Staff Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Staff Product Designer

Company: Pantheon Systems, Inc

Location: Canada, Remote

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Strategy

Date Posted: 2026-06-12

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote (Canada)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the UX/UI strategy and product direction for critical components of Pantheon's product roadmap, acting as a strategic partner to product and engineering teams.

• Combine strong design craft with product leadership, driving product strategy from concept through high-fidelity design and implementation.

• Leverage AI tools and generative design methodologies to accelerate design workflows and enhance product innovation.

• Oversee the evolution and scalability of design systems to ensure consistency across all Pantheon products and platforms.

• Conduct in-depth user research to inform long-term product strategy and identify new software opportunities within the WebOps space.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role title "Staff Product Designer" and the description emphasizing "product leadership," "product strategy," and "0→1 product launches" indicate a senior individual contributor role with significant influence, often referred to as a Principal or Staff level. The explicit mention of "hybrid role: you'll design, build, lead, and drive product strategy" suggests a hands-on contributor who also shapes strategic direction, a common expectation for senior design roles in product-led organizations. The inclusion of "AI tools" and "Claude" points to a forward-thinking approach in design and development.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and execute the UX/UI strategy for key product areas, aligning with Pantheon's WebOps platform vision.

• Translate complex user needs and ambiguous problems into clear product requirements and design solutions, prioritizing and building momentum.

• Design and build end-to-end user experiences, from initial concept and wireframing to high-fidelity mockups and detailed specifications for engineering.

• Lead the evolution and governance of Pantheon's design system, ensuring scalability, consistency, and adoption across teams and products.

• Conduct and synthesize user research (interviews, surveys, usability testing) to uncover insights, validate hypotheses, and inform product strategy and roadmap decisions.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management and Engineering to ensure successful product development and launch, particularly for new product initiatives (0→1).

• Mentor and guide other designers, fostering a high-performing design culture and elevating design maturity across the organization.

• Articulate design vision, strategy, and outcomes effectively to senior leadership, cross-functional teams, and external stakeholders.

• Utilize success metrics to measure and evaluate the impact of design solutions on user outcomes and business objectives.

• Represent Pantheon's design and product expertise at industry events, conferences, and in community engagements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership and hands-on execution. The emphasis on "0→1 product launches," "codifying ambiguous problems," and "driving organizational change" suggests a need for a candidate comfortable with ambiguity and innovation, typical of senior product design roles within growing SaaS companies. The expectation to "represent the company's design and product expertise at industry events" points to a thought leadership component.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for senior design roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: 10+ years of professional experience in product design, with a significant portion in UX/UI strategy and leadership roles for SaaS products. Proven experience in new product development, including 0→1 launches.

Required Skills:

• Extensive experience in product design, user experience (UX), and user interface (UI) design for complex software applications, particularly SaaS.

• Demonstrated proficiency in utilizing AI tools (e.g., Claude, Figma AI, generative design tools, LLM-assisted workflows) to accelerate design processes and enhance creative output.

• Strong ability to define and lead UX/UI strategy, shaping product direction and vision from concept to implementation.

• Deep expertise in designing and evolving scalable design systems, ensuring brand consistency and efficient development.

• Proven track record of conducting user/customer research, synthesizing insights, and translating them into actionable product strategies.

• Experience in leading and mentoring design teams, fostering a collaborative and high-performing design culture.

• Ability to articulate complex product strategies, design decisions, and outcomes to diverse audiences, including executive leadership.

• Expertise in evaluating design impact using success metrics and data analysis.

• Experience with 0→1 product development and launching new software features or products. Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with Claude Design and Claude code, indicating a specific interest or experience with this AI toolset.

• Experience in WebOps or related platform technologies.

• Contributions to the broader design community through publications, presentations, or thought leadership.

• Experience in driving organizational change and process improvements within design functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "Claude Design and Claude code" suggests a preference for candidates with direct experience using these specific AI tools. The "10+" years of experience and the emphasis on leadership, strategy, and mentorship solidify this as a senior-level position requiring seasoned professionals.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design projects, demonstrating a strong understanding of UX/UI strategy, user research, interaction design, and visual design.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process (including research and ideation), key design decisions, and the impact of your solutions on user outcomes and business goals.

