Sr. Product Designer - Contract

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Sr. Product Designer - Contract

Company: Luxury Presence

Location: United States

Job Type: Contractor

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-09-01T00:00:00

Experience Level: 5+ Years

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design initiatives within core product areas, driving from concept to polished execution.

• Deeply engage with user needs through qualitative and quantitative research methods to inform design decisions.

• Develop intuitive and delightful user experiences, ensuring high standards for usability, accessibility, and visual craft.

• Foster strong collaborative partnerships with Product Management and Engineering to define problems and deliver optimal solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is focused on a contract position for a Senior Product Designer, emphasizing ownership of design experiences and close collaboration within a defined product area. The focus on "AI growth platform for real estate" and "proptech" indicates a specific industry application for design skills.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the design of end-to-end user experiences, from initial discovery and low-fidelity explorations to detailed, developer-ready specifications.

• Conduct and synthesize user research, including interviews and usability testing, to uncover unmet needs and validate design concepts.

• Translate complex user insights into clear, usable, and aesthetically pleasing solutions, meticulously designing for various states, edge cases, and accessibility requirements.

• Actively partner with Product Managers and Engineers to frame design challenges, explore solution spaces, and make informed trade-offs.

• Rapidly prototype and test design concepts using appropriate fidelity and tools to iterate on solutions efficiently.

• Contribute to and advocate for the evolution of the design system, ensuring patterns are reusable, accessible, and consistently documented.

• Proactively share design work in progress, actively participate in design critiques, and provide constructive feedback to elevate the overall quality of the design team's output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a full-cycle design ownership, from research and ideation to execution and system contribution, common for senior-level product designers. The emphasis on collaboration with PM and Engineering is critical for effective product development in an agile environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong foundation in design principles, user experience, and interaction design is expected, often gained through formal education or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of dedicated experience in product design, with a proven track record of shipping digital products.

• Demonstrated experience working effectively within cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, etc.) to bring digital products to market. Required Skills:

• User-Centered Problem Solving: Ability to deeply understand user needs and translate them into effective design solutions.

• UX Thinking & Strategy: Strong capability in mapping user journeys, defining information architecture, and creating intuitive workflows.

• High-Quality Craft: Exceptional visual and interaction design skills, with attention to detail in UI elements and animations.

• Figma Proficiency: Advanced expertise in Figma, including component libraries, auto layout, prototyping, and design system implementation.

• Design System Contribution: Experience in building, maintaining, or contributing to robust design systems and component libraries.

• Prototyping Expertise: Skill in creating interactive prototypes at various fidelities to test and communicate design concepts.

• User Research Acumen: Ability to conduct and interpret user research findings to inform design decisions.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, and other stakeholders.

• Clear Communication: Articulate design decisions, user needs, and rationale confidently to diverse audiences.

• Accessibility Standards: Understanding and application of WCAG and other accessibility best practices in design.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with design tokens for scalable design systems.

• Familiarity with AI-driven product development or proptech.

• Experience in the real estate technology sector.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of 5+ years aligns with a Senior Product Designer role, indicating a need for significant autonomy and a strong portfolio. Proficiency in Figma is a non-negotiable requirement, common in modern design teams. The emphasis on "shipping digital products" and "cross-functional teams" suggests a practical, results-oriented approach.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a minimum of 3-5 distinct projects.

• Each project should clearly demonstrate your role, the problem you were solving, your design process, and the impact of your solutions.

• Highlight user-centered problem-solving methodologies and how you arrived at your final designs.

• Showcase strong UX thinking, including wireframing, user flows, and information architecture.

• Present high-quality visual design and interaction design craft with attention to detail.

• Include examples of contributions to or creation of design systems, component libraries, or style guides.

• Demonstrate experience in designing for multiple states, edge cases, and accessibility requirements.

• Provide evidence of collaboration with product and engineering teams. Process Documentation:

• Within project case studies, clearly articulate the design process followed, from initial research and ideation to iteration and final execution.

