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 / AI Product Experience

Date Posted: August 15, 2026

Experience Level: Senior/Staff (5-10 years estimated)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Define and design the user experience for agentic AI capabilities within a complex B2B procurement platform, focusing on trust and adoption.

• Collaborate closely with product management, engineering, and domain experts to translate complex procurement and supply chain concepts into intuitive interfaces.

• Develop short-horizon vision work, including runnable prototypes, to guide product development and enhance engineering velocity.

• Drive product craft and coherence, ensuring high-quality, user-centered design across the platform.

• Contribute directly to the product through last-mile code contributions for UI polish and interaction refinement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is specifically focused on the experience of AI within a B2B SaaS context, requiring a deep understanding of user trust, AI transparency, and the integration of AI agents into complex workflows. The "Senior/Staff" title implies a need for significant autonomy, strategic thinking, and the ability to mentor or influence other designers and product teams. The hard requirement for "working directly in code" suggests a highly integrated design and development process, common in fast-paced startups emphasizing product velocity.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Architect and design the user interface and interaction patterns for agentic AI features, ensuring clarity in AI operation, findings, and recommendations.

• Develop design strategies that foster natural collaboration between AI agents and human judgment, building confidence with non-technical procurement professionals.

• Create tangible artifacts, including functional prototypes, to communicate product vision and design direction for the next 3-6 months.

• Elevate the overall quality and consistency of the product's design language and user experience as the product scales.

• Execute last-mile UI/UX adjustments by working directly with code (e.g., checking out PRs, fine-tuning interactions) to ensure a polished final product.

• Translate intricate domain knowledge from procurement, supply chain, and cost intelligence into accessible and user-friendly design solutions.

• Actively use AI tools in personal workflows for research, ideation, and prototyping to inform design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic product visioning and hands-on execution, particularly in the realm of AI integration. The emphasis on "translating domain complexity" and "building trust with non-technical users" points to a need for strong empathy and user-centered problem-solving skills, crucial for adoption in enterprise software.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience, is typically expected for a Senior/Staff level role.

Experience: Minimum of 5-10 years of professional product design experience, with a strong emphasis on shipped B2B SaaS products, complex workflows, or data-intensive applications.

Required Skills:

• Extensive experience in end-to-end product design, encompassing visual design, interaction design, user experience (UX) research, and product strategy.

• Proven track record of designing and shipping complex B2B SaaS products, ideally those involving data-heavy interfaces or intricate workflows.

• Advanced prototyping skills beyond static mockups; ability to create runnable prototypes to demonstrate user flows and interaction behaviors.

• Proficiency in working directly with code for UI polish and interaction refinement (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or relevant framework knowledge for front-end adjustments).

• A well-articulated perspective on designing for AI, with a focus on user trust, transparency, and effective automation.

• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in ambiguous environments and invent novel design solutions for new product challenges.

• Practical, hands-on experience utilizing AI tools (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor) within the design process.

• Strong understanding of design systems and their application to maintain product consistency and scalability. Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for non-technical users in specialized B2B or industrial sectors.

• Prior experience designing features for agentic or autonomous AI systems.

• Familiarity with the intricacies of procurement, supply chain management, or manufacturing processes.

• Experience with design tools beyond Figma, such as Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, or specialized prototyping tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "block-shaped" design capabilities indicate a need for a generalist designer who can contribute across the entire design spectrum, rather than a specialist. The explicit requirement for coding proficiency for "last-mile polish" is a significant differentiator, suggesting this role is for a designer who bridges the gap between design and development, likely contributing to front-end code.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 significant B2B SaaS product design projects that have been shipped to market.

• Projects should demonstrate a strong grasp of complex workflows, data visualization, and user-centered problem-solving within challenging domains.

• For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your specific role and contributions, the design process followed, key decisions made, and measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight projects that involved designing for novel features or integrating new technologies, particularly AI, showcasing your ability to innovate.

• Include examples of your prototyping capabilities, demonstrating how you tested and validated design concepts. Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate a structured approach to design process, including user research methodologies, ideation techniques, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.

• Showcase how you translate complex business requirements and domain knowledge into intuitive user interfaces and workflows.

• Provide examples of how you collaborated with engineering and product management teams, including how you delivered design specifications and worked through implementation challenges.

• Evidence of creating and maintaining design systems or style guides to ensure product consistency.

