Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Kaizen Labs

Location: New York, NY (Hybrid)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations

Date Posted: September 02, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design initiatives within the government technology sector, focusing on user-centric AI-native software.

• Drive research, prototyping, and product requirement documentation to deliver exceptional user experiences for both public servants and residents.

• Collaborate closely with engineering, implementation, and business development teams to ensure seamless product delivery and strategic roadmap alignment.

• Contribute to brand evolution and marketing efforts through the creation of design assets and sales enablement materials.

• Act as a key player in a high-growth startup environment, influencing product direction and customer engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Product Designer," the responsibilities described, particularly partnering with implementation, business development, and leadership on customer deployments, product strategy, RFP responses, and marketing assets, indicate a significant Go-To-Market (GTM) operations and product marketing component. This role bridges traditional product design with GTM enablement and strategic product planning, requiring a candidate who can operate effectively across design, customer-facing activities, and strategic business initiatives. This is not a purely execution-focused design role; it demands strategic thinking and cross-functional leadership.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the complete design lifecycle for government technology products, from initial customer research and discovery sessions to the final delivery of high-fidelity flows and interactive prototypes.

• Author clear, concise, and well-scoped product requirement documents that effectively communicate design intent and functional specifications to engineering and product teams.

• Foster a collaborative environment by working directly alongside the engineering team to ensure the accurate and efficient implementation of design solutions.

• Contribute to and maintain "Trailmix," Kaizen Labs' internal design system, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency across all product interfaces.

• Act as a key liaison with the implementation team, providing hands-on project management, product strategy consultation, and direct customer communication during critical deployment phases.

• Partner with the business development team to shape the future of Kaizen's product offerings by developing robust prototypes for Request for Proposals (RFPs) and sales demonstrations.

• Collaborate with the leadership team to conceptualize and produce essential marketing assets, including social media content, one-pagers for industry conferences, and other branded collateral.

• Drive user research initiatives to deeply understand the needs and pain points of both government staff and the public, translating these insights into actionable design improvements.

• Define and advocate for the product vision and roadmap, leveraging design expertise to identify opportunities for innovation and user value enhancement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "partnering with the implementation team on critical customer deployments" and "working with the business development team to define the future of the product with robust prototyping for RFP responses and demos" strongly suggests a need for GTM operational skills. The candidate will be involved in client success, sales enablement, and strategic product planning, which are core to GTM operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: 4-6 years of progressive experience in product design, with a significant portion preferably gained within a high-growth startup or agency setting.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in end-to-end product design, encompassing user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity visual design.

• Demonstrated experience designing administrative tooling and complex SaaS products for both desktop and mobile interfaces.

• Strong proficiency with Figma for advanced design and interactive prototyping.

• Experience in client services or direct customer engagement, with a genuine enthusiasm for working closely with users and stakeholders.

• Ability to write clear, well-scoped product requirement documents (PRDs) that effectively translate design concepts into actionable engineering tasks.

• Familiarity with AI tooling workflows (e.g., ChatGPT, Figma Make, Lovable) and an eagerness to integrate AI into design processes.

• Experience contributing to or building design systems for scalability and consistency.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a proven ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams, including engineering, product management, and sales. Preferred Skills:

• Experience leveraging AI coding tools (e.g., Cursor) to contribute directly to the codebase, demonstrating a blend of design and technical aptitude.

• Background in government technology or experience designing for public sector clients.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and experience working within fast-paced startup environments.

• Experience creating marketing assets and understanding brand positioning.

• Basic understanding of UX research methodologies and usability testing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "Workflows powered with AI tooling" and the preferred "Experience with AI coding tools like Cursor" suggests a forward-thinking approach to design operations and product development, requiring candidates to be adaptable and knowledgeable about emerging technologies. The experience level is also noted as "5-10 years" by AI, which is a broader range than the stated 4-6 years. This suggests the role might accommodate candidates at the higher end of the specified range or those with exceptional transferable experience.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 distinct product design projects demonstrating end-to-end ownership from discovery to launch.

• Include detailed case studies that highlight your specific role, the design process, key challenges, and measurable outcomes.

• Demonstrate proficiency in Figma, including complex prototyping, component libraries, and design system contributions.

• Present examples of designing administrative tooling or complex SaaS applications with clear user flows and interface designs.

• Include projects that illustrate your ability to conduct user research, translate findings into design decisions, and iterate based on feedback. Process Documentation:

• Evidence of creating clear and concise product requirement documents (PRDs) or similar documentation that guided development.

• Examples of how you have contributed to or utilized design systems, showcasing an understanding of component-based design and scalability.

• Artifacts demonstrating collaboration with engineering teams, such as design handoff documentation or joint problem-solving sessions.

• Case studies that detail your involvement in customer-facing activities, such as user interviews, deployment support, or demo prototyping.

