Staff Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer

Company: Air-tek

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-08-17

Experience Level: 8+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end design of complex, high-impact product experiences across enterprise platforms, administrative workflows, and consumer-facing travel products.

• Operate as a strategic design leader, shaping product direction, raising the quality bar, and scaling the design system.

• Mentor fellow designers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and craft development within the design team.

• Partner closely with Product Management, Engineering, and business stakeholders to translate ambiguous problems into intuitive and accessible user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Staff" level, indicating a senior individual contributor role with significant influence on product strategy and design best practices, as well as a mentorship component. The focus on "enterprise platforms, administrative workflows, and consumer-facing travel products" suggests a broad scope requiring adaptability and a strong understanding of diverse user needs and technical constraints.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the complete design lifecycle for intricate enterprise, administrative, and consumer-facing product experiences, from initial concept to post-launch iteration.

• Translate abstract product strategies, deep customer insights, and critical business objectives into clear experience visions, detailed user flows, and polished UI designs.

• Drive the conception and execution of new product features and major product capabilities, managing the design process from early discovery phases through successful launch and ongoing improvement.

• Deconstruct and simplify complex workflows, intricate information architectures, and interconnected systems into intuitive, highly efficient, and user-friendly experiences.

• Proactively lead and facilitate key design activities including discovery sessions, ideation workshops, design critique meetings, and stakeholder alignment forums.

• Produce and effectively communicate a range of design artifacts, including sketches, wireframes, interactive prototypes, detailed screen flows, precise interaction specifications, and compelling presentations.

• Own, champion, and strategically evolve the company's scalable design system, encompassing Figma component libraries, robust digital asset management, adherence to atomic design principles, and established design governance processes.

• Define, implement, and continuously refine design processes that demonstrably enhance product delivery velocity, elevate overall product quality, and ensure design consistency across the product portfolio.

• Foster strong, collaborative partnerships with engineering teams to ensure accurate implementation of design intent and to collaboratively identify practical, high-quality technical and design solutions.

• Act as a primary advocate for the end-user throughout the entire product development lifecycle, diligently incorporating insights from user research, usability testing, product analytics, and direct customer feedback.

• Provide strategic design leadership and hands-on mentorship to other designers, actively contributing to the elevation of the team's collective craft, strategic thinking capabilities, and collaborative working practices.

• Contribute innovative product concepts, develop functional prototypes, and create impactful customer or prospect presentations that effectively support and advance the company's strategic roadmap.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of individual contribution and leadership. The emphasis on "end-to-end design," "complex workflows," and "design system ownership" points to a need for a seasoned designer capable of handling intricate challenges and establishing scalable design practices. The mentorship aspect is crucial for a Staff-level role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in software product design, UX/UI design, interaction design, or a closely related discipline is required.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in leading complex product design initiatives from initial discovery and research through to final delivery and iteration.

• Proven experience in designing for both enterprise/B2B software environments and consumer-facing digital products, showcasing versatility across different user contexts.

• A robust portfolio that unequivocally demonstrates exceptional skills in interaction design, visual design, strategic systems thinking, and sophisticated problem-solving.

• Advanced proficiency in Figma, specifically including the ability to build, maintain, and scale comprehensive component libraries and integrated design systems.

• Solid understanding of core design principles including user-centered design methodologies, effective UX research techniques, robust information architecture, nuanced interaction design, and critical accessibility standards.

• Proven ability to influence product strategy and effectively align diverse cross-functional stakeholders around a unified and compelling design direction.

• Exceptional written, verbal, and visual communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex design concepts clearly and persuasively.

• Demonstrated comfort and effectiveness working independently within a fast-paced, often ambiguous, startup or scale-up environment while adeptly managing multiple competing priorities.

• A collaborative, proactive, and ownership-driven mindset, complemented by practical experience working effectively within Agile product development teams.

• A strong commitment to continuous learning, a passion for knowledge sharing, and a proactive approach to helping develop and nurture a strong, cohesive design culture. Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience working within a startup, scale-up, or high-growth product organization, understanding the unique demands and opportunities of such environments.

• Specific experience designing complex enterprise platforms, workflow-intensive applications, or detailed operational tools.

• Experience designing digital experiences with a strong emphasis on accessibility, including a working knowledge of WCAG standards and best practices.