• Illustrate your approach to iterating on designs based on user feedback and data analytics.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's emphasis on AI and complex B2B workflows, portfolios should ideally feature case studies that detail the process of designing for user trust, transparency in AI interactions, and the integration of AI into existing business processes. The ability to showcase "runnable prototypes" and "last-mile code polish" should be a key differentiator in portfolio presentations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the Senior/Staff level, location in Munich, and the specialized nature of AI product design in B2B SaaS, the estimated annual salary range is €85,000 - €120,000+. This estimate is based on market data for senior product designers in Germany, particularly in tech hubs like Munich, considering the company's Series A funding status and the demand for specialized AI design skills.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and equity package.

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage (including options relevant to German statutory and supplementary health insurance).

• Generous paid time off (vacation days, public holidays).

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

• Potential for visa sponsorship assistance if relocation is required, though explicitly stated as not available for this role.

• Modern office space in Munich with amenities to support a productive and collaborative work environment.

• Regular team events and social activities to foster a strong company culture.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours in Germany are typically 35-40 hours per week. While the role is based on-site, the company culture likely supports a degree of flexibility within core working hours to accommodate project deadlines and individual work styles, common in tech startups.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on typical compensation for Senior/Staff Product Designers in Munich, Germany, for a well-funded Series A startup. Actual compensation will depend on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and negotiation. The absence of visa sponsorship is a critical point for non-EU candidates.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Software (SaaS), Industrial Sector (Procurement Platform). Clera is at the forefront of applying AI to streamline and optimize procurement processes for industrial companies.

Company Size: Series A funded, suggesting a growing startup environment. Likely small to medium-sized, with a focused team of engineers, product managers, designers, and domain experts. This size allows for high impact and direct influence.

Founded: Founded recently (implied by Series A funding), indicating a dynamic, fast-paced, and innovative culture. The company is likely building its core product and team, offering significant opportunities for shaping its trajectory.

Team Structure:

• Small, high-craft design team, implying close collaboration and shared ownership of design quality.

• Cross-functional teams comprising Product Managers, Engineers, Procurement Domain Experts, and Designers.

• Reporting structure likely to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or CTO, depending on the organization's current setup. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making, leveraging insights from AI and user behavior.

• Agile development methodologies to ensure rapid iteration and delivery.

• Emphasis on user-centric design, focusing on solving real-world problems for procurement professionals.

• Strong focus on AI integration and defining novel interaction patterns.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on "AI agents" as the core of their product is a significant cultural and technical driver. This suggests a culture that embraces cutting-edge technology, encourages experimentation, and values deep technical understanding alongside user empathy. The "industrial sector" context means the product deals with complex, often legacy, business processes that require careful handling and clear communication.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior/Staff level Product Designer role. At this level, individuals are expected to lead significant product initiatives, define design strategy, mentor junior designers, and contribute to the overall product vision. The "Staff" designation often implies a level of technical leadership and influence that extends beyond a single product area, potentially shaping design practices across the organization.

Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report to a Design Lead or Head of Product. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on a day-to-day basis, forming core product triads for feature development. Collaboration will be highly cross-functional, involving direct interaction with domain experts to understand procurement complexities.

Operations Impact: The designer's work will have a direct and substantial impact on the adoption and effectiveness of Clera's AI features. Success in this role means enabling non-technical users to trust and leverage powerful AI tools, directly contributing to cost savings, improved decision-making, and efficient supply chain management for clients. This translates to revenue growth and client retention for Clera.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing for AI, agentic systems, and complex B2B workflows, becoming a go-to expert in this niche.

• Leadership Development: Transition into a Design Lead role, managing a small team, or take on Staff-level individual contributor roles with broader strategic influence across product areas.

• Product Strategy: Contribute more significantly to product strategy formulation, influencing the roadmap and future direction of Clera's AI platform.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Develop stronger leadership skills by mentoring engineers and product managers on design thinking and user-centric approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" designation suggests a path towards technical leadership or principal-level individual contribution, focusing on solving the most challenging problems and setting technical direction, rather than necessarily managing people. The emphasis on AI and code integration indicates growth opportunities in hybrid design-engineering roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site in Munich, Germany. This implies a traditional office setting designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): Munich, Bavaria, Germany. A major European tech hub known for its strong engineering talent pool and vibrant startup ecosystem. Specific office address details would be provided upon inquiry or during the interview process.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office is designed to encourage interaction between designers, engineers, and product managers, facilitating rapid feedback loops and co-creation.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to modern design software (Figma), prototyping tools, and development environments. The requirement to work in code means access to relevant IDEs and version control systems (e.g., Git).

