Senior Product Designer, (Senior Consultant, Experience & Design)

Fearless
Full-time•$96k-138k/year (USD)•Baltimore, United States
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📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer (Senior Consultant, Experience & Design)

Company: Fearless

Location: Baltimore, Maryland, United States & Trenton, New Jersey, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: 2026-11-02T00:00:00

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

  • Lead human-centered design efforts across digital products, ensuring experiences are intuitive, accessible, and consistent, with a strong emphasis on user advocacy and advocating for design direction with user research and data analytics.

  • Own the end-to-end design process from discovery through implementation, encompassing user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity designs.

  • Develop and execute user research strategies, identifying research priorities, selecting appropriate methods, and translating findings into actionable product improvements and strategic recommendations.

  • Act as a senior consultant, combining expertise in Content Design, Content Strategy, Product Design, Service Design, User Research, and UX leadership to set vision and guide cross-functional design teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Senior Consultant, Experience & Design" within a "Senior Product Designer" title, indicating a leadership and strategic advisory capacity beyond typical senior design responsibilities. The focus on a state-sponsored interactive employment resource suggests a need for understanding public sector design challenges and user needs within that domain.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

  • Lead the digital design practice for a state-sponsored interactive employment and continuing education resource, advocating for and defining human-centered design solutions.

  • Collaborate with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders to translate policy, program needs, and user requirements into practical, user-centric design solutions.

  • Plan, conduct, and synthesize user research activities (interviews, usability testing, etc.) to inform product decisions and future priorities.

  • Apply expertise in visual design, content design, service design, and information architecture to create clear, effective, and accessible user experiences.

  • Create and maintain design artifacts, including user journey maps, service blueprints, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs using Figma or comparable tools.

  • Present design concepts, research findings, and recommendations to diverse stakeholders, clearly articulating design decisions, tradeoffs, and justifications.

  • Partner with engineers throughout the development lifecycle to clarify design requirements, address technical constraints, and ensure implementation consistency.

  • Identify design risks, dependencies, and opportunities, prioritizing work based on user impact, program needs, and implementation effort.

  • Coach, mentor, and develop peers within the design community, fostering knowledge sharing and strengthening organizational design capabilities.

  • Drive accountability and delivery by ensuring project objectives are met on time and aligned with client priorities and Fearless standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of hands-on design execution and strategic leadership, including mentorship and client engagement. The mention of "state-sponsored" and "policy considerations" suggests a unique context requiring an understanding of government digital services and user needs within that framework.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While specific educational requirements are not detailed, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for senior-level design roles.

Experience:

  • Minimum of 6 years of professional experience designing digital products or services, with demonstrated ownership of UX/UI design work from discovery through implementation.

  • Professional experience designing digital products or services, with demonstrated ownership of UX/UI design work from discovery through implementation.

  • Experience planning and conducting user research, including qualitative research methods, usability testing, and synthesis of findings.

  • Ability to translate user research findings into actionable design recommendations and product improvements.

  • Proficiency with Figma or comparable design and prototyping tools.

  • Strong understanding of visual design principles, interaction design, information architecture, and responsive web design.

  • Experience creating user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity interface designs.

  • Experience collaborating with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders in a cross-functional environment.

  • Working knowledge of accessibility standards and inclusive design practices.

  • Ability to communicate design decisions, present recommendations, and incorporate feedback from stakeholders with varying levels of technical expertise.

  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to independently manage design priorities across multiple workstreams.

  • Portfolio demonstrating thoughtful design decisions, problem-solving, and completed digital product work. Required Skills:

  • Product Design (UX/UI)

  • User Research & Synthesis

  • Figma (or comparable design/prototyping tools)

  • Wireframing & Prototyping

  • Information Architecture

  • Visual Design Principles

  • Accessibility & Inclusive Design Practices

  • Stakeholder Management & Communication

  • Cross-functional Collaboration

  • Portfolio Development & Presentation Preferred Skills:

  • Experience designing public-sector, civic technology, or other mission-driven digital services.

  • Experience working on workforce development, education, career exploration, or other data-informed digital products.

  • Experience developing and implementing user research strategies, particularly in environments where research practices are still being established.

  • Experience with service design, journey mapping, and service blueprinting.

  • Experience designing complex search, filtering, recommendation, or information discovery experiences.

  • Familiarity with Section 508 and WCAG accessibility guidelines.

  • Experience building or maintaining design systems and reusable component libraries.

  • Experience using qualitative and quantitative research findings, including product analytics, to inform design decisions.

  • Familiarity with Agile development practices and collaboration tools such as Jira and Confluence.

