Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer, Design Systems

Company: Iterable

Location: Hybrid - Lisbon, Portugal

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / Design Systems

Date Posted: September 28, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic evolution and implementation of Iterable's Aurora design system, ensuring consistency and quality across all product experiences.

• Develop and maintain robust component contracts, structured specifications, and machine-readable design intent to facilitate seamless integration with code, documentation, and AI tools.

• Foster strong collaborative partnerships with engineering, product management, and design teams to drive system adoption and continuous improvement.

• Champion accessibility standards and best practices within the design system, ensuring all components and patterns meet rigorous quality gates.

• Actively contribute to the advancement of design-to-code workflows, including the exploration and integration of AI/LLM capabilities within the design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant influence over Iterable's product design language and development efficiency. The emphasis on AI/LLM integration and machine-readable design intent suggests a forward-thinking approach to design systems, aiming to bridge the gap between design and code more effectively and potentially automate aspects of design implementation and validation. The hybrid nature in Lisbon implies a need for strong autonomous work habits alongside collaborative engagement with local and remote teams.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the ongoing development and refinement of the Aurora design system, encompassing its visual foundations, component library, established patterns, and product-specific assemblies.

• Define precise component contracts and structured specifications that detail anatomy, properties, variants, states, slots, composition rules, accessibility considerations, and intended usage scenarios.

• Translate design intent into a machine-readable format suitable for Figma, code, documentation, prototypes, and AI coding agents, ensuring it captures behaviors beyond what is typically expressible in design tools alone.

• Collaborate closely with frontend and platform engineers to establish deterministic workflows that synchronize Figma, design tokens, React component libraries, Storybook, prototypes, and documentation, thereby minimizing drift and ensuring fidelity.

• Enhance and strengthen Aurora's token architecture, including themes, aliases, states, and core foundational elements, to support scalability and maintainability.

• Establish and implement rigorous audit processes and quality gates to identify and rectify hardcoded values, invalid component combinations, missing states, accessibility gaps, and overall system divergence.

• Manage the versioning and communication of system changes through comprehensive change logs, release notes, impact reports, and architectural decision records (ADRs).

• Explore and prototype responsible AI/LLM applications within the context of Aurora, developing tools and guidance to help product teams leverage the system consistently with AI assistance.

• Conduct audits of existing product surfaces to identify and address high-impact inconsistencies, and mentor designers and engineers on systems thinking and AI-ready design and development workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a deep dive into the technical and structural aspects of a design system, going beyond just component creation. The focus on "machine-readable design intent" and "AI-assisted workflows" indicates a need for a designer who understands how code and AI tools consume and interact with design specifications. This role requires a blend of strategic vision and tactical execution in a dynamic SaaS environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio and demonstrated expertise in product design and design systems are paramount. A background in Human-Computer Interaction, Graphic Design, or a related field is beneficial.

Experience: Minimum of 6 years of dedicated product design experience, with a significant portion focused on the hands-on building, evolution, or scaling of enterprise-level design systems.

Required Skills:

• Design Systems Expertise: Proven experience in building, scaling, or significantly evolving design systems, understanding their lifecycle, contribution models, and impact on product development.

• Figma Proficiency: Deep mastery of Figma's advanced features, including variables and modes, properties, variants, slots, branching strategies, library management, and scalable file organization.

• Component Specification: Ability to define detailed component APIs, including anatomy, states, behaviors, composition rules, and comprehensive usage guidance.

• Systems Thinking & Architecture: Strong aptitude for understanding and designing complex systems, including schemas, contracts, taxonomies, dependencies, validation rules, versioning strategies, and change management processes.

• Engineering Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with frontend and platform engineers on implementation, testing, accessibility, API design, and release quality assurance.

• Documentation & Communication: Skill in writing precise, actionable documentation for both human consumption and machine readability, with a practical understanding of how AI coding agents interpret context and where discrepancies may arise.

• Accessibility Standards: Strong knowledge of web accessibility principles (WCAG) and their practical application within component design and implementation.

• Pragmatic Multiplier Mindset: A hands-on approach focused on efficiency, problem-solving, and empowering other teams through robust systems and clear guidance.

• Organizational Skills: Excellent asynchronous communication and organizational capabilities, essential for a hybrid and distributed team environment.

