Senior/Staff Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior/Staff Product Designer

Company: Clera

Location: Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-09-13

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Define and design novel interaction patterns for agentic AI capabilities within B2B SaaS procurement software, focusing on how AI and human judgment collaborate.

• Translate complex domain workflows and emerging AI interaction patterns into user-friendly and adopted features that deliver tangible customer value.

• Produce short-horizon vision work, including prototypes and tangible artifacts, to guide product development and engineering teams.

• Elevate product craft and ensure design coherence as the company scales its engineering velocity and feature output.

• Contribute directly to the final product polish by reviewing code and making last-mile interaction improvements in code.

• Foster strong cross-functional collaboration with product managers, engineers, and domain experts to deliver exceptional user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is highly specialized, focusing on the intersection of complex B2B workflows, advanced AI (specifically agentic AI), and user adoption. The emphasis on "short-horizon vision work" and "last-mile polish by reviewing pull requests and tweaking interactions before shipping" indicates a hands-on, deeply integrated design role, not just high-level conceptualization. The target audience is experienced designers who can navigate ambiguity and drive product innovation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the design of how agentic AI capabilities are presented to users, from initial signalling of AI activity to the clear surfacing of its findings and recommendations.

• Develop intuitive interaction models that facilitate effective collaboration between AI agents and human decision-makers, avoiding competitive or conflicting dynamics.

• Create and iterate on prototypes and tangible design artifacts that articulate product vision and user experience for the next 3-6 months, ensuring alignment with engineering roadmaps.

• Actively contribute to raising the overall quality and consistency of the product's user interface and user experience as feature development accelerates.

• Engage in code reviews and make direct code contributions for fine-tuning user interactions and ensuring design fidelity before product release.

• Partner closely with product management, engineering, and procurement domain experts to deeply understand complex business processes and translate them into elegant, effective user experiences.

• Champion user trust and transparency in AI-driven features, ensuring clear communication about AI capabilities, limitations, and decision-making processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a deep dive into AI-human collaboration in a complex B2B context. The expectation to "work directly in code" and "review pull requests" is a significant differentiator, suggesting a "designer-developer" or "full-stack designer" expectation, common in fast-paced startups. This requires a candidate comfortable with technical implementation details and coding best practices.

✅ Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong educational foundation in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, Computer Science, or a related field is expected, demonstrated through experience and portfolio.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience as a Senior or Staff Product Designer, with a proven track record of shipping successful products in B2B SaaS, complex workflow applications, or data-intensive environments.

Required Skills:

• Extensive experience in visual design, interaction design, product thinking, and systems design, demonstrating a holistic approach rather than specialization in a single area.

• Proven ability to prototype runnable product experiences using tools beyond static design software (e.g., code-based prototyping, interactive simulations).

• Demonstrated capability to make last-mile interaction improvements directly in code.

• A well-defined point of view on designing trustworthy AI product experiences, encompassing transparency, appropriate automation, and fostering user trust.

• Comfort with ambiguity, the ability to invent new interaction patterns, and a track record of shipping tangible product vision work on aggressive timelines.

• Regular hands-on experience utilizing AI tools such as Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor as part of design, research, and prototyping workflows.

• Experience in a startup environment or high-growth company, or handling projects of equivalent complexity.

• Strong collaboration and communication skills, essential for working with cross-functional teams. Preferred Skills:

• Direct experience designing agentic or autonomous AI features.

• Background or domain expertise in procurement, manufacturing, or similarly complex B2B industries.

• Familiarity with frontend development languages and frameworks relevant to web applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "prototyping runnable product experiences beyond Figma" and "making last-mile interaction improvements in code" strongly suggests a need for proficiency in frontend technologies or a deep understanding of how to implement designs efficiently. This elevates the role beyond traditional UX/UI design. The bonus points for agentic AI or domain experience are significant indicators of ideal candidate profiles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 significant B2B SaaS projects or complex workflow applications that demonstrate your end-to-end product design process.

• For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your design process, key decisions made, and the impact of your contributions.

• Include examples of how you translated complex user needs and business requirements into intuitive and effective user interfaces.

• Highlight instances where you designed for data-heavy products or systems, demonstrating your ability to manage complexity and present information clearly.

• Provide evidence of your ability to prototype interactive experiences, ideally showcasing work that goes beyond static mockups. Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to user research and discovery, emphasizing how you gain a deep understanding of complex domain workflows and user pain points.

