Product Designer, Marketplace

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer, Marketplace

Company: Nelo

Location: Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design (Marketplace & E-commerce Focus)

Date Posted: June 18, 2026

Experience Level: 3-4 years (Mid-level)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is a critical first dedicated design hire for Nelo's expanding marketplace, offering significant ownership and impact.

• You will be responsible for the end-to-end design of core marketplace components, including navigation, checkout flows, merchant storefronts, and promotional placements, primarily for web and mobile web.

• The position requires a blend of product design, visual design, and marketing asset creation, emphasizing a proactive and adaptable approach to design challenges.

• You will collaborate closely with Product Management and Engineering within a cross-functional marketplace working group to translate business requirements into intuitive and effective design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a unique opportunity for a mid-level designer to lead and own a significant product area early in their career. The emphasis on both product and marketing design, coupled with the expectation of designing in ambiguity, suggests a fast-paced, high-impact environment where initiative and adaptability are highly valued. The role is ideal for someone seeking a step up in responsibility and direct influence over a product's user experience and commercial success.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and optimize marketplace navigation, checkout experiences, and product discovery features to reduce friction and enhance user conversion rates.

• Develop design solutions for new merchant integrations, custom checkout experiences, and seasonal promotional placements, ensuring seamless user journeys.

• Actively participate in cross-functional working sessions with Product Managers and Engineers, translating product requirements into actionable design decisions and articulating design rationale.

• Create a variety of marketing and communication assets, including campaign emails, social media posts, and promotional banners, ensuring visual consistency and brand alignment.

• Collaborate with the Brand Design team to maintain visual consistency across the marketplace, ensuring all design elements align with Nelo's brand guidelines.

• Conduct user research and competitive analysis to identify design opportunities and inform design strategies for the marketplace.

• Iterate on existing designs based on user feedback, performance metrics, and evolving business requirements, demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The inclusion of marketing asset creation alongside core product design responsibilities indicates a "full-stack" design expectation for this role. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate versatility in handling both strategic product UX/UI and tactical creative execution for campaigns. The emphasis on "designing in ambiguity" and "asking the right questions" suggests that proactive problem-solving and independent initiative are key performance indicators.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating design expertise and a solid understanding of design principles is paramount.

Experience: Approximately 3-4 years of relevant professional experience, with a significant portion focused on e-commerce or fintech product design.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience designing for web and mobile web platforms, with a focus on e-commerce or fintech applications.

• Demonstrated ability to create wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs using tools like Figma.

• Strong visual design skills, including a keen eye for layout, hierarchy, typography, and color, evident in a diverse portfolio.

• Experience designing for conversion optimization, particularly within checkout flows and promotional interfaces.

• Ability to work effectively in ambiguous environments, proactively identifying problems and proposing design solutions.

• Proficiency with design tools such as Figma, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator.

• Basic understanding of HTML for tracking down design elements in marketing assets.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and rationale to cross-functional teams. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI tools to enhance design workflows and efficiency.

• Familiarity with design systems and component governance, though not the primary focus of this role.

• Experience in a lean, fast-paced startup environment.

• Understanding of Latin American e-commerce or fintech markets.

• Ability to contribute to A/B testing strategies for design improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "3-4 years of experience" suggests a sweet spot Nelo is targeting for individuals ready for increased ownership. The emphasis on "personal projects" and "curiosity outside of product design" indicates a desire for candidates who are passionate and self-motivated, going beyond the typical job description to showcase their design capabilities and interests.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated selection of projects showcasing end-to-end product design, from initial problem definition to shipped solutions.

• Demonstrations of strong visual design taste, including examples of effective layouts, clear visual hierarchy, and thoughtful typography and color choices.

• Case studies that detail the design process, including problem identification, user research, ideation, iteration, and final outcomes.

• Examples of work on e-commerce or fintech platforms, specifically highlighting marketplace navigation, checkout flows, or promotional campaign designs.

• Projects that illustrate your ability to adapt designs for both web and mobile web interfaces. Process Documentation:

• Case studies should clearly articulate the "why" behind design decisions, supported by rationale and data where applicable.

• Illustrate how you diagnosed friction points and designed effective solutions, particularly for navigation and checkout processes.

• Showcase your ability to translate product requirements into design artifacts and collaborate with engineering and product teams.

• Include examples of marketing asset creation and how they align with broader product and brand strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: Nelo is looking for a portfolio that proves practical application of design skills in relevant contexts. The emphasis is less on design system documentation and more on the ability to "ship real product work" and "walk through what you designed, why you made those decisions, and what you would change now." This implies a need for stories of impact and learning.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for Product Designers with 3-4 years of experience in Mexico City, a competitive salary range is estimated between MXN $480,000 - $720,000 annually, plus equity. This estimate considers the fintech and e-commerce sectors, the hybrid work model, and Nelo's funding status.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and equity package.

• 100% coverage for medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO), offering flexibility and work-life balance.

• Extended parental leave, supporting new parents.

• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge AI tools and contribute to a rapidly growing fintech platform. Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, typically around 40 hours per week.

• Hybrid work arrangement allowing for flexibility, with regular time in the office and some remote work days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on general market data for Product Designers in Mexico City with 3-4 years of experience in tech/fintech roles. Actual compensation will be determined by Nelo based on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and the outcomes of the interview process. Equity is also a significant component, reflecting a startup environment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Consumer Fintech & E-commerce Platform. Nelo operates in a dynamic and competitive market, aiming to disrupt traditional credit systems in Latin America with innovative financial solutions and a seamless online shopping experience.

Company Size: Approximately 60 employees. This indicates a lean, agile, and highly cross-functional organizational structure where individual contributions have a significant and visible impact.

Founded: Nelo was founded with the mission to increase consumer buying power in Latin America, building a modern alternative to credit cards. The company has raised substantial venture capital and operates with a team of experienced leaders from major tech companies.

Team Structure:

• The marketplace team is lean and cross-functional by design, fostering close collaboration between product, engineering, and design.

• This role reports into the marketplace working group, implying direct interaction with Product Management and Engineering leads.

• Collaboration is expected to be highly integrated, with designers working alongside other functions to define and execute product strategy. Methodology:

• Nelo emphasizes velocity, intellectual rigor, and efficiency in its operations and product development.

• The company culture embraces AI tools as a daily workflow component across all teams, encouraging efficiency and innovation.

• Design work involves diagnosing friction, forming points of view, and producing solutions proactively, rather than waiting for detailed briefs.

Company Website: https://www.nelo.mx/es

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is characterized by a startup mentality emphasizing speed, intelligence, and effectiveness. The integration of AI tools and the expectation of proactive problem-solving are key cultural indicators that candidates should be aware of and prepared to embrace.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level Product Designer, specifically the first dedicated designer for the marketplace. It offers a significant step up in ownership compared to more junior roles, with direct responsibility for a key product surface.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, the role likely reports to a Head of Product or Design Lead, with direct day-to-day collaboration within the marketplace working group. Mentorship is provided by Lila, the Hiring Manager.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer directly influences the user experience of Nelo's marketplace, impacting key business metrics such as merchant acquisition, consumer conversion rates, GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume), and revenue. Decisions made in this role have tangible effects on the company's commercial success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Product Ownership: Gain extensive experience owning and shaping a critical product area, from initial concept to execution and iteration.

• Skill Development: Deepen expertise in e-commerce and fintech design, user experience optimization, and cross-functional collaboration. Exposure to AI tools will enhance technical and process efficiency skills.

• Leadership Potential: As the first dedicated marketplace designer, there is potential to establish best practices, mentor future hires, and grow into a leadership role within the design function as Nelo scales.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is designed for someone who wants to "run a product area" and achieve "real ownership." The growth path is less about structured programs and more about direct responsibility, exposure, and the opportunity to make a significant mark on a growing company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. The role is based in Mexico City, requiring regular time in the office with the marketplace team.

Office Location(s): Mexico City (CDMX), Mexico.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is designed for lean, cross-functional collaboration, with regular in-person interaction with product and engineering teams.

• The design stack includes Figma, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), and other tools that enhance productivity.

• The environment encourages the use of AI tools like Claude for daily workflows, fostering efficiency and innovation. Work Schedule:

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

• The hybrid model offers flexibility, balancing in-office collaboration with remote work days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on regular office time indicates a preference for collaborative work and team integration, while the hybrid aspect provides flexibility. The tech stack and AI tool integration are central to the daily work environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Interview with Hiring Manager (Lila): Focus on assessing your experience, design thinking, and fit for the marketplace team. Be prepared to discuss your background in e-commerce/fintech and your approach to design challenges.

2. Design Challenge: A practical exercise to evaluate your design skills, problem-solving abilities, and ability to translate requirements into design solutions. This may involve a specific marketplace problem or feature.

3. On-site Interview: Likely involves meeting with key stakeholders from Product, Engineering, and potentially other designers. This is an opportunity to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and deeper design expertise.

4. Background Check: Standard procedure.

5. Offer:

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: Select projects that clearly demonstrate your impact on business goals (e.g., conversion increases, reduced friction). Quantify results where possible.

• Tell a Story: For each project, explain the problem, your process, the rationale behind your decisions, and the outcome. Highlight what you learned and what you would do differently.

• Demonstrate Range: Include examples of both product design (flows, wireframes, UI) and marketing/promotional asset design. Showcase your visual design taste.

• Highlight Ambiguity Navigation: If possible, include a project where you had to define the problem or scope yourself, demonstrating your ability to design in ambiguity.

• Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your familiarity with Figma, Adobe Suite, and how you leverage AI tools in your workflow.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: Research Nelo, its mission, and its marketplace. Understand the problems Nelo is trying to solve for its users and merchants.

• Focus on Process: For the design challenge, emphasize your thought process, how you approach problem-solving, and how you would collaborate with stakeholders.

• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to articulate your design decisions, trade-offs, and potential next steps.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to evaluate a candidate's practical skills, problem-solving approach, and cultural fit. The portfolio review is critical; it should be a narrative of your design journey and impact, not just a collection of visuals.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

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

• Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop and Illustrator for asset creation, image editing, and potentially more complex visual design tasks.

• AI Tools (e.g., Claude): Integrated into daily workflows for efficiency, research, content generation, and problem-solving. Candidates should be comfortable and adept at using these tools.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as a design tool, designers are expected to leverage data and user feedback. Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Amplitude, Google Analytics) for understanding user behavior and validating design decisions would be beneficial. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the design role, but understanding how design impacts the customer journey within CRM and marketing automation contexts can be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, Adobe Suite, and AI tools like Claude highlights the expected technical proficiency. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience and comfort level with these technologies, particularly how AI is integrated into their design process.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Velocity, Intellectual Rigor, and Efficiency: Nelo values speed in execution, sharp analytical thinking, and optimizing processes for maximum output.

• Ownership: Individuals are expected to take full responsibility for their areas, driving initiatives and making decisions proactively.

• Collaboration: A lean, cross-functional environment requires strong teamwork, open communication, and the ability to integrate with diverse perspectives.

• Innovation: Embracing new tools and methodologies, such as AI, is encouraged to drive continuous improvement and stay ahead in the market.

• Data-Driven Approach: Decisions should be informed by data and user insights, with a focus on measuring impact and iterating for better results.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers work closely with Product Managers and Engineers in a "working group" model, ensuring alignment and shared understanding of goals.

• Direct Feedback: The lean structure allows for direct feedback loops, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

• Proactive Communication: Open and frequent communication is key to navigating ambiguity and ensuring all team members are aligned on design direction and project status.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at Nelo is fast-paced and results-oriented, with a strong emphasis on individual initiative and collaborative problem-solving. Candidates who thrive in dynamic environments and are comfortable with direct communication and feedback will likely be a good fit.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing in Ambiguity: The primary challenge is defining and solving problems with less structured guidance, requiring strong initiative and critical thinking.

• Balancing Product vs. Marketing Design: Juggling core product design responsibilities with the need to create marketing assets requires adaptability and efficient time management.

• Rapid Scaling: Contributing to the design of a rapidly growing marketplace means adapting to evolving requirements and potentially high design velocity.

• AI Integration: While an opportunity, fully leveraging AI tools and adapting to their evolving capabilities within design workflows can be a learning curve.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Product Ownership: The chance to own a significant product surface is a major growth opportunity, allowing for deep impact and learning.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Working closely with PMs and Engineers will enhance understanding of business strategy and technical constraints.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining experience in both fintech and e-commerce within a high-growth startup environment provides valuable industry insights.

• Tool Mastery: Becoming proficient with Figma, advanced design techniques, and AI-driven design tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a significant growth opportunity for a designer ready to take on more responsibility. The challenges are framed as opportunities for learning and development, particularly in areas of autonomy and broad design application.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design a complex user flow in an ambiguous situation. How did you approach it, what questions did you ask, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, research, and ability to define problems.)

• "How do you balance the needs of end-users with business objectives, particularly in an e-commerce marketplace context?" (Demonstrate understanding of conversion goals and user satisfaction.)

• "Walk us through a project where you collaborated closely with Product Managers and Engineers. What were the key challenges in that collaboration, and how did you overcome them?" (Highlight communication and teamwork skills.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Nelo's mission to increase buying power in Latin America?" (Show genuine interest in the company's vision.)

• "How do you approach integrating AI tools into your design workflow? Can you give an example of how you've used AI to improve efficiency or outcomes?" (Be prepared to discuss your experience and enthusiasm for AI.)

• "Describe your ideal work environment and how you thrive in a lean, fast-paced team." (Align your preferences with Nelo's culture.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Story: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, your process, key decisions, and the impact. Use visuals effectively to support your narrative.

• Highlight Decision-Making: Focus on why you made certain design choices, not just what you designed. Connect your decisions to user needs and business goals.

• Showcase Range: Present a mix of your product design work (flows, UI) and any marketing/promotional asset design.

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

• Be Ready for Live Design: You may be asked to elaborate on specific aspects of your portfolio or even sketch out ideas live.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating your ability to navigate ambiguity, your understanding of e-commerce/fintech design principles, and your proactive approach to problem-solving and collaboration. Be ready to discuss your experience with AI tools extensively.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best represent your e-commerce/fintech experience, visual design skills, and ability to design in ambiguity. Ensure each project tells a compelling story of problem, process, and impact.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight keywords relevant to product design, marketplace, e-commerce, fintech, Figma, UI/UX, and any experience with AI tools. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on your design process, decision-making rationale, and the outcomes achieved. Be ready to discuss your experience with marketing assets and AI tools.

• Research Nelo: Understand Nelo's mission, target market, and competitive landscape. Familiarize yourself with their current marketplace and any potential design improvements you might suggest (without being overly critical).

⚠️ 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.