Preferred Skills:

• B2B SaaS Experience: Familiarity with the complexities of B2B SaaS products and data-rich workflows.

• Prototyping with Code: Ability to use HTML, CSS, and React for prototyping, technical communication, or detailed quality refinements.

• Design Token Pipelines: Experience with design tokens, their transformation, linting, CI checks, and design-to-code pipeline automation.

• DevOps & Automation: Familiarity with APIs, GitHub workflows, command-line tools, or automation techniques for design system operations.

• AI/LLM Integration: Experience with AI/LLM instruction design, agent skills, retrieval-friendly documentation, generated-UI evaluation, advanced prototyping, or cross-platform system applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "6+ years" combined with "building or evolving design systems at scale" points to a need for seasoned professionals who can handle complexity and ambiguity. The inclusion of "AI coding agents" and "machine-readable design intent" suggests that candidates with a blend of design and technical acumen, potentially with some exposure to code or structured data, will be highly valued.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design System Case Studies: Showcase at least one in-depth case study detailing your direct involvement in building, evolving, or scaling a design system. This should highlight your specific contributions, the challenges faced, and the impact achieved.

• Component Design & Specification: Include examples of well-defined components with clear contracts, including variations, states, slots, and detailed usage guidelines. Demonstrate how you've documented these for both designers and developers.

• Systems Thinking Examples: Present work that illustrates your understanding of system architecture, such as token strategy, pattern definition, or how you've managed dependencies and consistency across a product suite.

• Accessibility Integration: Provide evidence of how accessibility was integrated into your design process, including specific components or patterns designed with WCAG compliance in mind.

• Collaboration & Process: Illustrate your ability to collaborate with engineering and product teams, showcasing how you've influenced workflows or contributed to design-to-code processes.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Demonstrate your ability to map, analyze, and optimize design workflows, particularly those involving design systems and cross-functional handoffs.

• Implementation & Automation: Showcase examples of how you've contributed to or established processes for consistent implementation, automation of tasks (e.g., through scripting or tooling), and version control within a design system context.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Provide examples of how you've measured the impact of design system initiatives, such as adoption rates, efficiency gains, or improvements in product consistency and quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer role focused on Design Systems, the portfolio is critical. It needs to go beyond visual design and demonstrate a deep understanding of system architecture, component API definition, cross-functional collaboration (especially with engineering), and the ability to document for both humans and machines. Evidence of working with advanced Figma features, design tokens, and an understanding of how design systems integrate with code and potentially AI will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: €60,000 – €70,000 per year (gross) in Lisbon, Portugal.

Benefits:

• Competitive salaries & meaningful equity.

• Private Medical Insurance.

• Life/Risk Assurance.

• Meal Allowance: €8.55 per day.

• Community Days: Paid days to give back to the community.

• Paid Annual Leave: 22 days.

• Global Lifestyle Reimbursement Account.

• Paid Sabbatical.

• Complete laptop workstation provided.

Working Hours: While not explicitly stated, a standard full-time role in Portugal typically involves around 40 hours per week, with flexibility often offered in hybrid environments. The role's nature suggests a need for focused work periods alongside collaborative meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range of €60,000 – €70,000 gross per year for Lisbon is in line with senior-level design roles in major European tech hubs, reflecting the specific requirements for design systems expertise and the company's global compensation strategy. The inclusion of equity is a significant benefit for a senior role in a growing SaaS company. The benefits package is comprehensive, catering to health, well-being, and professional development.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software (AI Customer Engagement Platform)

Company Size: Iterable is a significant player in the MarTech/SaaS space, indicated by its global presence, numerous brand clients, and recognition from industry analysts like Gartner and G2. The company size is substantial, likely falling into the 500-1000+ employee range, fostering a professional yet dynamic environment.

Founded: Iterable was founded in 2014, suggesting a mature startup or scale-up phase with established processes but still retaining an innovative and agile culture.

Team Structure:

• Operations Team: The role will integrate into a broader product and engineering organization. The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead or Head of Design, working closely with Product Managers, Frontend Engineers, and Platform Engineers.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Expect close collaboration with designers across various product areas, engineers responsible for the Aurora component library and token infrastructure, and product managers who define feature roadmaps and system-level trade-offs.