• Documentation illustrating the use of AI tools in your design workflow or for generating product assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the GTM and implementation aspects of this role, portfolios should also highlight projects where the designer played a role in sales enablement, client presentations, or supporting product launches. Demonstrating how design directly contributed to business objectives like customer acquisition or retention will be crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $140,000 - $180,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Health & Insurance:

  • 100% coverage for medical (Oxford/United Gold & Platinum PPO), dental (Guardian PPO), and vision (Beam).
  • 100% dependent coverage for health insurance.
  • $100,000 in fully paid life insurance.
  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Dependent Care FSA.
  • One Medical membership for same-day primary care, 24/7 virtual visits.
  • Fertility and family-building support through Carrot.
  • 401(k) through Guideline with a 2% company match.

• Family & Time Off:

  • 16 weeks of fully paid parental leave for birthing parents.
  • 10 weeks of fully paid parental leave for non-birthing parents.
  • Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) with a mandatory minimum of two weeks.
  • Company closure for all federal holidays.
  • Company-wide winter break during the week of Christmas.
  • Regular company offsites throughout the year.

• Office & Remote Setup:

  • Up to $750 one-time home office/desk setup stipend for NYC-based employees.
  • $500 one-time home office/desk setup stipend for remote employees.
  • $50/month commuter benefit contribution.
  • Expensed lunch while working in the NYC office.
  • Company-provided laptop of your choice.

• Wellness:

  • Fully covered gym membership at Grindhouse (NYC) or $100/month reimbursement for remote employees for gym/fitness.

• Stipends:

  • $100/month utility stipend.

  • $500/year for professional development.

  • $250/year for recreation.

  • $300/quarter for pet care. Working Hours: Standard 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected due to the hybrid nature and startup environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for a Senior Product Designer in New York City with the specified experience level. The comprehensive benefits package, particularly the 100% coverage for dependents and generous parental leave, reflects a strong commitment to employee well-being and work-life balance, which is attractive to experienced professionals. The hybrid arrangement requires at least three days in the NYC office, indicating a need for local candidates or those willing to relocate.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Government Technology (GovTech), AI-Native Software. Kaizen Labs operates in a unique space aiming to modernize public services through technology, addressing a long-standing gap in the market for user-friendly and efficient government software. This sector is characterized by its potential for significant social impact and the challenges of navigating public sector procurement and adoption cycles.

Company Size: Founded in 2022, Kaizen Labs has raised $35 million and is in a high-growth startup phase. The company is actively scaling its operations and product development teams. This size implies a dynamic, fast-paced environment where individual contributions have a significant impact, and there's a strong emphasis on agility and adaptability.

Founded: 2022. Kaizen Labs was established with a clear mission: to build technology that residents and public servants are proud to use, thereby strengthening trust in American public services. This mission drives the company's culture and product development, focusing on user experience and reliability.

Team Structure:

• Operations: The role sits within a design function that is integrated into product development and GTM efforts. The design team likely collaborates closely with product managers, engineers, and customer-facing teams.

• Reporting: While not explicitly stated, a Senior Product Designer typically reports to a Head of Design, Design Lead, or potentially a Head of Product in a startup environment.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Expect extensive collaboration with engineering, product management, implementation (customer success/deployments), sales, and marketing teams. The role explicitly mentions partnering with these departments.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Design decisions are expected to be data-informed, leveraging customer research, usage analytics, and feedback to drive product improvements.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: Focus on designing efficient, user-friendly workflows for government services, aiming to optimize processes for both end-users and administrators.

• Automation & Efficiency: The company's mission and use of AI-native software suggest a strong emphasis on automation and streamlining processes through technology.

Company Website: https://www.kaizenlabs.co/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on "AI-native software" and modernizing government technology positions it at the intersection of significant market trends. For a designer, this means working with cutting-edge technology and solving complex user problems within a sector often characterized by legacy systems. The startup stage means rapid iteration and a need for proactive problem-solving.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level individual contributor role, focusing on both deep design execution and strategic cross-functional contributions. It offers significant autonomy and the opportunity to shape product direction and GTM strategies, moving beyond pure design tasks into areas of product strategy, client management, and sales enablement.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead or Head of Product, working closely with these individuals on strategic initiatives. The role's cross-functional nature means regular interaction and reporting on progress to various department heads and stakeholders.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on Kaizen Labs' ability to acquire and retain customers by creating intuitive and effective software. By contributing to sales enablement (prototypes for RFPs/demos) and customer deployments, the designer directly influences revenue generation and client satisfaction. The design of the product is central to building trust, a core company value.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Design Lead or Head of Design role as the company scales, managing a team and defining the design vision.