• Illustrate your process for defining and designing AI-human interaction patterns, focusing on trust, transparency, and effective collaboration.

• Demonstrate your methodology for iterating on designs based on feedback from product managers, engineers, and domain experts.

• Provide examples of how you have improved product craft and design coherence in fast-paced development environments.

• Showcase instances where you have contributed to or reviewed code for last-mile interaction polish.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "prototyping runnable product experiences beyond Figma" and "making last-mile interaction improvements in code" means a portfolio should ideally include links to live products, interactive prototypes built with code, or detailed case studies that explain the technical implementation considerations. Simply showing Figma files will likely be insufficient. The ability to demonstrate impact through metrics and user adoption is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior/Staff Product Designer role in Munich, Germany, with 5-10 years of experience in B2B SaaS and AI, the estimated annual gross salary range would typically be between €85,000 and €115,000. This estimate is based on regional market data for experienced design professionals in tech hubs like Munich, considering the specialized nature of AI design and B2B SaaS.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and potential for equity in a Series A funded company.

• Comprehensive health insurance and retirement plan options.

• Opportunities for professional development, including conferences, workshops, and training.

• Generous paid time off and flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance.

• Collaborative and innovative work environment with a focus on cutting-edge AI technology.

• Potential for visa sponsorship to be reassessed for exceptional candidates.

Working Hours: The standard working hours for a full-time role in Germany are typically 40 hours per week. Clera likely offers flexibility within these hours, allowing for focused work periods, especially given the on-site requirement in Munich.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on general market data for senior/staff product designers in Germany, particularly in major tech cities like Munich. The specific range can vary significantly based on the company's funding stage, overall compensation strategy, and the candidate's precise experience and demonstrated impact. Benefits are typical for a tech startup in Europe; specific details would need to be confirmed directly.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Clera operates within the B2B SaaS sector, specifically focusing on AI-powered procurement software for industrial companies. This places them at the forefront of technological innovation, aiming to streamline complex business processes through intelligent automation. The market context involves a growing demand for efficiency and data-driven decision-making in industrial supply chains.

Company Size: As a Series A funded company, Clera is likely in a growth phase, characterized by a dynamic and fast-paced environment. This implies a relatively small, agile team where individual contributions have a significant impact. The team structure is probably lean, fostering close collaboration and direct access to leadership.

Founded: While the founding date isn't specified, being a Series A company suggests it's a relatively young startup, likely founded within the last 5-7 years, focused on establishing its market presence and scaling its product.

Team Structure:

• The design team is small, suggesting a close-knit group where designers work collaboratively and share responsibilities.

• Designers will work closely with Product Managers and Engineers, forming cross-functional product teams.

• There will be direct interaction with procurement domain experts, providing critical user insights and validation.

• Reporting structure likely involves a Head of Design or Product Lead, with direct access to executive leadership given the company's stage. Methodology:

• Data-driven design approach, leveraging user research, analytics, and customer feedback to inform decisions.

• Agile development methodologies, emphasizing iterative design and rapid prototyping.

• Focus on user-centric design principles to ensure adoption and value delivery for non-technical users.

• Experimentation with AI interaction patterns to discover novel and effective ways for users to leverage AI capabilities.

Company Website: https://www.getclera.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stage (Series A) and focus on AI in procurement are key cultural indicators. Expect a high-energy, results-oriented environment where innovation and rapid iteration are paramount. The emphasis on "agentic AI" suggests a forward-thinking approach to product development.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at the Senior/Staff level, indicating a high degree of autonomy, influence, and responsibility. A Senior/Staff designer is expected to lead complex projects, mentor junior designers (if applicable), and contribute significantly to product strategy and design systems. They are often seen as thought leaders within their domain.

Reporting Structure: The Senior/Staff Product Designer will report to a design lead or product lead, working within cross-functional product teams. Direct collaboration with engineering and product management is a given, and there will likely be exposure to executive leadership due to the company's size and growth stage.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and substantial impact on product adoption and customer value by translating complex AI capabilities into usable experiences. Success in this role means driving the successful integration of AI into procurement workflows, directly influencing operational efficiency for Clera's clients and contributing to the company's growth and market position.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in designing for AI, specifically agentic AI, and develop a unique specialization in complex B2B SaaS domains. Opportunity to become a go-to expert in AI interaction design.

