Senior Product Designer at KEV Group

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: KEV Group

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Operations / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-22

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

This role is critical for scaling product operations frameworks, including OKRs, planning cadences, and execution tracking, to ensure alignment between product strategy and delivery.
Design and implement scalable systems and processes that enhance operational efficiency, reduce friction, and increase team velocity within the product development lifecycle.
Leverage AI and automation to streamline workflows and minimize manual coordination, driving productivity gains and smarter operational practices.
Own and optimize the product and engineering tooling ecosystem to ensure strong adoption, consistent practices, and improved execution quality across the teams.
Develop and maintain resource planning and capacity models to empower leadership with data for informed prioritization and investment decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The raw job description for "Senior Product Designer" contains responsibilities that are highly indicative of a Product Operations or Go-to-Market (GTM) Operations role, rather than a traditional Product Designer role focused on UI/UX. The emphasis on "product operations frameworks," "scaling systems and processes," "AI and automation," "resource planning," "cross-functional operational initiatives," and "reporting frameworks and dashboards" strongly suggests a strategic operations function supporting the product and engineering teams. Therefore, this enhancement will categorize the role as Product Operations/GTM Operations and tailor the content accordingly, assuming the title may be a misclassification or a specialized internal designation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Own and scale product operations frameworks, including OKRs, planning cadences, and execution tracking, to drive alignment between product strategy and delivery while improving organizational visibility.
Design and implement scalable systems and processes to enable operational efficiency, reduce friction, and increase team velocity within the product development lifecycle.
Leverage AI and automation to streamline workflows and reduce manual coordination, contributing to productivity gains and smarter ways of working.
Own and optimize the product and engineering tooling ecosystem, ensuring strong adoption, consistent practices, and improved execution quality.
Build and maintain resource planning and capacity models to enable leadership to make informed prioritization and investment decisions.
Lead cross-functional operational initiatives, driving alignment across Product, Engineering, Finance, and G&A functions to improve overall business performance.
Develop reporting frameworks and dashboards to support data-driven decision-making and clear executive communication.
Partner with Technical Product Managers, Product Marketing, and Engineering teams to ensure smooth execution across the product lifecycle from planning through release.
Continuously identify and eliminate inefficiencies, ensuring scalable processes that support long-term growth and operational excellence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The listed responsibilities are a direct interpretation of the provided "How You'll Contribute" section, reframed to emphasize operational impact and strategic contributions typical of a Product Operations or GTM Operations role. These responsibilities are detailed and actionable, aligning with industry standards for senior operations roles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While specific educational degrees aren't listed, a Bachelor's degree in Business, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field is typically expected for roles of this seniority and scope. Advanced degrees or relevant certifications in Project Management or Operations are often a plus.

Experience: 5+ years of experience in product management, business analysis, or related operational roles within high-growth B2B SaaS environments. Experience in FinTech or EdTech is preferred. Proven track record of delivering and shipping products in complex, enterprise, or platform-based environments. Demonstrated experience working closely with go-to-market teams, including Sales and Customer Success.

Required Skills:

Product Operations Frameworks: Expertise in establishing and scaling operational frameworks such as OKRs, planning cadences, and execution tracking.
Systems & Process Design: Ability to design and implement scalable systems and processes for operational efficiency and team velocity.
AI & Automation Integration: Familiarity with leveraging AI and automation to streamline workflows and enhance productivity.
Tool Ecosystem Management: Experience in owning and optimizing product and engineering tooling for consistent practices and improved execution.
Resource Planning & Capacity Modeling: Proficiency in building and maintaining models for resource allocation and investment decisions.
Cross-functional Leadership: Proven ability to lead operational initiatives across diverse departments (Product, Engineering, Finance, G&A).
Data Analysis & Reporting: Skills in developing reporting frameworks and dashboards for data-driven decision-making.
B2B SaaS Environment: Deep understanding of operating within a high-growth, business-to-business Software-as-a-Service context.
Systems Thinking: Ability to analyze complex workflows and design effective, scalable solutions.
Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of how product decisions impact revenue, adoption, and customer success.

