Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: KEV Group

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-09-08

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design initiatives for KEV's new ePay digital disbursements and payments product, from initial discovery and research to polished delivery and iterative improvements.

• Drive UX and UI craft for complex financial workflows, translating them into clear, elegant, and accessible user experiences across web and mobile platforms.

• Conduct rigorous user research and usability testing to validate concepts and inform design decisions, ensuring alignment with user needs, business goals, and technical/compliance constraints.

• Collaborate deeply with Product Management, Engineering, security, compliance, and leadership stakeholders to deliver high-quality, buildable solutions in a fast-paced B2B SaaS environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is titled "Senior Product Designer," its responsibilities heavily involve strategic product thinking, end-to-end ownership, and cross-functional leadership, aligning with senior-level expectations in product development. The focus on "ePay" and "School Cash ecosystem" indicates a specialized domain within B2B SaaS.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Discovery & Framing: Own the framing of ambiguous problems, define research questions, and lead rigorous UX research and concept-testing processes to validate demand and de-risk investment.

• End-to-End Design Ownership: Drive the ePay product and adjacent initiatives through the full lifecycle, from requirements gathering and flow definition to implementation and post-launch iteration, ensuring high-quality outcomes.

• Workflow Simplification: Map and simplify complex multi-step payment, approval, and disbursement flows into clear, intuitive end-to-end user journeys, wireframes, mockups, and clickable prototypes.

• User Research & Validation: Plan and execute moderated and unmoderated user research and usability testing with bookkeepers, district staff, and other stakeholders to validate assumptions and inform design decisions.

• Accessible Interface Design: Design intuitive, elegant, and WCAG-conscious user interfaces for both desktop and mobile platforms, employing a test-and-learn approach.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, customers, security/compliance partners, and leadership to understand needs and translate them into effective, buildable solutions.

• Specification & Implementation: Produce precise design specifications and partner with Engineering to ensure accurate, high-quality implementation of designs.

• Design System Contribution: Utilize, extend, and help evolve shared patterns and components within KEV's design system to ensure product consistency.

• Communication & Alignment: Clearly present design work to cross-functional teams and stakeholders, building shared understanding around direction and trade-offs.

• Data-Driven Iteration: Continuously refine designs based on user feedback, analytics, and data-driven insights, staying current with industry trends and emerging technologies like AI-assisted design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a high degree of autonomy and strategic involvement, typical of senior roles. The mention of "payments, accounting, and reporting" and "financial workflows" highlights the domain-specific challenges and requirements for this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Diploma or bachelor’s degree in UX Design, Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Graphic Design, Software Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

Experience: 5+ years of experience as a Product Designer, with a proven track record of leading initiatives end-to-end, ideally within a B2B SaaS environment.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated end-to-end ownership of product design initiatives, from problem framing and research through to delivery and iteration.

• Strong UX and UI craft with a keen eye for detail and a commitment to accessibility standards (WCAG).

• Deep experience with UX methodologies, user research (including moderated studies), prototyping, and usability testing.

• Advanced proficiency in design tools such as Figma.

• Strategic product thinking, capable of balancing user needs, business objectives, and technical/compliance constraints.

• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence diverse stakeholders, including leadership.

• Ability to manage multiple initiatives and priorities effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

• Experience working within a B2B SaaS environment. Preferred Skills:

• Technical fluency, including familiarity with front-end concepts (e.g., React, component-based design, design tokens) or the ability to reason about code.

• Experience with AI-assisted design workflows, agentic/prototyping tools, and curiosity about their application in accelerating design processes.

• Exposure to payments, fintech, accounting, or other complex, regulated domains.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "minimal direction" and "operating with ambiguity" suggests a need for a highly self-sufficient and proactive candidate. The "Nice to Have" section provides clear pathways for candidates to differentiate themselves, particularly those with technical or domain-specific experience.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design projects, clearly demonstrating your role and contributions from discovery through to delivery.

• Highlight projects that involved framing ambiguous problems and conducting rigorous UX research and concept validation.

• Present case studies that detail your process for mapping and simplifying complex workflows, including wireframes, mockups, and prototypes.

• Include examples of user research conducted, outlining methodologies used and how findings informed design decisions.

• Demonstrate strong UI craft with a focus on detail, elegance, and accessibility (WCAG compliance) across both web and mobile interfaces.

• Showcase projects where you collaborated closely with Product Management and Engineering.