• Mentorship & Influence: This senior role implies a position of influence, where the designer will mentor others and contribute to setting design standards and best practices across teams.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The company's reliance on AI (Nova Intelligence) and its position as an "AI customer engagement platform" suggests a strong emphasis on data-informed decision-making in product development.

• Systems Approach: The core of this role is the design system, indicating a methodology that prioritizes consistency, scalability, and efficiency through structured design and development practices.

• Agile Development: As a SaaS company, Iterable likely employs agile methodologies, requiring flexibility, iterative development, and continuous feedback loops.

Company Website: https://iterable.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Iterable's description as an "AI customer engagement platform" positions it at the forefront of marketing technology. The company culture emphasizes ownership, growth mindset, teamwork ("Run as One"), and transparency. This suggests an environment where individual contributions are valued, continuous learning is encouraged, and collaborative problem-solving is the norm. The global presence with offices in key tech hubs like Lisbon indicates a sophisticated operational structure and a commitment to diverse talent.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is firmly positioned as a "Senior" individual contributor. It signifies a high level of autonomy, expertise, and the capacity to influence strategic design decisions and technical direction within the design system. It's a leadership role within the design discipline, focused on driving impact through systems, without direct people management responsibilities.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Manager, Director of Design, or Head of Product Design. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads, acting as a key partner in shaping the product's design foundation.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant and far-reaching. By strengthening the Aurora design system, the Senior Product Designer will directly influence:

• Product Consistency & Quality: Ensuring a cohesive and high-quality user experience across all Iterable products.

• Development Velocity: Enabling product teams (designers and engineers) to build features faster and more efficiently.

• Scalability: Providing a robust foundation that supports the company's growth and the introduction of new features or products.

• Accessibility & Compliance: Upholding high standards for accessibility, crucial for enterprise software.

• AI Integration: Facilitating the seamless integration of AI capabilities into the product development workflow by providing structured, machine-readable design data.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design System Leadership: Potential to grow into a Lead Design Systems role, taking on more strategic ownership and potentially managing design system initiatives.

• Technical Design Expertise: Deepen expertise in areas like design tokens, design-to-code workflows, and AI-driven design tools.

• Cross-functional Influence: Expand influence across product teams, acting as a subject matter expert and advocate for design system best practices.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers and engineers on systems thinking, design patterns, and accessibility.

• Contribution to Platform Strategy: Play a key role in defining the future of Iterable's product experience through the evolution of its core design system.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is designed for a seasoned professional who can operate with a high degree of autonomy and strategic foresight. The growth path emphasizes deepening expertise in design systems and influencing the broader product development lifecycle, rather than traditional people management. The impact on AI integration is a key differentiator, suggesting a role at the cutting edge of design and technology.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a Hybrid role based in Lisbon, Portugal. It implies a combination of remote work and in-office collaboration at a designated Iterable office location. The hybrid model aims to balance flexibility with the benefits of in-person teamwork and idea exchange.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is Lisbon, Portugal. Further details on specific office amenities or accessibility would typically be provided during the interview process.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid setup encourages collaboration through scheduled in-office days, team meetings, and workshops, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose.

• Tools & Technology: Designers will have access to industry-standard tools, with a strong emphasis on Figma, and likely other project management and communication platforms. The role specifically mentions the need for proficiency in Figma, Storybook, and potentially code-adjacent tools.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with product designers, frontend engineers, product managers, and potentially members of the developer experience and AI enablement teams. This cross-pollination of ideas is crucial for a systems role.

Work Schedule: A typical full-time work schedule is expected, likely around 40 hours per week. The hybrid nature allows for flexibility in structuring the work week, balancing focused individual work with collaborative team activities. Adherence to core working hours for team synchronization will be necessary.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature in Lisbon offers a blend of European work-life balance with the dynamism of a global tech company. The emphasis on collaboration within a hybrid model suggests that candidates should be comfortable with proactive communication and self-management, while also valuing in-person interaction for critical design system discussions and workshops.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio by a recruiter or design lead to assess qualifications and fit.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Exercise: A session where you present your portfolio, focusing on relevant design system experience. This may be followed by a design challenge or a deep dive into specific design system problems.

