UX Designer (H/F) - Montpellier

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer (H/F)

Company: Smile Group

Location: Montpellier, France

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design & User Experience Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-04

Experience Level: Senior (6+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days on-site, 2 days remote)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is focused on operationalizing UX design principles within a product team, emphasizing user research, collaborative design, and the production of high-quality UX deliverables.

• The position requires a strong command of UX methodologies, including user interviews, usability testing, and co-design workshops, to drive user-centric product development.

• Candidates will leverage essential design tools like Figma and FigJam to create user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes for both web and mobile applications.

• The UX Designer will collaborate closely within an Agile framework, working with Product Owners, Business Analysts, developers, UI Designers, and UX Writers to ensure seamless product delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UX Designer," the responsibilities and required experience level (minimum 6 years) strongly indicate a Senior UX Designer role. The focus on operational execution and collaboration within an existing product team suggests a move beyond pure conceptualization into a more integrated product development lifecycle. The mention of a "Lead UX Designer" implies a structured UX team where this role contributes to the broader vision.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive user research, including in-depth interviews, usability testing sessions, and detailed analysis of user feedback to identify pain points and opportunities.

• Perform competitive analysis (benchmarking) and UX audits to assess existing product offerings and identify areas for improvement and innovation.

• Actively contribute to the extraction and transformation of user insights and analytics data into actionable design requirements and strategic opportunities.

• Prepare and expertly facilitate co-design workshops and other collaborative design sessions with diverse stakeholders to foster innovation and ensure alignment.

• Design intuitive and efficient user flows and journeys for both web and mobile platforms, ensuring a seamless user experience.

• Create detailed wireframes and interactive prototypes to visualize user interactions, define navigation structures, and test design concepts.

• Define interaction logic and dynamic behaviors for user interface elements, ensuring a responsive and engaging user experience.

• Translate the overarching UX vision and established guidelines provided by the Lead UX Designer into actionable design solutions.

• Ensure consistent application of UX principles and design standards across all product interfaces to maintain a cohesive user experience.

• Integrate effectively into an Agile development environment, participating in daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and other team rituals.

• Collaborate daily with Product Owners, Business Analysts, UI Designers, and UX Writers to ensure a unified product vision and execution.

• Maintain regular communication with the Lead UX Designer to ensure alignment on strategy, quality of deliverables, and overall UX direction.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are detailed and clearly delineate the operational nature of the role within a product team. The emphasis on facilitation, co-design, and translating existing vision into production-ready assets highlights the "operational" aspect mentioned in the job description.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, or a related field is typically expected for senior UX roles. Relevant certifications or a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience may also be considered.

Experience: Minimum of 6 years of professional experience in UX Design, with a proven track record of delivering successful digital products.

Required Skills:

• UX Research Expertise: Demonstrated proficiency in conducting user interviews, usability testing, qualitative data analysis, and synthesizing findings into actionable insights.

• Facilitation & Collaborative Design: Proven ability to plan, prepare, and lead workshops, co-design sessions, and Design Sprints with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

• UX Design & Prototyping: Strong skills in creating user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes using industry-standard tools.

• Figma & FigJam Proficiency: Essential and indispensable mastery of Figma for design and FigJam for collaborative whiteboarding and ideation.

• Agile Methodology Experience: Demonstrated experience working effectively within Agile development frameworks (Scrum, Kanban) and participating in agile ceremonies.

• User-Centric Mindset: A deep-seated understanding and passion for user needs, behaviors, and motivations, driving design decisions.

• Interaction Design: Solid understanding of interaction design principles and best practices for web and mobile interfaces.

Preferred Skills:

• Lookback & Optimal Workshop Knowledge: Familiarity with these user research and testing platforms is a plus.

• Banking/Fintech/B2B Experience: Previous experience working within financial services, fintech companies, large enterprises, or B2B product environments.

• UI Design Collaboration: Experience working closely with UI designers to ensure seamless translation of UX concepts into visually appealing and functional interfaces.

• UX Writing Collaboration: Experience collaborating with UX writers to refine copy and ensure it aligns with user flows and product messaging.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills are derived directly from the "Vos Compétences Clés" section. The experience requirement of "minimum 6 years" clearly places this role at a senior level, necessitating a deep understanding and practical application of these skills.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 6 years of UX design work, with a strong emphasis on projects demonstrating expertise in user research and facilitation.

• Case studies should clearly articulate the problem, your role, the research and design process, the collaborative methods used (e.g., workshops, Design Sprints), and the impact of your contributions.

• Detailed examples of user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes for both web and mobile applications.

