SENIOR PRODUCT DESIGNER / LEAD DESIGN SYSTEM MANAGER H/F

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer / Lead Design System Manager (H/F)

Company: Smile Group (UX-Republic)

Location: Asnières-sur-Seine, France

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX) / Design Systems

Date Posted: October 23, 2025

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and direct a team of talented designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.

• Define and execute a comprehensive product design strategy, aligning with business objectives and user needs.

• Drive the creation, implementation, and ongoing management of a robust design system, ensuring consistency and efficiency across all digital products.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, developers, and other stakeholders to deliver exceptional user experiences that enhance product performance and client satisfaction.

• Manage complex design projects from conception to completion, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to quality standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role bridges senior product design leadership with specialized expertise in design systems, indicating a strategic focus on scalable and consistent user experience across multiple client projects within a consulting framework. The emphasis on "lead" and "manager" suggests significant responsibility for team direction and strategic decision-making.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Management:

  • Lead, mentor, and manage a team of product designers, fostering their professional growth and ensuring high-quality output.
  • Oversee design project allocation, team resourcing, and performance management.
  • Champion best practices in UX/UI design and design system management within the team.

• Product Design Strategy:

  • Develop and articulate a clear product design strategy that supports client goals and enhances user engagement.
  • Conduct user research, competitive analysis, and market trend evaluation to inform design decisions.
  • Define product vision and roadmap from a design perspective, collaborating with product and development teams.

• User Experience (UX) & User Interface (UI) Design:

  • Design intuitive, user-centered interfaces and seamless user flows for web and mobile applications.
  • Create wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups to effectively communicate design concepts.
  • Conduct usability testing and gather user feedback to iterate and improve designs.

• Design System Management:

  • Lead the creation, documentation, and maintenance of a comprehensive design system, including UI components, design patterns, brand guidelines, and accessibility standards.
  • Implement and manage design tokens, variables, and style guides to ensure design consistency and scalability.
  • Drive adoption of the design system across multiple product teams and client projects.
  • Collaborate with developers to ensure accurate implementation of design system components.

• Project & Client Management:

  • Manage complex design projects, including scope definition, timeline management, and stakeholder communication.

  • Serve as a primary point of contact for clients on design-related matters, providing expert advice and tailored solutions.

  • Ensure successful delivery of design services that meet client expectations and drive measurable business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus: leading design initiatives for clients and managing the internal design system as a core asset. This implies a need for strong client-facing skills, strategic thinking, and operational excellence in managing design assets.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years of professional experience in product design, UX/UI design, or a related field, with a significant portion focused on leading design initiatives or managing design teams.

• Demonstrable experience in establishing and managing design systems (creation of components, management of variables, structuring the DS).

Required Skills:

• Design Tools Proficiency: Expert-level mastery of industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, XD), InVision, or similar.

• UX/UI Design Expertise: Deep understanding of user-centered design principles, information architecture, interaction design, and visual design best practices.

• Design System Development: Proven experience in creating, implementing, and scaling design systems, including component libraries, style guides, and governance models.

• Leadership & Team Management: Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and mentor design teams, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.

• Communication & Collaboration: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex design concepts clearly to diverse audiences, including clients, product managers, and developers.

Preferred Skills:

• User Research Methodologies: Familiarity with various user research techniques (e.g., user interviews, surveys, usability testing, persona development) and their application in the design process.

• Agile/Scrum Methodologies: Experience working within Agile development frameworks and collaborating effectively with cross-functional Scrum teams.

• Front-end Development Understanding: Basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to facilitate effective collaboration with development teams and ensure design feasibility.

• Accessibility Standards: Knowledge of WCAG guidelines and best practices for designing accessible digital products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "minimum 6 years of experience" and "proven experience in Design System" points towards a senior-level role requiring strategic thinking and hands-on expertise. Proficiency in Figma and Sketch is a strong indicator of the expected toolset.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 significant product design projects, with at least one dedicated to the creation or significant management of a Design System.

• Projects should demonstrate a clear understanding of user-centered design principles, problem-solving methodologies, and the end-to-end design process.

• For Design System projects, include examples of component creation, variable management, style guides, and evidence of its impact on consistency and efficiency.

• Quantifiable results and metrics showcasing the impact of your design work on user experience, product performance, or business objectives (e.g., conversion rates, user satisfaction scores, task completion times).

Process Documentation:

• The portfolio should clearly articulate the design processes used for each project, including how user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration were integrated.

• For Design System work, documentation should cover the structure, governance, contribution guidelines, and maintenance strategy of the system.

• Evidence of collaboration with development teams on design system implementation and adherence to defined standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, especially demonstrating hands-on experience with Design Systems. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their process, highlight leadership, and showcase measurable impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Mutuelle d’entreprise: Comprehensive company health insurance plan.

• Transports en commun pris en charge: Public transport costs are subsidized (50% coverage for annual Navigo pass).

• Minimum de 9 RTT par an: At least 9 days of RTT (Reduction du Temps de Travail - compensatory time off) per year, in addition to standard paid leave.

