Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Cox Enterprises

Location: Atlanta, GA - 6305 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd Bldg B

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX)

Date Posted: April 28, 2026

Experience Level: 4+ Years (Mid to Senior Level)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design initiatives for complex features and workflows within Cox Automotive's digital platforms, focusing on user-centered solutions.

• Drive UX strategy in close partnership with product management and engineering, leveraging user research and data synthesis to influence product roadmap decisions.

• Champion design excellence, mentoring junior designers, and ensuring a consistent, scalable user experience across desktop and mobile applications by evolving the design system.

• Utilize AI tools for accelerating product discovery, experimentation, and recommending design improvements, while also leading usability testing and behavioral analytics reviews for continuous optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a 'Senior' individual contributor, indicating a need for strong design leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to mentor. The emphasis on AI tools and agentic design practices suggests Cox Automotive is at the forefront of integrating emerging technologies into their product development lifecycle, requiring candidates to be adaptable and forward-thinking. The hybrid work model and travel requirement suggest a balance between remote flexibility and in-person collaboration/field research.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design of complex product features and workflows, translating business objectives and user needs into innovative, user-centered solutions for both desktop and mobile platforms.

• Evolve UX strategy in partnership with product and engineering leads, influencing roadmap decisions through design thinking methodologies and user insights.

• Conduct comprehensive user research activities, including field studies, user testing, and data synthesis, to uncover deep behavioral patterns and inform strategic design decisions.

• Create and refine essential UX deliverables such as user flows, journey maps, wireframes, mockups, prototypes (low to high fidelity), and information architecture, ensuring alignment with business and user goals.

• Drive the evolution of the design system by identifying gaps, proposing new components and patterns, and ensuring scalable, consistent design across all products.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with product managers, engineers, content strategists, and other stakeholders to align on vision, technical constraints, and implementation strategies.

• Facilitate design workshops, critiques, and sprints to foster collaboration, accelerate decision-making, and promote a shared understanding of design goals.

• Present and advocate for design decisions in stakeholder reviews, clearly articulating rationale, user impact, and business value propositions.

• Mentor and support junior designers by providing guidance, constructive feedback, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and design excellence.

• Lead usability testing sessions and behavioral analytics reviews to validate design performance and identify opportunities for optimization and iterative improvements.

• Ensure high-quality implementation of designs by maintaining detailed design specifications, partnering closely with development teams, and participating in user acceptance testing (UAT).

• Continuously evaluate and improve design processes, tools, and team rituals to enhance efficiency, collaboration, and overall impact within the product development lifecycle.

• Stay abreast of UX trends, emerging technologies, and industry best practices, actively contributing to the evolution of team capabilities and design culture.

• Manage multiple projects and priorities effectively, estimating effort, planning schedules, and delivering on time within agile development workflows.

• Leverage general-purpose LLM tools to analyze and synthesize user behavior, identify patterns, and prioritize design opportunities.

• Utilize AI to accelerate discovery, experimentation, and development, recommending data-driven improvements to product interfaces and user flows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic product thinking, hands-on design execution, and team leadership. The explicit mention of "evolving UX strategy" and "influencing roadmap decisions" points to a role that significantly impacts product direction. The emphasis on "design systems at scale" indicates the need for a designer who understands how to build and maintain robust, reusable design components. The integration of AI tools suggests a forward-looking approach, requiring candidates to be comfortable with and capable of leveraging these technologies in their design process.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Graphic Design, Industrial Design, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 4 years of professional experience in product design, with a strong portfolio showcasing strategic thinking and complex problem-solving capabilities.

• 8 years of relevant professional experience will also be considered in lieu of a degree.

• Demonstrated experience conducting user research (e.g., field studies, user testing) and effectively applying research insights to inform product design strategy.

• Deep understanding of core UX principles including information architecture, interaction design, and usability heuristics.

• Proven experience contributing to and evolving design systems at scale, ensuring consistency and efficiency across multiple products.

• Proficiency in facilitating design critiques, workshops, and stakeholder alignment sessions.

• Demonstrated ability to mentor junior designers and provide constructive, actionable feedback.

• Track record of impacting product outcomes through design leadership and cross-functional collaboration.