• Team Interaction: Frequent in-person meetings, design critiques, brainstorming sessions, and project syncs with the core product team.

Work Schedule: Full-time, on-site in Munich. While specific hours may vary, core hours are expected to facilitate team collaboration. The nature of a startup often means a degree of flexibility is available, but the primary expectation is presence and contribution within the office environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Munich is crucial. It suggests a company culture that values in-person collaboration, spontaneous problem-solving, and strong team bonding, which can be particularly beneficial for complex, innovative projects involving AI.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter or hiring manager to assess overall fit, experience, and understanding of the role's core requirements, especially regarding AI and B2B SaaS.

• Portfolio Review & Design Exercise: A deep dive into your portfolio, focusing on shipped B2B products, AI integration experience, and your process. This may be followed by a take-home design challenge or an in-person/virtual design exercise focused on a specific problem related to AI in procurement.

• Technical/Coding Assessment: Given the "work in code" requirement, expect an assessment of your coding proficiency for UI polish, potentially involving a live coding session or review of code samples.

• Team & Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with product managers, engineers, and potentially other designers or leadership to evaluate collaboration style, problem-solving approach, and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership (e.g., Head of Product, CEO) to gauge strategic thinking, vision alignment, and overall impact potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Prioritize projects that demonstrate tangible results and impact. Quantify achievements wherever possible (e.g., "Increased AI feature adoption by X%," "Reduced procurement processing time by Y hours").

• Highlight AI & Code: Specifically call out projects where you designed for AI, focusing on trust, transparency, and user adoption. Explicitly detail your coding contributions to the UI/UX.

• Process Transparency: Clearly articulate your design process, including how you handled ambiguity, collaborated with technical teams, and translated domain complexity.

• Runnable Prototypes: If possible, include links or interactive demos of runnable prototypes that showcase complex interactions.

• Tailor to Clera: Research Clera's product and target market. Frame your experience and case studies in a way that directly addresses their challenges in AI procurement.

Challenge Preparation:

• AI Interaction Design: Practice designing interfaces for AI agents, considering states like "working," "learning," "error," and "recommendation." Focus on building user trust.

• Complex Workflow Simplification: Prepare to break down a complex B2B workflow (like procurement) into intuitive steps and design solutions that leverage AI effectively.

• Coding for UI: Brush up on front-end coding skills relevant to UI polish (e.g., CSS animations, JavaScript interactions). Be ready to discuss how you'd implement specific UI elements.

• Strategic Thinking: Be prepared to discuss your design philosophy, how you approach ambiguity, and your vision for the future of AI in enterprise software.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "work directly in code" requirement is a significant filter. Candidates must be prepared to demonstrate this capability, not just discuss it. The interview process will likely be rigorous, assessing both design craft and technical execution.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The primary tool for UI design, wireframing, and prototyping.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, potentially tools like Framer, ProtoPie, or custom-built solutions for creating "runnable prototypes."

• Code Editors: IDEs such as VS Code, potentially with extensions for front-end development.

• Version Control: Git (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket) for managing code contributions.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Platforms: Tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Pendo for understanding user behavior and feature adoption.

• Data Visualization Tools: Potentially tools for creating dashboards or presenting data insights, though the focus is on design execution.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a designer's tool, understanding the CRM (likely Salesforce or similar) and automation platforms (e.g., Zapier, Marketo) that the B2B product might integrate with is beneficial.

• AI Tools: Explicitly mentioned tools like Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor are integral to the designer's workflow for research, ideation, and prototyping.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of specific AI tools and the requirement for direct code contribution indicate a modern, technology-forward design stack. Designers are expected to be proficient not only in design software but also in the tools developers use for front-end implementation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Craftsmanship & Quality: A commitment to high-quality design and execution, with a focus on "last-mile polish."

• User Trust & Transparency: Prioritizing the user's understanding and confidence in AI-driven features.

• Innovation & Experimentation: Embracing new technologies like agentic AI and exploring novel design patterns.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Using data and user feedback to inform design choices and measure impact.

• Collaboration & Ownership: Working effectively across teams and taking ownership of design outcomes.

