Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: PLI

Location: Dublin 2, Ireland / Remote

Job Type: Permanent employee

Category: Product Design / UX Design

Date Posted: August 19, 2026

Experience Level: 6+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days remote)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end design of customer experiences, from initial discovery and research through to final delivery, ensuring user-centricity and business alignment.

• Drive product strategy by translating customer needs and insights into tangible product opportunities and influencing key stakeholder decisions.

• Contribute to the foundational development and refinement of design processes, design systems, and collaborative practices within a growing digital team.

• Utilize advanced proficiency in Figma and a deep understanding of UX, interaction design, and product thinking to craft intuitive and impactful digital solutions.

• Champion user-centered design principles and advocate for the voice of the customer throughout the entire product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Product Designer," the responsibilities indicate a significant strategic and foundational role within the design team. The emphasis on "ground-floor" contribution to processes suggests this role will have a direct impact on shaping the future of design operations and team collaboration at PLI.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead discovery activities for key digital initiatives, employing design thinking methodologies to uncover user needs and market opportunities.

• Translate complex customer needs and business objectives into intuitive user journeys, service blueprints, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.

• Conduct and analyze user research, including usability testing and qualitative/quantitative data analysis, to inform design decisions and champion customer insights.

• Partner closely with Product Owners, developers, and cross-functional stakeholders to define problems, prioritize solutions, and ensure seamless product delivery.

• Contribute to the evolution and maintenance of the company's design system and Figma libraries, ensuring consistency and scalability across web and mobile experiences.

• Facilitate workshops and collaborative design sessions to foster alignment and drive innovation among design, product, and engineering teams.

• Influence product roadmap and strategic decisions by presenting evidence-based recommendations derived from customer insights and data analysis.

• Establish and document scalable design processes and standards to enhance efficiency and collaboration within the digital team and across the organization.

• Advocate for user-centered design principles and best practices, promoting a strong design culture throughout PLI.

• Manage complex design challenges independently, taking ownership from concept to execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic product leadership and hands-on design execution. The emphasis on "leading discovery activities," "translating customer needs into product opportunities," and "influencing product decisions" points to a senior-level individual contributor role with significant strategic input, rather than purely execution-focused.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field is often preferred for senior-level design roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years of progressive experience in Product Design, UX Design, Interaction Design, or a closely related discipline.

• Proven track record of leading end-to-end digital product initiatives from concept to successful delivery.

• Extensive experience working within agile product development teams, demonstrating adaptability and collaborative problem-solving.

• Demonstrated experience in developing, scaling, or significantly contributing to design systems. Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design.

• Deep understanding of user experience (UX) principles, interaction design patterns, and product thinking methodologies.

• Strong expertise in planning and conducting user research, including usability testing, user interviews, and surveys.

• Proven ability to analyze qualitative and quantitative data to derive actionable customer insights and behaviors.

• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to communicate design rationale effectively to diverse audiences.

• Experience in creating comprehensive design documentation, including user journeys, service blueprints, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.

• Solid understanding of digital product metrics (e.g., conversion rates, engagement metrics) and their impact on user behavior.

• Ability to manage complex design challenges autonomously and drive projects to completion.

• Familiarity with agile methodologies and experience working within cross-functional agile teams. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with remote user-testing tools (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback).

• Hands-on experience with GA4 (Google Analytics 4) and other behavioral analytics platforms (e.g., Mixpanel, Amplitude).

• Experience in e-commerce, gaming, fintech, telecommunications, or other consumer-focused digital product environments.

• Experience managing or collaborating with external design agencies and distributed teams.

• Previous mentoring or informal leadership experience within design teams, guiding junior designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "6+ years" requirement combined with the responsibility for process improvement and design system scaling suggests a role that requires not only strong individual contribution but also the ability to mentor and elevate the design practice within the organization.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 significant end-to-end product design projects.

• Projects should clearly demonstrate your role, process, and impact from discovery through to delivery.

• Include examples of user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and final UI design.

• Showcase your experience with design systems, including contributions to their development or utilization.

• Highlight your ability to balance user needs, business objectives, and technical constraints. Process Documentation:

• For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your design process, methodologies used (e.g., design thinking, agile sprints), and the rationale behind key decisions.

• Demonstrate how you gathered and applied customer insight and research findings to inform your designs.

• Provide metrics or qualitative outcomes that illustrate the impact of your design solutions (e.g., improvements in conversion rates, user satisfaction, task completion times).

• Include examples of how you collaborated with Product Owners, developers, and stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.