• Familiarity with text-to-prototype tools.

• Ability to partner effectively with product teams and leverage tools for rapid prototyping for research, discovery, and experimentation.

Required Skills:

• Expert-level proficiency in user-centered design principles and methodologies.

• Advanced skills in wireframing, prototyping (low to high fidelity), and information architecture.

• Experience with design system development and maintenance.

• Strong facilitation and presentation skills for design reviews and workshops.

• Proficiency in user research techniques and synthesizing findings.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with product managers, engineers, and cross-functional teams.

• Experience in mentoring and guiding junior design talent.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within the automotive industry or with complex, large-scale digital platforms.

• Proficiency with AI tools for design, research, and analysis.

• Experience with data visualization and behavioral analytics tools.

• Knowledge of front-end development principles and constraints.

• Experience with A/B testing and iterative design optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The educational requirement allows for flexibility, accepting equivalent experience for candidates without a traditional degree. The 4-year minimum experience is standard for a Senior Product Designer, and the portfolio requirement is critical, emphasizing strategic thinking and problem-solving. The inclusion of "AI products" and "agentic design practices" signifies a specialization requirement for candidates looking to excel in this role, indicating a need to understand AI's unique design challenges and opportunities.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A compelling portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 complex product design projects, demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving, and user-centered design execution.

• Clear articulation of the design process for each project, including discovery, research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.

• Evidence of influencing product strategy and roadmap decisions through design insights and collaboration.

• Demonstration of contributions to or leadership in evolving design systems, with examples of scalable components and patterns.

• Case studies that highlight collaboration with cross-functional teams (product, engineering) and how design decisions were aligned with business goals and technical constraints.

• Examples of user research conducted and how insights directly informed design solutions.

• Prototypes (links or embedded) that effectively demonstrate user flows and interaction design.

Process Documentation:

• Portfolio pieces should clearly document the design process, including user flow diagrams, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and interactive prototypes.

• Demonstrate an understanding of how to document design specifications for development teams to ensure high-quality implementation.

• Include examples of how design processes were evaluated and improved for efficiency and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are extensive, reflecting the seniority of the role. Candidates must not only showcase their design output but also their strategic thinking, research capabilities, and ability to collaborate and mentor. The explicit requirement for AI tool usage in portfolio examples is a key differentiator.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• The anticipated base salary range for this position is $101,500.00 - $169,100.00 USD per year.

• The final salary offered will be determined by factors such as the candidate's ultimate work location, their knowledge, skills, abilities, and overall experience.

Benefits:

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive health care insurance, including medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Retirement Planning: Access to retirement planning resources, such as a 401(k) plan.

• Paid Time Off:

  • Flexible vacation policy, allowing employees to take as much paid time off as deemed consistent with duties and company needs.
  • Seven paid holidays annually.
  • Up to 160 hours of paid wellness leave per year for personal or family wellness.
  • Additional paid time off for bereavement leave, jury duty, volunteer activities, military service, and parental leave.

• Other Benefits: Potential for additional paid time off in the form of bereavement leave, time off to vote, jury duty leave, volunteer time off, military leave, and parental leave.

Working Hours:

• Standard work hours are typically during the day, with an expectation of approximately 40 hours per week.

• The hybrid work arrangement allows for flexibility, with the ability to work remotely part of the week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a Senior Product Designer in a major metropolitan area like Atlanta. The benefits package is robust, emphasizing flexibility and work-life balance, which is attractive to experienced professionals. The hybrid nature of the work arrangement is clearly defined, balancing remote work with in-office collaboration and occasional travel.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Automotive Technology & Services (Cox Automotive)

• Cox Automotive operates within a dynamic and rapidly evolving sector of the automotive industry, encompassing online marketplaces, data analytics, software solutions, and physical auction services. This environment demands continuous innovation and adaptability.

• The company's focus on transforming how the world buys, owns, sells, or uses cars means that design plays a critical role in shaping user experiences for both consumers and businesses within the automotive ecosystem.

Company Size: Large Enterprise

• Cox Enterprises is a significant global entity, and Cox Automotive is a major division within it. This large company size implies a structured environment with established processes, opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration, and potential for career advancement across various business units.