• Evidence of proficiency in Figma and FigJam, ideally with examples of collaborative sessions facilitated through FigJam.

• Demonstrations of how user insights and data were translated into design solutions and how these solutions were tested and iterated upon. Process Documentation:

• The portfolio should implicitly or explicitly document your approach to UX research, including methodologies for participant recruitment, interview scripting, and data synthesis.

• Showcase your process for planning and facilitating design workshops, including agenda creation, activity design, and stakeholder engagement strategies.

• Illustrate your workflow for translating research findings into wireframes and prototypes, including iterative design and feedback incorporation.

• Provide examples of how you collaborate with developers, POs, BAs, and UI/UX writers, demonstrating your understanding of the Agile product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on practical execution and collaboration, a portfolio demonstrating how the candidate works is crucial. This includes showcasing their facilitation skills and their ability to translate strategy into tangible design outputs within a team. The requirement for 6+ years of experience implies a need for a mature and well-documented approach to UX processes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior UX Designer with 6+ years of experience in Montpellier, France, working in a hybrid model for a company like Smile Group (a significant player in digital transformation and consulting), the estimated salary range is approximately €45,000 to €60,000 per year gross. This estimation is based on industry benchmarks for senior UX professionals in France, considering the cost of living in Montpellier, and the hybrid work arrangement.

Benefits:

• Health Insurance (Mutuelle d’entreprise): Comprehensive health coverage provided by the company.

• Public Transport Coverage: 50% coverage for public transport passes (e.g., Pass Navigo annual).

• Paid Vacation: A minimum of 9 days of RTT (Réduction du Temps de Travail - time off in lieu of overtime) per year, in addition to standard paid leave.

• Meal Vouchers (Tickets Restaurant): Provided at €10 per voucher, with a 50% employer contribution.

• Holiday Bonus (Prime de vacances): An additional bonus typically provided around holiday periods.

Working Hours: The role is full-time, with a standard French work week. The description implies a 40-hour work week, common in France, with the possibility of RTT days to compensate for hours worked beyond the standard. The hybrid arrangement allows for 2 days of remote work per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on typical French compensation for a Senior UX Designer in a major city, factoring in the company's industry and size. Benefits are detailed as listed in the job description. The "working hours" section extrapolates from the full-time employment type and common French labor practices, including the mention of RTT.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: The company, Smile Group (through its UX-Republic division), operates within the Digital Transformation, Consulting, and Technology Services sector, with a strong specialization in UX/Product Design. This industry is characterized by rapid innovation, a focus on client outcomes, and a demand for cutting-edge digital solutions.

Company Size: Smile Group is a significant entity in the digital services market. While UX-Republic is described as having "l'énergie d’un grand groupe" (the energy of a large group) and has integrated into Smile, it maintains a focus on its core UX expertise. This suggests a company culture that balances the agility and specialization of a boutique UX firm with the resources and opportunities of a larger organization. For operations professionals, this can mean access to diverse projects and robust internal processes, while still fostering a close-knit team environment.

Founded: UX-Republic was founded with a mission to design quality interfaces and bring performance to clients through user-centricity. Its integration into Smile Group (founded in 2000) signifies growth and expanded capabilities. The company culture emphasizes continuous improvement, collaboration, and employee enjoyment.

Team Structure:

• The UX Designer will join a product team within a banking and digital environment.

• They will report to a Lead UX Designer, who is responsible for the overall UX vision and strategy.

• The role involves daily collaboration with Product Owners (PO), Business Analysts (BA), developers, UI Designers, and UX Writers, indicating a highly cross-functional and agile team structure. Methodology:

• User-Centricity: The core methodology revolves around placing the user at the heart of all design and development decisions.

• Agile Development: Daily work will follow Agile rituals and principles, emphasizing iterative development and continuous feedback.

• Collaborative Design: Strong emphasis on co-design, Design Sprints, and workshops to leverage collective intelligence and ensure stakeholder buy-in.

• Data-Informed Design: Insights from user research and analytics data are crucial inputs for design processes.

Company Website: https://jobs.smile.eu

📝 Enhancement Note: This section synthesizes information from the "Pourquoi Ux-Republic?" section and the general description of the role's context (banking and digital environment). It frames the company and team structure through the lens of an operations professional, highlighting collaboration and process.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior UX Designer. This implies a level of autonomy, strategic input within the product team, and the ability to mentor or guide more junior designers. The responsibilities lean towards operational execution of UX strategy, rather than defining it from scratch, but still require significant design leadership within the project.