  • Experience working directly with government clients or navigating complex stakeholder review and approval processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior Consultant" aspect implies a need for strong consultative advising and communication skills, particularly in influencing stakeholders and aligning recommendations with business goals. The preferred experience in public sector/civic tech and workforce development is highly relevant to the project description.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • A comprehensive portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a range of digital product design work.

  • Demonstrate ownership of UX/UI design from initial discovery through final implementation.

  • Highlight thoughtful design decisions, problem-solving methodologies, and the impact of your solutions.

  • Include examples of user research conducted and how findings informed design iterations.

  • Showcase proficiency in creating user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity designs. Process Documentation:

  • The portfolio should include case studies that detail your design process, emphasizing methodologies used.

  • Clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design challenges faced, and the solutions implemented.

  • Demonstrate how you translated user needs, policy considerations, and program requirements into design outcomes.

  • Illustrate the use of tools like Figma for creating design artifacts and prototypes.

  • If applicable, include examples of service blueprints, journey maps, or design system components.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for assessing hands-on design skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate complex project requirements, especially those involving public sector or mission-driven initiatives. Emphasis on process and justification of design decisions is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

  • Hiring Range for Role: $96,132 - $138,000 USD per year.

  • Minimum Salary: $96,132 USD

  • Salary Midpoint: $124,971 USD

  • Maximum Salary: $162,462 USD Benefits:

  • Flexible, life-friendly schedules.

  • 100% medical HSA plan coverage with HSA contributions.

  • Dental & vision covered 100% for employee and dependents.

  • Competitive premiums for HMO/PPO and dependent coverage.

  • 401(k) with a 4% company match and immediate vesting.

  • Paid Parental Leave and 12 weeks of paid FMLA.

  • Generous Paid Time Off (PTO), 11 Federal Holidays, a Birthday Holiday, and Sick Leave.

  • Up to 15 days for Jury Duty and Bereavement Leave.

  • Education, wellness, and tech allowances.

  • Referral bonus program ($6K–$12K per successful referral).

  • Pet insurance & discount plans.

  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

  • Legal support, life insurance, disability coverage.

  • Performance-Based Bonuses: Discretionary bonus eligible based on individual and company performance.

Working Hours: The job description implies a standard full-time workweek, likely around 40 hours, with an emphasis on "flexible, life-friendly schedules."

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a Senior Product Designer role with consulting responsibilities in the US market. The benefits package is comprehensive and emphasizes work-life balance and employee well-being. The mention of "discretionary bonus" indicates potential for additional compensation based on performance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Integration Consultancy, Technology, Government & Public Sector, Consulting. Fearless focuses on combining technology, people, and organizational development to solve meaningful problems, delivering smart, user-friendly solutions.

Company Size: Information not explicitly provided, but the description suggests a professional services firm with a structured approach to client engagement and employee development.

Founded: Information not explicitly provided.

Team Structure:

  • The role is embedded within a client's cross-functional team, requiring close collaboration with product managers and engineers.

  • Within Fearless, the Senior Consultant role involves mentoring and developing peers, contributing to a design community.

  • The structure emphasizes autonomy, clarity, and a coaching approach rather than micromanagement. Methodology:

  • Fearless employs iterative development and human-centered design principles.

  • The company values equity, curiosity, and innovation, fostering a community that supports these principles.

  • The "Purple Culture" emphasizes valuing individuals as whole people, matching work to strengths/passions, autonomy, and doing work that matters.

Company Website: https://jobs.fearless.com/us/en

📝 Enhancement Note: Fearless's "Purple Culture" is a key differentiator, emphasizing holistic employee development, autonomy, and a strong sense of purpose. The "Senior Consultant" title suggests a client-facing role where building trust and delivering value are paramount.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Consultant / Senior Product Designer. This level signifies a strategic and leadership-oriented role, expected to set vision, mentor others, and drive significant design initiatives. The "Senior Consultant" aspect also implies client-facing responsibilities and advisory capabilities.

Reporting Structure: While the immediate work is on an embedded client team, within Fearless, this role likely reports to a Design Lead or Director, and is responsible for mentoring junior designers and contributing to the overall design practice.

Operations Impact: The role directly impacts the user experience of a critical state-sponsored resource, influencing how individuals access employment and continuing education. The success of the design directly contributes to user adoption, satisfaction, and the achievement of program objectives. The role also impacts the "Fearless Impact" by coaching peers and earning client trust.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Leadership Development: Opportunity to lead design practice, mentor junior designers, and influence design strategy within client projects and Fearless.

  • Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like service design, content strategy, and user research, particularly within the public sector or mission-driven domains.

  • Client Relationship Management: Develop strong client advisory skills and build trusted advisor relationships.

  • Community Building: Contribute to and influence the internal design community at Fearless through mentorship and knowledge sharing.

  • Advanced Application of Skills: The role requires "Advanced Application" proficiency, meaning ample opportunity to tackle complex challenges and be recognized as an expert.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior Consultant" title strongly suggests a path for growth into client management, program leadership, and potentially practice leadership within Fearless, beyond purely individual contributor design roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a remote position, with occasional travel required to New Jersey for onsite client meetings and collaborative working sessions. The company emphasizes a "life-friendly environment" and flexibility.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, the company is licensed to hire in specific states: Alabama, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. The listed locations (Baltimore, MD and Trenton, NJ) indicate potential client hubs or company presence in those areas.

Workspace Context:

  • The remote nature allows for flexibility in personal workspace setup.

  • Collaboration occurs through digital tools (Figma, Jira, Confluence, etc.) and virtual meetings.

  • Occasional in-person collaboration sessions in New Jersey are expected.

  • The company culture values autonomy and provides resources like tech allowances to support remote work.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time, with an emphasis on "flexible, life-friendly schedules." This suggests an environment that supports work-life integration, though client needs and project deadlines will dictate specific demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote OK" status, combined with the list of hiring states, provides significant flexibility for candidates across a wide geographic area within the US. The occasional travel requirement is important to note for candidates seeking fully remote roles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  1. Introductory Interview: A recruiter call to build rapport, review experience, discuss salary expectations, and explain the role details.

  2. Technical Assessment: A role-specific assessment designed to evaluate practical design skills in action. This aims to ensure fairness and consistency.

  3. Skills + Business Fit Interview: A deeper dive into skills, situational questions, and values-based discussions to assess alignment with Fearless culture and project needs.

  4. Potential Customer Interviews: Some roles may include interviews with clients, depending on specific project requirements.

  5. Background Check & Security Clearance: Standard pre-employment requirements.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that best showcase your end-to-end design process and problem-solving abilities.

  • Highlight Your Role: Clearly define your specific contributions, especially in team-based projects. For this role, emphasize leadership, mentorship, and client advisory aspects where applicable.

  • Showcase the Process: Detail your approach from problem definition, user research, ideation, design iterations, testing, and final implementation. Explain why you made certain decisions.

  • Quantify Impact: Where possible, include metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved user satisfaction, increased task completion rates, reduced error rates).

  • Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with public sector, civic technology, or mission-driven work if you have them. Highlight experience with accessibility, inclusive design, and complex information architectures.

  • Visual Clarity: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to navigate.

Challenge Preparation:

  • Technical Assessment: Review common UX/UI design challenges, practice problem-solving under timed conditions, and be prepared to articulate your design rationale clearly. Familiarize yourself with Figma's capabilities.

  • Skills + Business Fit Interview: Prepare STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) examples for behavioral questions related to collaboration, problem-solving, leadership, mentorship, and handling challenging stakeholders. Research Fearless's "Purple Culture" and be ready to discuss how your values align.

  • Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies concisely, focusing on storytelling and impact. Be ready to answer questions about your design decisions, research methodologies, and how you handled feedback or constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The structured interview process, including a technical assessment and a skills/fit interview, requires thorough preparation. The emphasis on portfolio review means candidates should meticulously curate and be ready to present their work, highlighting leadership and strategic thinking.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • Figma: Essential for wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity design, and creating design artifacts. Proficiency is a core requirement.

  • Comparable Design & Prototyping Tools: Experience with tools like Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, or Axure may also be relevant.

Analytics & Reporting:

  • Product Analytics Tools: Experience using qualitative and quantitative research findings, including product analytics (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude), to inform design decisions is preferred.

CRM & Automation:

  • Agile Development Tools: Familiarity with Jira and Confluence is preferred for collaboration within cross-functional teams and project management.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a primary tool. Experience with agile development tools like Jira and Confluence is preferred, indicating a collaborative and iterative development environment.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • Human-Centered Design: A core principle, ensuring all experiences are intuitive, accessible, and meet user needs.

  • Equity, Curiosity, and Innovation: These are foundational values within Fearless's "Purple Culture," encouraging a dynamic and forward-thinking environment.

  • Ownership & Accountability: Taking responsibility for outcomes, ensuring commitments are met, and focusing on enhancing service delivery and client satisfaction.

  • Consultative Advising: Identifying client challenges, scoping projects, and aligning recommendations to business goals.

