Staff Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer

Company: BetterUp

Location: Austin, Texas, United States; New York City, New York, United States; San Francisco, California, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX Design

Date Posted: 2026-04-20

Experience Level: 7+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the strategic vision and execution for complex, cross-product user experiences that span BetterUp's entire platform ecosystem.

• Lead end-to-end design initiatives for intricate systems and multi-surface user journeys, ensuring a cohesive and impactful user experience.

• Collaborate closely with senior product, research, and engineering leaders to define and shape product direction, long-term roadmaps, and experience architecture.

• Mentor and elevate a team of senior designers, fostering a culture of design excellence, continuous learning, and rigorous craft.

• Actively contribute to the evolution and advancement of BetterUp's design system, promoting flexibility, consistency, and innovation across all product surfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is classified as Staff Product Designer, indicating a senior individual contributor role with significant influence on product strategy and design direction. The emphasis on "cross-product experiences," "platform thinking," and "system-level design" suggests a need for a designer capable of architecting complex, interconnected user journeys rather than isolated features. The mention of leading and developing a "small team of designers" implies a hybrid IC/lead capacity, requiring strong mentorship and leadership skills.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the definition and execution of the design vision and strategy for cross-product experiences, catering to diverse user segments and organizational customers at scale.

• Own the end-to-end design process for complex systems and multi-faceted user journeys that traverse multiple product surfaces, ensuring seamless integration and intuitive navigation.

• Forge strategic partnerships with senior Product Management, Research, and Engineering leaders to influence product direction and contribute to long-term strategic roadmaps.

• Translate abstract and complex problems into clear, actionable frameworks, design principles, and system blueprints that guide teams toward cohesive and impactful outcomes.

• Drive the continuous evolution and enhancement of BetterUp's design system, ensuring it supports flexibility, consistency, scalability, and ongoing innovation across the company's product ecosystem.

• Provide mentorship, constructive feedback, and hands-on guidance to elevate the design craft and capabilities of other designers, cultivating a high-performing team and a culture of continuous learning.

• Model thoughtful and effective leadership by adeptly balancing business objectives, user needs and impact, and the highest standards of design craft.

• Champion and proactively integrate AI capabilities into design processes and product experiences, anticipating industry shifts and positioning BetterUp to leverage emerging technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic and leadership-oriented design role. The emphasis on "cross-product experiences," "complex systems," and "platform thinking" requires a designer with a strong understanding of system architecture and how different product components interact. Mentoring responsibilities and influencing senior leadership indicate a need for strong communication, strategic thinking, and influential capabilities. The explicit mention of AI integration points to a forward-thinking approach to design and technology.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field is often preferred for senior design roles and demonstrates foundational knowledge.

Experience: A minimum of 7+ years of progressive experience in product design, with a significant focus on system-level design, platform thinking, and designing multi-surface experiences. Demonstrated success in leading design strategy and execution for complex, high-impact initiatives is essential.

Required Skills:

• Deep expertise in system-level design, platform thinking, and crafting multi-surface user experiences.

• Proven track record of leading design strategy and execution for high-complexity, high-impact product initiatives.

• A robust portfolio that clearly showcases visionary design work, balancing strategic insight, clarity of thought, and exceptional craft.

• Demonstrated ability to influence product direction and strategy at a senior leadership level, effectively communicating design rationale and impact.

• Proven experience in mentoring and leading other designers, fostering both individual autonomy and team alignment toward shared goals.

• Mastery in information architecture, interaction design principles, and sophisticated visual systems thinking.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to unite diverse stakeholders around a shared product vision.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI-augmented design tools and processes, including generative design, AI-powered user research analysis, and Figma plugins.

• Familiarity with building and advancing design systems to support scalability and innovation.

• Experience working in a fast-paced, high-growth technology environment.