• Examples of designing and evolving design systems, highlighting scalability, consistency, and implementation strategies.

• Demonstrations of utilizing AI tools in your design workflow, showcasing how they accelerated processes or led to innovative solutions.

• Evidence of experience with 0→1 product launches, detailing the journey from concept to successful market introduction. Process Documentation:

• Showcase documentation of design processes, including user research methodologies, design thinking frameworks, and workflow optimization techniques.

• Examples of how you've documented and communicated design strategies, system guidelines, and product roadmaps to cross-functional teams.

• Evidence of using metrics and data to inform design decisions and measure the success of implemented solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Staff Product Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It must go beyond just showcasing final UI; it needs to demonstrate strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, leadership, and the ability to drive product impact, especially with new initiatives and AI integration. The emphasis on "process" means showing how work was done and why certain decisions were made.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

The Canadian base salary range for this position is CAD $107,000 - $134,000 per year.

Benefits:

• Industry competitive compensation and equity plan.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO), Paid Sick Leave (PSL), and 12 Paid Company Holidays.

• Comprehensive medical coverage, including extended health care, dental insurance, and vision insurance.

• Provision of top-of-line equipment to ensure productivity.

• Monthly allowances for wellness and reading, supporting personal and professional development.

• Access to LinkedIn Learning for continuous skill enhancement and learning.

• Opportunities for team-based and company-wide events and activities designed to inspire, educate, and foster community. Working Hours:

The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week. However, Pantheon values individual initiative and balance, suggesting flexibility in how work is accomplished, common in remote roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to Canada. The benefits package is quite robust, with a notable emphasis on professional development (LinkedIn Learning, reading/wellness allowances) and work-life balance, which are attractive to senior professionals. The mention of "equity plan" is also a key component for staff-level roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Pantheon operates in the WebOps (Website Operations) and SaaS (Software as a Service) industry, providing a cloud-native platform for website management, development, testing, and release. Their focus is on enabling faster, more reliable website change management for developers, IT, and marketing teams.

Company Size: Pantheon Systems, Inc. is a growing technology company. While the exact current employee count isn't provided in the raw data, typical companies hiring for "Staff" level roles often range from 200-1000+ employees, indicating a mature but still agile organization.

Founded: Pantheon was founded by Matt Cheney, David Strauss, and Josh Koons in 2010. This history suggests a company with established product-market fit and a solid foundation in the web development and CMS space, now evolving with new technologies like AI.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team likely operates within a Product organization, reporting into a Head of Product Design or VP of Product.

• This Staff Designer will likely work closely with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and individual engineers on specific product areas.

• Collaboration is expected to be cross-functional, bridging the gap between user needs, business objectives, and technical feasibility. Methodology:

• Pantheon emphasizes a data-driven approach, using success metrics to evaluate design impact.

• The company values "Trust, Teamwork, Passion, and Customers First," suggesting a collaborative and customer-centric environment.

• The role's focus on AI and "WebOps" indicates a commitment to leveraging modern technology and efficient workflows.

Company Website: https://pantheon.io/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's core values (Trust, Teamwork, Passion, Customers First) are important for cultural fit. The emphasis on "WebOps" and "cloud-native software" defines the technical domain. The founding date suggests a company with a track record, likely past the startup phase and focused on scaling and innovation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at the "Staff" designation, which is typically one level below Principal or Director, and signifies a senior individual contributor with significant influence and expertise. Staff designers are expected to tackle complex, ambiguous problems, drive strategy, mentor others, and represent their discipline.

Reporting Structure: The Staff Product Designer will likely report to a Director or VP of Product Design or potentially a VP of Product. They will work in close partnership with Product Managers and Engineering teams, acting as a key voice in product development.

Operations Impact: The role is positioned to have a direct impact on the Pantheon platform's success by shaping user experience, driving innovation through AI integration, and ensuring the product roadmap delivers value to customers. This includes influencing product strategy, improving user adoption and retention, and contributing to new product launches that drive revenue or market share.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to mentor junior designers, lead design initiatives within specific product areas, and gain experience in influencing product strategy at a higher level.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-driven design, complex SaaS platform design, or design systems leadership.