  • Communicating with Influence: Crafting persuasive messages tailored to diverse audiences to drive decision-making.

  • Mentorship & Peer Development: Actively coaching and developing colleagues to foster knowledge sharing and strengthen the design community.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-Functional: Works closely with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders in an embedded client team structure.

  • Coaching-Oriented: Within Fearless, the culture supports coaches, not micromanagers, promoting autonomy and growth.

  • Community-Focused: Encourages knowledge sharing and collaboration within the design community.

  • Trust-Based: Earns trust through delivering world-class services and demonstrating accountability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Purple Culture" is central to Fearless's identity, stressing holistic employee value, autonomy, and impactful work. Collaboration is expected to be highly integrated with client teams and internally focused on development and knowledge sharing.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Balancing User Needs with Policy/Program Requirements: Designing effective solutions within the constraints of state policies and program goals for a public service.

  • Establishing/Refining Research Practices: Potentially working in environments where user research practices are still developing, requiring strategic implementation and stakeholder buy-in.

  • Navigating Complex Stakeholder Environments: Working with government clients often involves multiple stakeholders with varying levels of technical expertise and differing priorities.

  • Leading Design in an Embedded Model: Effectively advocating for design best practices and user needs while being part of a client's cross-functional team.

  • Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong collaboration and team cohesion while working remotely, with occasional travel.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Advanced Design Leadership: Opportunities to lead design strategy, mentor junior designers, and influence product direction.

  • Public Sector/Civic Tech Expertise: Deepen experience and knowledge in designing for government and mission-driven organizations.

  • Service Design Mastery: Develop advanced skills in journey mapping, service blueprinting, and understanding the broader service ecosystem.

  • Design Systems Development: Gain experience in building and maintaining scalable design systems.

  • Consulting Skills Enhancement: Hone consultative advising, client management, and communication skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to working in the public sector and in a consulting capacity. The growth opportunities align with advancing into more strategic, leadership-focused, and specialized design roles.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • Design Process & Problem Solving: "Describe a complex digital product you designed from concept to launch. What was the biggest challenge, and how did you overcome it?" (Focus on detailing your process, research, and decision-making.)

  • User Research & Advocacy: "How do you ensure user needs are met when faced with conflicting stakeholder requirements or policy constraints?" (Prepare examples of advocating for users based on research.)

  • Leadership & Mentorship: "Describe a time you mentored a junior designer or influenced a team's design direction. What was the outcome?" (Highlight your ability to coach and lead.)

  • Stakeholder Management: "How do you present design recommendations to non-design stakeholders, and how do you handle pushback or differing opinions?" (Emphasize clear communication and data-driven justification.)

Company & Culture Questions:

  • "What interests you about Fearless's 'Purple Culture' and mission-driven work?" (Research their values and connect them to your own.)

  • "How do you approach collaboration in a remote, cross-functional team?" (Discuss your preferred tools and strategies for effective remote teamwork.)

  • "How do you ensure your design work aligns with broader organizational goals and client priorities?" (Showcase your strategic thinking and ability to connect design to business impact.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Storytelling: Structure your portfolio walkthroughs as compelling narratives. Start with the problem, explain your role and approach, detail the solutions, and conclude with the impact.

  • Visual Aids: Use clear visuals, interactive prototypes, and concise text to support your presentation.

  • Process Emphasis: Walk through the why behind your design decisions, referencing user research, data, and best practices.

  • Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Practice delivering your key points efficiently.

  • Q&A Readiness: Anticipate questions about your design choices, challenges, and how you measure success.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to discuss your experience with public sector design, user research methodologies, and how you translate complex requirements into user-friendly solutions. The "Senior Consultant" aspect means demonstrating strong communication, influence, and advisory skills.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

  • Submit your application through the provided link on the Fearless jobs portal.

  • Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and prominently features projects that align with the job description's requirements, particularly in areas like end-to-end design ownership, user research, and accessibility. Highlight any public sector or mission-driven work.

  • Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 6+ years of experience, proficiency with Figma, user research expertise, and any experience with civic tech or government projects. Use keywords from the job description.

  • Interview Preparation: Practice answering behavioral questions using the STAR method and prepare to articulate your design process and rationale clearly. Rehearse your portfolio presentation.

  • Company Research: Thoroughly research Fearless, its "Purple Culture," and its mission. Understand the nature of designing for a state-sponsored employment resource to demonstrate genuine interest and fit.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Application Requirements

Requires a minimum of 6 years of professional experience in digital product design with a strong portfolio demonstrating UX/UI ownership. Proficiency in Figma, user research methodologies, and accessibility standards is essential for this role.