developers and Product Managers to ensure seamless product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the original job title is "Product Designer," the description strongly emphasizes UX/UI expertise and a "Fullstack Design" capability, indicating a need for a candidate who can bridge both strategic product thinking and detailed visual execution. The operations category is broadened to "Product Design / UX/UI Design" to reflect this comprehensive scope. The hybrid work arrangement is inferred from typical agency/consulting models and the lack of explicit remote-only status.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end product design process, from initial user research and discovery to the creation of high-fidelity visual designs and prototypes.

• Actively participate in product strategy discussions, challenging the product backlog and prioritizing features based on user needs, business objectives, and data insights.

• Leverage analytics tools (e.g., Hotjar, Mixpanel) to inform design decisions, conduct A/B testing, and track the performance of design solutions against key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers to define product roadmaps and with development teams to ensure accurate implementation of designs and a smooth handoff process.

• Drive continuous improvement of the product through an iterative design approach, incorporating feedback and data to enhance user experience and business outcomes.

• Champion the user-centric design philosophy across the organization, ensuring that all design decisions prioritize user needs and create exceptional user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities are extrapolated from the "Vos Compétences Clés" and "Votre profil" sections, emphasizing the full-stack nature of the role and the strategic involvement in product development. The responsibility to "challenge the backlog and prioritize features" is a key indicator of strategic involvement beyond pure design execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of design principles, user-centered methodologies, and product development is essential. Backgrounds in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, or related fields are beneficial.

Experience: Minimum of 6 years of professional experience in Product Design, UX/UI Design, or a closely related field. Agency experience is preferred but not strictly required. A proven track record of successfully managing and delivering digital products from concept to launch is crucial.

Required Skills:

• Fullstack Design Proficiency: Demonstrated ability to handle the entire design spectrum, from user research, wireframing, and prototyping to high-fidelity UI design and visual asset creation.

• Product Thinking & Strategy: Capacity to understand business goals, challenge product roadmaps, and prioritize features based on strategic impact and user value.

• Data-Informed Design: Experience using analytics tools (e.g., Hotjar, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) to gather insights, inform design iterations, and measure design effectiveness against KPIs.

• Agile & Iterative Mindset: Proven ability to thrive in fast-paced, Agile environments, embracing rapid iteration, continuous feedback, and a flexible approach to design challenges.

• Technical Collaboration: Strong ability to work effectively and communicate clearly with software developers, Product Managers, and other stakeholders throughout the product development lifecycle.

• User Research & Usability Testing: Expertise in conducting user interviews, surveys, and usability testing to gather qualitative and quantitative data that informs design decisions.

• Portfolio: A compelling portfolio showcasing a range of projects, demonstrating problem-solving skills, design process, and successful product outcomes.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with design systems and component libraries.

• Familiarity with front-end development concepts (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to enhance collaboration with engineering teams.

• Experience in consulting or agency environments, working with diverse clients and industries.

• Proficiency in animation and motion design for enhanced user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "minimum 6 years of experience" is explicitly stated. The "Fullstack Design," "Product Thinking," "Data-Informed," and "Collaboration Tech" points from the original description are translated into specific required skills. The "Mindset Agile et culture de l'itération rapide" is also incorporated. A strong portfolio is a universal requirement for design roles and is therefore added as a crucial skill.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Project Showcase: Present at least 2-3 comprehensive case studies that detail your involvement in the entire product design lifecycle, from initial problem definition and user research to final design solutions and their impact.

• Problem/Solution Articulation: Clearly articulate the user problem or business challenge addressed in each project, the design process undertaken, and the rationale behind key design decisions.

• Visual Design Execution: Include high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and examples of design systems or style guides where applicable, demonstrating your UI and visual design capabilities.

• Impact & Metrics: Quantify the success of your designs by presenting relevant KPIs, user feedback, A/B test results, or other metrics that demonstrate the positive impact of your work on product performance and business goals.

Process Documentation:

• Design Process Flow: Illustrate your typical design process, highlighting how you integrate user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration within an Agile framework.

