Senior Designer- Design Systems(Contract)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Designer - Design Systems (Contract)

Company: Lokal App

Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Job Type: CONTRACTOR

Category: Design Operations / Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-06-24

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (Remote/On-site)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the development and scaling of a comprehensive design system for a multi-product mobile ecosystem, focusing on foundational elements, tokens, and reusable components.

• Architect and implement a sophisticated token structure optimized for React Native, Compose Multiplatform, and legacy Android environments, ensuring seamless integration and maintainability.

• Drive close collaboration between design and engineering teams to facilitate efficient design-to-code workflows and ensure the feasibility and consistency of implemented designs.

• Develop robust documentation for the design system, covering component usage, naming conventions, contribution workflows, and scalability guidelines to foster adoption and evolution.

• Focus on building a consistent, accessible, and themable user experience across Lokal's diverse portfolio of mobile applications catering to Tier-2/3 Indian users.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Designer," the responsibilities and required skills clearly indicate a specialized role focused on Design Systems, bridging the gap between design and engineering. The emphasis on architecture, tokenization, and engineering implementation suggests a need for a candidate with a strong systems-thinking mindset and a deep understanding of technical constraints and possibilities within mobile development. The role is explicitly contract-based with an initial 6-month engagement, making it crucial for candidates to understand the project's scope and potential for extension.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end definition, refinement, and evolution of core visual design systems, including color palettes, typography scales, spacing systems, semantic tokens, and accessibility standards.

• Architect a multi-level design token structure (Global, Semantic, Component, Theme-level) specifically optimized for React Native, Compose Multiplatform, and legacy Android ecosystems.

• Refine and standardize a mobile-first component library, ensuring high reusability, flexible variants, and consistent patterns for elements such as Buttons, Inputs, Cards, Bottom Sheets, Navigation, Banners, and Toasts.

• Define and implement theming rules and customization patterns to allow for product-specific branding and user preferences while maintaining a cohesive overall user experience across the Lokal app family.

• Build and maintain scalable Figma libraries, ensuring proper structure, variable usage, and adherence to naming conventions for efficient collaboration and handoff.

• Collaborate closely with product designers and engineers to support design-to-code workflows, ensuring design implementation feasibility and fidelity.

• Create practical and comprehensive documentation covering component usage, token structures, contribution workflows, and scalability guidelines for the design system.

• Contribute to the strategic vision for the design system, considering its evolution and expansion across Lokal's growing portfolio of focused applications.

• Ensure design system components and foundations meet accessibility standards (WCAG) and support light/dark modes effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a strong systems-thinking approach and an understanding of technical implementation, particularly for mobile platforms like React Native and Compose Multiplatform. The role requires not just visual design skills but also architectural thinking for design tokens and component reusability across multiple products.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

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

• 5-10 years of professional experience in UI/UX design, with a significant focus on building, scaling, and maintaining design systems in production environments.

• Proven experience working on mobile-first products, understanding the unique challenges and opportunities of mobile design.

• Demonstrated experience in defining and implementing design tokens and semantic systems for consistent and scalable design.

• Experience collaborating effectively with engineering teams, understanding design-to-code workflows and implementation constraints. Required Skills:

• Strong expertise in building and scaling design systems from the ground up.

• Advanced proficiency in Figma, including mastery of its system-building capabilities (e.g., components, variants, auto layout, styles, variables).

• Deep understanding of design token architecture, semantic systems, and their application in creating flexible and maintainable design languages.

• Proven ability to think in scalable, multi-product systems and understand how design decisions impact a broader ecosystem.

• Excellent documentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex design system concepts clearly and concisely.

• Strong systems-thinking capabilities, enabling the architecting of robust and adaptable design solutions.

• Experience in defining and implementing accessibility foundations and usability standards. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with React Native ecosystems, including understanding component development and integration.

• Familiarity with Compose Multiplatform or native Android development systems (Kotlin/Java).

• Practical experience with design token tooling such as Tokens Studio, Figma Variables, or Style Dictionary.

