Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Phia

Location: New York City, New York, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design Leadership / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-01T00:00:00

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end product design vision and execution for Phia's AI shopping agent, from its nascent stages (zero-to-one) through significant scaling phases.

• Establish and elevate the design standard for product quality, craft, and speed across all user-facing experiences, ensuring a cohesive and high-impact user journey.

• Build, mentor, and scale high-performing product design teams capable of operating effectively in a fast-paced startup environment.

• Drive design strategy and execution within ambiguous problem spaces, translating complex concepts into tangible, shipped product features rapidly.

• Foster deep, collaborative partnerships with Product, Engineering, and Executive Leadership to shape overarching product strategy and define critical priorities.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Product Designer," the scope described (leading vision, scaling teams, partnering with leadership, operating at the intersection of strategy and execution) strongly indicates a leadership role, likely VP or Director level within the design function, focused on Product Design strategy and team management, rather than individual contributor design work. The "Senior" in the title likely refers to the seniority of the individual's experience and strategic contribution. The "GTM Operations" category is included because product design strategy heavily influences Go-To-Market success by shaping the user experience and product adoption.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the comprehensive product design strategy and execution for Phia's AI shopping agent, encompassing user research, conceptualization, prototyping, and final UI/UX implementation.

• Define and implement design systems that ensure rapid iteration cycles, maintain brand consistency, and enable efficient scaling of user interfaces and experiences.

• Drive critical design decisions in highly ambiguous problem spaces, rapidly iterating from initial concepts to shipped product features that meet user needs and business objectives.

• Cultivate and lead high-impact product design teams, focusing on talent development, performance management, and fostering a culture of rapid iteration and high-quality output.

• Act as a key strategic partner to Product Management and Engineering leadership, actively shaping product roadmaps, prioritizing initiatives, and ensuring design considerations are integrated early and continuously.

• Leverage user insights, market data, and performance metrics to inform design decisions, validate hypotheses, and continuously measure the impact of design initiatives on key business outcomes.

• Champion bold experimentation and innovation within the product design function while ensuring the overall product experience remains cohesive, intuitive, and aligned with Phia's brand identity.

• Provide direct guidance, mentorship, and constructive feedback to design team members, actively removing roadblocks and ensuring sustained momentum in design velocity and quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic leadership (vision, team scaling, strategy shaping) and hands-on execution oversight (driving decisions, defining systems, reviewing work), typical of a senior leadership role in a fast-growing startup. The focus on "zero-to-one" and "startup speed" implies a need for agility and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio and extensive experience in product design leadership are paramount. A degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field may be beneficial, but practical application and proven results are prioritized.

Experience: A minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in product design, with a significant portion dedicated to senior leadership roles within high-growth product environments. Proven success in leading design initiatives from conception through to scaled deployment.

Required Skills:

• 10+ years of comprehensive product design experience, with a substantial track record in senior leadership capacities.

• Demonstrated success leading design efforts in "zero-to-one" or early-stage growth environments, showing an ability to build from scratch and scale effectively.

• Exceptional product sense with a high bar for craft across interaction design, visual design, and the development of robust design systems.

• Proven ability to build, mentor, and scale high-performing design teams that consistently deliver high-quality products at speed.

• Extensive experience collaborating closely with Product Management and Engineering leadership to define and execute product strategy.

• Comfort and proficiency operating at high velocity within ambiguous and rapidly evolving environments.

• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with a demonstrated ability to drive alignment and consensus across diverse functional teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the AI, Consumer AI, or E-commerce/Commerce technology sectors.

• Hands-on experience with prototyping tools and user research methodologies.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and cross-functional team workflows.

• A strong understanding of business metrics and how design can directly influence them (e.g., conversion rates, AOV, customer acquisition).

📝 Enhancement Note: The "10+ years" and "senior leadership roles in high-growth products" clearly position this as a leadership role. The emphasis on "zero-to-one" and "scaling" suggests a need for candidates who can establish foundational design processes and then adapt them for growth, rather than just optimizing existing structures. The "Product Strategy" and "Data-Informed Design" skills are critical for a leader influencing business direction.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a strong portfolio demonstrating end-to-end product design ownership, from initial problem definition to scaled product launch and iteration.

• Include detailed case studies that highlight contributions to product strategy, user experience innovation, and the implementation of robust design systems.

