Sr. Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. Product Designer

Company: Pendo

Location: Sheffield, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-06-02

Experience Level: Mid-Senior (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in-office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Owns end-to-end design execution for assigned product areas within Pendo's AI-driven enterprise software platform.

• Drives product strategy by translating customer insights and qualitative feedback into actionable design decisions and clear UI specifications.

• Leverages AI tools (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code) as integral parts of the daily design and prototyping workflow to enhance speed and quality.

• Collaborates closely with Product Management and Engineering leaders to contribute to backlog prioritization and ensure successful feature launches.

• Focuses on creating a cohesive and impactful customer experience across Pendo's platform, emphasizing measurable outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Sr. Product Designer," the AI-derived experience level suggests a range of 2-5 years. This implies the role may be flexible in its seniority, potentially welcoming strong mid-level candidates who demonstrate senior-level capabilities, particularly in AI tool adoption and end-to-end ownership. The core focus is on hands-on execution and proactive problem-solving within an AI-enhanced design process.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and execute the complete design process for assigned product initiatives, from problem framing and user flow definition to detailed UI design and engineering handoff.

• Facilitate and lead customer co-design sessions and feedback workshops, translating qualitative insights into specific, well-documented design decisions.

• Actively utilize AI tools (such as Cursor, Claude Code, or equivalents) for prototyping, interface exploration, and accelerating the design-to-development cycle.

• Develop interactive prototypes at various fidelity levels to validate design direction, gather feedback, and refine scope before significant engineering investment.

• Contribute to the product backlog by providing a clear customer and design perspective, identifying areas lacking definition, and assisting in clarifying the path forward for development.

• Partner with Product Marketing and Product Leads to support go-to-market strategies, contributing design context to launch materials and coordinating readiness.

• Ensure all delivered work aligns with Pendo's established design system, maintaining consistency and quality across the platform.

• Document design decisions, tradeoffs, and the connection between customer insights and shipped product for clear communication and future reference.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a proactive, "builder" mentality. Candidates are expected to not only execute but also to influence product direction, drive clarity in ambiguous situations, and actively integrate AI into their workflow. The "AI-assisted workflow" responsibility is a critical differentiator, implying a need for practical, hands-on experience with these tools.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Specific educational requirements are not detailed, but a strong portfolio and relevant experience are prioritized over formal degrees.

Experience: 3+ years of product design experience in B2B or enterprise SaaS, with a proven track record of end-to-end ownership of shipped software features.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated end-to-end ownership of shipped software features in a B2B or enterprise SaaS environment.

• Proficiency in leading co-design sessions and customer feedback workshops, translating qualitative insights into concrete design decisions.

• Active and practical daily use of AI tools (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code, or equivalents) for design and prototyping.

• Ability to work independently, manage timelines effectively, and keep engineering teams unblocked without constant supervision.

• Strong written communication skills for documenting design decisions and tradeoffs clearly.

• Expertise in problem framing, user flow mapping, and detailed UI design.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience prototyping in code or using front-end adjacent tools beyond traditional design software.

• Prior experience partnering with Go-to-Market or Product Marketing teams on feature launches.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and contributing to backlog prioritization discussions.

• Knowledge of Pendo as a product or the product analytics and digital adoption space.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must-haves" strongly emphasize practical application and a proactive approach. The explicit requirement for active AI tool usage is a significant filter. The portfolio requirement is also highly specific, demanding more than just polished visuals.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase complete design work, illustrating the entire product development lifecycle from problem identification to post-launch analysis.

• Include evidence of problem framing, detailed user flows, and final UI designs.

• Demonstrate tangible outcomes and what happened after launch, highlighting impact and learning.

• Provide clear documentation of the connection between customer insights and specific design decisions made.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate the process used for co-design sessions and feedback workshops, including how insights were translated into design actions.

• Document the workflow for utilizing AI tools (Cursor, Claude Code, etc.) in daily design and prototyping, including specific use cases and benefits observed.

• Detail the approach to prototyping and validation, explaining how findings informed scope, edge cases, and build decisions.

• Show evidence of engineering handoff processes, ensuring clarity and minimizing correction cycles.

