UI Designer - Freelance

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UI Designer - Freelance

Company: AKQA

Location: Washington D.C., United States

Job Type: Contract / Freelance

Category: Creative & Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-11T20:37:23

Experience Level: Mid-Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• This freelance UI Designer role focuses on crafting visually compelling digital product experiences for a prominent financial brand, demanding a strong UI sensibility and complementary UX capabilities.

• Responsibilities include developing and maintaining scalable design systems, utilizing tokenized components for efficient implementation and brand consistency.

• The position requires leveraging AI tools to enhance the design process, from initial research and concept generation through to prototyping and final asset delivery.

• Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams within AKQA and direct client interaction are key, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and creative excellence in digital product design.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "UI Designer," the description emphasizes a blend of UI and UX capabilities, indicating a need for a designer who can bridge the gap between user experience strategy and visual execution. The focus on a financial brand suggests a need for a clean, professional, and user-friendly design aesthetic.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and iterate on user interfaces for digital products, ensuring a high level of visual craft and adherence to brand guidelines for a major financial institution.

• Develop and maintain robust design systems, including the creation and implementation of tokenized components for scalable and consistent design application across multiple platforms.

• Utilize AI tools to support the design workflow, including research synthesis, ideation, rapid prototyping, and efficiency gains in asset creation.

• Translate strategic insights and user needs into intuitive and engaging digital experiences, working from initial concept through to final design deliverables.

• Collaborate closely with UX strategists, product managers, developers, and client stakeholders to ensure design solutions meet business objectives and user requirements.

• Present design concepts and rationale clearly and persuasively to internal teams and external clients, incorporating feedback to refine designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "tokenized components" and "scalable design systems" points towards a need for a designer with a strong understanding of design operations and how design assets can be efficiently managed and deployed, particularly in a large-scale digital product environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a background in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Digital Media, or a related field is typically expected for roles of this nature.

Experience: 4 to 6 years of professional experience in UI design, with a strong preference for candidates with agency experience.

Required Skills:

• Proven UI design craft with a portfolio showcasing strong visual design skills in digital products and services.

• Complementary UX capabilities to inform and elevate UI design output.

• Expertise in creating and managing original, visually compelling work that aligns with brand identity and project objectives.

• Proficiency in establishing and maintaining visual design systems, including creating and deploying tokenized components for scalability.

• Adeptness in utilizing AI tools to support and streamline the design process (research, prototyping, asset generation).

• Excellent knowledge of Figma, including setting up and utilizing Figma libraries and component structures.

• Strong proficiency with leading industry-standard UX design and prototyping tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, InVision).

• Ability to work effectively in a remote, multidisciplinary team environment and collaborate with clients. Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with financial services clients or on large-scale digital platforms.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and cross-functional team collaboration.

• Strong conceptual thinking and strategic design skills.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "4 to 6 years of experience" combined with the "freelance" nature suggests the company is looking for someone who can hit the ground running with minimal ramp-up time, possessing a solid foundation in UI design principles and practical application. The explicit mention of Figma libraries and tokenized components indicates a deep dive into design system management is expected.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A compelling online portfolio is mandatory, clearly demonstrating strong UI craft across a variety of digital products and services.

• Showcase specific examples of UI design for digital products, highlighting visual hierarchy, layout, typography, and color theory.

• Include case studies that detail the design process from problem identification to solution implementation, emphasizing the user-centered approach.

• Provide evidence of experience in creating and managing design systems, including examples of component libraries and tokenized assets.

• Demonstrate proficiency in using Figma for design and prototyping, including the setup and utilization of Figma libraries.

• Examples of how AI tools were integrated into the design workflow to improve efficiency or outcomes are highly valued. Process Documentation:

• Be prepared to discuss your personal design process, including how you approach user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing.

• Articulate your methodology for collaborating with UX strategists, product managers, and engineers to ensure seamless design implementation.

• Explain your approach to creating and maintaining design systems, focusing on scalability, consistency, and efficient component management.