• Cross-functional Influence: Expand influence across Product, Engineering, and potentially Marketing, contributing to broader company strategic initiatives.

• Industry Recognition: Potential to represent Pantheon at industry events, further enhancing personal and company brand as a thought leader.

📝 Enhancement Note: "Staff" level roles are critical for scaling product organizations. They are expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy, mentor others, and influence direction without direct reports. Growth often comes through expanding scope, impact, and strategic influence rather than necessarily moving into people management immediately.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Pantheon offers a hybrid model with an "In-office workspace (Vancouver, BC Canada)" mentioned. However, the role is designated as "Canada, Remote," implying that while there might be an office presence, the role is fully remote within Canada. This suggests a distributed team model with flexibility.

Office Location(s): A physical office is mentioned in Vancouver, BC, Canada. However, the role itself is remote within Canada, offering flexibility to work from anywhere in the country.

Workspace Context:

• As a remote role, candidates will need a dedicated home office setup conducive to focused work and virtual collaboration.

• The company provides "top-of-line equipment" and monthly allowances for wellness and reading, supporting a productive and healthy remote work environment.

• Collaboration will primarily occur through digital tools, requiring strong communication and self-management skills. Work Schedule:

The standard working hours are 40 hours per week. Given the remote nature and global customer base, there might be an expectation for some flexibility to accommodate meetings across different time zones, but core hours would likely align with Canadian business hours for team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Canada, Remote" designation is key. While an office exists in Vancouver, the position is explicitly remote within Canada. This offers flexibility but also requires candidates to be self-sufficient and adept at remote collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter screens candidates for basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A key stage where candidates present their portfolio, discussing 2-3 key projects in detail. This will focus on their design process, strategic thinking, problem-solving, and impact. Expect questions about their role, challenges, and how they leveraged AI and design systems.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: Conversation with the hiring manager (likely a design leader) to assess strategic thinking, leadership potential, and fit with the team. May include deeper dives into specific projects or hypothetical scenarios.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Discussions with Product Managers and Engineering Leads to evaluate collaboration skills, ability to articulate technical constraints, and alignment with product goals.

• Executive/Senior Leadership Interview: A final discussion, likely with a VP or C-level executive, to assess strategic vision, overall product sense, and alignment with company values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your skills relevant to this role: AI integration, complex SaaS design, 0→1 launches, and design system experience.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role and contributions, the design process (research, ideation, iteration), key decisions made (and why), and the measurable outcomes/impact.

• Highlight AI & Strategy: Explicitly demonstrate how you used AI tools to accelerate workflows or achieve better results. Emphasize your strategic thinking and how your designs align with business objectives.

• Design System Focus: If applicable, show how you've contributed to or utilized design systems. Discuss scalability and consistency.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your decision-making, trade-offs you made, and how you navigated challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential design challenge, which could be a take-home exercise or a live whiteboarding session.

• If a challenge is given, focus on understanding the prompt thoroughly, outlining your approach clearly, and demonstrating your thought process, even if you don't complete the entire task within the allotted time.

• Practice articulating your design rationale concisely and effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Staff level role is rigorous. The portfolio review is critical, requiring candidates to demonstrate not just design skills but strategic leadership and impact. Preparation should focus on telling compelling project stories that highlight advanced capabilities.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, given industry standard and potential AI integrations), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite.

• AI Design Tools: Claude (specifically mentioned), Figma AI, generative design tools, LLM-assisted workflows.

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Experience with product analytics platforms (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) to understand user behavior and measure design impact.

• Familiarity with A/B testing tools and methodologies to validate design hypotheses. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding CRM (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can provide context for user journeys and business processes within a SaaS context. Pantheon's platform itself is a form of automation for website management.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with Figma is almost a given for modern product designers. The specific mention of "Claude" and "AI tools" is a key differentiator, suggesting that familiarity and practical application of these technologies will be heavily scrutinized.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Trust: Building trust with team members, stakeholders, and users through reliable design and transparent communication.

• Teamwork: Collaborating effectively across disciplines (Product, Engineering, Marketing) to achieve shared goals, actively contributing to a positive team dynamic.