• Illustrate contributions to backlog prioritization, demonstrating how design perspective influenced tradeoff decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role, acting as a primary evaluation tool. It must go beyond aesthetics to showcase strategic thinking, process rigor, customer empathy, and a demonstrated ability to integrate AI into the design workflow. The emphasis on "what happened after launch" and the connection between insight and design action are key indicators of a mature design process.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Not specified in the provided data.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive, top-tier coverage including medical, dental, and life insurance.

• Pension match program.

• Equity (stock options/grants).

• High-value lifestyle perks.

Working Hours: Expected to be around 40 hours per week, with a hybrid work arrangement requiring 3 days in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: Based on the location (Sheffield, UK), experience level (Mid-Senior, 2-5 years), and the nature of a Sr. Product Designer role in a growing SaaS company, a competitive salary range can be estimated. For a Sr. Product Designer in Sheffield with 3-5 years of experience in B2B SaaS, salaries typically fall between £50,000 and £70,000 per annum. This range is influenced by market demand, company size, and the specific technical requirements like AI tool proficiency. The provided benefits package is robust and indicative of a well-resourced tech company.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Enterprise Software / SaaS (specifically Product Experience Management, Product Analytics, and Digital Adoption). Pendo is a leader in defining AI transformation for enterprise software.

Company Size: Pendo is a significant player with over 14,000 customers and 900 million users globally. While the exact employee count isn't provided, the scale of operations and customer base suggests a company of several hundred to over a thousand employees, likely a scale-up or established growth-stage company.

Founded: 2013, by former product managers. This founding history highlights a deep understanding of product challenges and a user-centric approach from the outset.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team supports the entire platform ecosystem, indicating a centralized or highly integrated design function.

• Designers likely report into Design leadership, with close day-to-day collaboration with Product Management and Engineering leads for specific product areas.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Insights: The company leverages product usage data, customer feedback, and AI analytics to inform product development and design decisions.

• Agile Development: The mention of contributing to backlog prioritization suggests an Agile or Scrum-based development process.

• Customer-Centric Design: A strong emphasis on co-design, customer feedback workshops, and translating user insight into tangible product improvements.

• AI Integration: Proactive adoption and integration of AI tools into the design and development workflow are core to the company's current strategy.

Company Website: https://www.pendo.io/

📝 Enhancement Note: Pendo's culture appears to be fast-paced, innovative, and deeply rooted in understanding customer needs. The emphasis on "AI Transformation" and the expectation for designers to be "builders, not maintainers" and "AI-curious" points to an environment that values proactivity, strategic thinking, and embracing new technologies. The hybrid model reflects a modern approach to work, balancing in-office collaboration with remote flexibility.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Sr. Product Designer," typically indicating a mid-to-senior level in a design career path. It implies a significant degree of autonomy, ownership, and the expectation to influence product direction, rather than solely executing tasks. The role requires operating as a strategic advisor within assigned product areas.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, Sr. Product Designers usually report to a Design Manager, Lead Designer, or Head of Product Design. They will have direct working relationships with Product Managers and Engineering Leads for their assigned product areas, forming cross-functional pods or teams.

Operations Impact: The Product Design team's impact is directly tied to enhancing the user experience of Pendo's platform, which in turn influences customer adoption, satisfaction, retention, and ultimately, revenue. By translating customer insights into effective designs and leveraging AI for efficiency and innovation, designers contribute to the platform's overall success and market competitiveness.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Progression to Lead Product Designer, Design Manager, or specialized roles (e.g., UX Research Lead, Design System Lead).

• Skill Specialization: Deepening expertise in specific areas like AI-assisted design, complex enterprise workflows, or advanced prototyping techniques.

• Cross-Functional Movement: Potential to move into Product Management roles, leveraging a deep understanding of user needs and product strategy.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the design team.

• Industry Influence: Contributing to Pendo's position as a leader in AI transformation for enterprise software.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Sr." title, combined with the emphasis on proactive ownership and strategic influence, suggests this role is a significant step up from an individual contributor role. Candidates should expect to be challenged, to drive initiatives, and to have a clear impact on the product. The growth opportunities are geared towards deepening expertise and potentially moving into leadership or strategic product roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Pendo operates on a hybrid culture, requiring employees to be in the office 3 days per week, unless designated as remote. This suggests a structured approach to in-office collaboration, team building, and focused work.