• For operations professionals, a large company typically means access to extensive resources, established best practices, and a wide range of tools and technologies, but also requires navigating more complex organizational structures.

Founded: Cox Enterprises was founded in 1898, with Cox Automotive evolving through various acquisitions and integrations over the years.

Team Structure:

• Product Design Team: The Senior Product Designer will likely be part of a larger Product Design or UX team within Cox Automotive's Engineering or Product Development group. This team will comprise other designers (UX, UI, Interaction), UX researchers, and potentially content strategists.

• Reporting Structure: The role is an "Individual Contributor" and will report to a Design Lead, Manager, or Director of UX/Product Design. They will also collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads for specific product initiatives.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Expect extensive collaboration with Product Management, Engineering (front-end and back-end developers), UX Researchers, Content Strategists, Marketing, and potentially Data Science teams. This collaboration is crucial for aligning on product vision, technical feasibility, and user needs.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Cox Automotive emphasizes transforming the industry through technology, suggesting a strong reliance on data analysis and user insights to drive design decisions. This includes leveraging behavioral analytics and user research.

• Agile Development: The mention of "agile workflows" indicates that the design team operates within an agile framework, working in sprints, participating in ceremonies (stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives), and collaborating closely with development teams.

• Design System Integration: A key operational methodology will involve contributing to and leveraging a robust design system to ensure consistency, efficiency, and scalability across products.

• AI Integration: The explicit mention of using LLMs and AI tools points to a proactive approach in adopting new technologies to enhance design processes, from discovery to delivery.

Company Website: https://www.coxenterprises.com/ and https://www.coxauto.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Cox Automotive's position as a large, established player in a rapidly changing industry is key. The emphasis on technology, data, and AI suggests a forward-thinking culture. The hybrid work model and travel requirement should be considered in the context of how this large organization balances remote flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration and strategic alignment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor

• This role represents a significant step beyond junior or mid-level design positions. A Senior Product Designer is expected to take ownership of complex product areas, drive strategic initiatives, and influence product direction independently. They are a key contributor to the product's success and a valuable resource for the team.

Reporting Structure:

• The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Director, who oversees the broader design function. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific product squads or initiatives, forming a core triad for product development.

Operations Impact:

• The Senior Product Designer's impact is directly tied to the success of Cox Automotive's digital products. By leading user-centered design, they will directly influence customer acquisition, engagement, retention, and overall user satisfaction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Progression into a Lead Product Designer role, managing a small team or a critical product area, or moving into a formal management role (Design Manager).

• Specialization: Deepening expertise in specific areas like AI product design, design systems architecture, or UX research strategy.

• Cross-Functional Moves: Potential to move into Product Management roles, leveraging their deep understanding of user needs and product strategy.

• Industry Expertise: Becoming a subject matter expert within the automotive technology sector.

• Skill Development: Opportunities to refine skills in AI-driven design, advanced prototyping, and strategic UX planning through internal training, workshops, and industry conferences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title combined with "Individual Contributor" status suggests a path for highly skilled designers who prefer to remain hands-on and influential rather than moving into people management. The growth opportunities clearly outline potential career trajectories within Cox Automotive, catering to different professional aspirations.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid Work Environment

• The role is designated as "Hybrid," meaning employees are expected to work from the office part of the week and remotely for the remainder. This model aims to balance the benefits of in-person collaboration with the flexibility of remote work.

Office Location(s):

• Primary location: Atlanta, GA - 6305 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd Bldg B.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office environment likely features open-plan areas, meeting rooms, and collaborative zones designed to facilitate teamwork and spontaneous interactions, crucial for design sprints and workshops.

• Technology & Tools: Employees will have access to standard office technology, high-speed internet, and the necessary software and hardware for design work, including potentially advanced workstations for complex prototyping and AI tool usage.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model means designers will need to be adept at both in-person and virtual collaboration. Opportunities for team interaction will occur during office days and through digital communication channels. The 25% travel requirement also presents opportunities for face-to-face interactions with a broader range of stakeholders.

Work Schedule:

• The typical work schedule is during the day, with an approximate 40-hour work week.