• Present examples of successful team leadership and scaling, illustrating how you've built and managed high-performing design teams.

• Demonstrate experience in navigating ambiguous problem spaces and turning them into clear, actionable design solutions.

Process Documentation:

• Document the process for developing and evolving design systems that support rapid iteration and ensure consistent user experiences across products.

• Illustrate the methodology used for user research, data analysis, and incorporating insights into the design process to drive informed decisions.

• Detail approaches to leading design in a "zero-to-one" environment, including early-stage strategy, rapid prototyping, and user validation techniques.

• Outline strategies for measuring the impact of design initiatives on key business metrics such as conversion rates, user engagement, and customer satisfaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a leadership role of this nature, the portfolio is crucial. It must go beyond individual contributions to demonstrate strategic thinking, team leadership, process establishment, and quantifiable impact. The "zero-to-one" aspect means portfolios should highlight the building of systems and processes, not just the output.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $150,000 - $250,000 USD per year. This range reflects a senior leadership position in a high-growth technology startup located in a major metropolitan area like New York City, considering the candidate's extensive experience requirements and the company's rapid growth.

Benefits:

• Equity: Significant stock options or grants, reflecting a leadership stake in a high-growth startup.

• Bonus: Performance-based annual bonus structure, tied to individual and company performance.

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continued learning, conferences, and skill enhancement.

• Parental Leave: Supportive policies for new parents.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are expected (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility for project demands and leadership responsibilities. Given the startup environment and the role's strategic nature, significant dedication and occasional extended hours may be required to meet aggressive timelines and ambitious goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is directly from the input. The benefits are inferred based on standard offerings for senior leadership roles in US-based tech startups, particularly those with recent funding or significant growth, emphasizing equity and performance incentives. "On-site" work implies the ability to leverage local compensation benchmarks for New York City.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (Consumer AI, E-commerce, Retail Tech). Phia operates at the cutting edge of AI-powered consumer experiences, aiming to revolutionize online shopping by connecting consumers directly with brands through a personalized shopping agent. This focus on AI and personalized commerce places it in a dynamic and rapidly evolving market.

Company Size: Phia is described as a "small, high-ownership team building at startup speed." This indicates a lean, agile organization where individual contributions have a significant impact. As of its launch in April 2025, it has achieved substantial user and brand adoption, suggesting rapid growth and a need for scalable processes.

Founded: Launched in April 2025, Phia is a relatively new but rapidly scaling company. Its quick success (over 1 million users in under a year, 11x revenue growth) implies a culture focused on rapid execution, innovation, and market validation.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team is likely small but growing, requiring this leader to build and scale it. The role implies a direct reporting line to executive leadership (e.g., CEO, CPO, or CTO).

• Collaboration will be intensely cross-functional, with Product Design working hand-in-hand with Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and potentially Data Science teams.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasizes using user insights and performance data to inform design decisions and measure impact, evidenced by their focus on conversion rates, AOV, and reduced return rates for brand partners.

• Rapid Iteration & Velocity: The startup environment and focus on "shipping at high velocity" indicate a preference for agile methodologies, quick prototyping, and iterative development cycles.

• Strategic Partnership: Design is positioned as a core strategic partner, not just a service function, working closely with leadership to shape product direction.

Company Website: https://phia.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description is rich with details about its mission, traction, and culture. The "small, high-ownership team" and "startup speed" are key indicators for understanding the operational environment and expected work style. The focus on AI and consumer commerce provides context for the types of design challenges the team faces.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at the highest level of individual contribution and team leadership within the Product Design function. It is a VP or Director equivalent, responsible for setting the strategic direction for design, building and managing the design team, and ensuring design excellence across all Phia products. The scope includes both the "zero-to-one" foundational phase and the subsequent scaling phase, demanding both strategic vision and execution leadership.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will report directly to Phia's executive leadership, likely the Chief Product Officer (CPO), CEO, or CTO, given the strategic importance of the role in shaping the product experience from its inception. They will be responsible for building and managing their own team of designers.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role on operations is profound. By defining the product experience, this leader directly influences user acquisition, engagement, conversion rates, customer satisfaction, and ultimately, revenue growth. Their ability to translate complex AI capabilities into intuitive, user-friendly experiences is critical for Phia's market adoption and success in driving sales for brand partners. Effective design systems and processes built by this role will enable engineering and product teams to operate with greater efficiency and speed.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunity to build and scale a design organization from the ground up, establishing its culture, processes, and strategic impact.