• Efficiency & Velocity: Balancing design quality with the need for rapid product development.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Teams: Designers work hand-in-hand with Product Managers and Engineers, forming core product development units.

• Open Communication: Encouraging direct and honest feedback, both in design critiques and through code reviews.

• Proactive Engagement: Designers are expected to be proactive in identifying problems, proposing solutions, and driving initiatives forward.

• Domain Empathy: A strong emphasis on understanding and empathizing with the complex needs of procurement professionals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values emphasize a blend of artistic excellence ("craftsmanship") and pragmatic execution ("efficiency & velocity"), particularly relevant in a startup environment. The focus on "user trust and transparency" in AI is a critical value that will guide design decisions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for AI Trust: The primary challenge is making sophisticated AI capabilities understandable and trustworthy for non-technical users in high-stakes procurement decisions.

• Translating Domain Complexity: Simplifying intricate procurement and supply chain processes into intuitive user experiences requires deep empathy and analytical skill.

• Balancing Craft and Velocity: Delivering high-quality, innovative design while maintaining rapid engineering velocity in a startup environment.

• Defining Novel Patterns: Creating new interaction paradigms for agentic AI that don't yet exist, requiring significant invention and validation.

• Code Integration: Seamlessly integrating design work with the development codebase requires strong technical communication and coding skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Specialization: Becoming a leader in designing user experiences for advanced AI and agentic systems.

• B2B SaaS Expertise: Deepening understanding of complex enterprise software and industrial sector needs.

• Technical Design Skills: Enhancing coding abilities for UI implementation and bridging the gap between design and engineering.

• Product Strategy Influence: Gaining experience in shaping product roadmaps and influencing business strategy through design leadership.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and influence design best practices within the company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the innovative nature of Clera's product. Overcoming these challenges presents significant growth opportunities for a designer looking to specialize in cutting-edge AI product experiences.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed a complex B2B SaaS feature. What was the problem, your process, and the outcome?" (Focus on B2B, complexity, and measurable results.)

• "How would you approach designing the user experience for an AI agent that makes purchasing recommendations in a procurement workflow? What are the key considerations for user trust?" (Assess AI design thinking, trust mechanisms, and domain understanding.)

• "Walk us through a project where you had to work closely with engineers on implementation. How did you ensure your design vision was realized, and what was your direct technical contribution?" (Evaluate collaboration and coding proficiency.)

• "Describe a situation where you had to operate with significant ambiguity. How did you define the problem and arrive at a design solution?" (Test problem-solving and comfort with uncertainty.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about designing for AI in the industrial sector?" (Gauge passion and alignment with Clera's mission.)

• "How do you stay updated on AI trends and their impact on user experience?" (Assess continuous learning and industry awareness.)

• "How do you see your role contributing to the overall product vision and company success?" (Understand strategic thinking and impact focus.)

• "What are your thoughts on the balance between design craft and engineering velocity?" (Evaluate understanding of startup dynamics.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure each case study with a clear beginning (problem), middle (process, decisions, challenges), and end (solution, results, learnings).

• Visual Storytelling: Use clear visuals, mockups, prototypes, and potentially short video demos to illustrate your design process and solutions.

• Quantify Impact: Present metrics and data to demonstrate the success of your designs. If quantitative data is unavailable, articulate qualitative improvements and user feedback.

• Highlight AI & Code: Dedicate specific sections or callouts to your AI design considerations and any code contributions made. Be ready to demo or discuss the code.

• Interactive Elements: For runnable prototypes, ensure they are easily accessible and functional for reviewers. Be prepared to guide them through the experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to handle the unique challenges of designing for AI and their practical coding skills for UI polish. A strong portfolio that explicitly demonstrates these capabilities will be paramount.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior/Staff Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience with B2B SaaS, complex workflows, AI product design, and any direct coding contributions. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant shipped B2B product design projects. Ensure your portfolio clearly showcases your process, problem-solving, AI design approach, and any code-based UI contributions. Include links to runnable prototypes if possible.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to articulate your experience clearly, focusing on impact, collaboration, and your perspective on designing for AI. Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, emphasizing your role and the outcomes.

• Research Clera: Understand their product, target market (industrial procurement), and the role of AI agents. Prepare thoughtful questions about their product strategy, design challenges, and company culture.

⚠️ 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.