• Experience working with multi-product or multi-brand design systems.

• Previous experience in a startup environment, demonstrating adaptability and a fast-paced work ethic.

• Experience designing for Indian/Bharat users, understanding cultural nuances and user needs.

• A strong portfolio showcasing shipped or production-level design systems with clear examples of impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must Have" and "Good to Have" sections are crucial. The emphasis on Figma expertise, design tokens, and mobile-first products, coupled with the explicit preference for React Native and multi-product system experience, paints a clear picture of the ideal candidate profile. The mention of "Startup experience" and "Experience designing for Indian/Bharat users" adds valuable context for candidates to tailor their applications. The portfolio requirement is critical for demonstrating practical application of these skills.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A dedicated section or case study showcasing your experience in building, scaling, or significantly contributing to a production-level design system.

• Clear examples of foundational elements (color, typography, spacing, iconography) and a comprehensive component library you have developed or managed.

• Demonstrations of your approach to design token architecture, including how you've structured and implemented them for scalability and theming.

• Evidence of your collaboration with engineering teams, illustrating how you've facilitated design-to-code handoffs and ensured implementation fidelity.

• Examples of documentation created for design systems, highlighting clarity, comprehensiveness, and usefulness for design and engineering teams.

• Case studies that detail the problem, your proposed system-based solution, the implementation process, and the measurable impact on product development efficiency or user experience. Process Documentation:

• Showcase examples of how you've documented design system components, including usage guidelines, best practices, and variant explanations.

• Include examples of design token documentation, detailing their purpose, structure, and application across different contexts (e.g., light/dark mode, different themes).

• Present documentation for contribution workflows, outlining how designers and engineers can propose new components or updates to the system.

• Demonstrate your approach to documenting accessibility standards and interaction principles within the design system framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on design systems, the portfolio is paramount. It should not just show visual assets but demonstrate a deep understanding of systems thinking, modular design, and the practicalities of implementation in a multi-product, mobile-first environment. The ability to articulate the "why" behind design system decisions and their impact is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Given the contract nature, hybrid work arrangement, and the specialized skill set required (Senior Designer with strong Design Systems expertise, Figma mastery, and mobile development understanding), a competitive hourly or daily rate would be expected. For Bengaluru, India, and considering the 5-10 years of experience level, a typical rate for such a contract role could range from ₹2,500 to ₹6,000+ per hour, or an equivalent monthly retainer. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for contract design system specialists in major Indian tech hubs, factoring in the demand for specialized skills and the hybrid work model. Benefits:

• As a contractor, specific benefits may vary. However, common arrangements for contract roles of this duration and type often include:

• Competitive hourly or project-based compensation.

• Potential for contract extension based on performance and project needs.

• Opportunity to work with a fast-growing, well-funded startup with a mission to connect Tier-2/3 India.

• Exposure to a diverse portfolio of mobile applications and a dynamic product development environment.

• Flexible work arrangements (Hybrid model).

• Opportunities for professional development through exposure to advanced design system practices and cross-functional collaboration. Working Hours:

• The role is listed as Hybrid, with an implied standard workweek of approximately 40 hours. The contract duration is initially 6 months, with a preference for immediate start. Flexibility may be expected given the contract nature and the fast-paced startup environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary for contract roles is highly variable and dependent on negotiation. The provided range is an estimate based on market research for specialized contract design roles in Bengaluru. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their expected rates based on their experience and the project's scope. Benefits are typically less comprehensive for contractors compared to full-time employees, so clarifying specific inclusions is important.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology / Internet Services / Mobile Applications

Company Size: Lokal App is backed by significant investors and operates a family of focused apps. While the exact number of employees isn't specified, investor backing and a multi-product strategy suggest a growing organization, likely in the startup to scale-up phase (potentially 50-250+ employees, though this is an inference). The company's mission to serve Tier-2/3 India indicates a user-centric and socially impactful approach.