• Be ready to describe how you incorporate feedback from clients and stakeholders into your design iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the freelance nature and the specific duration, the portfolio review will likely be a critical step. Candidates should curate their portfolio to highlight projects that most closely align with the requirements: strong UI, design systems, and AI tool integration within a digital product context, ideally for a large-scale or enterprise client.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $2,200 to $2,600 per week.

Benefits:

• As a freelance contractor, standard employee benefits (health insurance, paid time off, retirement plans) are typically not provided.

• Opportunity to work on high-profile projects for a recognizable financial brand.

• Gain experience with a leading digital agency (AKQA) and contribute to impactful digital product design.

• Flexible remote work arrangement within the United States.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with availability during core U.S. Eastern Time business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided weekly compensation range of $2,200 to $2,600 for a 40-hour work week translates to an hourly rate of $55 to $65. This range is competitive for experienced freelance UI/UX designers in major U.S. metropolitan areas, especially for contract roles with a specific duration and high-profile client engagement.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: The role is within AKQA, a digital agency that is part of WPP, a global leader in marketing and communications services. AKQA operates at the intersection of art, science, and technology to create innovative digital products and services. The client is a "recognizable financial brand," suggesting an industry focused on financial services, banking, or investment.

Company Size: AKQA is a large global agency, part of WPP, which is one of the world's largest advertising and marketing conglomerates. This implies access to extensive resources, a global network, and a structured professional environment.

Founded: AKQA was founded in 2001. WPP's origins trace back to 1982. This long history indicates established processes, experienced leadership, and a deep understanding of the creative and digital services industry.

Team Structure:

• The role will involve working within a multidisciplinary team at AKQA, likely including project managers, UX strategists, other designers, developers, and client service leads.

• Collaboration with a significant financial brand suggests integration with their internal product and marketing teams.

• The team operates in a "fast-moving team environment," indicating a dynamic and responsive work culture. Methodology:

• AKQA emphasizes an "entrepreneurial and collaborative approach," designing "adaptive digital services and applications."

• Creatives are described as applying "artistry and craftsmanship to strategic insight."

• The team works in a "multidisciplinary environment" to develop "labors of love that delight customers and deliver results."

• The role requires contributing to a "culture of openness and continuous improvement."

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

📝 Enhancement Note: AKQA's culture is known for its focus on innovation, creativity, and client partnerships. For a designer, this means an environment that values strong craft, strategic thinking, and the ability to push creative boundaries while delivering tangible results for clients. The WPP umbrella provides stability and a vast network of expertise.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a mid-level freelance role, typically suited for designers with 4-6 years of experience. It offers a focused opportunity to apply and hone specific UI design skills, particularly in design systems and AI integration, within a project-based context.

Reporting Structure: As a freelance designer, you would likely report to an AKQA Art Director or Creative Lead, who would oversee your work and client interactions. You would also collaborate closely with project managers and UX leads.

Operations Impact: The designer's impact will be directly on the digital product experiences of a major financial brand, reaching millions of users. This involves shaping user journeys, enhancing brand perception through design, and contributing to the efficiency and scalability of digital platforms via design systems.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in UI design, design systems, tokenization, and the application of AI tools in the creative process.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Work on high-profile projects for a globally recognized agency and brand, significantly strengthening your professional portfolio.

• Industry Exposure: Gain valuable experience within the financial services sector and learn best practices from a leading digital agency like AKQA.

• Networking: Build connections with professionals at AKQA and the client organization, which can lead to future opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this is a fixed-term freelance role, the experience gained can be a significant stepping stone. Successfully delivering on this project could lead to further freelance engagements with AKQA or the client, or open doors to full-time opportunities in design operations or senior design roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The primary work arrangement is remote. AKQA does have physical offices, and the company emphasizes "great work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection," suggesting a hybrid model is generally preferred by the company. However, this specific role is remote.

Office Location(s): The role is based in Washington D.C., but the freelance position is explicitly remote within the United States. AKQA has offices globally, including in North America.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: You will be expected to work independently from your remote location, leveraging digital communication and collaboration tools.

• Tool Proficiency: A reliable internet connection and proficiency with the required design tools (Figma, prototyping software) are essential for effective remote work.