Reporting Structure: The UX Designer reports to a Lead UX Designer, who sets the overarching UX vision and strategy. This indicates a clear reporting line within the UX discipline, while the daily work is integrated into a product team with other functions.

Operations Impact: The UX Designer's impact is critical to the success of digital products, particularly in a user-facing banking/digital environment. By ensuring intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly interfaces, they directly influence user adoption, satisfaction, conversion rates, and ultimately, the performance and revenue generated by these products. Their work bridges user needs with business objectives.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of UX, such as advanced user research techniques, accessibility design, or UX strategy.

• Leadership: Progress to a Lead UX Designer role, taking on more strategic responsibilities, managing a team, and influencing product roadmaps.

• Cross-functional Skill Development: Gain deeper understanding of product management, business analysis, and development processes through close collaboration.

• Industry Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge within the banking and digital sector, becoming a go-to expert for financial product UX.

• Consulting Acumen: Leverage experience within UX-Republic/Smile Group to develop consulting skills, client management, and project leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior UX Designer" designation is inferred from the 6+ years of experience requirement and the reporting structure to a Lead UX Designer. Growth opportunities are framed in the context of a UX professional's career path within a consulting/product development environment.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role operates on a hybrid model, requiring 3 days per week in the Montpellier office and allowing 2 days of remote work. This suggests an office environment designed for collaboration, workshops, and team interaction, while also offering flexibility.

Office Location(s): The office is located at 26 Cr Gambetta, 34000 Montpellier, France. This central location in Montpellier likely offers good accessibility via public transport and proximity to amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office space is expected to facilitate team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and in-person collaboration, especially on the 3 designated office days.

• Tooling: Access to necessary design tools (Figma, FigJam) will be provided, likely through company-provided hardware or cloud access.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular, in-person interaction with the product team, Lead UX Designer, and potentially other UX professionals within UX-Republic/Smile Group.

Work Schedule: The standard full-time work schedule applies, likely around 40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement offers flexibility on which days are worked remotely, subject to team coordination and project needs. This schedule needs to accommodate Agile team rituals and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of the office environment is based on the hybrid work arrangement (3 days on-site) and the company's focus on collaboration and design workshops.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Step 1: Initial Contact: A phone call to discuss career aspirations, alignment with the role, and what the company offers. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their career goals and highlight how their experience matches the Senior UX Designer profile.

• Step 2: Getting Acquainted: An in-person or video meeting to foster a connection and delve deeper into the candidate's professional background and motivations. Be ready to share specific examples from your career.

• Step 3: Technical Interview: A discussion with a UX expert (likely the Lead UX Designer or another senior team member) to evaluate technical skills, UX methodologies, and career objectives. This is where your portfolio will be crucial.

• Step 4: Final Evaluation: Potentially a final round to assess cultural fit, team dynamics, and overall suitability for the role and company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Select 3-5 key projects that best demonstrate your 6+ years of experience, focusing on your strengths in UX research, facilitation, and end-to-end design for web and mobile.

• Highlight Operational Execution: Showcase how you translated research into tangible design deliverables (wireframes, prototypes) and collaborated with development teams.

• Emphasize Facilitation & Collaboration: Include case studies that detail your experience leading workshops, co-design sessions, or Design Sprints. Use visuals of your facilitation process if possible.

• Demonstrate Figma/FigJam Mastery: Be ready to walk through your designs in Figma and explain how you leverage FigJam for collaborative activities.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, present metrics or outcomes related to user satisfaction, conversion rates, or efficiency improvements resulting from your designs. Clearly state your specific contribution.

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study with a clear narrative: problem, your role, process, solution, and outcome.

Challenge Preparation:

• While not explicitly mentioned, be prepared for a potential design exercise or case study presentation during the interview process. This might involve analyzing a problem, proposing a solution, or demonstrating your approach to a specific UX challenge.

• Practice articulating your design process concisely and clearly, focusing on user-centered decision-making.

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach a specific challenge within the banking/digital context, considering user needs and business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is built upon the "Les prochaines étapes" provided in the job description, elaborating on what each step entails for a Senior UX Designer candidate and providing actionable advice for portfolio preparation.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and component management. Expect to use it extensively for all design tasks.

• FigJam: Crucial for collaborative activities such as brainstorming, workshop facilitation, user journey mapping, and affinity diagramming. Proficiency is a key requirement.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as a primary responsibility, familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) or product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel) would be beneficial for leveraging data insights.

• Understanding of how to interpret user data from these tools to inform design decisions. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the core UX design role, but awareness of how UX impacts CRM usage or digital product adoption might be beneficial. Research & Testing Tools (Preferred):

• Lookback: A platform for remote user testing and research sessions.