Founded: Lokal was founded in 2018, starting as a WhatsApp group, evolving into a house of focused apps. This history suggests a lean, agile, and iterative approach to product development.

Team Structure:

• The Senior Designer - Design Systems will likely be part of the Product Design or Core Engineering team.

• They will report to a Design Lead or Head of Product/Design, with close collaboration across Engineering teams (especially front-end developers working with React Native, Compose Multiplatform, and Android).

• Cross-functional collaboration will be essential, working with Product Managers, other Designers, and Engineers to ensure the design system meets the needs of various product verticals. Methodology:

• Agile and iterative product development, characterized by "shipping fast, learning fast."

• Data-driven decision-making, leveraging insights from users in Tier-2/3 India.

• User-centric design, with a focus on local languages and specific use cases.

• Emphasis on building robust, scalable systems that support a growing portfolio of applications.

Company Website: getlokalapp.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Lokal's origin story as a WhatsApp group highlights its grassroots, user-insight-driven approach. The "house of focused apps" model implies a need for a robust, scalable design system that can efficiently support diverse product needs while maintaining brand consistency. The company's focus on "Bharat" (India) suggests a deep understanding of local markets and languages is valued.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a specialized senior individual contributor position within the Design discipline, focusing specifically on Design Systems. It's a critical role for ensuring design and development efficiency and consistency across Lokal's expanding product suite.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Designer - Design Systems will likely report to a Design Lead, Head of Product, or a similar senior design management role. They will work very closely with front-end engineering leads and teams responsible for React Native, Compose Multiplatform, and native Android development.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct and significant impact on operational efficiency by:

• Accelerating product development cycles through reusable components and standardized design patterns.

• Ensuring brand consistency and a cohesive user experience across all Lokal applications, strengthening brand recognition and user trust.

• Reducing design and development debt by establishing clear guidelines and a single source of truth.

• Improving collaboration and communication between design and engineering teams.

• Enhancing accessibility and usability across products, broadening the user base. Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization Deepening: Further refine expertise in advanced design system architecture, tokenization strategies, and cross-platform implementation.

• Technical Skill Expansion: Gain deeper insights into React Native, Compose Multiplatform, and native Android development processes and challenges.

• Leadership Potential: Transition into a Design Systems Lead role, managing a team or owning the strategic direction of the design system across the organization.

• Cross-Product Strategy: Influence the broader product strategy by advocating for design system best practices and their impact on business goals.

• Mentorship: Guide and mentor junior designers and engineers on design system principles and implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a Design Systems specialist is often towards leadership within the design ops or core product design function, or becoming a highly sought-after expert in the field. The contract nature means immediate impact and project-based achievements are key, with potential for longer-term engagement or leveraging this experience for future senior roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. This suggests a model where employees are expected to work from a physical office location for a portion of the week, with the flexibility to work remotely for the remainder. This balances the collaborative benefits of in-person interaction with the flexibility of remote work.

Office Location(s): Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. This is a major tech hub in India, offering access to talent and a vibrant ecosystem. Specific office details (e.g., address, amenities) are not provided but can be assumed to be in a professional business district.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model is designed to foster collaboration, allowing for in-person brainstorming sessions, design reviews, and team syncs.

• Operations Tools and Technology: Access to necessary design software (Figma), potential design token tools, and communication platforms will be provided. The role requires proficiency in these tools.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with a diverse team of designers, engineers, product managers, and potentially leadership, contributing to a dynamic and engaging work environment.

Work Schedule: The role implies a standard workweek, likely around 40 hours, with flexibility inherent in the hybrid model. The contract is for an initial 6-month period, with an immediate start preferred, indicating a need for prompt integration into ongoing projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role in a major tech city like Bengaluru is appealing. Candidates should inquire about the specific expectations for in-office days and the typical team structure they would be interacting with to gauge the collaborative dynamics.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a brief call with HR or a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience, and understanding of the contract role.