• Prime de vacances: Annual vacation bonus.

• Tickets Restaurant: Meal vouchers provided, with 50% employer contribution (valued at €10 per ticket).

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, typically around 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected to meet project deadlines and client needs. The provision of RTT days indicates a structured approach to managing working time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior design roles in the Île-de-France region, considering the specified experience level and the consulting nature of the role. Benefits align with standard French employment practices for full-time positions.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry:

Company Size:

Founded:

Team Structure:

• Operations Team Aspect 1: The design team is led by this Senior Product Designer / Lead Design System Manager, implying a structure where senior members guide and mentor junior designers.

• Operations Team Aspect 2: This role will likely report to a Director or Head of Design/Consulting within UX-Republic/SMILE Group, with direct management of a team of product designers.

• Operations Team Aspect 3: Close collaboration with client product teams, development teams, project managers, and account managers within SMILE Group is expected.

Methodology:

• Operations Process 1: Emphasis on data analysis and user insights to drive design decisions, ensuring a user-centric and performance-oriented approach.

• Operations Process 2: Strategic workflow planning and optimization, particularly in the context of design system implementation and product design strategy for clients.

• Operations Process 3: Practices that balance creative design with practical implementation, leveraging automation where possible (e.g., through design system components) to ensure efficiency.

Company Website: https://jobs.smile.eu/

📝 Enhancement Note: Being part of SMILE Group suggests a professional, client-focused environment with opportunities for diverse project exposure. UX-Republic's core identity as an UX specialist likely translates to a culture valuing user empathy, continuous learning, and collaborative problem-solving.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level:

Reporting Structure:

Operations Impact:

• The impact is twofold:
  • Client Impact: Directly influences the success of client digital products by enhancing user experience, driving engagement, and improving conversion rates, thereby contributing to client business growth.
  • Internal Impact: Shapes the design capabilities and output of UX-Republic by establishing and managing a robust design system, standardizing processes, and developing design talent.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in design systems, UX strategy, and leadership through challenging client projects and internal initiatives. Potential to become a recognized expert in design system management.

• Leadership Development: Transition into broader management roles, such as Head of Design, Practice Lead, or Client Director, overseeing larger teams and more extensive project portfolios.

• Specialization: Further specialize in specific areas of UX/Product Design or digital transformation consulting, leveraging the diverse project experience gained.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and contribute to the overall skill development of the UX-Republic team.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for career progression from senior individual contributor and team lead to broader management responsibilities, especially within the consulting and digital transformation space.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type:

Office Location(s):

Workspace Context:

• Operations Workspace Aspect 1: The office environment likely supports collaborative work, with spaces for team meetings, workshops, and brainstorming sessions, crucial for design strategy and client engagement.

• Operations Workspace Aspect 2: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma, Sketch, etc.) and potentially other project management and collaboration tools used by SMILE Group.

• Operations Workspace Aspect 3: Frequent interaction with fellow designers, project managers, developers, and client representatives, fostering a dynamic and communicative atmosphere.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time (40 hours/week) with potential for flexibility to accommodate client project demands and deadlines. The provision of RTT days suggests a structured approach to managing work-life balance within the full-time commitment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement suggests an emphasis on collaborative culture and direct client interaction, which is typical for consulting firms aiming to provide a high-touch service.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• First Contact: An initial phone call to discuss career aspirations, understand candidate motivations, and assess initial fit with UX-Republic's offerings. This is an opportunity to gauge mutual interest and clarify role expectations.

• In-Person Meeting: A more in-depth meeting, likely at the office, to get to know the candidate, explore their professional background, and discuss their values alignment with the company culture.

• Technical/Skills Interview: A discussion with a design expert or senior team member to evaluate technical skills, design methodology, leadership capabilities, and strategic thinking, particularly concerning design systems and complex projects. This stage may involve a portfolio review.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader or hiring manager to finalize the decision, discuss terms, and confirm cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio to clearly present 3-5 key projects, dedicating specific attention to at least one comprehensive Design System initiative. For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, your contributions, and the measurable outcomes.

• Design System Focus: For Design System projects, explicitly detail the components, variables, governance, and the impact on consistency and efficiency. Showcase how you've managed its evolution and adoption.

• Metrics & Impact: Quantify your achievements whenever possible. Use data to demonstrate how your designs have improved user experience, driven business goals, or streamlined development processes.

• Storytelling: Present your work as compelling narratives. Explain the "why" behind your design decisions and how you navigated challenges. Tailor your presentation to highlight leadership and strategic thinking relevant to this senior role.

• Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your proficiency with Figma, Sketch, and other relevant tools, and how you leverage them for efficient workflow and collaboration.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for potential case study discussions where you might be asked to analyze a design problem, propose solutions, or outline how you would approach building or scaling a design system for a hypothetical client.

• Practice articulating your design process and leadership philosophy concisely.

• Research UX-Republic and SMILE Group's recent projects and client work to demonstrate genuine interest and understanding of their business.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess both technical skills and cultural fit, with a strong emphasis on portfolio demonstration and understanding of design system principles. Candidates should prepare to showcase leadership and strategic problem-solving.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly preferred), Sketch (also mentioned), Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, XD). Mastery of at least one of these is essential.