• Strategic Influence: Direct involvement in shaping product strategy and company direction, with significant influence on the overall user experience and market positioning.

• Innovation in AI/Commerce: Work at the forefront of AI-powered consumer personalization and e-commerce, contributing to groundbreaking solutions that redefine shopping.

• Career Advancement: Potential to grow into a Chief Product Officer or similar executive role as the company scales, or to become a recognized leader in the AI/Commerce design space.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title combined with "VP of Product Design" in the overview and responsibilities clearly indicates a top-tier leadership position. The growth opportunities focus on the unique aspects of a fast-growing startup, such as building teams and influencing strategy.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is listed as "On-site" in New York City, indicating a primary physical office location. This suggests a collaborative, in-person work environment where spontaneous interactions and team cohesion are valued.

Office Location(s): New York City, New York, United States. This prime location offers access to a vibrant tech ecosystem, talent pool, and networking opportunities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The on-site nature implies a shared workspace designed for collaboration, brainstorming, and team alignment, crucial for a fast-paced design and product development cycle.

• Access to Tools: Expect access to industry-standard design software, collaboration platforms, and potentially dedicated spaces for user research and prototyping.

• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for direct interaction with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Marketing), fostering a cohesive and integrated approach to product development.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is typical, the startup environment and leadership responsibilities may necessitate flexibility and occasional extended hours to meet critical deadlines and strategic objectives. The on-site requirement suggests a defined presence during core business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" designation is a key piece of information. For a leadership role, this often means being present to foster team culture, facilitate in-person collaboration, and be accessible to executive leadership and other departments.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter or HR to assess basic qualifications, experience alignment, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the direct hiring manager (likely CEO/CPO/CTO) to delve into strategic thinking, leadership philosophy, and vision for product design at Phia. Expect questions about building teams and scaling processes.

• Portfolio Review & Case Study: A dedicated session where candidates present their portfolio, focusing on 2-3 key projects that demonstrate leadership, strategic impact, and craft. This will likely involve a discussion of a specific, hypothetical or past "zero-to-one" challenge.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Product Management and Engineering to assess collaboration style, communication clarity, and ability to work effectively with technical and product counterparts.

• Executive Interview: A final conversation with a senior executive (e.g., CEO) to evaluate overall strategic alignment, leadership potential, and cultural fit with Phia's high-ownership, fast-paced environment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Strategic Storytelling: Frame your portfolio projects not just by what you designed, but by the problems you solved, the strategic thinking involved, and the business impact achieved.

• Leadership Focus: For this role, emphasize projects where you led teams, scaled design processes, or influenced product strategy. Highlight your approach to mentorship and team building.

• "Zero-to-One" Experience: Be prepared to discuss your experience building design functions or products from scratch. Showcase how you established foundational elements like design systems or core UX frameworks.

• Quantifiable Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs and leadership. Focus on user engagement, conversion rates, revenue impact, or efficiency gains.

• Conciseness and Clarity: Given the likely busy schedules of interviewers, ensure your presentation is well-structured, concise, and easy to follow.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Systems & Scaling: Prepare to discuss how you would establish or evolve a design system to support rapid iteration and growth in a startup environment.

• Ambiguity & Speed: Be ready to articulate your approach to tackling ambiguous problems and making design decisions quickly while maintaining quality.

• Team Building & Leadership: Prepare examples of how you've hired, onboarded, mentored, and managed design teams, especially in high-pressure startup settings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a senior leadership role is multi-faceted. The portfolio review is critical and should be tailored to showcase strategic leadership and impact, not just individual design execution.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable for collaborative, scalable design systems), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).

• Prototyping & User Testing: InVision, Principle, ProtoPie, UserTesting.com, Maze.

• Design Systems Management: Tools for managing component libraries, style guides, and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/App Analytics: Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude (for understanding user behavior, feature adoption, and conversion funnels).

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Looker, or similar tools for presenting design impact and user insights to leadership.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding how design impacts CRM and marketing automation platforms (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) can be beneficial for GTM alignment.

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello for tracking design tasks and collaborating with engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific tools are inferred based on industry standards for product design leadership in tech startups. Figma is almost a de facto standard for scalable design systems and collaborative workflows.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• High Ownership & Accountability: Individuals are expected to take full responsibility for their work, drive initiatives forward, and deliver results, reflecting the "high-ownership team" ethos.