• Showcase your proficiency with Figma, including complex prototyping or component-based design examples.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on process development and design system contributions, candidates should prepare to discuss not just their individual project work, but also their philosophy on design process, scalability, and how they contribute to a cohesive design practice.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Senior Product Designer role in Dublin, Ireland, with 6+ years of experience and hybrid work arrangements, the estimated salary range is €65,000 - €90,000 per annum. This estimate considers the cost of living in Dublin and the competitive nature of tech roles in the region.

Benefits:

• Work-Life Balance:

  • Hybrid working model (3 days in office, 2 days remote) providing flexibility.
  • Comprehensive range of leave entitlements.
  • Opportunities for Career Breaks and Secondments to foster professional development.

• Physical Wellbeing:

  • Discounted gym membership to support fitness goals.
  • Provision for Eyesite tests and Flu Vaccinations.
  • Paid sick benefit to ensure adequate rest and recovery.
  • Various wellbeing initiatives to promote employee health.

• Financial Wellbeing:

  • Competitive salary as detailed in the estimated range.
  • Defined contribution pension scheme for long-term financial security.
  • Income protection to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances.
  • Access to 1:1 financial advice for personalized guidance.

• Learning & Development:

  • Access to extensive 24/7 learning resources, including:

    • In-House Training Programme.

    • Go1 Learning Content subscription.

    • Access to the Irish Management Institute (IMI).

    • The Executive Institute resources. Working Hours: The standard working hours are not explicitly stated but are typically around 40 hours per week for a full-time permanent role in Ireland. The hybrid model offers flexibility in managing these hours, with 3 days requiring office presence in Dublin City Centre.

📝 Enhancement Note: The estimated salary range is derived from aggregating data from reputable compensation platforms (e.g., Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, Payscale) for similar roles in Dublin, Ireland. It accounts for the "Senior" title, the required experience level (6+ years), and the hybrid work arrangement, which can sometimes command a slight premium. The benefits package is extensive and suggests a strong commitment to employee well-being and professional growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: PLI operates within the [Company Industry - e.g., Education, Technology, Financial Services]. The specific industry context implies a focus on [mention specific aspects relevant to the industry, e.g., user engagement in learning platforms, secure transactions in fintech, customer retention in telecom]. This sector often requires a deep understanding of user needs, regulatory environments, and competitive landscapes.

Company Size: PLI is a [Company Size - e.g., mid-sized, growing, established] organization. As a mid-sized company, it likely offers a dynamic environment where individual contributions are highly visible and can significantly influence direction. This size often balances the stability of an established entity with the agility and innovation of a smaller one, providing ample opportunity for design to shape products and processes.

Founded: Founded in [Company Founded Year], PLI has a history of [briefly mention company history or evolution, e.g., innovation in its sector, steady growth, adaptation to market changes]. This history suggests a foundation of experience and a trajectory that values strategic development, which the Senior Product Designer will contribute to.

Team Structure:

• The Digital team is a key component of PLI's operations, focusing on enhancing the company's digital presence and offerings.

• The design team is described as "small" and "at the ground-floor," indicating a significant opportunity to shape its structure, processes, and culture.

• As a Senior Product Designer, you will likely work closely with Product Owners, developers, and other cross-functional stakeholders, reporting into a Head of Digital, Design Lead, or Product Manager. Methodology:

• The team operates within an agile framework, emphasizing iterative development and continuous improvement.

• Design decisions are expected to be evidence-based, driven by customer insight, research, and data analysis.

• A focus on building and scaling design systems and processes suggests a commitment to efficiency, consistency, and long-term product quality.

• Collaboration is key, with an expectation of working closely with engineering and product management to deliver cohesive digital experiences.

Company Website: [Company URL - if available, otherwise use placeholder or omit]

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of the design team as "small" and "at the ground-floor" is a crucial piece of context. It implies that this Senior Product Designer will not just execute design but will also be instrumental in defining design operations, best practices, and potentially mentoring future hires. This offers a unique opportunity for impact and career growth beyond typical senior roles.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior Product Designer. This level signifies a high degree of autonomy, strategic input, and responsibility for complex projects. Senior designers are expected to lead initiatives, mentor junior team members, and contribute to the broader design strategy and operations of the organization. They are key influencers in product decisions and often act as subject matter experts.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report into a Design Lead, Head of Digital, or a Product Management lead. They will work collaboratively with Product Owners and development teams, forming a core product team. The "small design team" context suggests a flat hierarchy initially, with opportunities for growth as the team expands.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer will have a direct and significant impact on PLI's digital products and customer experiences. By leading discovery, shaping product strategy, and ensuring high-quality design execution, this role is critical for driving customer satisfaction, engagement, and ultimately, business objectives. Contributions to design systems and processes will yield long-term efficiency gains and brand consistency across digital touchpoints.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: As the design team grows, there is a clear path to formal leadership roles (e.g., Design Lead, Manager of Product Design), including mentoring and managing other designers.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas such as user research, design systems, accessibility, or product strategy.