• Illustrate your ability to produce precise design specifications for implementation.

• If applicable, include examples of contributions to or utilization of design systems. Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your UX research process, including methods for problem framing, user segmentation, and data synthesis.

• Detail your design process, from ideation and wireframing to prototyping and usability testing, emphasizing iterative refinement.

• Explain how you ensure accessibility (WCAG) is integrated throughout the design lifecycle.

• Provide examples of how you translate complex requirements into clear, actionable design specifications for engineering teams.

• Showcase how you leverage user feedback, analytics, and data to iterate on designs post-launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, as it serves as the primary evidence of the candidate's end-to-end design capabilities, problem-solving skills, and craft. The focus should be on demonstrating impact and process, especially for complex B2B workflows.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated salary range is CAD $110,000 - $150,000 annually. This estimate accounts for the senior level, specialized B2B SaaS and fintech domain experience, and the cost of living in Toronto.

Benefits:

• Professional development opportunities to enhance UX/UI skills and domain knowledge.

• Career growth pathways within a rapidly scaling company.

• Collaborative and supportive work environment alongside accomplished professionals.

• Team-building events and activities fostering strong camaraderie.

• Inclusive culture that values respect, integrity, and innovation.

• Opportunities to make a tangible impact on the K-12 education sector.

Working Hours: Full-time, with an estimated standard of 40 hours per week. The role is on-site in Toronto, suggesting a need for consistent office presence, though flexibility may be available depending on team needs and project demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on typical compensation for Senior Product Designers in major Canadian tech hubs like Toronto, considering the specified experience level and the B2B SaaS/Fintech sector. Benefits are derived from the "Why You'll Love Working at KEV" section.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software / Fintech / Education Technology. KEV Group operates at the intersection of payments, accounting, and reporting for K-12 schools, managing significant financial transactions and emphasizing engineering excellence in a cloud-native environment.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the mention of "scaling fast" and "teams across North America" suggests a growing mid-sized company, likely between 50-250 employees, providing opportunities for impact without being overly bureaucratic.

Founded: Founded in 2014. This indicates a company with established products and a proven market presence, now entering a significant growth phase with new initiatives like ePay.

Team Structure:

• The design team likely works within a Product Development structure, collaborating closely with Product Management and Engineering.

• As a Senior Product Designer, you would likely be a key individual contributor, potentially mentoring junior designers, and reporting to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or CTO.

• Cross-functional collaboration is heavily emphasized, with regular interaction with Product Managers, Engineers, Security/Compliance, customers, and leadership. Methodology:

• Data-driven product development, utilizing user feedback, analytics, and continuous iteration.

• Agile methodologies are implied by the fast-paced environment and focus on iterative delivery.

• Emphasis on rigorous UX research and validation to de-risk development and ensure product-market fit.

• Commitment to building mission-critical, scalable, and secure SaaS products.

Company Website: https://kevgroup.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is described as innovative, impact-driven, and focused on continuous improvement. The "KEV Way" suggests an environment that encourages questioning the status quo and prioritizing the needs of schools and students.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior individual contributor role within the Product Design function. It requires a high level of autonomy, strategic thinking, and the ability to lead complex projects from inception to completion with minimal supervision. The role is positioned to significantly influence a new, high-ambition product initiative.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly defined, a Senior Product Designer typically reports to a Design Lead, Head of Product, or a Director of Product Development. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering leads on a day-to-day basis.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer will have a direct and significant impact on the success of KEV's new ePay product and the broader School Cash ecosystem. Their design decisions will shape how schools and districts manage and move money, directly affecting operational efficiency, security, and user confidence. This role is crucial for translating complex financial requirements into user-friendly solutions that drive adoption and value.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership & Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor junior designers, lead design critiques, and potentially shape design processes and standards as the team grows.

• Domain Expertise: Deepen expertise in the complex and regulated fintech/payments space within education, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to product strategy discussions and influence the direction of new product development, particularly for high-ambition initiatives.

• Career Advancement: Potential to move into a Lead Product Designer role, manage a design team, or transition into Product Management roles based on performance and interest.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning opportunities in emerging technologies like AI-assisted design, advanced UX methodologies, and accessibility best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers substantial growth potential due to its senior nature and focus on a new, strategic product. Candidates looking to deepen their expertise in a specialized B2B SaaS domain and influence product direction will find significant opportunities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job posting indicates an "On-site" work arrangement in Toronto, suggesting a traditional office environment where collaboration and in-person interaction are prioritized.