• A strong understanding of human growth, coaching, and personal development principles, aligning with BetterUp's mission.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of 7+ years, coupled with the "Staff" title, signifies a senior-level position demanding strategic leadership and deep expertise. The emphasis on "system-level design," "platform thinking," and "multi-surface experiences" is critical, as is a portfolio that demonstrates this capability. The preference for AI integration experience is a key differentiator given BetterUp's focus on AI.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 complex projects demonstrating system-level design, platform thinking, and multi-surface experiences.

• Clearly articulate your role and contributions within each project, especially highlighting leadership, strategic influence, and mentorship activities.

• Provide case studies that detail the problem space, your design process, key decisions, trade-offs considered, and the quantifiable impact of your solutions.

• Include examples of how you have advanced or contributed to design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability.

• Demonstrate strategic thinking by illustrating how your designs align with broader business objectives and product roadmaps.

Process Documentation:

• Detailed documentation of the end-to-end design process employed for key projects, including user research, ideation, prototyping, user testing, and iteration.

• Evidence of translating abstract problems into structured frameworks, design principles, and clear system blueprints.

• Examples of how design systems were utilized, evolved, or contributed to, ensuring flexibility, consistency, and innovation.

• Documentation of how you have mentored or guided other designers, including feedback methodologies and impact on their growth.

• Artifacts demonstrating collaboration with product, engineering, and research leadership, such as shared roadmaps, cross-functional alignment frameworks, or joint problem-solving sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff Product Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It must go beyond showcasing individual UI designs to demonstrating architectural thinking, strategic influence, and leadership. The emphasis on system-level design, platform thinking, and the ability to simplify complexity are key indicators of a candidate's suitability for this senior role. Explicitly showing how AI was integrated into past projects or processes will be highly advantageous.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• New York City and San Francisco: $220,000 - $276,000 annually

• Austin: $198,000 - $248,000 annually

Benefits:

• Access to BetterUp coaching for yourself and a friend/family member.

• Competitive compensation plan with opportunities for advancement.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.

• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) policy.

• Company-observed holidays: All federal/statutory holidays.

• 4 BetterUp Inner Workdays per year, dedicated to personal reflection and well-being.

• 5 Volunteer Days annually to support community engagement.

• Generous Learning and Development stipend for professional growth.

• Company-wide Summer and Winter breaks for extended rest.

• Annual charitable contribution of your choice on behalf of BetterUp.

Working Hours:

• The role is full-time, typically requiring approximately 40 hours per week. While on-site, the company culture emphasizes a focus on impact and results, allowing for some flexibility in how working hours are structured, provided business needs and collaboration are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary ranges provided are specific to location, reflecting cost of living differences in major tech hubs. The benefits package is extensive, with unique offerings like BetterUp coaching for employees and family, Inner Workdays, and charitable contributions, aligning with the company's mission-driven culture. The mention of "competitive compensation plan with opportunity for advancement" suggests potential for salary growth beyond the base range.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (Human Transformation / Coaching / Employee Development)

Company Size: The description implies a rapidly growing, established tech company with significant reach, likely in the mid-to-large enterprise category (e.g., 500-5000+ employees), given its product suite, platform focus, and employee benefits.

Founded: BetterUp has been operating for several years, positioning itself as a leader in its space and implying a mature yet innovative organizational structure.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team is integral to BetterUp's mission of human transformation, evolving from product suites to an intelligent, adaptive platform.

• This Staff Product Designer will work closely with Product Management, Research, Engineering, and other cross-functional Design leaders.

• The role involves setting vision for "experience architecture" and influencing design quality and strategy across the broader organization.

Methodology:

• Design at BetterUp is deeply user-centric, focusing on "deep user empathy" combined with "system-level thinking."

• The team operates with a "platform" mindset, aiming for seamless integration of products and tools.

• Emphasis is placed on evolving the "design system" with "elegance and rigor."

• A strong focus on "human growth" and enabling individuals and organizations to achieve their full potential is a core tenet.