Office Location(s): The role is specifically based in the Sheffield office. This indicates a physical presence is expected, allowing for face-to-face interaction with colleagues.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model suggests intentional opportunities for in-person collaboration, brainstorming, and team syncs on designated office days.

• Tooling and Technology: Expect access to modern design and prototyping tools, with a strong emphasis on integrating AI tools into the daily workflow. The company's focus on AI suggests a forward-thinking technology stack.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with product managers, engineers, and fellow designers, fostering a cohesive product development team.

Work Schedule: Standard working hours are implied, likely around 40 hours per week, with the flexibility of a hybrid model. This allows for structured workdays while accommodating personal needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role means candidates should be comfortable with a mix of in-office collaboration and remote work. The Sheffield office will serve as the primary hub for team interaction and strategic alignment. The emphasis on AI tools suggests a technically advanced and innovative workspace.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a recruiter or hiring manager call to assess basic qualifications, cultural fit, and interest.

• Portfolio Review: A crucial stage where candidates present their portfolio, focusing on the end-to-end design process, customer insight translation, and AI tool integration. This may involve a live presentation or a detailed walkthrough.

• Design Challenge/Exercise: Candidates may be given a design problem to solve, either remotely or as part of an in-office session, to assess their problem-solving skills, design thinking, and AI tool application.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers and Engineering Leads to evaluate collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to work within a team.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to assess strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall fit with Pendo's culture and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Narrative is Key: Structure your portfolio around compelling stories that highlight the problem, your process, your contributions, and the measurable outcomes.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: For each project, clearly articulate your role, the specific challenges you addressed, the design decisions you made, and why.

• Highlight AI Integration: Dedicate a section or clearly weave into your case studies how you've actively used AI tools (Cursor, Claude Code, etc.) to enhance your design process, speed, or outcomes. Provide concrete examples.

• Demonstrate End-to-End Ownership: Showcase projects that cover the entire lifecycle, from discovery and problem framing to detailed UI and post-launch analysis. Avoid projects that only show final screens.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, increased user engagement, reduced support tickets).

• Clarity and Conciseness: Ensure your documentation is clear, concise, and easy to understand, aligning with the company's emphasis on clear written communication.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Pendo: Research Pendo's product, target audience, and recent announcements (especially around AI).

• Focus on Process: Be prepared to articulate your design process, especially how you gather insights, iterate, and make decisions.

• AI Tool Readiness: Be ready to discuss your experience with AI design tools and how you'd apply them to a given problem.

• Problem Framing: Practice breaking down ambiguous problems into actionable design tasks.

• Stakeholder Collaboration: Prepare to discuss how you work with Product Managers and Engineers, and how you handle differing opinions or priorities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is heavily weighted towards practical application, specifically the portfolio and the demonstrated use of AI tools. Candidates must be prepared to articulate their design thinking, process, and impact in detail, with a strong emphasis on how AI enhances their capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Expect industry-standard tools like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD. The emphasis on "prototypes ranging from low-fidelity mockups to higher-fidelity interactive flows" suggests proficiency in these.

• AI-Assisted Workflow Tools: Explicitly mentioned are Cursor and Claude Code, or equivalent AI tools. This is a critical requirement, implying candidates should be comfortable using AI for code-based prototyping, interface generation, or enhancing design tasks.

• Design System Tools: Proficiency in working with and contributing to design systems will be essential for maintaining consistency across the platform.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: While not explicitly named, understanding how to leverage product analytics (like Pendo itself) to inform design decisions and measure impact is key.

• Data Visualization: Familiarity with tools for presenting data and insights, potentially integrated within Pendo or external BI tools.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM: Likely a CRM system is used, but not directly within the designer's primary workflow. Understanding how product features impact CRM data or user journeys might be relevant.

• Project Management/Collaboration: Tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello are common in Agile environments for tracking tasks and backlog items.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AI tools like Cursor and Claude Code is a significant differentiator. Candidates must not only be familiar with traditional design software but also demonstrate practical, daily use of AI in their workflow. This suggests Pendo is at the forefront of integrating AI into its product development lifecycle.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Bias to Act: Encourages proactive behavior, taking initiative, and driving projects forward without waiting for explicit direction.