• Tool Proficiency Evidence: Showcase your familiarity with key design and analytics tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, Hotjar, Mixpanel) through examples of your work or explanations of how you've used them effectively.

• Collaboration Workflows: Describe how you collaborate with Product Managers and Developers, providing examples of effective communication, handoff processes, and feedback loops.

📝 Enhancement Note: Portfolio requirements are tailored for a Product Designer role, emphasizing end-to-end case studies, visual execution, and impact measurement. The "Data-Informed" and "Collaboration Tech" skills directly translate into requirements for demonstrating tool proficiency and collaboration workflows.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for experienced Product Designers (6+ years) in Bordeaux, France, and considering the hybrid work arrangement and full-time employment, the estimated annual gross salary range is €50,000 - €70,000. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, portfolio strength, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Mutuelle d'entreprise: Comprehensive company health insurance plan.

• Transport Reimbursement: 50% coverage for public transport costs.

• RTT Days: Minimum of 9 days of RTT (Reduction du Temps de Travail - Reduction of Working Time) per year, providing additional paid time off.

• Prime de vacances: Annual vacation bonus.

• Tickets Restaurant: Meal vouchers valued at €10, with 50% coverage by the employer.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours, typically around 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected in an Agile and hybrid environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary range is estimated for a Product Designer with 6+ years of experience in Bordeaux, France, using common French salary benchmarks for this role and experience level. Benefits are directly translated from the provided list. Working hours are inferred as standard full-time (40 hours) with implied flexibility for hybrid work.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: The company operates within the Digital Transformation, UX/UI Design, and Consulting sectors, with a strong focus on technology and innovation. UX-Republic is part of the SMILE Group, a prominent player in digital services.

Company Size: UX-Republic is described as a "company of talented collaborators" and part of the larger SMILE Group. UX-Republic itself is likely a medium-sized entity within the group, fostering a "human-sized" environment with the energy of a large corporation. This suggests a collaborative and supportive atmosphere with opportunities for growth.

Founded: UX-Republic was founded with a mission to design quality interfaces and bring performance to clients, emphasizing continuous improvement and employee satisfaction. Its integration into the SMILE Group (founded in 2000) provides it with expanded reach and resources.

Team Structure:

• Squad-Based Operations: Designers are embedded within cross-functional "Squads," working alongside Product Managers, developers, and other specialists.

• Expertise-Driven: The team comprises talented, passionate, and complementary individuals, with a strong emphasis on expertise in UX, Product Design, and digital transformation.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Daily interaction with developers and Product Managers is a core aspect of the role, fostering a highly collaborative and integrated working environment.

Methodology:

• User-Centric Design: The primary methodology revolves around placing the user at the heart of all projects, ensuring that designs are intuitive, effective, and delightful.

• Agile & Iterative Development: Embraces agile principles for rapid development, continuous feedback, and iterative improvements to products.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Utilizes analytics and user data to guide design choices, validate hypotheses, and measure the impact of design interventions.

Company Website: https://jobs.smile.eu (and likely ux-republic.com for UX-Republic specific information)

📝 Enhancement Note: Company culture and team structure are inferred from descriptions like "collaborateurs talentueux, passionnés et complémentaires," "environnement où amélioration continue et plaisir font partie du quotidien," "acteur majeur de l’UX en France," and "entreprise à taille humaine, avec l’énergie d’un grand groupe." The "Squad" terminology points to a specific team structure.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an experienced Product Designer, requiring a minimum of 6 years of experience. It's a key individual contributor role within a Squad, expected to function autonomously and lead the design efforts for a product. This level often involves mentoring junior designers and contributing to the evolution of design processes.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will work closely with a Product Manager and development team within a Squad. They will likely report to a Design Lead, Head of Design, or a similar senior position within UX-Republic or the broader SMILE Group.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and significant impact on product success and client performance. By ensuring user satisfaction and aligning designs with business KPIs, the Product Designer directly contributes to client satisfaction, revenue generation, and the overall strategic goals of the projects they work on.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX/UI, such as user research, interaction design, visual design, or design systems.