Preferred Skills:

FinTech/EdTech Experience: Specific domain knowledge in financial technology or educational technology sectors.
Enterprise/Platform Software: Experience with complex enterprise-level or platform-based software solutions.
Go-to-Market (GTM) Collaboration: Experience working directly with Sales and Customer Success teams to align product delivery with market needs.
Technical Product Management Collaboration: Ability to partner effectively with Technical Product Managers and Engineering.
AI-Driven Product Capabilities: Familiarity or a strong interest in applying AI to solve real-world product and operational challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Who You Are" section has been expanded into detailed "Required" and "Preferred" skills. This segmentation provides clarity for candidates and incorporates keywords relevant to operations roles, such as "Product Operations Frameworks," "Systems & Process Design," "AI & Automation Integration," and "Resource Planning & Capacity Modeling." The preference for FinTech/EdTech and GTM collaboration is also highlighted.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Case Studies on Process Improvement: Demonstrate instances where you identified inefficiencies in product development or operational workflows and implemented scalable solutions, detailing the process, challenges, and outcomes.
Framework Implementation Examples: Showcase examples of establishing or scaling operational frameworks like OKRs, planning cadences, or execution tracking systems, highlighting their impact on team alignment and delivery.
Tooling Optimization Projects: Provide evidence of optimizing product or engineering tooling ecosystems, focusing on adoption, consistency, and improved execution quality.
Data-driven Decision Support: Include examples of reporting frameworks or dashboards you've developed that enabled data-driven decision-making and supported executive communication.

Process Documentation:

Workflow Design & Optimization: Document complex workflows related to product development, release management, or cross-functional operations, illustrating your ability to analyze, simplify, and optimize them for scalability and efficiency.
System Implementation & Automation: Detail projects where you implemented new systems or leveraged automation tools to streamline operational processes, reduce manual effort, and enhance team velocity.
Performance Measurement & Analysis: Showcase your approach to defining key performance indicators (KPIs) for operational processes and your methods for tracking, analyzing, and reporting on performance to drive continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is tailored to the operations focus of the role. It outlines specific types of projects and documentation expected in a portfolio for a Product Operations or GTM Operations role, emphasizing process optimization, system implementation, and data-driven outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Senior Product Operations/GTM Operations role with 5-10 years of experience in Toronto, Canada, the estimated salary range is CAD $100,000 - $140,000 annually. This range accounts for the cost of living in Toronto, the seniority of the role, and KEV Group's positioning as a growing B2B SaaS company backed by private equity.

Benefits:

Comprehensive Health & Wellness: Includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, often with options for flexible spending accounts.
Retirement Savings Plan: Employer-matched contributions to a retirement savings plan (e.g., RRSP in Canada).
Professional Development: Support for continued learning, including conferences, certifications, and training relevant to product operations and SaaS best practices.
Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, personal days, and paid holidays.
Performance Bonuses: Potential for bonuses tied to individual and company performance.
Stock Options/Equity: Possibility of equity participation in a growing company, especially given the PE backing.
Team Events & Culture: Opportunities for team building, social events, and recognition awards (as indicated in the provided "Why You'll Love Working at KEV" section).

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time role in Canada. While on-site, there may be flexibility offered around start and end times, depending on team needs and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on market data for Toronto, Canada, for a senior-level operations role in the tech sector. Benefits are inferred from typical offerings for B2B SaaS companies and specific mentions in the provided text (e.g., "Grow with us," "Celebrate Community and Culture"). Working hours are standardized.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: KEV Group operates within the EdTech and FinTech sectors, specifically focusing on providing financial management solutions for school districts. This niche involves handling sensitive financial data and ensuring compliance within the K-12 education system.

Company Size: KEV Group is a growing B2B SaaS company with offices across North America. While the exact current employee count isn't specified, being backed by Five Arrows (PE arm of Rothschild & Co.) suggests a phase of significant investment and expansion, likely placing them in the mid-to-large size range for SaaS companies (e.g., 100-500+ employees). This size implies a need for robust operational processes to support scaling.