• Product Strategy: Opportunity to deepen involvement in product roadmap definition, strategic planning, and market analysis, potentially transitioning into a Product Manager or Strategist role.

• GTM Operations / Product Marketing: Given the blend of design and GTM responsibilities, there's potential to specialize in product marketing, sales enablement, or client success within a design context.

• Technical Acumen: Continued development in AI tooling and potentially even contributing to code could open doors to more technically-focused product roles.

• Domain Expertise: Building deep expertise in government technology and public service modernization can lead to specialized roles or consulting opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of this role, requiring 3 days in the NYC office, suggests a company culture that values in-person collaboration for key strategic discussions and team building, while still offering flexibility. This blend is often seen in successful startups aiming to foster strong team cohesion while attracting talent from diverse locations.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid role based out of Kaizen Labs' New York City headquarters. This means employees are expected to work from the office at least three times a week, specifically Tuesdays through Thursdays. The office environment is likely designed to foster collaboration and innovation, typical of a modern tech startup.

Office Location(s): New York City HQ. The exact address is provided as 47 W 17th St, and Grindhouse gym is located nearby at the same address (and in Williamsburg), indicating a central, accessible location.

Workspace Context:

• Collaboration: The hybrid model, with mandatory in-office days, emphasizes collaborative work sessions, brainstorming, and team-building activities.

• Tools & Technology: Access to company-provided laptops of choice, and likely a well-equipped office space conducive to design work. The role explicitly mentions proficiency in Figma and AI tooling.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with the design team, engineering, product managers, and leadership during in-office days, facilitating rapid feedback loops and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is implied, the startup environment and hybrid model may require flexibility. The emphasis on "Unlimited PTO, with a two-week minimum" suggests a culture that encourages taking time off while expecting dedication and productivity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific mention of office days (Tuesdays-Thursdays) is a key detail for candidates to understand the expected in-office cadence. This typically signifies days dedicated to team meetings, collaborative sessions, and client-facing activities that benefit from in-person interaction.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess alignment with the role's requirements and experience level.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Deep Dive: Expect a session where you walk through your portfolio, discussing your process, design decisions, and impact. This may include a specific design exercise or case study presentation tailored to government technology challenges.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with engineers, product managers, and potentially members of the implementation or sales teams to assess collaboration skills, communication, and cultural fit.

• Leadership Interview: A final conversation with a company leader (e.g., Head of Product, CEO, or CTO) to discuss strategic alignment, vision, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight End-to-End Ownership: Clearly articulate your role and contributions across the entire design process for each project.

• Focus on Process & Rationale: Explain why you made specific design decisions, referencing user research, data, or strategic goals.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, provide metrics or evidence of how your designs improved user experience, efficiency, or business outcomes.

• Showcase Relevant Projects: Prioritize projects that demonstrate experience with SaaS, administrative tooling, complex workflows, or ideally, government-related applications.

• Demonstrate Figma Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your use of Figma for advanced prototyping, design systems, and collaborative workflows.

• Address AI Tooling: If you have experience using AI in your design process, be ready to discuss it.

• Tailor to Kaizen: Research Kaizen Labs' mission and product. Be prepared to articulate how your skills and design philosophy align with their goals of modernizing government technology and building trust.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the GovTech Landscape: Familiarize yourself with the unique challenges and opportunities in designing for government services and public sector users.

• Practice Presentation Skills: Be ready to articulate complex design concepts clearly and concisely, both verbally and visually.

• Prepare for Strategy Questions: Anticipate questions about how you would approach designing for specific government functions or addressing user pain points in public services.

• Think About Scalability and Accessibility: Government services often serve a broad and diverse population, so consider how you would design for accessibility and scalability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role's broad responsibilities suggest interviewers will probe for adaptability and a proactive approach. Candidates should be ready to discuss how they've handled ambiguity and driven initiatives with limited direction, common in startup environments.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for all design and prototyping work. Expect advanced usage for complex flows, interactive prototypes, and component-based design.

• Design System Tools: Proficiency in contributing to and utilizing design systems (like "Trailmix") for consistency and scalability.

• AI Design Tools: Experience with AI workflows such as ChatGPT, Figma Make, and Lovable is expected.

• Prototyping Tools: Figma's advanced prototyping capabilities will be central.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly stated as a primary tool for the designer, an understanding of how design impacts user analytics and reporting dashboards is beneficial. Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, or Mixpanel for understanding user behavior post-launch is a plus. CRM & Automation:

• Sales & Implementation Support: The role involves creating prototypes for RFPs and demos, indicating a need to understand how design supports sales processes. Familiarity with CRM concepts or sales enablement tools might be indirectly useful.