• Leadership Development: Potential to move into senior or lead designer roles, mentoring junior team members, and taking on more strategic product ownership.

• Consulting Expertise: Develop strong client-facing and consulting skills, becoming a trusted advisor for clients on digital transformation and product strategy.

• Cross-Industry Experience: Exposure to diverse industries (automotive, finance, retail, tech) allows for broad experience and adaptability.

• SMILE Group Synergy: Benefit from the broader opportunities and resources available within the SMILE Group, potentially leading to larger-scale projects or diverse roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career level is defined by the minimum experience requirement and the "pivot" nature of the role. Growth opportunities are extrapolated from typical career paths in design consulting and the company's stated ambitions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is described as hybrid, implying a mix of office-based work and remote work. The office environment is likely collaborative, designed to foster teamwork and innovation, as suggested by the company culture.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is Bordeaux, France, at 43 Rue d'Armagnac. The company may have other locations as part of the SMILE Group, but Bordeaux is the specified base for this role.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office space likely facilitates close collaboration with fellow designers, Product Managers, and developers, encouraging brainstorming sessions and knowledge sharing.

• Tool Access: Employees will have access to necessary design and collaboration tools, both in the office and for remote work.

• Team Interaction: Hybrid work allows for focused individual work remotely, balanced with in-person team meetings, workshops, and social interactions at the office.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, typically 40 hours per week, with a hybrid arrangement allowing for flexibility in where and when work is performed, within the bounds of project needs and team collaboration requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature is inferred from standard practices and the lack of explicit full-remote designation. The office environment is described based on typical agency/consulting firm setups that emphasize collaboration and innovation.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Contact (Phone Call): A preliminary discussion to understand your career aspirations and how they align with the opportunities at UX-Republic. Be prepared to briefly discuss your motivations for seeking a new role and your key career goals.

• In-Person/Video Meeting: A more in-depth conversation to explore your professional background, experience, and cultural fit with the team. This is an opportunity to ask detailed questions about the company and the role.

• Technical/Skills Assessment (Exchange with Expert): A discussion with a design expert to evaluate your technical skills, design process, and problem-solving abilities. This may involve discussing specific case studies from your portfolio or a small design challenge.

• Final Evaluation: A concluding discussion that may involve senior management or HR to finalize the decision, ensuring alignment on expectations and terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest, most relevant projects that demonstrate your full-stack design capabilities, product thinking, and data-informed approach.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions, and the measurable impact. Use visuals effectively to illustrate your work.

• Highlight Collaboration: Show examples of how you collaborated with Product Managers and developers, and how you leveraged data or user feedback.

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Briefly explain how you utilized specific tools (Figma, Hotjar, etc.) to achieve project goals.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with the company's focus on user experience, performance, and digital transformation.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If a design challenge is provided, ensure you fully understand the problem statement, target users, and business objectives.

• Outline Your Process: Prepare to articulate your design process clearly, even if time is limited. Focus on your strategic thinking and how you would approach the problem.

• Data & Iteration Focus: Be ready to discuss how you would use data and iteration to inform your decisions and validate your solutions.

• Communication is Key: Practice presenting your ideas concisely and confidently, anticipating potential questions about your approach and rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process steps are directly extracted from the "Les prochaines étapes" section of the job description. Portfolio and challenge preparation advice is tailored to a Product Designer role, emphasizing the skills and responsibilities highlighted in the job posting.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, XD) are likely core tools for wireframing, UI design, and prototyping.

• User Research & Analytics: Hotjar, Mixpanel, Google Analytics, or similar tools for understanding user behavior, collecting data, and informing design decisions.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Tools like Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, or Slack for team communication, task management, and workflow coordination.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Proficiency in interpreting data from analytics platforms to derive actionable insights for design improvements.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM/Automation role, understanding how design impacts user journeys within CRM systems or marketing automation workflows could be beneficial. Familiarity with how design integrates with customer data platforms is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools are inferred from the "Data-Informed" and "Collaboration Tech" skill requirements, as well as general industry standards for Product Designers.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs as the primary driver for all design and product decisions.