• Passion: Demonstrating enthusiasm for solving complex user problems, innovative design solutions, and the Pantheon platform's mission.

• Customers First: Prioritizing user needs and business value in all design decisions, ensuring the product delivers exceptional customer experiences.

• Individuality, Humor, and Balance: Pantheon values a diverse workforce and encourages a work environment that respects individual contributions while maintaining a positive and balanced approach to work.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working closely with Product Managers to define strategy and requirements, and with Engineers to ensure successful implementation of designs.

• Design-Led Innovation: Proactively identifying opportunities for design to improve the product and drive business outcomes, often through research and ideation.

• Feedback-Oriented: Openness to constructive criticism and a willingness to iterate based on feedback from peers, stakeholders, and users.

• Thought Leadership: Sharing insights and best practices within the team and potentially externally, contributing to the growth of design at Pantheon and in the industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values are explicitly stated and should be reflected in how candidates present themselves and their work. Their emphasis on individuality and humor suggests a culture that values personality alongside professional skills.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Tackling complex, ill-defined problems and translating them into clear, actionable design solutions, especially in new areas like AI-driven features.

• Scaling Design Systems: Ensuring design systems remain effective, scalable, and adopted across a growing product suite and potentially multiple teams.

• Driving Change: Influencing product strategy and fostering a stronger design-driven culture within a technically focused organization.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong collaboration and communication effectiveness in a fully remote environment across different time zones.

• AI Integration: Designing intuitive and valuable AI-powered features that genuinely enhance user workflows without adding complexity.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced AI in Design: Exploring and mastering cutting-edge AI tools and techniques for design and development.

• Product Strategy Influence: Deepening expertise in shaping product roadmaps and influencing strategic business decisions through design.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Developing coaching and leadership skills by mentoring other designers and leading design initiatives.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining visibility and contributing to the design community through presentations and thought leadership.

• WebOps Expertise: Becoming an expert in the WebOps domain and Pantheon's platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for senior roles and highlight areas where candidates can showcase their problem-solving skills and adaptability. The growth opportunities are geared towards expanding strategic impact and specialized expertise.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you defined the UX/UI strategy for a significant product area. What was your process, and what was the outcome?"

• "How do you approach codifying ambiguous problems and prioritizing solutions for them? Can you walk us through an example?"

• "Discuss your experience with 0→1 product launches. What were the key challenges and learnings?"

• "How have you leveraged AI tools in your design process? What benefits did they provide, and what were the limitations?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why Pantheon? What excites you about our mission and the WebOps space?"

• "How do you embody our company values (Trust, Teamwork, Passion, Customers First) in your work?"

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with Product Managers and Engineers."

• "How do you measure the impact of your design work on user outcomes and business goals?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of the project and your role, then dive into the problem statement, your research and ideation process, key design decisions with rationale, and finally, the measurable results and impact.

• Quantify Everything: Use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss how you would measure success or what hypotheses you would test.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively – mockups, prototypes, user flows, research synthesis – to illustrate your points.

• Be Your Own Advocate: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, especially in team projects. Highlight your strategic thinking and how you influenced the direction.

• Connect to Pantheon: Where possible, draw parallels between your past work and Pantheon's product, customers, and challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for strategic thinking, leadership potential, a deep understanding of the design process, and the ability to articulate impact. Candidates should prepare stories that highlight these aspects, with a specific focus on AI and complex problem-solving.

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📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Staff Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on Pantheon's careers page.

• Portfolio Preparation: Curate your portfolio to highlight 2-3 key projects that best demonstrate your experience with AI integration, complex SaaS design, 0→1 product launches, and design system contributions. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your role, process, decisions, and quantifiable outcomes.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your 10+ years of experience, leadership in UX/UI strategy, proficiency with AI design tools (mentioning Claude if applicable), and successful product launches. Use keywords relevant to product design, WebOps, and SaaS.

• Interview Practice: Prepare to discuss your portfolio projects in detail, focusing on your strategic thinking, problem-solving approach, and ability to articulate impact. Practice answering common interview questions related to design strategy, leadership, and collaboration.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Pantheon, its WebOps platform, company values, and recent news. Understand their customer base and current product challenges to better tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine 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.