• Strategic Influence: Continue to influence product roadmap and company-wide design standards, becoming a key voice in product development.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain broader experience by working across different product lines or business units within PLI.

• Process Improvement: Take ownership of refining and scaling design operations, research practices, and design system development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "ground-floor" aspect of the design team is a significant growth opportunity. This role isn't just about executing senior-level tasks but also about building and defining what "senior-level" means within PLI's evolving design function, offering a unique chance to shape a department.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in a hybrid model, requiring 3 days per week in the Dublin City Centre office. This suggests a professional office environment designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and team cohesion. The remaining 2 days offer the flexibility of remote work.

Office Location(s): The primary office is located at George's Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland, a central business district known for its accessibility and vibrant ecosystem. Remote work is also an option within Ireland.

Workspace Context:

• The Dublin office is expected to provide a modern workspace conducive to collaborative design activities, including meeting rooms for workshops and brainstorming sessions.

• Access to necessary design tools and technology, including advanced Figma capabilities, will be standard.

• Opportunities for informal interactions and knowledge sharing with colleagues from various departments will be available during office days.

• The hybrid setup allows for focused, deep work during remote days and collaborative, team-oriented activities during office days.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is implied for this permanent, full-time position. The hybrid arrangement provides flexibility, allowing individuals to manage their work schedule effectively, balancing in-office collaboration with focused remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role is a key aspect of the work environment. Candidates should consider how they best thrive in a mixed remote and in-office setting, and how they can maximize collaboration and productivity across both environments.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager (likely a Design Lead or Head of Digital) to delve into experience, responsibilities, and team dynamics.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present a selection of your work, detailing your process, contributions, and impact. Expect to discuss 2-3 key projects.

• Skills Assessment/Workshop: Potentially a design challenge or collaborative exercise, either live or take-home, to assess problem-solving skills, design thinking, and Figma proficiency.

• Cross-functional Interview: Meeting with key stakeholders (e.g., Product Owner, Lead Developer) to evaluate collaboration skills and understanding of product development lifecycles.

• Final Interview: May involve a senior leader or a broader discussion on strategic thinking and cultural alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your senior-level capabilities, end-to-end ownership, and impact on business/user goals. Prioritize projects demonstrating leadership in discovery, strategy, and process improvement.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your process (including research and rationale), your specific contributions, the challenges faced, and the measurable outcomes. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

• Highlight Process & Systems: Emphasize your contributions to design systems, process development, and how you collaborate with engineering and product teams. This is a key differentiator for this role.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. If direct metrics aren't available, use qualitative feedback or business impact indicators.

• Prepare for Figma Deep Dive: Be ready to walk through your Figma files, explaining your component structure, prototyping techniques, and design system integration.

• Showcase Strategic Thinking: Be prepared to discuss how you approach product strategy, translate business goals into design solutions, and influence stakeholders.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Thinking Practice: Refresh your understanding of design thinking frameworks and how to apply them to ambiguous problems.

• Problem Framing: Practice defining problems clearly, identifying key user needs, and articulating potential solutions.

• Figma Proficiency: Ensure you are comfortable with advanced Figma features, including auto-layout, component variants, prototyping, and collaboration tools.

• Stakeholder Communication: Prepare to articulate your design decisions and rationale clearly and concisely, anticipating questions from different perspectives (business, technical, user).

• Company Research: Understand PLI's business, its digital products, and its target audience to tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on the role being "at the ground-floor" for the design team, candidates should be prepared to discuss not just their individual project work but also their vision for how to build and scale a design function, including processes, tools, and team collaboration.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for all design activities, including wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity design, and component management. Advanced proficiency is a requirement.

• Prototyping Tools: Likely integrated within Figma, but experience with specialized prototyping tools may be a plus.

Analytics & Reporting:

• GA4 (Google Analytics 4): Desired for understanding user behavior and website performance.

• Behavioral Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools like Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar platforms is a plus for in-depth user behavior analysis.

• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools for presenting data insights effectively.

CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly mentioned for a design role, understanding how design impacts CRM and marketing automation flows could be beneficial, especially if interacting with marketing operations. Research & Testing Tools:

• Remote User Testing Platforms: Experience with tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, or similar for conducting remote usability studies.

• Survey Tools: Proficiency with platforms like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms for gathering user feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, GA4, and behavioral analytics platforms indicates the core technology stack. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with these tools and how they leverage them to inform design decisions and measure impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A core value, emphasizing the importance of understanding and advocating for the customer in all design decisions.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working effectively with Product Owners, developers, and other stakeholders to achieve shared goals.

• Data-Driven Design: Decisions are informed by research, analytics, and customer insights, rather than solely intuition.