Office Location(s): Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Specific details about the office amenities or accessibility would need to be confirmed directly.

Workspace Context:

• The environment is described as "fast-paced" and "high-growth," implying a dynamic and potentially demanding atmosphere.

• Emphasis on "collaboration" suggests an open or semi-open office layout designed to facilitate interaction between design, product, and engineering teams.

• As a Senior Designer, access to necessary design tools (Figma) and potentially prototyping software will be standard.

• Opportunities for direct customer interaction (e.g., user research) will be integral to the workspace context.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected, with the "on-site" requirement indicating a need for regular physical presence in the Toronto office. While the pace is fast, the culture values "respect" and "support," suggesting a balance between productivity and employee well-being.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "on-site" requirement is a key differentiator. Candidates should be prepared for a collaborative office environment in Toronto. The fast-paced nature suggests that efficiency and time management within the office setting will be important.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A key stage will likely involve presenting selected portfolio pieces, discussing design process, problem-solving approaches, and impact. Be prepared to articulate your role in end-to-end projects and how you handle ambiguity.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Management, Engineering, and potentially other stakeholders to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and communication skills.

• Design Challenge (Potential): A take-home assignment or live design exercise may be given to evaluate problem-solving abilities, design craft, and process within a specific scenario.

• Hiring Manager/Leadership Interview: Final discussion to assess strategic thinking, cultural fit, and overall suitability for the senior role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 3-4 of your strongest end-to-end projects that best showcase your capabilities for this role, focusing on B2B SaaS and complex workflows if possible.

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your specific role and responsibilities, the design process followed (discovery, research, ideation, testing, delivery), key decisions made, challenges overcome, and the measurable impact or outcome.

• Highlight Ambiguity & Ownership: Emphasize instances where you had to frame an ambiguous problem, conduct significant discovery, and drive the initiative with minimal direction.

• Showcase UX & UI Craft: Ensure your visual design, interaction design, and attention to detail are evident. Explicitly mention your approach to accessibility (WCAG).

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Explain how you partnered with Product Managers and Engineers, and how you navigated trade-offs and communication challenges.

• Be Prepared for Technical Discussion: If you have technical fluency, be ready to discuss how that informed your design decisions or how you collaborated with engineers on implementation details.

• Address Payments/Fintech Experience: If you have experience in these domains, highlight it prominently.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research KEV Group, their products (especially School Cash and the concept of ePay), and the K-12 education financial software landscape. Understand the typical users (bookkeepers, district staff) and their pain points.

• Practice Problem Framing: Be ready to tackle ambiguous problems, articulate your assumptions, and outline how you would approach discovery and research.

• Focus on Process: Demonstrate a systematic approach to design challenges, emphasizing user-centered methodologies, iterative testing, and clear communication.

• Consider Constraints: Think about how technical limitations, security requirements, and compliance regulations (common in fintech) would influence your design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to operate independently, their strategic product thinking, and their craft in handling complex B2B financial workflows. A well-prepared portfolio presentation is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (advanced proficiency required).

• Prototyping Tools: Comfort with rapid prototyping is essential. This could include advanced Figma prototyping features or other specialized tools.

• User Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for conducting moderated and unmoderated studies (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or similar).

• Design System Components: Experience using and contributing to design systems.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as a requirement for the designer, understanding how to interpret and utilize user analytics and data from reporting tools to inform design iterations will be beneficial. Familiarity with common analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) is a plus. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the designer's core tools, but understanding how design impacts user adoption and workflow efficiency within a CRM or automation context can be advantageous in B2B SaaS.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is a non-negotiable requirement. The emphasis on AI-assisted design and prototyping tools in the "Nice to Have" section suggests that familiarity with newer technologies in the design space is highly valued and could be a significant differentiator.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact-Driven: A strong focus on making a real difference in K-12 education, simplifying lives for students, parents, and school staff.

• Innovation & Improvement: A culture that constantly questions, improves, and innovates, driven by the core question: "How does this help our schools and the students they serve?"

• Excellence & Integrity: Working alongside accomplished, humble, collaborative, and accountable colleagues who treat each other with respect.

• Growth Mindset: Commitment to continuous learning, development, and career shaping for individuals within the company.