• The company is "AI-forward," integrating AI capabilities into its work and encouraging experimentation with AI tools.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: BetterUp cultivates a culture centered around human transformation, personal growth, and a mission-driven approach. The company actively promotes a strong sense of purpose, evidenced by its unique benefits and emphasis on employee well-being. The integration of AI is a strategic imperative, suggesting an environment that values innovation and forward-thinking. The company's size and industry position it as a significant player in the tech and HR/wellness space.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This position is a "Staff" level Product Designer, signifying a senior individual contributor role. It sits at the higher end of individual contributor tracks, often preceding Principal or Director levels. It demands significant strategic influence, leadership in design thinking, and the ability to mentor other senior designers. The role involves setting vision, defining architecture, and influencing product direction at a strategic level.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, a Staff Product Designer typically reports to a Design Manager, Director of Design, or Head of Product Design. The role will involve close collaboration with senior leaders in Product Management, Engineering, and Research, and potentially direct leadership of a small group of designers.

Operations Impact: As a Staff Product Designer, the impact is significant and multi-faceted. This role directly shapes the user experience of BetterUp's platform, influencing how individuals and organizations engage with coaching, development, and AI-powered insights. Strategic design decisions will drive user adoption, engagement, retention, and ultimately contribute to the company's mission of human transformation and business growth. The role also impacts the design team's effectiveness and strategic direction through mentorship and design system evolution.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into management roles (e.g., Design Manager) or more senior individual contributor roles (e.g., Principal Product Designer), with increased scope and strategic ownership.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in platform design, AI-driven product experiences, or experience architecture.

• Cross-functional Influence: Expand influence across product strategy, company-wide AI initiatives, and design operations.

• Mentorship & Team Building: Develop leadership skills by continuing to mentor designers and potentially build out design teams.

• Industry Impact: Contribute to setting best practices in human transformation technology and AI integration in design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Staff" title clearly delineates this as a senior-level role with significant responsibilities beyond individual contribution. The growth opportunities are geared towards leadership, strategic influence, and deepening expertise within a mission-driven, AI-forward organization. The role offers a pathway for designers who excel at both strategic thinking and hands-on craft, with the potential to shape the future of AI-augmented product experiences.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as "On-site," indicating that candidates are expected to work from one of BetterUp's specified office locations (Austin, New York City, or San Francisco). This suggests a preference for in-person collaboration, team cohesion, and leveraging the physical workspace for ideation and connection.

Office Location(s):

• Austin, Texas, United States

• New York City, New York, United States

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is likely designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and a strong sense of community, aligning with BetterUp's "fun, inventive, soulful culture."

• Expect modern office spaces equipped with tools and technology to support design work, potentially including collaborative design spaces, meeting rooms, and access to necessary software and hardware.

• The emphasis on "inventive" and "soulful culture" suggests an environment that values creativity, psychological safety, and genuine connection among team members.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time role, typically 40 hours per week. While on-site, BetterUp promotes a culture focused on impact and results, implying that while core hours and collaboration needs are important, there may be some flexibility in daily scheduling as long as productivity and team engagement are maintained.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" designation is a key piece of information, indicating a preference for in-person collaboration. This is likely chosen to foster the strong culture and collaborative synergy that a company focused on human transformation aims to build. The specific locations are major tech hubs, offering access to talent and industry networks.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and portfolio. Be prepared to articulate your experience and how it aligns with the Staff Product Designer role.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: Expect a deep dive into your portfolio. You may be asked to present specific case studies, focusing on your strategic thinking, system-level design approach, and leadership. A design challenge or exercise, potentially involving a complex system or platform-related problem, is likely.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and Research leads to assess collaboration skills, strategic alignment, and technical understanding.

• Team/Leadership Interviews: Meetings with other designers and potentially senior design leadership to evaluate design craft, mentorship capabilities, and cultural fit.