• Excellence & Continuous Improvement: A dedication to delivering high-quality work, constantly seeking opportunities to learn, grow, and refine processes and outcomes.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A belief in the power of collective intelligence, fostering an environment where open communication, knowledge sharing, and mutual support are paramount.

• Performance & Impact: A focus on tangible results, ensuring that design efforts directly contribute to client success and measurable business KPIs.

• Agility & Adaptability: Embracing change, iterating quickly, and adapting to new challenges and technologies in the fast-paced digital landscape.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Squads: Working seamlessly within cross-functional teams, fostering strong working relationships with Product Managers and Developers.

• Open Communication: Encouraging transparent dialogue, constructive feedback, and proactive problem-solving.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively participating in design critiques, sharing insights, and contributing to the collective learning of the team and organization.

• Data-Driven Dialogue: Using data and user insights as a common language to drive discussions and decision-making.

📝 Enhancement Note: Company values are inferred from the overall description, emphasizing user focus, continuous improvement, collaboration, and impact. The collaboration style is derived from the "Collaboration Tech" and "Mindset Agile" points.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Navigating the complexities of aligning user desires with client business objectives and technical constraints to deliver optimal solutions.

• Managing Multiple Projects/Clients: Effectively prioritizing and managing workload across various projects and client demands in a dynamic consulting environment.

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

• Driving Adoption of Design Best Practices: Championing user-centered design principles and data-informed approaches within client organizations and across internal teams.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Expert-Led Training: Access to internal experts and continuous learning opportunities within UX-Republic and the SMILE Group to enhance UX/UI skills.

• Cross-Industry Exposure: Gaining diverse experience by working on projects for clients in various sectors, broadening your understanding of different market dynamics.

• Mentorship Programs: Opportunities to be mentored by senior designers or to mentor junior team members, fostering leadership and skill development.

• Industry Conferences & Workshops: Potential to attend relevant industry events and workshops to stay current with best practices and network with peers.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are typical for experienced designers in consulting roles, focusing on balancing competing priorities and staying current. Growth opportunities are aligned with career progression in design and consulting, as well as benefits from being part of a larger group.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for tackling a new product design challenge from scratch, including how you would incorporate user research and business requirements."

• "How do you prioritize features when faced with a crowded product backlog and limited development resources?"

• "Walk me through a time you used data (e.g., analytics, A/B test results) to inform a significant design decision. What was the outcome?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about UX-Republic and the SMILE Group, and how do you see yourself contributing to our culture?"

• "How do you approach giving and receiving constructive feedback within a design team?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, your process, the solutions, and the measurable impact.

• Be Data-Driven: Highlight how you used data, user research, or testing to inform your decisions and showcase the results.

• Showcase Collaboration: Explain how you worked with Product Managers and Developers, and what tools you used for communication and handoff.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs, and how you would handle specific scenarios related to the role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions are crafted to probe the core skills and responsibilities mentioned in the job description, focusing on product thinking, data-informed design, collaboration, and strategic problem-solving.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

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

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 6+ years of experience, specific achievements in UX/UI design, product thinking, and data-informed approaches, using keywords from the job description (e.g., Fullstack Design, Product Thinking, Data-Informed, Agile).

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features end-to-end case studies that demonstrate your skills in user research, UI design, and your ability to drive product success with measurable results. Be ready to walk through your chosen projects in detail.

• Prepare for the Interview Stages: Familiarize yourself with the outlined interview process. Prepare to discuss your motivations, experience, and how your skills align with UX-Republic's values and the requirements of the Product Designer role. Practice articulating your design process and problem-solving approach.

• Research the Company: Understand UX-Republic's position in the market, its work with the SMILE Group, and its commitment to user experience and digital transformation. This will help you ask insightful questions and demonstrate your genuine interest.

⚠️ 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.