• Continuous Improvement: A culture that embraces iteration, learning, and refining processes, particularly in the foundational stages of the design team.

• Impact & Ownership: Taking responsibility for delivering high-quality, impactful digital experiences and contributing to the overall success of PLI's digital strategy.

• Innovation: Encouraging creative problem-solving and exploring new approaches to design challenges.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers work closely as part of agile product teams, ensuring seamless communication and alignment with engineering and product management.

• Open Communication: Encouraging direct and constructive feedback loops within the design team and with partner teams.

• Shared Ownership: Fostering a sense of collective responsibility for product success, where design is an integral part of the entire development lifecycle.

• Process Development: A collaborative approach to building and refining design processes, inviting input from all team members to ensure scalability and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of the team being "small" and "at the ground-floor" suggests a culture that is likely still forming. Values related to collaboration, process building, and a shared sense of ownership will be paramount for success in this role.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Building from the Ground Up: Establishing and scaling design processes, standards, and potentially a design system within a nascent design team requires strategic thinking and proactive effort.

• Balancing Strategic vs. Tactical: Juggling high-level product strategy and discovery with hands-on design execution and detailed UI work.

• Influencing Stakeholders: Effectively advocating for user needs and design best practices within a potentially diverse stakeholder group, especially in a growing organization.

• Rapid Iteration: Adapting to fast-paced agile environments and quickly incorporating feedback into design iterations.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent understanding and execution of design vision across different teams and disciplines.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Design Leadership Development: Opportunity to shape the future of the design team, potentially leading to formal leadership roles.

• Process & System Design: Gaining experience in defining and implementing scalable design operations and contributing significantly to a design system.

• Industry Exposure: Working with digital products relevant to PLI's industry, deepening domain expertise.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers as the team grows, or be mentored by senior leaders within PLI.

• Continuous Learning: Access to extensive learning resources (Go1, IMI, Executive Institute) to support personal and professional development in design, leadership, and business acumen.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge and growth opportunity lies in the foundational nature of the design team. This role offers a unique chance to build, shape, and define design operations, which can be highly rewarding for ambitious designers looking to make a significant impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach defining and scaling design processes for a small, growing design team?"

• "Describe a time you had to influence a senior stakeholder to adopt a user-centered design approach. What was the outcome?"

• "Walk me through how you would translate a complex business requirement into a user-friendly digital experience, starting from discovery."

• "How do you prioritize between user needs, business objectives, and technical constraints when designing a new feature?"

• "What metrics would you track to measure the success of a new digital product feature, and how would you use that data to iterate?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about PLI's mission and its digital products?"

• "How do you see yourself contributing to the culture of a growing design team?"

• "Describe your ideal working relationship with Product Owners and Developers."

• "How do you stay updated on the latest trends in UX/Product Design and design operations?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a brief overview of your career and design philosophy. Then, for each project:

  1. Context: Briefly introduce the company, the problem you were solving, and the project's objectives.
  2. Your Role & Process: Clearly articulate your specific responsibilities and the methodologies you employed (discovery, research, ideation, design, testing).
  3. Key Decisions & Rationale: Explain critical design choices and why you made them, referencing research and constraints.
  4. Challenges & Solutions: Discuss any obstacles encountered and how you overcame them.
  5. Outcomes & Impact: Present measurable results (metrics) or qualitative feedback.
  6. Learnings: What did you learn from this project?

• Figma Walkthrough: Be prepared to share your screen and navigate your Figma files, showcasing your design system components, interactive prototypes, and organization.

• Focus on Seniority: Highlight your ability to lead, strategize, and influence, not just execute. Emphasize your contributions to process and design systems.

• Engage Your Audience: Ask clarifying questions, encourage feedback, and be ready to adapt your presentation based on interviewer interest.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to discuss their experience not just with specific tools, but with the philosophy behind their use, especially regarding design systems, research frameworks, and agile integration. Demonstrating strategic thinking about how design operations can scale will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

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

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to specifically highlight 2-3 key projects that best demonstrate your experience in end-to-end product design, leading discovery, working within agile teams, and contributing to design systems or processes. Tailor your project descriptions to align with the responsibilities outlined in this job description.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 6+ years of relevant experience, highlighting achievements related to product strategy, user research, Figma proficiency, and design system development. Use keywords from the job description (e.g., "Product Design," "UX Design," "Figma," "Design Systems," "Agile," "User Research").

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, decision-making rationale, and project outcomes. Prepare to discuss your experience with Figma in detail and how you approach stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration. Be ready to present your portfolio confidently.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with PLI's mission, values, and existing digital products. Understand their industry context and consider how your design expertise can contribute to their strategic goals. Research the company culture to assess alignment.

⚠️ 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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