• Familiarity with the airline, aviation, travel, or passenger-services ecosystem, providing domain-specific context.

• Proven experience leveraging user research, product analytics, and direct customer feedback to rigorously inform and shape product design decisions.

• Active engagement and contribution within the Toronto product-design community.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 8+ years of experience and the "Staff" title clearly indicate a senior-level position. The emphasis on both B2B and B2C design experience, coupled with strong Figma and design system skills, are critical for this role. The "Nice to Have" section provides clear signals about areas where candidates can differentiate themselves.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design projects that clearly articulate the problem, your process, your specific contributions, and the measurable outcomes.

• Detailed case studies demonstrating the simplification of complex workflows, information architecture, or system interactions into intuitive user experiences.

• Evidence of your ability to create and iterate on user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity UI designs, with a focus on user-centered design principles.

• Examples of your work on scalable design systems, including contributions to component libraries, design patterns, and governance documentation. Process Documentation:

• Case studies should detail your involvement in design critiques, stakeholder alignment sessions, and cross-functional collaboration with Product Management and Engineering.

• Demonstrate your approach to user research, usability testing, and incorporating feedback into design iterations to improve product quality and user satisfaction.

• Showcase your experience in establishing or improving design processes to enhance product delivery velocity and consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff Product Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing polished UI. Candidates must demonstrate strategic thinking, process ownership, and the ability to handle complexity. The focus on design systems and process improvement is key for a senior role.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $140,000 - $180,000 CAD annually.

Explanation of Range: This range is based on industry benchmarks for senior-level Product Designers in Toronto, Canada, considering the experience level (8+ years), the "Staff" designation, and the specific responsibilities outlined. Factors such as the candidate's specific skills, depth of experience, and performance during the interview process will influence the final offer within this range.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary package.

• Eligibility to receive stock options, providing an opportunity to share in the company's growth and success.

• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits (details typically provided during the offer stage).

• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning.

• A collaborative and innovative work environment.

Working Hours: The standard full-time working hours are 40 hours per week. The company offers a hybrid work arrangement, allowing for flexibility in balancing in-office and remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to Toronto, Canada, and reflects a senior position. The inclusion of stock options is a common incentive in high-growth tech companies, particularly startups and scale-ups. The salary range has been adjusted to CAD based on the location.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software, Travel Technology. Air-tek is developing a suite of products for the global travel industry, aiming to create more passenger-centric travel experiences. This is a rapidly evolving sector with significant opportunities for innovation.

Company Size: Information not explicitly provided in the raw data, but the mention of "stealth mode during this phase of growth," "growing demand," and "scale-up" suggests a company that has achieved product-market fit and is likely in a growth phase, potentially ranging from 50-200 employees.

Founded: Founded in Canada, with a base in Toronto. The company is described as being in a "phase of growth," implying it is established but actively scaling its operations and product offerings.

Team Structure:

• The design team likely comprises multiple designers, with this role taking on a senior/staff capacity and a mentorship responsibility.

• Designers will collaborate closely with dedicated Product Managers and Engineering teams, operating within a cross-functional product development structure.

• Reporting will likely be to a Head of Design, Design Lead, or potentially a VP of Product, depending on the current organizational structure. Methodology:

• Air-tek emphasizes a user-centered approach, integrating user research, usability insights, and customer feedback into the design process.

• Agile product development methodologies are employed, requiring designers to be adaptable and collaborative within iterative cycles.

• A strong focus on building and scaling a design system is a core operational methodology, ensuring consistency and efficiency in product delivery.

Company Website: airtekgroup.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on the travel industry and its "stealth mode" growth phase suggest a dynamic and potentially fast-paced environment. The emphasis on a diverse team, trust, collaboration, and continuous learning provides insight into the desired company culture.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Staff Product Designer. This level signifies a senior individual contributor role with significant autonomy and influence. It involves leading complex projects, setting design direction, and contributing to strategic decision-making. The role also includes a mentorship component, indicating a desire to develop internal design talent.

Reporting Structure: Typically, a Staff Designer reports to a Design Lead, Head of Design, or VP of Product. They will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads within cross-functional product teams.