• Executive/Final Round: Potentially an interview with a senior executive to discuss vision, impact, and overall fit with BetterUp's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase system-level design, platform thinking, and end-to-end ownership of complex initiatives. Highlight your leadership and mentorship contributions.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your approach, the rationale behind your decisions, the trade-offs you made, and the measurable impact of your work.

• Highlight AI Integration: Showcase any instances where you've leveraged AI tools or considered AI's role in design solutions. This is a key differentiator for BetterUp.

• Demonstrate System Thinking: Clearly explain how your designs connect across different product surfaces and contribute to a cohesive ecosystem.

• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to discuss your design process, your leadership philosophy, how you mentor designers, and your strategic thinking regarding product direction.

Challenge Preparation:

• System Design Focus: Anticipate challenges that require you to think about interconnected systems, user flows across multiple products, and scalable design solutions.

• AI Integration: Be prepared to discuss how you would leverage AI in the context of the challenge or how AI might influence the problem space.

• Strategic Rationale: Focus on articulating the "why" behind your design decisions, linking them to user needs, business goals, and strategic product objectives.

• Communication: Practice clearly and concisely presenting your thought process and design solutions, articulating trade-offs and potential risks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Staff-level role is rigorous, emphasizing strategic thinking, leadership, and a deep understanding of complex systems. The portfolio is critical and must demonstrate not only design craft but also the ability to influence product strategy and mentor others. The explicit mention of AI integration in the interview process suggests this will be a key evaluation criterion.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable as industry standard for collaborative design), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (e.g., Adobe XD).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Slack.

• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Hotjar, Amplitude, Mixpanel.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

AI & Emerging Technologies:

• Familiarity with AI tools relevant to design, such as AI-powered assistants within design software (e.g., Figma plugins), generative design tools, AI for user research analysis, and AI prompt engineering principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in industry-standard design tools like Figma is essential. Experience with analytics platforms is crucial for measuring design impact and informing product decisions. Given BetterUp's "AI-forward" stance, familiarity with AI tools and their application in design processes is a significant advantage and likely to be explored during interviews.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Human Transformation: A deep commitment to fostering personal and organizational growth, aligning with the company's core mission.

• Purpose-Driven: A focus on meaningful work where employees feel their contributions have a significant impact on individuals and businesses.

• Innovation & Invention: An environment that encourages creative problem-solving, experimentation, and pushing boundaries, especially with technology like AI.

• Curiosity & Learning: A culture that values continuous learning, exploration, and adapting to new technologies and methodologies.

• Empathy & Soulfulness: A focus on genuine human connection, understanding user needs deeply, and fostering a supportive and authentic workplace.

• Clarity & Conviction: Navigating complex challenges with clear thinking, strong conviction in design principles, and effective communication.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Strong emphasis on close collaboration between Design, Product, Engineering, and Research to ensure holistic product development.

• Systemic Approach: Designers are expected to think holistically and collaboratively, understanding how their work fits into the broader product ecosystem and impacts various stakeholders.

• Mentorship & Feedback Culture: An environment where designers actively support each other's growth through constructive feedback, critique, and knowledge sharing.

• Data-Informed Decision-Making: While driven by empathy and craft, design decisions are informed by user research, analytics, and business objectives.

• AI as a Collaborator: Embracing AI as a tool to augment human capabilities, driving efficiency and innovation through collaborative workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is a significant aspect of BetterUp, emphasizing its mission and values. The "soulful culture" and "inventive" nature suggest an environment that values both deep human connection and forward-thinking innovation. The emphasis on AI integration means that collaboration will likely extend to working with AI tools and understanding their role in the product development lifecycle.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: The role requires navigating complex problems and evolving product landscapes with clarity and conviction, typical of a fast-growing tech company.

• Systemic Complexity: Designing for a platform ecosystem with diverse user needs and product surfaces presents ongoing challenges in maintaining consistency, scalability, and coherence.

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Effectively balancing the demands and perspectives of various stakeholders (users, business, engineering, research) while championing design excellence.