• Leadership Potential: As the company grows, there's potential to grow into a Design Lead or Head of Design role, managing a team and shaping the overall design vision.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to high-level product strategy and roadmap planning, influencing the direction of Clera's AI product offerings.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain valuable experience working across engineering, product, and sales/customer success teams, broadening understanding of the business.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" designation implies a level of expertise that goes beyond typical senior roles, often involving system-level thinking, mentorship, and driving strategic initiatives. The growth path is clearly towards leadership and significant strategic contribution within a rapidly scaling tech company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is explicitly on-site in Munich, Germany, indicating a preference for in-person collaboration, team synergy, and the benefits of a shared physical workspace. This is common for startups aiming to foster a strong team culture and facilitate rapid, synchronous communication.

Office Location(s): The office is located in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, a major European tech hub known for its innovation ecosystem. This location offers access to a vibrant community of tech professionals and potential networking opportunities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect an office designed to foster collaboration, with shared workspaces, meeting rooms, and common areas for informal interactions.

• Tools & Technology: Access to modern design and development tools, including high-performance workstations, software licenses (Figma, AI tools, coding environments), and potentially specialized hardware for prototyping.

• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for spontaneous discussions, brainstorming sessions, and design critiques with fellow designers, product managers, and engineers.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour work week is typical, the startup environment often entails a degree of flexibility. The on-site requirement suggests a structured workday, but the nature of product development, especially in a fast-growing company, may require occasional extended hours to meet critical deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Munich is a key factor. Candidates must be willing and able to work from the office regularly. This suggests a culture that values face-to-face interaction and rapid, in-person problem-solving.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A deep dive into your portfolio, focusing on specific projects relevant to B2B SaaS, AI, and complex workflows. You may be asked to present a case study or tackle a short design challenge that mimics real-world problems faced by Clera.

• Technical/Code Review Discussion: A discussion about your experience with coding for design polish, your approach to code reviews, and potentially a hands-on exercise or walkthrough of a code snippet you've worked on.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers and Engineers to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to translate technical constraints and business needs into design solutions.

• Final Round/Executive Interview: A conversation with senior leadership (e.g., Head of Product, CEO) to discuss strategic thinking, long-term vision, and overall alignment with the company's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your experience with B2B SaaS, complex workflows, AI interaction design, and your ability to deliver tangible product vision.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your process, your unique contributions, design decisions, and measurable outcomes. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

• Highlight AI & Code: Explicitly call out your experience with AI tools and any contributions you've made to code for design refinement. This is a key differentiator for this role.

• Showcase Systems Thinking: Demonstrate your ability to design cohesive systems and understand how individual features fit into the larger product architecture.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design philosophy, how you handle ambiguity, your approach to user trust in AI, and your experience collaborating with engineers.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research procurement processes and common challenges in industrial B2B settings.

• Focus on AI Collaboration: Practice designing scenarios where AI and human judgment work together effectively.

• Think Iteratively: Be prepared to show how you would approach a problem iteratively, from initial concept to refined implementation.

• Articulate Trade-offs: Be ready to discuss design trade-offs, especially concerning technical feasibility, user experience, and business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes practical application, particularly the "last-mile polish in code" aspect. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate this capability through their portfolio and potentially during a technical discussion or challenge.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (essential for collaboration and design systems), potentially alongside other tools like Sketch or Adobe Creative Suite.

• Interactive Prototyping: Beyond Figma, experience with tools that allow for more runnable prototypes or direct code implementation is crucial. This could include Framer, Webflow, or custom-built prototypes using HTML/CSS/JavaScript.

• AI Tools: Hands-on, regular use of AI tools such as Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor for design, research, and prototyping workflows is a requirement.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed, experience with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) would be beneficial for understanding user behavior and measuring the impact of design changes.

• Familiarity with dashboarding tools (e.g., Tableau, Looker) for understanding business performance metrics. CRM & Automation:

• While this role is design-focused, understanding the CRM landscape (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and how procurement software integrates with or complements these systems could be advantageous.

• Familiarity with workflow automation concepts within B2B software is relevant.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "prototyping runnable product experiences beyond Figma" and "making last-mile interaction improvements in code" is the most critical technological requirement. This suggests a need for proficiency in front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) or a strong understanding of how to implement interactive elements efficiently. Proficiency with AI tools is also a direct requirement.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Experimentation: A culture that encourages exploring new frontiers in AI interaction design and is comfortable with experimentation.