• Hone Your Craft: Emphasizes continuous improvement, skill development, and striving for excellence in design execution and methodology.

• The Team is Pendo: Promotes a strong sense of collaboration, teamwork, and mutual support, recognizing that collective success is paramount.

• Maniacal Focus: Highlights dedication, attention to detail, and a deep commitment to achieving objectives and delivering high-quality outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to work seamlessly with Product Managers and Engineers, acting as strategic partners rather than isolated contributors.

• Customer-Centric Feedback Loops: A culture of actively seeking, incorporating, and acting upon customer feedback and insights.

• Transparent Communication: Emphasis on clear written documentation and open discussion to ensure alignment on design decisions and tradeoffs.

• Proactive Problem Solving: The team likely values individuals who identify issues and propose solutions, rather than waiting for problems to escalate.

📝 Enhancement Note: Pendo's core values strongly align with the "builder" and "AI-curious" profile they seek. Candidates who demonstrate these values in their work and approach will be a strong fit. The collaborative style is very hands-on, requiring active engagement with other disciplines and a commitment to shared goals.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Defining Ambiguous Paths: As a "builder, not a maintainer," designers will face situations with undefined requirements or novel problems, requiring them to chart the course.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Continuously learning and applying AI tools to enhance productivity and creativity, while ensuring quality and avoiding reliance on AI as a "shortcut."

• Balancing Design System with Innovation: Maintaining consistency with the design system while exploring new features and AI-driven capabilities.

• Translating Complex Insights: Effectively synthesizing diverse customer feedback and AI-generated data into actionable design solutions.

• Navigating Hybrid Work: Maximizing collaboration and team cohesion within a hybrid work model.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Mastery: Deepen expertise in leveraging cutting-edge AI tools for design and prototyping, potentially becoming a subject matter expert within the team.

• Enterprise SaaS Design: Gain extensive experience in designing for complex B2B enterprise software, understanding nuanced user needs and workflows.

• Product Strategy Influence: Develop skills in influencing product roadmaps and strategic decisions through robust design advocacy.

• Mentorship & Guidance: Opportunities to learn from experienced designers and product leaders, and potentially mentor junior team members.

• Industry Trends: Staying at the forefront of AI's impact on product design and enterprise software.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents significant opportunities for growth, particularly for those interested in the intersection of AI and product design. The challenges are framed as opportunities to develop critical skills and contribute to Pendo's innovative direction.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to define a product direction with little to no existing specification. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on problem framing, initiative, and iterative design).

• "Walk us through a project where you actively used AI tools (like Cursor or Claude Code) to accelerate your design or prototyping process. What was your workflow, what were the benefits, and what did you learn?" (Prepare a specific case study showcasing AI integration).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do you embody Pendo's value of 'Bias to Act' in your design work?" (Prepare examples of taking initiative).

• "What does 'Hone Your Craft' mean to you as a designer, especially in the context of evolving AI tools?" (Discuss continuous learning and skill development).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a high-level overview of the project's objective and your role, followed by a deep dive into your process.

• AI Showcase: Dedicate specific time to illustrate your AI tool usage, showing how you used it and the tangible benefits. Don't just mention it; demonstrate it.

• Customer Insight Integration: Clearly articulate how customer feedback and co-design sessions directly influenced your design decisions.

• Outcome & Learning: Conclude with the results of your work, using metrics where possible, and share key learnings for future projects.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; focus on the most impactful aspects of your projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should heavily lean into demonstrating practical application of AI tools and a proactive, end-to-end design process. Candidates should be ready to articulate their "why" behind design decisions and quantify their impact.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Sr. Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Greenhouse link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight B2B SaaS experience and, critically, showcase your active and effective use of AI tools in your design and prototyping workflow. Prepare specific case studies demonstrating end-to-end ownership and customer insight translation.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 3+ years of experience in enterprise SaaS product design. Use keywords related to AI-assisted workflows, customer co-design, and end-to-end execution. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, your approach to customer collaboration, and your experience with AI tools. Prepare specific examples for behavioral and situational questions, and be ready to present your portfolio with confidence.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Pendo's product, AI initiatives, company values, and recent news. Understand their market position and how AI is transforming their offerings.

⚠️ 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.