• The hybrid arrangement provides flexibility in how the work week is structured, allowing for a blend of remote and in-office days, subject to team and project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of this role requires strong self-management and communication skills. Candidates should be comfortable with a mix of in-office and remote work, and the 25% travel indicates a need for adaptability and willingness to engage in on-site activities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications and portfolios, focusing on experience, skills, and alignment with the role's requirements, particularly the emphasis on AI and strategic design.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: Candidates will likely be asked to present their portfolio, walking through key projects, demonstrating their design process, strategic thinking, and impact. This may be followed by a design challenge, either take-home or live, to assess problem-solving skills and design execution.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to integrate design into the development workflow.

• Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interview: A final interview, potentially with senior leadership, to assess cultural fit, leadership potential, mentoring capabilities, and alignment with Cox Automotive's values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best demonstrate your experience with complex product features, user-centered design, strategic thinking, and problem-solving. Prioritize projects that showcase your ability to influence product direction and mentor others.

• Highlight AI Integration: For relevant projects, clearly articulate how you used AI tools for discovery, analysis, experimentation, or optimization. Detail the specific tools and the impact of their use.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the design process, key decisions made, the challenges overcome, and the measurable outcomes or impact. Use visuals effectively (user flows, wireframes, mockups, prototypes).

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

• Showcase Design System Work: If you have experience with design systems, include examples of components you've designed or contributed to, and explain how they facilitated consistency and efficiency.

• Prepare for Questions: Be ready to discuss your design philosophy, how you handle design critiques, your approach to mentoring, and how you collaborate with non-designers.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, thoroughly understand the problem statement, target users, and business objectives. Ask clarifying questions.

• Focus on Process: Demonstrate your thought process and decision-making rationale, not just the final visual output. Explain why you made certain choices.

• Time Management: Be mindful of the time allotted. Prioritize key aspects of the design and communicate your approach efficiently.

• AI Application: If applicable, consider how AI tools could be used to enhance the solution or accelerate parts of the design process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is likely multi-stage, common for senior roles in large organizations. The emphasis on portfolio presentation and a potential design challenge underscores the practical, hands-on nature of the role. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their strategic thinking and demonstrate their ability to integrate AI into their design workflow.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, Axure RP, or similar industry-standard tools for wireframing, mockups, and interactive prototyping.

• Design System Management: Tools for managing design tokens, component libraries, and documentation (e.g., Storybook, Zeroheight, internal systems).

• Collaboration Platforms: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence for team communication, project management, and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/Product Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude for tracking user behavior and product performance.

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, or similar tools for creating dashboards and communicating insights from data.

• User Feedback Tools: SurveyMonkey, UserTesting.com, Hotjar, or similar platforms for gathering qualitative feedback.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding CRM principles and how design impacts user journeys within CRM-adjacent platforms (e.g., dealer management systems, sales enablement tools) may be beneficial.

AI & LLM Tools:

• Text-to-Prototype Tools: Specific tools mentioned in the job description for accelerating prototyping.

• General-Purpose LLMs: ChatGPT, Bard, Claude, or similar for research synthesis, content generation, brainstorming, and analysis.

• AI-Powered Design Tools: Potentially emerging tools that assist with ideation, component generation, or user flow mapping.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is comprehensive, reflecting the needs of a modern, large-scale digital product organization. Proficiency in core design tools is a given, but the explicit mention of AI/LLM tools is a significant requirement. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with these emerging technologies and how they apply them to design challenges.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user in all design decisions, ensuring products are intuitive, effective, and enjoyable to use.

• Collaboration: Fostering a collaborative environment where design, product, and engineering work together seamlessly, sharing insights and working towards common goals.

• Innovation & Agility: Embracing new technologies (like AI) and methodologies to drive innovation and adapt quickly to market changes, continuously seeking better ways to solve problems.

• Excellence & Quality: Striving for high-quality design execution, attention to detail, and a commitment to delivering polished, impactful user experiences.

• Continuous Improvement: A culture of learning and growth, where design processes, tools, and skills are regularly evaluated and refined to enhance efficiency and impact.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Designers are expected to be active partners with Product Managers and Engineers, participating in strategy discussions, sprint planning, and development reviews.