Founded: Founded with a mission to address the "school finance blind spot," KEV Group has established itself as a trusted platform managing billions annually across thousands of schools. The company's history is rooted in solving critical financial oversight challenges for educational institutions.

Team Structure:

The Product team is integral to KEV's operations, driving innovation, customer value, and revenue growth.
This role will likely be part of a dedicated Product Operations or GTM Operations function, working closely with Product Management, Engineering, Sales, Customer Success, and Finance.
The reporting structure will likely place this role under a Director or VP of Product, Product Operations, or potentially a Chief Operating Officer, depending on the organizational design. Methodology:
Data-Driven Decision Making: The company emphasizes developing reporting frameworks and dashboards to support informed decision-making.
Process Optimization & Scalability: A key focus is on designing and implementing scalable systems and processes that enhance efficiency and reduce friction.
Continuous Improvement: The culture encourages constantly questioning, improving, and innovating to better serve schools and students.
AI & Automation Adoption: KEV is actively looking to leverage AI and automation to streamline workflows and improve productivity.

Company Website: https://kevgroup.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Company context is derived from the provided description, focusing on its industry, mission, and growth stage. The team structure and methodology are inferred based on the role's responsibilities and typical operations functions within a scaling SaaS company.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Senior" position, indicating a level of expertise and autonomy beyond an intermediate role. It's suitable for individuals who can independently own significant operational frameworks, lead cross-functional initiatives, and contribute strategically to process improvement and scalability. This role is positioned to drive substantial impact on the product development lifecycle and overall business performance.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer (or functionally, Senior Product Operations Specialist) will likely report to a Director or VP of Product, Product Operations, or a similar senior operations leadership role. Close collaboration is expected with Product Managers, Technical Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and GTM (Sales, Customer Success) leadership.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on revenue growth and customer value by ensuring the product development process is efficient, scalable, and well-aligned with business objectives. By optimizing operations, streamlining workflows, and improving visibility through data and reporting, this position contributes to faster product delivery, higher customer satisfaction, and better resource allocation, all of which positively influence the company's bottom line and market position.

Growth Opportunities:

Leadership in Product Operations: Opportunity to build out or significantly influence the Product Operations function, potentially leading to a management role as the team grows.
Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like AI integration, process automation, or specific product domains (Payments, Accounting, Fundraising).
Cross-functional Mobility: The broad exposure to Product, Engineering, Sales, and Finance can open doors to other operational leadership roles or strategic product management positions.
Impactful Projects: Engage in high-visibility projects that directly contribute to the company's scaling efforts and market leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis elaborates on the "Senior" title, clarifies reporting lines and collaboration, and emphasizes the strategic impact of operations roles. Growth opportunities are framed within the context of a scaling SaaS company and the specific responsibilities of the role.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: KEV Group is headquartered in Toronto and has offices across North America. The role is listed as "On-site," indicating a traditional office-based work environment. This typically fosters strong in-person collaboration and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): The primary office for this role is in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Specific details about office amenities or accessibility would need to be confirmed directly, but being a professional office environment, it would likely include standard workplace facilities.

Workspace Context:

Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on cross-functional initiatives suggests an environment where collaboration with various departments (Product, Engineering, Sales, Customer Success, Finance) is encouraged and expected.
Operations Tools & Technology: Access to modern SaaS tools for project management, CRM, data analytics, and potentially AI/automation platforms will be crucial for performing the role's duties.
Team Interaction: Regular team meetings, planning sessions, and operational reviews will be part of the daily or weekly routine, providing ample opportunities for interaction with colleagues.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time working hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected. While the role is on-site, KEV Group may offer some flexibility in daily start/end times, provided core operational needs and team collaboration times are met. The nature of operations often requires responsiveness to evolving business needs and project timelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section interprets the "On-site" work arrangement and company context to describe the likely work environment, focusing on collaboration, technology, and schedule expectations relevant to an operational role.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will conduct an initial call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit. Be prepared to discuss your background in B2B SaaS and operations.
Technical/Operational Interview: This stage will likely involve deeper dives into your experience with product operations frameworks, process design, AI/automation, and cross-functional leadership. Expect scenario-based questions.
Portfolio Presentation/Case Study: You may be asked to present a case study or walk through examples from your portfolio that demonstrate your ability to scale operations, implement systems, or drive efficiency.
Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with key stakeholders from Product, Engineering, or GTM teams to assess collaboration skills and understanding of their respective functions.
Final Interview: A meeting with senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment, long-term vision, and overall fit with the company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your solution, the process you followed, and the quantifiable results (e.g., efficiency gains, cost savings, improved velocity, increased adoption).
Showcase Scalability: Highlight examples where you designed or implemented solutions that were scalable and could support future growth.
Demonstrate Process Thinking: Clearly outline the operational frameworks, systems, or workflows you've worked with or developed. Use diagrams or flowcharts if helpful.
Highlight Tool Proficiency: Mention specific tools and technologies you used and how they contributed to project success.
Tailor to KEV: Research KEV Group's mission and products. Frame your experience in terms of how you can help them achieve their goals in EdTech/FinTech SaaS.

Challenge Preparation:

Operational Efficiency Case Study: Be ready to analyze a hypothetical operational challenge within a SaaS company and propose a structured approach to improve efficiency, leveraging your skills in process design and technology.
Framework Design Exercise: You might be asked to outline how you would establish an OKR framework or a product planning cadence for a specific team.
Stakeholder Alignment Scenario: Prepare to discuss how you would manage conflicting priorities or gain buy-in from different departments for an operational initiative.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice for candidates, focusing on how to present their experience in a portfolio context relevant to operations roles, and anticipating the types of interview questions and challenges they might face.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Project Management Software: Tools like Jira, Asana, Monday.com, or Trello for tracking product development, tasks, and workflows.
Collaboration Platforms: Slack, Microsoft Teams for real-time communication and team coordination.
Documentation & Knowledge Management: Confluence, Notion, or similar platforms for documenting processes, frameworks, and best practices.

Analytics & Reporting:

Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Tableau, Power BI, Looker, or similar for creating dashboards and reports to visualize operational data and track KPIs.
CRM Systems: Salesforce, HubSpot, or similar, for understanding customer interactions and GTM alignment.
Product Analytics Tools: Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Pendo for understanding product usage and adoption metrics.

CRM & Automation:

Workflow Automation Tools: Zapier, Make (formerly Integromat), or custom scripting for automating repetitive tasks and integrating systems.
AI/ML Platforms (Familiarity): While not necessarily hands-on development, familiarity with AI concepts and how they can be applied to product or operational challenges is a plus.
Product Management Suites: Tools like Productboard or Aha! for roadmap planning and feature prioritization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is crucial for operations roles. It lists common tools and technologies used in Product Operations and GTM Operations, categorizing them by function to provide a clear picture of the expected technical environment.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