Operations Impact: The Staff Product Designer's impact is substantial, directly influencing the user experience of enterprise platforms, administrative tools, and consumer-facing products within the travel industry. Success in this role contributes to increased customer satisfaction, operational efficiency for clients, and market adoption of Air-tek's products. They are expected to elevate the overall design quality and strategic thinking of the product organization.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership & Mentorship: Opportunities to formally or informally mentor junior and mid-level designers, hone leadership skills, and influence the design team's strategic direction.

• Strategic Influence: Increased involvement in product strategy, roadmap planning, and cross-functional leadership, potentially moving towards a design leadership track or Principal Designer role.

• Domain Expertise: Deepening expertise within the travel technology sector, becoming a subject matter expert in passenger-centric experiences and complex enterprise workflows.

• Design System Evolution: Leading the strategic growth and adoption of the design system, contributing to its long-term vision and impact across the product suite.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title implies a clear career path beyond Senior Designer, focusing on strategic impact, mentorship, and potentially specialization or leadership. The growth opportunities are geared towards developing a well-rounded design leader with deep domain knowledge.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. This indicates a blend of in-office collaboration and remote work flexibility, allowing employees to balance personal needs with team integration.

Office Location(s): Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This location likely offers a vibrant tech ecosystem and a central hub for the team's in-office days.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is expected to be collaborative, fostering interaction with Product Management, Engineering, and fellow designers during in-office days.

• Access to necessary design tools and technology, including Figma and other relevant software, will be standard.

• Opportunities for spontaneous collaboration, design critiques, and team-building activities will be facilitated during in-office periods.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (40 hours/week) with a hybrid arrangement. This allows for flexibility in structuring the work week, accommodating design sprints, deep work sessions, and collaborative meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is common in contemporary tech roles, emphasizing flexibility while maintaining the benefits of in-person collaboration. The Toronto location places the company within a significant Canadian tech hub.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief conversation with a recruiter to assess general fit, experience level, and interest in the role and company.

• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: A more in-depth interview where candidates present their portfolio, highlighting key projects relevant to enterprise and consumer design. This may be followed by a design exercise or problem-solving session related to a complex workflow or user problem.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Management and Engineering leads to evaluate collaboration skills, technical understanding, and strategic thinking.

• Hiring Manager/Design Leadership Interview: A final discussion with the design leader to assess cultural fit, leadership potential, mentorship approach, and overall strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Focus on 3-4 of your most impactful projects that best showcase your experience with complex enterprise/B2B and consumer-facing products.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and process, key design decisions and rationale, challenges overcome, and measurable outcomes/impact.

• Highlight Systems Thinking: Showcase your experience with design systems, component libraries, and how you ensure consistency and scalability. Demonstrate your ability to simplify complexity.

• Emphasize Collaboration: Detail how you worked with PMs, Engineers, and stakeholders, including facilitation of workshops and design critiques.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your design solutions (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with common challenges and user needs in the travel industry, particularly concerning enterprise platforms and passenger experiences.

• Focus on Process: Be prepared to articulate your design process for tackling ambiguous problems, simplifying complexity, and iterating based on feedback.

• Design System Thinking: Anticipate questions about how you would contribute to or leverage a design system for scalability and consistency.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Practice explaining your design decisions and rationale to different audiences (technical, business, user).

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Staff Designer typically involves rigorous evaluation of both design craft and strategic/leadership capabilities. A strong portfolio that demonstrates problem-solving for complex scenarios and a clear understanding of design systems is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Advanced proficiency is a core requirement for UI design, prototyping, and comprehensive design system management, including building and maintaining scalable component libraries.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's capabilities, familiarity with tools like InVision, Axure, or similar for advanced prototyping may be beneficial.

• User Research & Analytics Platforms: Experience with tools for conducting user interviews, usability testing, and analyzing user behavior (e.g., UserTesting.com, Hotjar, Google Analytics, Mixpanel).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Visualization Tools: While not explicitly mentioned, familiarity with how design impacts data shown in tools like Tableau, Looker, or Power BI could be an advantage.

• A/B Testing Platforms: Understanding how to design for and interpret results from A/B tests to optimize user experiences.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct tool for designers, an understanding of how design integrates with CRM systems (like Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can be beneficial for context, especially in B2B product design.