• Design Critiques & Feedback: A culture of open, constructive feedback through regular design critiques and team sessions, promoting shared learning and design elevation.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, research findings, and new techniques within the design team and across related disciplines.

• Data-Informed Decisions: Combining qualitative user insights with quantitative data to make informed design choices and validate solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on user-centricity, collaboration, and innovation aligns with best practices in modern product development. The specific mention of AI tools suggests that the company values technological adoption and forward-thinking approaches within its operational culture.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complexity: Designing for a large, established organization like Cox Automotive involves balancing diverse user needs, intricate business requirements, and legacy systems.

• AI Integration Uncertainty: Effectively integrating AI tools into the design process and product strategy requires experimentation, learning, and a willingness to adapt as the technology evolves.

• Maintaining Design Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive and scalable user experience across a broad portfolio of automotive products and platforms, especially with a rapidly evolving design system.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Achieving consensus and driving design vision among multiple stakeholders with potentially differing priorities and perspectives.

• Mentoring and Leadership: Effectively mentoring junior designers while also managing individual project responsibilities and contributing to strategic initiatives.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI & Emerging Technologies: Opportunities to deepen expertise in AI-driven design, LLM applications, and agentic design principles through hands-on projects and specialized training.

• Design System Mastery: Advanced training and contribution opportunities related to large-scale design system architecture, governance, and evolution.

• Industry Trends: Exposure to cutting-edge UX practices and technologies within the dynamic automotive tech industry through conferences, workshops, and internal knowledge sharing.

• Leadership Development: Potential for formal leadership training or mentorship programs to develop skills in team management, strategic planning, and stakeholder influence.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Opportunities to learn from product managers, engineers, and data scientists, broadening understanding of the product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in large, innovative companies. The growth opportunities are well-aligned with the role's responsibilities, particularly the focus on AI and design leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the design of a complex product feature from concept to delivery. What was your strategic approach, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on process, impact, and strategic influence.)

• "How do you approach evolving UX strategy and influencing product roadmap decisions? Provide an example." (Highlight collaboration, user insights, and strategic thinking.)

• "Walk us through your process for conducting user research and how you translate those insights into actionable design solutions." (Demonstrate research methodology and application.)

• "Describe your experience with design systems. How have you contributed to or evolved them, and what are the key considerations for scalability?" (Showcase system thinking and contribution.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Cox Automotive and the automotive technology industry?" (Research company mission, values, and recent news.)

• "How do you approach mentoring junior designers and fostering a culture of design excellence?" (Articulate your mentoring philosophy and past experiences.)

• "Describe a situation where you had to gain alignment from multiple stakeholders on a design decision. What was your approach?" (Showcase collaboration and communication skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Frame each project as a narrative – the challenge, your journey, and the resolution.

• Highlight Your Role: Clearly define your contributions, especially in complex or collaborative projects.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, user flows, prototypes) to illustrate your process and final designs.

• Quantify Impact: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the success and business value of your work.

• Discuss AI Use Cases: Be prepared to discuss specific instances where you utilized AI tools, the benefits, and any lessons learned.

• Practice Your Pitch: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it flows well, stays within time limits, and effectively communicates your skills and experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, hands-on design skills, collaborative abilities, and a clear understanding of how to leverage emerging technologies like AI. Candidates should be ready to articulate their process and impact with specific examples.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Cox Careers portal link provided.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating complex problem-solving, strategic UX influence, and experience with design systems. Specifically, include examples of how you've used AI tools in your design process for discovery, analysis, or prototyping.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 4+ years of product design experience, emphasizing accomplishments related to user research, strategy, mentoring, and AI integration. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly review common product design interview questions, focusing on behavioral and situational inquiries. Prepare detailed case studies from your portfolio for presentation, emphasizing your strategic approach and measurable impact. Practice articulating your design process and AI application strategies.

• Company Research: Investigate Cox Automotive's mission, values, recent product launches, and any public information regarding their use of AI in product development. Understand their position in the automotive tech market to better align your responses with their strategic goals.

⚠️ 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.