Efficiency & Optimization: A core value is the continuous drive to identify and eliminate inefficiencies, ensuring processes are as streamlined and effective as possible to support scalable growth.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Valuing decisions backed by data and analytics, with an emphasis on building robust reporting and dashboards to inform strategy.
Collaboration & Alignment: Fostering strong partnerships across Product, Engineering, Sales, and Customer Success to ensure cohesive execution and shared objectives.
Customer Focus: A commitment to understanding customer needs and ensuring that operational improvements ultimately enhance customer value and satisfaction.
Innovation & Adaptability: Embracing new technologies like AI and automation, and being open to evolving processes to meet changing business demands.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-functional Integration: The role requires actively engaging with and aligning diverse teams, acting as a bridge between different functions to ensure smooth operations.
Process-Oriented Communication: Discussions often revolve around workflow design, system improvements, and best practices, with a focus on clear, actionable communication.
Proactive Problem-Solving: A collaborative approach to identifying potential operational bottlenecks or challenges and working together to find effective solutions.
Feedback Culture: An environment where feedback on processes and systems is encouraged and used to drive iterative improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section interprets the company's stated values and the nature of the role to describe the operational culture and collaboration style, focusing on aspects relevant to operations professionals.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Scaling Operations: As a growing SaaS company, a primary challenge will be ensuring that operational processes and systems can scale effectively to support increasing complexity and volume without sacrificing efficiency.
Cross-Functional Alignment: Bridging the needs and priorities of different departments (Product, Engineering, Sales, Finance) can be challenging, requiring strong communication and negotiation skills.
Adoption of New Tools/Processes: Driving adoption of new operational frameworks, tools, or AI integrations across teams requires effective change management and clear demonstration of value.
Balancing Strategic Initiatives with Tactical Execution: Juggling long-term strategic process improvements with immediate operational needs and support requests.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Advanced Operations Methodologies: Opportunities to dive deeper into advanced product operations, GTM operations, and business operations strategies.
AI & Automation Expertise: Developing specialized skills in identifying and implementing AI and automation solutions for operational efficiency.
Leadership Development: Gaining experience in leading cross-functional initiatives and potentially managing operational functions as the company grows.
Industry Exposure: Deepening understanding of the EdTech and FinTech SaaS markets through direct involvement with KEV Group's products and customers.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section addresses potential challenges inherent in a scaling SaaS environment and highlights specific learning and development paths tailored to the operations and technology focus of the role.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

"Describe a time you designed or scaled an operational framework (e.g., OKRs, planning cadence) that significantly improved team alignment or execution. What was your process?" (Focus on methodology, metrics, and impact.)
"How would you approach leveraging AI or automation to streamline a complex workflow within a B2B SaaS product development lifecycle? Provide a specific example." (Demonstrate practical application of AI/automation.)
"Imagine you need to gain buy-in from both Engineering and Sales leadership for a new operational process. How would you approach this, considering their differing priorities?" (Showcase cross-functional leadership and negotiation skills.) Company & Culture Questions:
"What interests you most about KEV Group's mission to help school districts manage finances and what operational challenges do you foresee in the EdTech/FinTech SaaS space?" (Research KEV's mission and industry.)
"How do you foster a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence within teams you work with?" (Align with KEV's "KEV Way" and focus on innovation.)
"Describe your experience working with Sales and Customer Success teams. How do you ensure product operations support their needs?" (Highlight GTM collaboration experience.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
Structure your examples: For each case study, follow a clear narrative: Problem -> Your Role/Solution -> Process/Tools Used -> Quantifiable Results -> Lessons Learned.
Quantify impact: Use numbers whenever possible (e.g., "reduced processing time by 30%," "increased adoption by 15%," "saved X hours per week").
Visual aids: Use simple diagrams (flowcharts, dashboards) to illustrate complex processes or data insights.
Focus on scalability: Emphasize how your solutions were designed to grow with the company.
Connect to KEV: Briefly explain how your past successes can translate to solving KEV's specific challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides specific, actionable interview preparation advice, including example questions tailored to the role's operational and strategic focus, and guidance on portfolio presentation.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer (Operations) position:

Submit your application through the provided link on the KEV Group careers page: https://kevgroup.com/open-positions/?gh_jid=5170479007
Tailor your Resume: Highlight experience with product operations frameworks, process optimization, B2B SaaS environments, and any experience with AI/automation or FinTech/EdTech. Use keywords from the job description.
Prepare your Portfolio: Select 2-3 strong case studies that best showcase your ability to scale operations, implement efficient systems, and drive measurable impact. Be ready to discuss them in detail.
Research KEV Group: Understand their products, mission, and company culture. Prepare thoughtful questions about their operational challenges and growth plans.
Practice your Interview Responses: Rehearse answers to common operations and behavioral questions, focusing on the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) and demonstrating strategic thinking.

⚠️ 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.

Senior Product Designer