• Workflow Automation: Experience designing workflows that leverage automation, particularly AI, is a key requirement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AI tooling (ChatGPT, Figma Make, Lovable) and the preferred mention of AI coding tools (Cursor) signal that Kaizen Labs is at the forefront of integrating AI into its product development and design processes. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience and innovative ideas in this area.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity & Trust: A core value is building technology that residents and public servants are proud to use, emphasizing user experience and fostering trust in government services.

• Excellence & Quality: A commitment to building "beautifully designed software" and modern, AI-native solutions, rejecting the notion that government tech should be outdated.

• Impact & Scale: Driven by a mission to touch the lives of millions of Americans, with ambitious goals for growth and reach.

• Collaboration & Ownership: A startup culture that encourages taking initiative, wearing multiple hats, and working closely across teams to achieve shared goals.

• Innovation: Embracing AI and modern technologies to redefine what's possible in government technology.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role is designed for deep collaboration with engineering, product, implementation, sales, and marketing. Expect a highly integrated team environment.

• Process Improvement Culture: A continuous drive to optimize workflows and product offerings, with design playing a key role in identifying and solving problems.

• Knowledge Sharing: A startup environment typically fosters open communication and sharing of ideas, with opportunities for designers to influence broader product strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission to "strengthen trust in American public services" is a powerful differentiator. Candidates who are motivated by social impact and the challenge of improving public sector technology will find this role particularly appealing and aligned with their values.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Modernizing Legacy Systems: Transitioning government agencies from outdated systems to modern, AI-native software requires overcoming resistance to change and complex integration needs.

• Diverse User Needs: Designing for a broad public audience with varying levels of technical proficiency, alongside internal government staff, demands careful consideration of accessibility and usability.

• Startup Pace & Ambiguity: Navigating the rapid iteration cycles, evolving priorities, and inherent ambiguity of a fast-growing startup requires adaptability and resilience.

• Balancing Design & GTM: Effectively managing diverse responsibilities, from deep design work to sales enablement and customer deployment support, requires strong organizational and time management skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Cutting-Edge AI Integration: Deepen expertise in applying AI tools and methodologies to product design and development.

• GovTech Domain Expertise: Become a specialist in the unique challenges and opportunities within the government technology sector.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Gain hands-on experience in product strategy, sales enablement, project management, and client services.

• Design System Leadership: Opportunity to significantly influence and expand an internal design system.

• Impactful Product Development: Contribute to products that have a tangible, positive impact on millions of citizens' lives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "challenges" section highlights the significant impact this role can have. Overcoming the inertia of government systems and truly improving citizen access to services is a compelling mission. Candidates who thrive on solving complex, impactful problems will find this role rewarding.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the end-to-end design process for a complex SaaS product, from initial research to launch. What were the key challenges and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on your process, research methods, collaboration, and outcomes.)

• "How would you approach designing an administrative dashboard for a government agency that needs to serve diverse user roles with varying technical skills?" (Discuss user research, information architecture, accessibility, and iteration.)

• "Kaizen Labs aims to build trust in public services. How can design contribute to building and maintaining that trust in a government technology product?" (Connect design principles to user perception, reliability, transparency, and user experience.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Kaizen Labs' mission to modernize government technology?" (Show you've researched the company and are aligned with its social impact.)

• "Describe your experience working in a fast-paced startup environment. How do you handle ambiguity and shifting priorities?" (Highlight adaptability, proactivity, and resilience.)

• "How do you see your role as a designer contributing to Go-To-Market strategies, such as RFP responses or customer deployments?" (Demonstrate understanding of the business impact of design beyond the UI.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your presentation around 2-3 key projects. For each, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, key decisions and rationale, your solutions, and the measured outcomes.

• Highlight Collaboration: Explicitly discuss how you collaborated with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders.

• Showcase Figma Mastery: Be prepared to demonstrate specific Figma techniques or discuss how you leverage its features for efficiency and advanced prototyping.

• Address AI Integration: If applicable, present a project where you incorporated AI tools, explaining the benefits and your approach.

• Tailor to GovTech: Connect your past work and design philosophy to the specific needs and context of government technology. Emphasize how your designs can build trust and improve citizen services.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to discuss their experience with AI tools not just as a trend, but as a practical element of their workflow that enhances efficiency or design quality. This is a key differentiator for Kaizen Labs.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in product design, SaaS, administrative tooling, Figma proficiency, and any experience with AI tools or government technology. Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best represent your end-to-end design process, collaboration skills, and impact. Ensure each project includes a clear narrative, your specific contributions, and measurable results. Focus on projects demonstrating SaaS, administrative tooling, or complex workflow design.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to articulate your design philosophy, your approach to user research, and how you collaborate with cross-functional teams. Practice walking through your portfolio projects concisely and impactfully.

• Research Kaizen Labs: Understand their mission, products, and the challenges of the GovTech industry. Be prepared to discuss why you are passionate about this specific problem space and how your skills align with their 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.