• Detail how user feedback and testing informed design decisions and led to improvements.

• Explain how you leveraged Figma, including its component libraries and prototyping features, to deliver dev-ready assets.

• Document any contributions or adherence to design system principles and standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It should not just display final UIs but critically, the process behind them, emphasizing user empathy, problem-solving, and measurable impact. The explicit mention of Figma, component libraries, and design systems indicates their importance in the company's workflow.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is a contract role, compensation will be commensurate with experience and the specific duration of the contract. Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers with 5+ years of experience in the United States, a typical hourly rate could range from $50 to $90 USD per hour, depending on location, specific skill set, and contract length.

Benefits:

• Competitive hourly rate reflecting senior-level expertise.

• Opportunity to work on a leading AI growth platform in the real estate sector.

• Potential for contract extension based on performance and business needs.

• Exposure to a fast-growing, well-funded Series C company.

• Collaborative and innovative work environment.

Working Hours: This is a full-time contract position, expected to require approximately 40 hours per week. While remote work is supported, adherence to project timelines and participation in critical team syncs will be necessary.

📝 Enhancement Note: For contract roles, salary is typically hourly. The provided range is an estimate based on general US market data for senior design roles. Specific benefits are often limited for contract positions compared to full-time employment, so the focus is on the project's nature and potential for extension.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Proptech (Property Technology) and AI-driven software solutions for the real estate industry. Luxury Presence operates at the intersection of technology, marketing, and real estate services, aiming to empower real estate professionals with advanced tools.

Company Size: Luxury Presence is a Series C funded company that has achieved $100M in ARR, indicating a significant and growing organization. It has been ranked on the Inc. 5000 list for three consecutive years, suggesting rapid scaling.

Founded: Founded in 2016 by Malte Kramer, Luxury Presence has rapidly grown into a significant player in the proptech space.

Team Structure:

• The design team is integrated into cross-functional product teams, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers.

• Designers are expected to operate with a degree of autonomy within their assigned product areas.

• Collaboration is key, with regular design critiques and knowledge sharing sessions.

• The company fosters an agile and tenacious approach to innovation. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Insights from user research, product analytics, and market trends inform design decisions.

• Agile Development: Projects are likely managed using agile methodologies, emphasizing iterative development and rapid feedback loops.

• User-Centricity: A core tenet is understanding and solving real user pain points with elegant, user-centered tools.

• Continuous Improvement: The company emphasizes ongoing learning, iteration, and striving to improve user outcomes.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company positions itself as an innovator in the proptech and AI space, with a strong emphasis on growth and market disruption. The culture appears to value agility, collaboration, and a user-centric approach, supported by data and iterative development practices.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is for a Senior Product Designer (Contract). It signifies a level of expertise and independence where the individual is expected to lead design efforts for a specific product area, from problem definition through to polished execution. This level typically involves mentoring junior designers (if applicable), influencing product strategy through design insights, and contributing to the overall design maturity of the organization.

Reporting Structure: While on contract, the designer will likely report to a Design Lead or Head of Design, and will collaborate daily with a Product Manager and Engineering team for their assigned product area. The emphasis is on project-based collaboration rather than a rigid hierarchical structure for day-to-day work.

Operations Impact: The designer's impact will be measured by their ability to create intuitive, usable, and visually appealing digital products that directly contribute to the growth and success of real estate professionals. This includes improving user engagement, streamlining workflows, and enhancing the overall value proposition of Luxury Presence's AI platform. The success of the product directly correlates with the company's revenue and market position.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like AI-driven product design, design systems at scale, or advanced UX research methodologies within the proptech domain.

• Cross-functional Influence: Gain experience influencing product strategy and roadmap through strong design advocacy and collaboration.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Deliver high-impact projects for a rapidly growing, well-funded company, significantly bolstering a professional portfolio.

• Industry Exposure: Deepen understanding of the real estate technology market and the application of AI in business growth platforms.