• Optimal Workshop: A suite of tools for card sorting, tree testing, and first-click testing to inform information architecture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Outils" section of the job description specifically names Figma and FigJam as indispensable. Other tools are inferred based on the nature of UX research and analytics within a product team.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental value driving all design and product decisions, ensuring that user needs are always prioritized.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on teamwork, cross-functional partnership, and open communication within the product team and with stakeholders.

• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to learning, iterating, and enhancing both products and processes, fostering an environment of growth.

• Quality & Performance: A dedication to delivering high-quality user experiences that contribute directly to client success and product performance.

• Agility & Adaptability: Embracing agile methodologies to respond effectively to changing requirements and market dynamics.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated & Cross-Functional: The UX Designer is an integral part of the product team, working daily with POs, BAs, developers, and UI/UX writers.

• Facilitative: A proactive approach to leading collaborative sessions, encouraging participation, and driving consensus.

• Feedback-Oriented: An open and receptive attitude towards feedback from peers, leads, and stakeholders, using it for iterative improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing best practices, learnings from research, and insights across the team and potentially the wider UX-Republic/Smile Group.

📝 Enhancement Note: These values and collaboration styles are inferred from the company's mission, the role's responsibilities, and the emphasis on Agile and co-design methodologies.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business Constraints: Effectively advocating for user needs while navigating technical limitations, tight deadlines, and business objectives within the banking sector.

• Maintaining UX Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive and high-quality user experience across multiple web and mobile products, especially as the product suite evolves.

• Integrating Research into Agile Cycles: Effectively embedding user research and validation activities within fast-paced Agile sprints without causing delays.

• Adapting to Evolving Technologies: Staying current with new UX tools, methodologies, and digital trends relevant to the banking and fintech industries.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen UX Specialization: Opportunities to attend advanced UX workshops, conferences, or pursue certifications in areas like UX research, interaction design, or accessibility.

• Industry-Specific Knowledge: Gaining in-depth expertise in the banking and digital product landscape through project work.

• Leadership Development: Potential to move into a Lead UX Designer role, mentoring junior designers and contributing to strategic UX planning.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Learning from experts in Product Management, Development, and UI Design to broaden understanding of the product lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are identified based on the role's context (senior level, hybrid, banking sector) and common issues faced by UX professionals. Growth opportunities are framed within the professional development path for a UX designer.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex UX challenge you faced in a previous role, how you approached it using user research and collaborative design, and what the outcome was." (Focus on your process, decision-making, and impact.)

• "How would you facilitate a co-design workshop with a diverse group of stakeholders, including business, technical, and user representatives?" (Demonstrate your facilitation techniques and ability to manage group dynamics.)

• "Imagine we need to redesign a core feature for our mobile banking app. Walk us through your process from discovery to delivering wireframes and prototypes, emphasizing how you'd use Figma and FigJam." (Showcase your end-to-end design thinking and tool proficiency.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working in the banking/digital sector, and specifically for Smile Group/UX-Republic?" (Research the company's mission, values, and recent projects.)

• "How do you ensure your design approach remains user-centric while also meeting business objectives?" (Discuss your ability to balance user needs with stakeholder requirements.)

• "Describe your experience working within an Agile team. How do you collaborate with developers and Product Owners?" (Highlight your understanding of Agile ceremonies and cross-functional teamwork.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your specific role and responsibilities, the methodologies used (research, facilitation, design), the solution, and the measured impact.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals of your wireframes, prototypes, user flows, and workshop outputs. Be prepared to demonstrate live in Figma or walk through your FigJam boards.

• Focus on Collaboration: Highlight instances where you worked effectively with others, especially in workshops and co-design sessions.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your design choices, research findings, and how you handled challenges or feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: These questions are crafted to align with the Senior UX Designer role, the emphasis on research and facilitation, and the company's context. The preparation advice focuses on demonstrating practical skills and cultural fit.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Smile Group jobs portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your 6+ years of experience, with a strong emphasis on UX research, facilitation, and collaborative design case studies. Ensure Figma and FigJam proficiency is clearly demonstrated.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your experience in UX research, facilitation, and Agile environments. Use keywords from the job description and quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, collaborative approach, and problem-solving skills. Prepare to discuss your portfolio projects in detail and rehearse your answers to potential interview questions.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Smile Group and UX-Republic, understanding their mission, values, and recent projects, particularly within the digital and banking sectors. Be prepared to discuss why you are a good cultural fit.

⚠️ 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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