• Leading Through Influence: As a Staff Designer, you'll need to influence product direction and design quality without direct authority over all teams, requiring strong communication and strategic partnership skills.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Staying at the forefront of AI capabilities and thoughtfully integrating them into design processes and products, ensuring human judgment remains central.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Strategy & Design: Opportunities to lead enterprise-wide AI transformation initiatives within Design and build AI research programs, deepening expertise in this rapidly evolving field.

• Platform Design Expertise: Further developing skills in designing complex, interconnected platform experiences and evolving sophisticated design systems.

• Leadership Development: Gaining experience in mentoring senior designers and potentially leading small design teams, honing leadership and people management skills.

• Strategic Product Influence: Deepening impact on product roadmaps and company strategy through close collaboration with senior leadership.

• Industry Best Practices: Contributing to and learning from industry-leading practices in human transformation technology and AI-augmented work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are characteristic of senior product design roles in innovative tech companies, particularly those embracing new technologies like AI. The growth opportunities are aligned with advancing strategic influence, leadership, and specialization in cutting-edge areas like AI-driven design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the design vision for a complex, cross-product initiative. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on system thinking, strategic planning, and impact.)

• "How do you define and evolve a design system for a growing platform? Provide an example of a challenge you faced and how you addressed it." (Highlight system thinking, scalability, and collaboration.)

• "Discuss your approach to mentoring senior designers. How do you foster growth and ensure design quality within a team?" (Emphasize leadership, feedback, and team development.)

• "How do you balance business goals, user needs, and technical constraints when making critical design decisions for a complex system?" (Demonstrate strategic trade-off analysis and holistic problem-solving.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why BetterUp? What about our mission of human transformation resonates with you?" (Connect your values and aspirations to the company's mission.)

• "How do you embody our values of curiosity, empathy, and innovation in your work?" (Provide specific examples of how you live these values.)

• "How do you approach working within an AI-forward company? How do you see AI impacting the role of a product designer?" (Demonstrate adaptability and forward-thinking.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio presentation logically, starting with an overview of

BetterUp's mission and the role's strategic importance.

• Deep Dive into 2-3 Key Projects: Select projects that best exemplify system-level design, platform thinking, and your leadership. For each, clearly articulate:

  • The Problem: What was the core challenge?
  • Your Role & Contribution: Specifically what did you do, especially in driving strategy or mentoring?
  • The Process: How did you approach it, from research to solution?
  • The Solution: Showcase the final design and its key features.
  • The Impact: Quantify results (e.g., user engagement, efficiency gains, business metrics) and qualitative outcomes.
  • AI Integration: If applicable, explain how AI was used or considered.

• Highlight System Thinking: Explicitly explain how your designs interact across different parts of a product or platform.

• Showcase Leadership & Mentorship: Weave in examples of how you influenced teams, mentored designers, or shaped design strategy.

• Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate detailed questions about your decisions, trade-offs, and thought process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic depth, system-level thinking, leadership capabilities, and a forward-looking perspective on AI integration. Case studies should be meticulously prepared to highlight these aspects.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby. Ensure your resume and portfolio are up-to-date and tailored to this role.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature projects demonstrating system-level design, platform thinking, and end-to-end ownership of complex user experiences. Highlight instances of leadership, mentorship, and strategic influence. Explicitly showcase any experience with AI tools or AI-integrated design processes.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize the required 7+ years of experience, specific skills in system design, platform thinking, information architecture, interaction design, and leadership. Use keywords from the job description such as "Staff Product Designer," "design strategy," "platform thinking," "system-level design," and "AI."

• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly review the interview process and sample questions. Practice articulating your design process, strategic rationale, and leadership experience using the STAR method. Prepare a concise and impactful presentation of your key portfolio pieces.

• Company Research: Deeply research BetterUp's mission, values, products, and recent news. Understand their approach to human transformation and AI. Prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate your engagement and strategic interest in the company and the role.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.