Senior Mobile Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Mobile Product Designer

Company: Timeleft

Location: Remote - Europe (with Paris, France as a derived primary location)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: September 29, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive end-to-end product design for Timeleft's mobile app, web surfaces, and design system, setting the quality bar for all design output.

• Lead the design process from concept exploration and prototyping to detailed interaction and visual design, with a strong focus on user-centric solutions.

• Partner directly with Product Managers and Engineers to translate business goals and user insights into impactful product experiences.

• Champion systems thinking to ensure consistency and scalability, actively evolving the company's design system.

• Leverage AI-powered design tools to enhance creative exploration, prototyping efficiency, and insight synthesis.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Individual Contributor (IC) with no direct design management. The candidate will be the most senior design voice, requiring a proactive, self-directed approach to setting design direction and quality standards for a consumer-facing product. The primary focus is on mobile-first experiences, but also encompasses web and back-office tools, demanding a broad understanding of product design across various platforms.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete design lifecycle for Timeleft's mobile applications, web interfaces, and internal tools, ensuring a cohesive and high-quality user experience.

• Translate complex product requirements and user research findings into intuitive and engaging user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity mockups.

• Develop and iterate on prototypes to test design concepts, gather feedback, and validate solutions with stakeholders and users.

• Contribute to the strategic direction of the product by identifying user needs and proposing innovative design solutions that align with business objectives.

• Actively participate in product discovery sessions, collaborating with cross-functional teams to define problems and explore potential opportunities.

• Maintain and evolve Timeleft's design system, ensuring its consistency, scalability, and adoption across all product touchpoints.

• Communicate design rationale, user insights, and proposed solutions clearly and persuasively through compelling storytelling and data-driven arguments.

• Embrace an agile mindset, adapting design plans and priorities as needed in response to evolving project requirements and market feedback.

• Utilize AI tools within the design workflow to accelerate ideation, explore diverse design directions, and synthesize user feedback more efficiently.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a comprehensive ownership model, requiring the Senior Product Designer to not only execute design tasks but also to influence product strategy and champion best practices. The integration of AI tools suggests a forward-thinking approach to design, where efficiency and innovation are key drivers.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong academic foundation in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is often beneficial. Candidates will be evaluated primarily on their portfolio and practical experience.

Experience: 5+ years of dedicated experience in designing mobile-first consumer products, with a proven track record of end-to-end design ownership.

Required Skills:

• Mobile-First Product Design: Extensive experience designing intuitive and engaging user experiences for iOS and Android mobile applications.

• UX/UI Design Expertise: Deep understanding of user-centered design principles, information architecture, interaction design, and visual design aesthetics.

• Design System Development & Management: Proven ability to create, maintain, and scale design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency across products.

• Prototyping Proficiency: Mastery of modern prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) for creating interactive prototypes at various fidelity levels.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Demonstrated success working effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, and other stakeholders to deliver successful product outcomes.

• Systems Thinking: Ability to analyze complex problems and design holistic solutions that consider the interconnectedness of product components and user journeys.

• Communication & Storytelling: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions, present findings, and build consensus.

• Agile Methodology: Familiarity with agile development processes and ability to adapt design workflows within an iterative development cycle.

• AI Design Tools: Experience using AI-powered tools to augment design processes, from ideation and exploration to synthesis and prototyping.

• Consumer Product Background: Experience designing for consumer-facing applications, ideally within social, dating, community, or marketplace sectors.

Preferred Skills:

• User Research & Testing: Experience conducting user interviews, usability testing, and synthesizing research findings to inform design decisions.

• Data Analysis for Design: Ability to interpret product analytics and user data to identify design opportunities and measure impact.

• Web Design & Cross-Platform Consistency: Experience designing for web interfaces and ensuring a consistent brand and user experience across mobile and web platforms.

• Visual Design Polish: A keen eye for detail and the ability to craft visually appealing and polished interfaces that align with brand identity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "5+ years" combined with "Senior IC" strongly suggests an expectation of significant autonomy and strategic input. The explicit mention of AI tools indicates a need for candidates who are not only proficient in current design practices but also forward-thinking and open to integrating emerging technologies. The preference for social/dating/community product backgrounds highlights the specific domain knowledge valued for this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Project Examples: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating your ownership of the entire design process, from initial problem definition and research through to final implementation and iteration.

• Mobile-First Focus: Highlight projects specifically focused on mobile consumer applications, illustrating your understanding of mobile design patterns and best practices.

• Problem-Solving Narrative: Clearly articulate the design challenges, your thought process, the solutions you proposed, and the impact of your design decisions.

• Systemic Design Approach: Include examples that demonstrate your ability to think systemically, particularly in relation to design systems, component libraries, or platform consistency.

• Cross-functional Collaboration Evidence: Detail how you partnered with product managers and engineers, including examples of conflict resolution, alignment building, and joint problem-solving.

• AI Tool Integration: If possible, showcase how you've utilized AI tools within your design workflow to enhance efficiency or explore novel solutions.

Process Documentation:

• User Journey Mapping: Provide examples of how you've mapped user journeys to identify pain points and opportunities for design intervention.

• Wireframing & Prototyping: Demonstrate a range of wireframing and prototyping skills, from low-fidelity concept sketches to high-fidelity interactive prototypes.

• Usability Testing & Iteration: Outline your process for conducting usability tests and how you incorporated feedback to iterate and improve designs.