• Technical/Systems Discussion: Interviews with engineering and design system peers to assess your understanding of component architecture, technical specifications, accessibility, and collaboration with engineers.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers and other stakeholders to evaluate your ability to understand business needs, make trade-offs, and communicate effectively across disciplines.

• Hiring Manager/Leadership Interview: A final discussion to assess overall fit, strategic thinking, and alignment with company values and role expectations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Design System Impact: Clearly articulate your role, responsibilities, and quantifiable achievements in building or evolving design systems. Focus on scale, adoption, and efficiency improvements.

• Showcase Technical Depth: Include examples of component specifications, token strategies, and how you've documented for developers. Demonstrate your Figma mastery, especially with advanced features.

• Detail Collaboration: Provide examples of how you've partnered with engineering, product management, and other designers. Explain your contribution to design-to-code workflows.

• Emphasize Accessibility: Dedicate a section or highlight how accessibility was integrated into your design system work, showcasing specific solutions.

• AI/LLM Relevance: If you have experience or insights into how AI can leverage design systems, be prepared to discuss it.

Challenge Preparation:

• Systems Design Challenge: Be prepared for a challenge that might involve defining a new component, outlining a system contribution process, or solving a consistency issue within a hypothetical product context. Focus on structured thinking, clear specifications, and rationale.

• Process Optimization: You may be asked to outline a process for auditing system usage, managing design system updates, or improving collaboration between design and engineering.

• Accessibility Audit: A task might involve identifying accessibility issues in a given UI and proposing solutions within a design system framework.

• Communication & Rationale: Practice articulating your design decisions, system choices, and technical considerations clearly and concisely, defending your approach with logic and data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Senior Design Systems role will heavily scrutinize practical experience and technical understanding. Candidates should be ready to "show, don't just tell" through their portfolio and articulate their thought process for complex system-level challenges. The emphasis on AI integration suggests that an understanding of how design systems can be leveraged by AI tools will be a significant advantage.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for design creation, prototyping, component definition, and collaboration. Advanced features like variables, modes, slots, and libraries are critical.

• Design Systems Management Tools: Platforms like Zeroheight, Storybook, or similar documentation tools are likely used to host and present the Aurora design system.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, tools like InVision, Axure, or even custom coded prototypes might be utilized for complex interactions.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Usage Analytics: Tools to track design system adoption and component usage across product teams.

• Performance Monitoring: Frameworks or tools to monitor the performance and accessibility of components in production.

• Data Visualization Tools: Potentially used for reporting on system health and impact.

CRM & Automation:

• Version Control Systems: Git (and platforms like GitHub) are fundamental for managing code-based component libraries and design system assets.

• CI/CD Pipelines: Familiarity with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment pipelines is beneficial for automating design system checks and releases.

• Design Token Tools: Software or scripts for generating and managing design tokens across different platforms (e.g., Style Dictionary, Figma Tokens plugin).

• Code Editors: While not a coding role, familiarity with editors like VS Code can be helpful for understanding code implementations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technology stack revolves around Figma and its integration with code. Proficiency in design tokens and tools like Storybook is highly expected. The emphasis on AI and automation suggests an openness to exploring new tools and workflows that enhance the design system's efficiency and reach.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Be an Owner: Demonstrates a proactive, accountable approach to the design system's success and Iterable's product quality. This means taking initiative, identifying problems, and driving solutions without constant direction.

• Growth Mindset: Embraces continuous learning, seeks feedback, and is open to new ideas and technologies, especially in the rapidly evolving fields of AI and design systems.

• Run as One: Fosters a collaborative spirit, actively partnering with designers, engineers, and product managers to achieve shared goals, ensuring the design system serves the entire organization effectively.

• Transparency: Promotes open communication regarding design decisions, system changes, and challenges. This includes clear documentation, honest feedback, and sharing insights about the design system's health and impact.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Works closely with product teams, embedding design system thinking into their workflows and helping them leverage Aurora effectively.

• Partnership with Engineering: Builds strong, trust-based relationships with frontend and platform engineers to ensure seamless integration of design into code and to co-develop tooling and processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively participates in sharing best practices, conducting workshops, and creating resources to help others understand and utilize the design system and its AI-ready capabilities.

• Feedback Loop: Encourages and actively participates in feedback loops for system improvements, component iterations, and process refinements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values are deeply embedded in how the design system should be managed and how