• Community & Celebration: Fostering connection, recognition, and celebration through initiatives like Club KEV, Voice of Customer Series, Townhalls, and KEVite Awards.

Collaboration Style:

• Deep Partnership: Emphasizes close collaboration across functions (Product Management, Engineering, Security/Compliance, Leadership) to ensure alignment and effective solutioning.

• Transparent Communication: Presenting work clearly, building shared understanding, and openly discussing direction and trade-offs.

• Customer-Centric: Integrating customer feedback and insights directly into the design and development process.

• Empowerment: A culture that challenges individuals to do their best work while providing support and inspiring colleagues.

📝 Enhancement Note: KEV Group clearly articulates a culture focused on purpose, continuous improvement, and strong interpersonal relationships. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate how they embody these values in their work and collaboration.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Leading design for a new, early-stage product (ePay) requires comfort with uncertainty, defining problems from scratch, and driving clarity.

• Complex Domain: Designing for financial workflows in regulated environments (payments, accounting) presents unique challenges related to security, compliance, and user trust.

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Effectively managing and aligning diverse stakeholder expectations (users, product, engineering, leadership, compliance) while advocating for user-centered design.

• Scaling Design Systems: Contributing to and evolving a design system to ensure consistency across a growing product suite in a fast-paced environment.

• Integrating New Technologies: Exploring and potentially integrating AI-assisted design tools and workflows to enhance efficiency and innovation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Product Strategy Involvement: Gain exposure to high-level product strategy and contribute to the direction of new initiatives.

• Fintech/Payments Domain Expertise: Develop deep knowledge in a complex and impactful industry sector.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and influence design practices.

• Cutting-Edge Tools: Experiment with and master AI-assisted design and advanced prototyping tools.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Enhance skills in collaborating with and influencing technical and business stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are significant but also offer substantial opportunities for professional growth and skill development, particularly for a designer seeking to expand their strategic impact and domain expertise.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to frame a completely ambiguous problem. How did you approach discovery, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, research methods, and how you brought clarity.)

• "Walk us through a complex B2B workflow you designed. What were the key challenges, how did you simplify it, and what was the impact?" (Highlight your end-to-end ownership, problem-solving, and stakeholder collaboration.)

• "How do you ensure accessibility (WCAG) is integrated into your design process from start to finish?" (Detail your practical steps and commitment to inclusive design.)

• "Imagine you have conflicting requirements from Product Management and Engineering. How do you navigate this to achieve the best outcome for the user and the business?" (Showcase your negotiation, communication, and trade-off analysis skills.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about KEV Group's mission, particularly in the K-12 education space?" (Connect your values to their impact.)

• "How do you approach collaboration within a cross-functional team, especially with engineers and product managers?" (Provide specific examples of your collaborative style.)

• "Describe your experience working in a fast-paced, high-growth B2B SaaS environment. What are the key considerations for designers in such settings?" (Demonstrate your adaptability and understanding of the environment.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: For each case study, start with a concise summary of the problem and your solution. Then, dive into the "why" and "how" of your process, using visuals to illustrate key stages (user flows, wireframes, mockups, prototypes).

• Quantify Outcomes: Wherever possible, include metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrate the impact of your design decisions (e.g., improved conversion, reduced support tickets, increased user satisfaction).

• Highlight Your Role: Be crystal clear about your specific contributions, especially if it was a team project. Use "I" when referring to your actions and "we" when discussing team efforts.

• Tell a Story: Weave a narrative that guides the interviewer through your thought process, decision-making, and problem-solving journey.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs made, and how you would handle hypothetical scenarios related to the role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, end-to-end process ownership, strong UX/UI craft with an emphasis on accessibility, and effective collaboration in a complex B2B SaaS environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the KEV Group careers page.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight 2-3 of your most relevant end-to-end projects, emphasizing your experience in B2B SaaS, complex workflow simplification, user research, and accessibility. Clearly articulate your role and the impact of your design decisions.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly states your 5+ years of product design experience, highlights proficiency in Figma and UX research methodologies, and showcases accomplishments within B2B SaaS environments.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on your design process, problem-solving approach, and ability to handle ambiguity. Prepare to discuss your collaboration style and how you approach technical and compliance constraints.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with KEV Group's mission, products (especially ePay and School Cash), and their impact on K-12 education. Understand their culture and values to articulate your fit.

⚠️ 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.

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