• Design System Contribution: Show examples of how you've contributed to or utilized a design system, including component design, style guides, or pattern libraries.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are geared towards demonstrating not just design execution but strategic thinking, end-to-end ownership, and the ability to integrate new technologies like AI. The emphasis on systems thinking and cross-functional collaboration is crucial for a senior IC role.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in Europe with 5-10 years of experience, a competitive salary range would typically fall between €70,000 - €100,000 annually, depending on specific experience, location within Europe, and the candidate's negotiation skills. This range reflects the seniority of the role, the high degree of autonomy, and the specialized skills required, including AI tool proficiency and experience with consumer social products.

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary: A salary commensurate with experience and the significant responsibilities of the role.

• Stock Options/Equity: Potential for equity in a fast-growing startup, offering a stake in the company's success.

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Coverage for medical, dental, and vision, tailored to European standards.

• Generous Paid Time Off: Ample vacation days, public holidays, and sick leave to promote work-life balance.

• Professional Development Budget: Funds allocated for training, conferences, workshops, and learning resources to foster continuous skill development.

• Home Office Stipend: A budget to equip a comfortable and productive home workspace.

• Team Retreats & Events: Opportunities for in-person team building and social events to foster camaraderie.

• Flexible Working Hours: The ability to structure your workday around core collaboration hours, promoting autonomy and efficiency.

Working Hours: A standard full-time commitment is expected, typically around 40 hours per week. While fully remote, candidates will need to align with core European working hours for effective collaboration with product managers and engineers, likely involving overlap with Central European Time (CET).

📝 Enhancement Note: As specific salary information was not provided, this estimate is based on industry research for Senior Product Designers in the European market, considering the company's stage (growing startup) and the role's seniority. The benefits listed are common for tech startups aiming to attract and retain top talent in a competitive remote market.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, Social Networking, Consumer Mobile Applications. Timeleft operates in the burgeoning "IRL" (In Real Life) social connection space, aiming to bridge the gap between online interactions and offline experiences. This industry is characterized by rapid innovation, a strong focus on user engagement, and a need for intuitive, trust-building design.

Company Size: Approximately 100 employees. This indicates a mid-stage startup environment – large enough to have established processes and a significant user base, but small enough to offer agility, direct impact, and a close-knit feel. For a Senior Product Designer, this means a high degree of influence and the opportunity to shape foundational design practices.

Founded: The founding date is not explicitly provided but the company's current scale (100 employees, 150,000+ users globally) suggests it is past the early seed stage and is in a significant growth phase. This implies a focus on scaling operations, refining the product for mass adoption, and solidifying its market position.

Team Structure:

• Product Team: The Senior Product Designer will work closely with Product Managers and likely collaborate with other designers (potentially future hires). They will report directly to the VP of Product, indicating a flat hierarchy within the product function.

• Engineering Collaboration: Close partnership with engineering teams is expected, requiring clear communication and a shared understanding of technical constraints and possibilities.

• Cross-functional Integration: Design will be deeply integrated with product management and engineering, with potential touchpoints with marketing and community teams for user feedback and insights.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using user insights and product analytics to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Iterative Development: A strong bias towards learning and iteration, common in agile environments, where designs are continuously tested and refined.

• Systems Approach: Applying systems thinking to ensure consistency, scalability, and maintainability of the product and design system.

• AI Integration: Proactive use of AI tools to enhance the design process, from ideation to execution.

Company Website: https://timeleft.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission to connect strangers in real life is a unique selling proposition that heavily relies on design to build trust and facilitate smooth user experiences. The "100 employees" size is a key indicator for understanding the pace and structure of the work environment for a senior role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor (IC). This role is for an experienced designer who will be a primary individual contributor, setting the design standard rather than managing a team. It signifies a level of expertise where strategic input and high-impact execution are expected.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Mobile Product Designer will report directly to the VP of Product. This high-level reporting line underscores the strategic importance of the design function and provides direct access to leadership for influence and decision-making.

Operations Impact: The design work directly impacts user acquisition, engagement, retention, and ultimately, the company's ability to achieve its mission of connecting people IRL. Design decisions have a tangible effect on user behavior, trust, and the perceived quality of the Timeleft experience, which is critical for a social platform reliant on user-to-user interaction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Lead Design Function: As the most senior designer, there's an opportunity to shape the future of the design team, establish design processes, and potentially mentor future design hires.

• Strategic Product Influence: Direct involvement with the VP of Product and Product Managers allows for significant input into product strategy and roadmap development.

• Deep Domain Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in social connection platforms, IRL experiences, and the unique design challenges they present.

• Scale Design System: Play a pivotal role in scaling and evolving the design system to support rapid company growth and product expansion.

• Technical Skill Advancement: Opportunities to deepen expertise in mobile design, AI-assisted design workflows, and cross-platform design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path here is focused on becoming a design leader through expertise and influence rather than people management. The direct reporting to the VP of Product is a significant indicator of the role's strategic weight and potential for high-impact contributions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This role operates entirely outside of a traditional office setting, offering flexibility in location across Europe.

Office Location(s): Remote - Europe. While fully remote, candidates are expected to be based within Europe, likely to facilitate collaboration within European time zones. Paris, France is mentioned as a derived location, suggesting a potential anchor point or a significant user base/team presence there.

Workspace Context:

• Autonomy & Flexibility: The remote nature provides significant autonomy over work hours and location, enabling a personalized work environment.

• Digital Collaboration Tools: Reliance on digital tools for communication, project management, and design collaboration (e.g., Slack, Figma, Notion, video conferencing).

• Direct Team Interaction: While remote, the "small, fast team" environment implies frequent direct interaction with product managers and engineers through virtual channels, fostering a sense of close collaboration.

• Focus on Output: The environment emphasizes results and impact over presenteeism, common in high-growth tech companies.

  **Work Schedule