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, focusing on design system case studies. This will involve discussing their approach to architecture, tokenization, component design, collaboration with engineers, and documentation. Expect technical questions related to Figma, design tokens, and mobile development concepts.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: Potentially a practical exercise or a more in-depth case study presentation where the candidate is asked to critique an existing system, propose solutions for a specific problem, or outline their approach to building a new system component.

• Team/Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager and potentially key design or engineering stakeholders to assess cultural fit, communication skills, and overall suitability for the role and team dynamics.

• Final Offer & Contract Discussion: Negotiation of the contract terms, rate, and duration.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Design System Impact: Clearly articulate the "before" and "after" of your design system contributions. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., reduced development time, increased consistency score, faster onboarding).

• Showcase Systems Thinking: Demonstrate your ability to think holistically about how components, tokens, and guidelines interact and scale across multiple products. Use diagrams and flowcharts to illustrate complex relationships.

• Detail Your Process: For each case study, explain your problem-solving approach, your decision-making rationale (especially for token architecture and component variations), and your collaboration methods.

• Focus on Mobile-First: Emphasize your understanding of mobile constraints and best practices. If you have experience with React Native or Compose Multiplatform, highlight how your design system supports these technologies.

• Documentation Clarity: Include examples of your documentation. It should be clear, concise, and actionable, demonstrating your ability to communicate design system principles effectively.

• Tailor to Lokal: If possible, research Lokal's existing apps and try to anticipate their design system needs. Show how your experience aligns with their mission and user base.

Challenge Preparation:

• Figma Proficiency: Be prepared to demonstrate advanced Figma skills, including variables, component properties, auto layout, and library management.

• Tokenization Strategy: Understand different token structures (e.g., global, semantic, component, theme) and be ready to discuss their pros and cons for a multi-product ecosystem.

• Design-to-Code Handoff: Be ready to discuss best practices for seamless handoff to engineers, including communication strategies and common pitfalls.

• Scalability & Theming: Prepare to discuss how you would design a system that can scale across multiple products and support theming for different brands or user preferences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a specialized role like this will be rigorous, focusing heavily on practical application and systems thinking. Candidates should be prepared to "show, don't just tell" their design system expertise through their portfolio and their responses to technical questions.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for design creation, prototyping, and design system management. Proficiency with advanced features like Variables, Components, Variants, Auto Layout, and Libraries is critical.

• Design Token Tools (Preferred): Experience with tools like Tokens Studio, Figma Variables, or Style Dictionary for managing and exporting design tokens.

• Documentation Platforms: Tools for creating and hosting design system documentation (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook, Confluence, or custom solutions).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly responsible for analytics, understanding how design system usage is tracked and how design decisions impact user behavior metrics will be beneficial. Familiarity with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel) could be a plus. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this role, but understanding how design systems support the front-end development process, which often involves automation for build and deployment, is relevant.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technical requirement revolves around Figma and the principles of design systems. While specific tokenization tools are preferred, understanding the concepts and architecture of design tokens is more important than having used a particular tool. Familiarity with mobile development ecosystems (React Native, Compose Multiplatform) is also a significant technical differentiator.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of Tier-2/3 Indian users, prioritizing accessibility and local language support.

• Agility & Speed: A "ship fast, learn fast" mentality, embracing iterative development and quick adaptation based on feedback.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on cross-functional teamwork, open communication, and mutual respect between design, engineering, and product teams.

• Impact-Driven: A focus on building products and systems that create tangible positive change and access for users.

• Innovation: Encouraging experimentation and creative problem-solving to address unique market challenges.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close partnership with engineering to ensure design feasibility, smooth implementation, and efficient workflows.

• Design-to-Code Alignment: A collaborative approach to translate design specifications into functional code, with open feedback loops.

• Documentation-First Mindset: Valuing clear, accessible documentation as a key enabler of widespread adoption and understanding of the design system.