• Team Interaction: Regular virtual meetings, stand-ups, and design reviews will facilitate interaction with the AKQA team and potentially the client.

• Focus on Deliverables: The remote freelance setup emphasizes accountability for delivering high-quality work within set deadlines.

Work Schedule: A commitment of 40 hours per week is required, with availability during core U.S. Eastern Time business hours. This ensures overlap for team meetings and client communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "remote (United States only)" designation is crucial. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the US. The requirement to be available during U.S. Eastern Time business hours is standard for client-facing roles in the US and ensures effective collaboration across time zones.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of your resume and portfolio to assess your qualifications and experience against the job requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation: Be prepared to walk through your portfolio, highlighting relevant UI design projects, design system work, and any examples of AI tool integration. Focus on projects that demonstrate strong UI craft and strategic thinking for digital products.

• Skills Assessment: Interviews will likely include questions about your design process, experience with Figma and other tools, approach to design systems, and how you handle client feedback and collaboration.

• Cultural Fit: Assess your ability to work within a fast-paced, collaborative agency environment and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Select projects that best showcase your UI design skills, especially for digital products and complex systems. Highlight your experience with design systems and tokenization.

• Showcase the Process: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, your design process, the solutions you implemented, and the outcomes. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight System Design: Dedicate a section or specific case study to your experience with design systems, demonstrating your understanding of components, tokens, and scalability.

• Demonstrate AI Integration: If possible, include examples of how you've used AI tools to enhance your design workflow. Explain the benefits and impact.

• Figma Expertise: Ensure your portfolio or discussion clearly demonstrates your advanced Figma skills, particularly regarding libraries and component setup.

Challenge Preparation:

• While not explicitly mentioned, be prepared for a design exercise or a more in-depth discussion about how you would approach a specific design challenge related to the client's domain or the requirements of the role.

• Practice articulating your design decisions and rationale concisely and persuasively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a freelance role is often condensed. Expect to be evaluated primarily on your portfolio and your ability to demonstrate immediate value and expertise in the required areas. Being able to clearly articulate your process and the impact of your work is key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential. The job explicitly requires excellent knowledge of Figma, including setting up and utilizing Figma libraries. This means proficiency in components, variants, auto layout, and potentially prototyping within Figma.

• UX Design & Prototyping Tools: Strong proficiency with leading industry-standard tools is required. This could include Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), Sketch, InVision, Principle, or similar applications for detailed design and interactive prototyping.

• AI Tools: A requirement to be "adept at utilizing AI tools to inform and streamline the design process." This implies familiarity with AI-powered design assistants, research tools, or generative AI platforms that can aid in ideation, content generation, or asset creation.

Analytics & Reporting: While not explicitly stated as a direct responsibility, understanding how design choices impact user behavior and metrics is beneficial. Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) and the ability to interpret data to inform design decisions would be advantageous.

CRM & Automation: Not directly relevant to this UI design role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the cornerstone of this role's toolset. Candidates should be prepared to showcase their Figma expertise, particularly in building and managing design system components and libraries. The mention of AI tools suggests an openness to innovative workflows and a forward-thinking approach to design.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Creativity and Craftsmanship: AKQA values the "imaginative application of art and science" and encourages designers to apply "artistry and craftsmanship to strategic insight."

• Excellence and Innovation: The company seeks individuals with a "drive to break boundaries and craft the best ideas of their kind," emphasizing a relentless pursuit of innovative and high-quality work.

• Collaboration and Openness: The role requires contributing to a "culture of openness and continuous improvement," working effectively within multidisciplinary teams and with clients.

• Detail-Oriented: Candidates are described as "relentlessly attentive to detail," a crucial trait for UI design and design system management.

• Client Focus: The goal is to create "labors of love that delight customers and deliver results for clients," highlighting a strong client-centric approach.

Collaboration Style:

• Multidisciplinary Synergy: Work alongside UX strategists, developers, project managers, and client teams, fostering a collaborative environment where different expertise converges.

• Open Communication: An emphasis on "openness" suggests a culture where feedback is welcomed, and ideas are shared freely across teams.