• Potential for Full-Time Transition: Depending on performance and business needs, contract roles can sometimes lead to full-time opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a contract role, "growth" is often more about skill development, portfolio enhancement, and gaining specific industry experience rather than traditional career ladder progression. The impact is tied directly to project success and the company's overall growth metrics.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Luxury Presence operates with a hybrid or remote-first approach, as indicated by the "Remote OK" status and "United States" location. While the company has received accolades for being a "Best Place to Work," this contract role is specifically remote.

Office Location(s): The role is based in the United States, with remote work being a primary arrangement. Specific office locations are not detailed as a requirement for this contract position.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: Expect a digitally-native work environment, relying heavily on collaboration tools like Slack, Zoom, and Figma.

• Design System Focus: Access to and contribution to a robust design system will be central to the workflow, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

• Cross-functional Interaction: Frequent interaction with Product Managers and Engineers, likely through virtual meetings and collaborative design sessions.

• Agile Cadence: Work will likely follow an agile rhythm with regular stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives.

Work Schedule: This is a full-time contractor position, typically requiring around 40 hours per week. Flexibility in daily hours may be possible, but consistent availability for core team meetings and collaboration during US business hours is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote nature of this contract role implies a need for strong self-discipline, excellent asynchronous communication skills, and comfort with a digital-first collaborative environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience, and alignment with the contract role.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A more in-depth session where candidates present their portfolio, discussing specific projects, their design process, and problem-solving approaches. This may include a take-home design challenge or an in-person/virtual whiteboard exercise focused on a specific design problem relevant to Luxury Presence's products.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineers to evaluate collaboration style, communication, and technical understanding.

• Hiring Manager/Design Lead Interview: Final discussion to assess overall fit, senior-level thinking, and alignment with the team's culture and goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Frame your portfolio projects as narratives. Clearly articulate the "why" behind each design decision.

• Process Over Polish (Initially): While craft is important, emphasize your thought process, user research, iteration, and how you arrived at the solution.

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

• Figma Proficiency Showcase: Be prepared to discuss your Figma workflow, including how you use components, libraries, and prototyping.

• Tailor to Luxury Presence: Research Luxury Presence's products and target audience. Be ready to discuss how your skills and experience align with their specific needs in the proptech and AI space.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with common challenges and user needs in the real estate technology sector.

• Focus on Problem Framing: For any design challenge, start by clearly defining the problem and user goals before jumping to solutions.

• Think Systematically: Consider how your proposed solutions would fit within an existing design system and scale across different product areas.

• Practice Articulation: Be ready to clearly and concisely explain your design choices and rationale under pressure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process likely emphasizes practical application of design skills, collaborative potential, and the ability to articulate design thinking. The portfolio review is a critical gate, requiring candidates to demonstrate a strong process and measurable impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is the core design tool. Proficiency in its advanced features like component libraries, auto layout, prototyping, and design tokens is essential.

• Prototyping Tools (within Figma or standalone): For rapid iteration and user testing.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a direct requirement for the designer, an understanding of how design impacts metrics tracked by tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Amplitude is beneficial. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly used by designers, but understanding how design influences user onboarding and engagement within CRM systems (like Salesforce, though Luxury Presence might use others) is helpful context. Collaboration & Communication:

• Slack: For day-to-day communication and team interaction.

• Zoom/Google Meet: For virtual meetings, presentations, and design critiques.

• Jira/Asana (or similar): For project management and tracking design tasks within sprints.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a required proficiency. The other tools listed are standard for remote design teams and agile development environments, supporting collaboration and project management.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and solving real user problems, making usability and user delight paramount.

• Elegance & Simplicity: Striving for clear, intuitive, and uncluttered design solutions that reduce friction.

• Craft & Quality: A high bar for visual and interaction design, emphasizing thoughtful execution and polish.

• Collaboration & Curiosity: Valuing open communication, constructive feedback, and a continuous drive to learn and improve.