• Project Management Software: Experience with Agile tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for managing design tasks and collaborating with development teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a primary tool. The emphasis on design systems and user research indicates a need for designers who can leverage a range of tools to inform and validate their work, ensuring that designs are both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user throughout the product lifecycle, ensuring all design decisions are grounded in user needs and behaviors.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working effectively with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Marketing, etc.) to achieve shared goals and deliver cohesive product experiences.

• Continuous Learning: A culture that encourages and supports ongoing professional development, knowledge sharing, and staying abreast of design trends and best practices.

• Ownership & Accountability: Taking initiative, driving projects forward, and being accountable for the quality and impact of design work.

• Excellence & Craft: A dedication to producing high-quality, polished, and effective design solutions that meet both user needs and business objectives.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are expected to be integral members of product teams, working hand-in-hand with PMs and Engineers from discovery through launch.

• Open Critiques & Feedback: A culture that values constructive design critiques and open feedback loops to improve designs and foster collective growth.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of insights, learnings, and best practices across the design team and wider organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values of trust, collaboration, continuous learning, and delivering exceptional products are foundational. For a Staff Designer, demonstrating how you embody these values through your work and interactions is key to cultural fit.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Simplifying Complexity: Tackling the inherent complexity of enterprise software and the travel industry to create intuitive and efficient user experiences for diverse user groups.

• Scaling Design Systems: Evolving and maintaining a robust design system that supports rapid product development and ensures consistency across a growing product suite.

• Ambiguity: Navigating and bringing clarity to ambiguous problem spaces, translating them into actionable design solutions in a fast-paced environment.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Effectively managing diverse stakeholder needs and perspectives to drive consensus on design direction and product strategy.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Leadership: Opportunities to develop strategic leadership skills, influence product roadmaps, and mentor a growing design team.

• Specialization in Travel Tech: Deepening expertise in the nuances of the travel industry, user behavior, and operational workflows within this sector.

• Design System Architecture: Leading initiatives to enhance the scalability, maintainability, and adoption of the company's design system.

• Industry Engagement: Potential to represent Air-tek at industry events, contribute to design communities, and stay at the forefront of design innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents challenges that are typical for senior positions in growing tech companies, particularly those dealing with complex domains. The growth opportunities are aligned with advancing design leadership and strategic impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to simplify a highly complex workflow or system. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, user research, and measurable impact.)

• "How do you approach building or scaling a design system? What are the key considerations for ensuring its adoption and effectiveness across multiple product teams?" (Highlight your experience with Figma, component libraries, and governance.)

• "Walk us through a project where you had to influence product strategy or gain alignment from multiple stakeholders with differing opinions. How did you manage this?" (Emphasize your communication, negotiation, and user advocacy skills.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you specifically about the travel industry and Air-tek's mission?" (Research Air-tek's products and the travel tech landscape.)

• "How do you approach mentoring other designers? What's your philosophy on fostering a strong design culture?" (Demonstrate your collaborative and leadership potential.)

• "Describe your experience working in a fast-paced, potentially ambiguous startup or scale-up environment. How do you maintain focus and drive results?" (Highlight your adaptability, ownership, and proactive nature.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of the company and problem, then dive into your specific role, process, key decisions, and quantifiable results.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, mockups, prototypes, user flows) to illustrate your points. Explain why you made certain design choices.

• Quantify Achievements: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your design solutions. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss proxy metrics or qualitative feedback.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your process, technical constraints, and collaboration with engineering and product management.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing for this interview requires showcasing not only design craft but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and a deep understanding of how design drives business value, especially within complex B2B and B2C product contexts.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on jobs.lever.co.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 8+ years of experience, specifically mentioning your work on enterprise/B2B and consumer-facing products. Use keywords from the job description, such as "design systems," "Figma," "complex workflows," and "stakeholder alignment." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-4 projects that best demonstrate your end-to-end design process, problem-solving skills for complex scenarios, and experience with design systems. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your role, your process, and the impact of your work.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of design rationale, and the ability to discuss both strategic and tactical design decisions. Be ready to discuss your mentorship approach.

• Research Air-tek: Understand the company's mission in the travel industry, its product suite, and its culture. Prepare thoughtful questions to demonstrate your engagement and interest.

⚠️ 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.

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