• Client Partnership: Actively collaborate with clients to understand their vision and ensure design solutions meet their strategic objectives.

• Agile and Responsive: The "fast-moving team environment" implies a need for adaptable and responsive collaboration, often within agile frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at AKQA, and by extension for this freelance role, values individuals who are not only skilled designers but also proactive collaborators and strategic thinkers who can contribute to a positive and productive team dynamic.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Fast-Paced Project: The fixed duration (June 15 - Sept 3, 2026) and 40-hour/week commitment mean a high-intensity period requiring efficient work and time management.

• Large-Scale Client: Working with a "recognizable financial brand" means designing for a broad audience with potentially complex needs and stringent brand guidelines.

• Remote Collaboration: Effectively collaborating and maintaining strong communication with a distributed team and client requires proactive effort and excellent virtual communication skills.

• AI Tool Integration: For some designers, adapting to and effectively integrating new AI tools into their established workflows might present a learning curve.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Design System Mastery: Gain hands-on experience in building and scaling sophisticated design systems for a major enterprise client.

• AI in Design: Develop practical skills in leveraging AI tools to enhance design productivity and creativity.

• Financial Sector Exposure: Understand the unique design considerations and challenges within the financial services industry.

• Agency Experience: Learn from the best practices and methodologies of a leading global digital agency like AKQA.

• Portfolio Building: A significant project for a high-profile client and agency offers immense value for future career opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are opportunities for growth. Successfully navigating these will demonstrate adaptability, resilience, and advanced skill development, making the candidate more attractive for future high-impact freelance or full-time roles.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for designing a new feature for a digital product, focusing on UI and how you'd integrate UX insights." (Prepare to discuss your end-to-end UI design process, including research, wireframing, prototyping, and iteration.)

• "How do you approach building or maintaining a design system, particularly with tokenized components? Walk us through an example." (Be ready to detail your methodology for design system architecture, component creation, and the benefits of tokenization.)

• "How have you used AI tools to enhance your design workflow? Provide a specific example." (Prepare a concise story about a time you leveraged AI for research, ideation, asset generation, or efficiency, and what the outcome was.)

• "How do you ensure your UI designs are both visually compelling and aligned with brand guidelines, especially for a large financial institution?" (Discuss your approach to brand adherence, visual hierarchy, and user-centered design principles.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about AKQA and this specific freelance opportunity?" (Research AKQA's work, values, and recent projects. Connect your skills and aspirations to their mission.)

• "How do you foster collaboration within a remote, multidisciplinary team?" (Share examples of your communication and teamwork strategies in a virtual setting.)

• "How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback on your designs from clients or team members?" (Emphasize your open-mindedness, ability to incorporate feedback, and focus on achieving the best outcome.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame your portfolio projects as narratives – the challenge, your approach, your solutions, and the impact.

• Focus on UI Craft: Clearly articulate the visual design decisions you made and why. Use high-quality mockups and prototypes.

• Design System Emphasis: Dedicate time to explaining your design system work, showcasing its structure, components, and scalability.

• AI Integration Clarity: If showcasing AI usage, explain the tools used and the tangible benefits derived.

• Conciseness: Given the likely time constraints, be efficient and impactful in your presentation. Prioritize your most relevant and strongest work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview will likely be a blend of technical skill assessment (Figma, design systems, UI craft) and behavioral questions to gauge your fit within AKQA's collaborative and creative culture. Be prepared to back up your claims with specific examples from your portfolio and experience.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

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

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your online portfolio is easily accessible and highlights your strongest UI design projects, with a particular emphasis on digital products, design systems, and any experience with AI tools. Tailor your selections to showcase relevance to financial services if possible.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly state your years of experience (4-6 years) and highlight key skills mentioned in the job description, such as UI Design, UX capabilities, Figma, Design Systems, Prototyping, and AI Tools. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, your approach to design systems and tokenization, and your experience with Figma. Prepare specific examples for how you've used AI in design and how you collaborate remotely.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with AKQA's portfolio and WPP's broader mission. Understand their emphasis on creativity, technology, and client partnerships. This will help you 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.