• Innovation & Disruption: A forward-thinking mindset, aiming to leverage technology (like AI) to transform the real estate industry.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers work as integral parts of product teams, collaborating closely with PMs and Engineers from discovery through to launch.

• Design Critiques: Regular participation in design reviews to share work, give and receive feedback, and collectively elevate design quality.

• Open Communication: Encouraging transparency and direct communication to resolve issues and share insights effectively.

• Iterative Approach: Embracing a culture of continuous feedback and iteration to refine designs and product experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values emphasize a blend of user empathy, design excellence, and a proactive, collaborative approach to innovation, particularly within the proptech sector.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Speed and Quality: In a fast-paced, contract environment, maintaining high design standards while meeting aggressive deadlines can be challenging.

• Navigating Complex User Needs: The real estate industry has diverse user segments with unique workflows and pain points that require deep understanding.

• Contributing to a Growing Design System: Ensuring consistency and scalability while contributing to a design system that supports rapid product development.

• Remote Collaboration Dynamics: Effectively communicating and collaborating with distributed teams requires strong asynchronous communication skills and proactive engagement.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Proptech & AI Specialization: Gain deep expertise in designing for the real estate technology market and applying AI in user-facing products.

• Design System Mastery: Contribute to and learn from a mature design system that underpins a growing product suite.

• End-to-End Product Ownership: Develop a strong track record of owning significant product areas from ideation to launch.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Enhance skills in influencing product strategy and collaborating effectively with technical and business stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for senior-level, remote, contract roles in fast-growing tech companies. The growth opportunities are centered on gaining specialized industry knowledge and honing advanced design leadership skills.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the end-to-end design of a complex digital product feature. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your problem-solving, user research, collaboration, and impact.)

• "How do you approach balancing user needs, business goals, and technical constraints when designing a new feature?" (Demonstrate your strategic thinking and ability to make trade-offs.)

• "Walk us through your process for contributing to or maintaining a design system. What are the key considerations?" (Highlight your understanding of scalability, reusability, and consistency.)

• "How do you stay updated on design trends and best practices, especially in areas like AI and specific industry verticals like proptech?" (Showcase your commitment to continuous learning.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Luxury Presence and our mission in the real estate tech space?" (Research the company's mission, values, and recent achievements.)

• "How do you approach giving and receiving feedback in design critiques?" (Emphasize openness, constructiveness, and a collaborative spirit.)

• "Describe your experience working with Product Managers and Engineers. How do you ensure alignment and effective collaboration?" (Highlight your communication and partnership skills.)

• "What does 'user-centered design' mean to you, and how do you embody it in your work?" (Connect your philosophy to practical application.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically: Introduction to the company/problem, your role, the challenge, your process (research, ideation, iteration, solutions), and the results/impact.

• Visuals: Use high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and clear diagrams to illustrate your points.

• Narrative: Tell a compelling story for each project. Focus on the "why" and "how" behind your decisions, not just the "what."

• Metrics: Quantify success whenever possible. Show how your design improved key metrics.

• Figma Deep Dive: Be prepared to discuss your Figma workflow, component usage, and how you handoff designs to engineering.

• Conciseness: Respect the interviewer's time; be thorough but efficient.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skill, but also strategic thinking, strong collaborative abilities, and a deep understanding of the user and business context, particularly within the proptech industry.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Lever application link.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects. For each, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role and contributions, your design process (research, ideation, iteration), and the measurable impact of your solution. Ensure your Figma proficiency and design system contributions are evident.

• Optimize Your Resume: Highlight your 5+ years of product design experience, focusing on shipped digital products and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description like "Figma," "UX Design," "Design Systems," "Prototyping," and "User Research." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio projects concisely and engagingly. Be ready to discuss your design rationale, trade-offs, and how you would approach a design challenge relevant to Luxury Presence.

• Research Luxury Presence: Understand their mission, products, target audience (real estate professionals), and recent achievements. Be prepared to articulate why you are a good fit for their specific needs in the proptech and AI space.

⚠️ 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.