• User-Centricity: Deep commitment to understanding and solving complex user problems in the procurement domain, ensuring products deliver real value.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Open communication and close teamwork across product, engineering, and design functions. Transparency in decision-making and design processes.

• Craftsmanship & Quality: A dedication to high standards in product design, from initial concepts to the final polished user experience, including attention to detail in code.

• Impact-Driven: Focus on delivering tangible business outcomes for customers and contributing directly to the company's growth and success.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are integral members of product teams, working hand-in-hand with PMs and Engineers throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Feedback-Rich Environment: Regular opportunities for design critiques, code reviews, and constructive feedback exchange to elevate the product.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing insights, best practices, and learnings, especially around new AI technologies and interaction patterns.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values suggest a team that is ambitious, technically adept, and highly collaborative. The emphasis on "craftsmanship" and "quality" combined with "innovation" points to a desire for both cutting-edge solutions and well-executed, reliable products.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Ambiguity: Navigating the uncharted territory of agentic AI interactions and defining new patterns where established best practices may not yet exist.

• Balancing AI Power with User Control: Ensuring that powerful AI features are presented in a way that empowers users, builds trust, and allows for appropriate human oversight.

• Bridging Technical and Non-Technical Users: Translating complex AI capabilities and procurement workflows into experiences that are intuitive for non-technical procurement professionals.

• Rapid Iteration & Code Integration: Consistently producing high-quality design work and contributing to code polish within a fast-paced startup environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Become a recognized expert in designing for advanced AI capabilities, a highly sought-after skill.

• B2B SaaS Domain Expertise: Develop deep knowledge of industrial procurement processes and the challenges faced by B2B customers.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to mentor, lead design initiatives, and potentially grow into a management role as the company scales.

• Exposure to Cutting-Edge Technology: Work with and shape the future of AI-powered enterprise software.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge lies in the pioneering nature of the role—designing for AI that is still evolving. This requires adaptability, strong problem-solving skills, and a proactive approach to learning and experimentation.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design a complex interaction pattern for a novel technology. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, handling ambiguity, and delivering tangible results.)

• "How do you ensure user trust and transparency when designing AI-powered features? Provide a specific example from your past work or a hypothetical scenario." (Prepare to discuss principles of trustworthy AI, explainability, and user control.)

• "Imagine you're tasked with designing how an agentic AI communicates its findings to a non-technical procurement manager. What are your first steps, and what key considerations would you prioritize?" (Demonstrate your understanding of user context, AI capabilities, and effective communication design.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Clera's mission and our focus on AI in procurement?" (Research Clera's website, news, and product offerings. Connect your passion for AI and B2B SaaS to their mission.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with engineers, especially when discussing code-level design refinements?" (Highlight your experience with code reviews, communication strategies, and understanding of technical constraints.)

• "Describe your experience working in a startup or high-growth environment. What are the pros and cons for you as a designer?" (Showcase your adaptability, resilience, and ability to thrive in dynamic settings.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each project, emphasize the problem solved, your role, the design process, and the measurable results achieved (e.g., increased adoption, improved efficiency, user satisfaction).

• Showcase AI/Code Contributions: Clearly point out any projects where you utilized AI tools in your workflow or made code-level contributions for design polish. Be ready to discuss these in detail.

• Articulate Vision: For "short-horizon vision" work, explain how you translated strategic goals into tangible design artifacts that guided development.

• Engage in Dialogue: Be prepared for interactive discussions about your work, design decisions, and how you would approach future challenges at Clera.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize your ability to work with code for design and your understanding of AI interaction design. Ensure your portfolio and preparation directly address these critical requirements.

---

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior/Staff Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Ashby application link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Optimize your resume to highlight your 5+ years of experience in B2B SaaS, complex workflows, and AI product design. Use keywords from the job description, such as "agentic AI," "interaction design," "prototyping," and "code review." Quantify achievements whenever possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 strong projects that best demonstrate your skills in visual design, interaction design, systems design, and your experience with AI tools and/or code for design polish. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates the problem, your process, your unique contributions, and the impact of your work.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on the AI/code aspects and your ability to translate complex requirements into user-friendly experiences. Be ready to discuss your design philosophy and approach to trustworthy AI.

• Research Clera: Understand Clera's product, target market, and recent developments. Prepare thoughtful questions about their vision for AI in procurement and the design team's role.

⚠️ 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.