• Speed & Agility: A culture that prioritizes rapid iteration, quick decision-making, and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions or product needs.

• Data-Informed Innovation: Design decisions are expected to be grounded in user research and performance data, but also to push boundaries and explore new possibilities in AI and commerce.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and close partnership across Product, Engineering, and Leadership are essential for turning ambitious ideas into reality.

• Craft & Quality: Despite the speed, there's a commitment to maintaining a high standard of design quality and user experience.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Teams: Design is not siloed but deeply integrated into product squads, working side-by-side with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Direct Communication: Expect frequent, direct communication, often through Slack, video calls, and in-person meetings, to ensure rapid alignment and problem-solving.

• Feedback Loops: A culture that encourages constructive feedback and open dialogue to continuously improve designs and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description provides strong clues about its values. The emphasis on "startup speed," "high ownership," and "partnering closely" points towards specific cultural expectations for design leaders.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building from Scratch: Establishing the design vision, team, processes, and design system for a rapidly growing company with a novel AI product.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Navigating the tension between the need to ship quickly in a startup environment and maintaining a high standard of design craft and user experience.

• Ambiguity in AI: Designing for a cutting-edge AI product where user behaviors and expectations may be nascent or undefined, requiring significant user research and hypothesis testing.

• Scaling the Team: Attracting, hiring, and retaining top design talent in a competitive market while fostering a cohesive team culture.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring design strategy is aligned with and effectively communicated to Product, Engineering, and business leadership, especially in a fast-paced, evolving company.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Scaling Design Organizations: Gaining hands-on experience in building and scaling a design function within a high-growth tech startup.

• AI Product Innovation: Deepening expertise in designing for AI-powered consumer products and understanding the unique challenges and opportunities they present.

• Strategic Leadership: Developing strategic leadership skills through direct involvement in company-level product and business decision-making.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to mentor and grow a team of talented designers, shaping their careers and Phia's design talent pipeline.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are derived from the context of a "zero-to-one" company in a fast-moving tech sector. The growth opportunities are framed to appeal to ambitious leaders looking for significant impact and development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your philosophy on building and scaling product design teams in a startup environment. How would you approach hiring for this role?"

• "How do you balance the need for rapid iteration and shipping at 'startup speed' with maintaining a high bar for design craft and user experience?"

• "Walk us through your process for establishing a design system from scratch for a new product. What are the key considerations?"

• "How do you leverage user insights and data to inform design decisions, especially when dealing with novel AI products where user behavior might be unpredictable?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on what you know about Phia and our mission, what do you see as the biggest design challenges and opportunities for our AI shopping agent?"

• "How do you foster a culture of high ownership and accountability within a design team?"

• "Describe a time you had to influence senior leadership or cross-functional partners on a critical design decision. What was your approach and the outcome?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your strategic approach, your role (especially leadership aspects), the solution, and the measurable outcomes.

• "Zero-to-One" Narrative: Select projects that best showcase your ability to build something new, establish processes, or scale an existing function.

• Design System Example: If possible, present a case study that highlights your experience with design systems – how you created, evolved, or leveraged them to drive efficiency and consistency.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Be prepared to speak about how you've led, mentored, and grown designers, and how you foster a positive and productive team environment.

• Concise & Engaging: Aim for clarity, brevity, and a compelling narrative. Anticipate questions about trade-offs, challenges, and alternative approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: These questions are designed to probe the candidate's strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and understanding of the unique challenges of a fast-growing AI startup, aligning with the job description's requirements.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Tailor Your Resume: Emphasize your experience in product design leadership, scaling teams, working in "zero-to-one" or early-stage growth environments, and your experience with AI or e-commerce products. Highlight quantifiable achievements.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 impactful case studies that best demonstrate your strategic thinking, leadership, ability to build design systems, and experience driving measurable business outcomes. Ensure it clearly showcases your "zero-to-one" capabilities.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, strategic rationale, leadership contributions, and quantifiable results. Be ready to discuss your vision for Phia's design function.

• Research Phia: Thoroughly understand Phia's mission, product, user base, and recent traction. Be prepared to articulate how your skills and experience align with their specific goals and challenges in the AI/commerce space.

⚠️ 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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