• Shared Ownership: Fostering a sense of collective responsibility for the design system's success and evolution across product teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: Lokal's culture appears to be a blend of a fast-paced startup environment with a strong social mission. The emphasis on serving "Bharat" users suggests a deep cultural understanding and a commitment to accessibility and inclusivity. The collaboration style will be critical for a design systems role, requiring strong communication and partnership skills.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scalability Across Diverse Products: Managing a design system that needs to serve a growing "house of apps" with potentially different branding needs or feature sets.

• Cross-Platform Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive experience across React Native, Compose Multiplatform, and legacy Android, each with its own nuances.

• Adoption and Governance: Driving adoption of the design system across multiple product teams and establishing clear contribution and governance models.

• Balancing Standardization and Flexibility: Creating a system that is robust and consistent yet flexible enough to accommodate unique product requirements without becoming unwieldy.

• Technical Debt Management: Working with potentially legacy systems or evolving technologies to maintain and update the design system effectively.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Mobile Technologies: Gaining hands-on experience and deeper technical understanding of React Native and Compose Multiplatform.

• Advanced Design System Architecture: Exploring cutting-edge practices in design tokenization, theming, and cross-platform design system strategies.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Developing skills in influencing product strategy and collaborating with diverse stakeholders across engineering, product, and design.

• Exposure to a Rapidly Growing Startup: Gaining invaluable experience in a dynamic, high-growth environment with a strong social mission.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to any design systems role, especially in a multi-product environment. The growth opportunities are significant, particularly for those looking to deepen their technical understanding and leadership capabilities within the design operations space.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach architecting a multi-level design token system for an ecosystem of 10+ mobile applications, considering React Native, Compose Multiplatform, and legacy Android?"

• "Describe a time you had to convince engineering or product teams to adopt a new design system component or standard. What was your strategy, and what was the outcome?"

• "Walk me through your process for documenting a complex design system component, including its variants, states, and accessibility considerations."

• "Imagine Lokal needs to introduce a new 'dark mode' for all its applications. How would you incorporate this into an existing design system?"

• "What are the key differences and challenges in building design systems for native Android versus React Native?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on Lokal's mission and user base, what do you see as the biggest design system challenges and opportunities for this company?"

• "How do you ensure inclusivity and accessibility in design systems, particularly for a diverse user base like that in Tier-2/3 India?"

• "Describe your ideal collaboration dynamic with product managers and front-end engineers."

• "How do you stay updated with the latest trends and best practices in design systems and mobile design?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of your design system philosophy and achievements, then dive into 1-2 key case studies that best represent your capabilities.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use live Figma examples, interactive prototypes, or clear screenshots to illustrate your points. For token architecture, use visual representations.

• Quantify Your Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics on how your design system improved efficiency, consistency, or user experience.

• Articulate the 'Why': Be prepared to explain the rationale behind your design decisions, especially regarding token structure, component variations, and theming strategies.

• Highlight Collaboration: Clearly demonstrate how you worked with engineers and product teams, showcasing your communication and problem-solving skills in a team setting.

• Address the Contract Nature: Be ready to discuss your availability, expectations for the 6-month engagement, and your approach to quickly integrating and delivering value.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for a candidate who not only understands the technical aspects of design systems but also possesses strong strategic thinking, communication, and collaboration skills, with a clear understanding of how design systems drive business value and operational efficiency.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Designer - Design Systems (Contract) position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workable portal link.

• Tailor your Resume: Ensure your resume clearly highlights experience in building and scaling design systems, proficiency with Figma, design token expertise, and experience with mobile-first products. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest design system case studies that best demonstrate your skills in architecture, tokenization, component design, and engineering collaboration. Ensure it's easily accessible and well-organized.

• Prepare a Concise Cover Letter: Briefly explain why you are a strong fit for this specific contract role, highlighting your most relevant experiences and your enthusiasm for Lokal's mission.

• Research Lokal App: Familiarize yourself with Lokal's existing apps, their mission, and their target audience to better tailor your application and interview responses.

• Practice your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio, focusing on clear articulation of your process, decisions, and impact, especially for your design system case studies.

⚠️ 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.