• Design System Management: Tools and methodologies for creating and managing component libraries, style guides, and design tokens. This could involve specialized tools or robust Figma/Sketch file management.

• Collaboration Platforms: Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence will likely be used for team communication and project tracking.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the designer's core role, but understanding how design integrates with broader CRM and marketing automation strategies of clients can be an advantage.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a critical requirement, reflecting current industry standards for collaborative design and design system management.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: Placing the end-user at the heart of all design decisions and product development, a core tenet of UX-Republic.

• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to ongoing learning, skill enhancement, and refining processes, especially in the fast-evolving fields of UX and digital transformation.

• Collaboration: Fostering strong partnerships within design teams, with development, product management, and crucially, with clients.

• Excellence & Performance: Striving for high-quality design outcomes that deliver tangible performance improvements for clients and contribute to their business success.

• Humanity & Pleasure: Working in an environment where personal growth and enjoyment are valued alongside professional achievements.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect close collaboration with product managers, developers, and client stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of design into the product lifecycle.

• Process Review & Feedback: An open culture for discussing and refining design processes, with constructive feedback being a key component of team interaction.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging team members to share insights, best practices, and learnings, particularly regarding design systems and innovative UX approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a blend of professional excellence, user advocacy, and a positive work environment, aligning with the "human-sized" yet ambitious nature of UX-Republic within SMILE Group.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Client Needs and Design System Scalability: Effectively managing diverse client requirements while maintaining the integrity and scalability of a design system.

• Driving Design System Adoption: Encouraging and ensuring consistent adoption of the design system across various client teams and projects, which can involve change management.

• Leading and Mentoring: Guiding a team of designers, potentially with varying levels of experience, and fostering their growth while meeting project demands.

• Keeping Pace with Technology: Staying abreast of the latest design tools, methodologies, and digital trends to ensure client solutions are cutting-edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Design System Mastery: Deepen expertise in advanced design system strategy, governance, and tooling.

• Leadership Skills: Develop advanced team management, client relationship management, and strategic planning skills.

• Industry Exposure: Gain exposure to a wide array of industries and business challenges through diverse client projects.

• Mentorship Programs: Participate in or lead mentorship initiatives within UX-Republic to foster talent development.

• Conferences & Training: Opportunities to attend industry conferences and pursue relevant professional development certifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant opportunities for professional growth, particularly in leadership and specialized design system management, within a dynamic consulting environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design System Strategy: "How would you approach building or evolving a design system for a new client in the [specific industry, e.g., FinTech] sector? What are the key considerations for governance and adoption?" (Focus on process, scalability, and stakeholder buy-in).

• Leading Design Teams: "Describe a time you had to lead a design team through a challenging project. What was your approach to motivation, conflict resolution, and ensuring quality?" (Highlight leadership, communication, and problem-solving).

• UX Problem-Solving: "Walk us through a complex UX challenge you solved. What was the user problem, your analytical process, the proposed solution, and the measured outcome?" (Emphasize analytical skills, user empathy, and impact demonstration).

Company & Culture Questions:

• Client Collaboration: "How do you typically collaborate with client product and development teams to ensure design vision is realized?" (Showcase cross-functional collaboration and client management skills).

• Design System Philosophy: "What do you believe are the most critical elements of a successful design system, and how do you ensure its long-term viability?" (Demonstrate strategic thinking about design systems).

• Impact Measurement: "How do you measure the success of your design work, both from a user experience and a business impact perspective?" (Prepare to discuss metrics and ROI).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Flow: Structure your presentation around compelling stories for each project. Clearly articulate the "problem," "process," "solution," and "outcome."

• Design System Deep Dive: Dedicate a significant portion of your presentation to your design system experience. Showcase concrete examples of components, variables, and how you managed its implementation and evolution.

• Quantifiable Evidence: Be ready to present and discuss the metrics that demonstrate the impact of your work. This is crucial for a senior role.

• Leadership & Collaboration: Highlight instances where you led teams, mentored designers, or collaborated effectively with cross-functional stakeholders.

• Interactive Elements: If possible, use interactive prototypes or live demos to showcase your work, especially for design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on articulating strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and measurable impact, with a strong emphasis on design system expertise.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer / Lead Design System Manager position:

• Submit Application: Apply directly through the provided link on the Smile Group jobs portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in product design leadership, design system management, and client consulting. Ensure your portfolio is easily accessible and prominently features your most relevant projects, especially those involving design systems.

• Resume Optimization: Use keywords from the job description such as "Product Design," "Design System," "UX/UI," "Leadership," "Figma," and "Agile" to ensure your application is easily discoverable by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, leadership style, and approach to design system strategy. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions and be ready to discuss your portfolio in detail.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with UX-Republic and SMILE Group's work, client portfolio, and company culture. Understand their approach to digital transformation and user experience to better align your answers during interviews.

⚠️ 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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