Lead Product Designer

A Lead Product Designer at Kale is pivotal in shaping the product's direction by contributing to strategic discussions and delivering clear storytelling around product needs. This role involves cross-functional collaboration with product management, engineering, design, and research teams to create and refine user flows, prototypes, and high-fidelity visuals. Additionally, the designer will focus on shipping high-quality product improvements that directly contribute to customer satisfaction and business success.

For the Lead Product Designer position at Kale, candidates should have at least 5 years of experience in UX and UI design specifically for software. The ability to independently explore concepts from inception to delivery is essential, as well as a strong skill in simplifying complex user problems through thoughtful design. Familiarity with leading complex projects that cross organizational boundaries will also be invaluable.

To stand out as a Lead Product Designer at Kale, you should possess a strong attention to high-quality visual and interaction design, paired with a genuine passion for UI details. Being innovative and having a mindset focused on creative problem-solving will also set you apart. Experience leading initiatives from 0-to-1, as well as utilizing testing, experimentation, and research to inform your design decisions, will be significant assets.

At Kale, the work culture is dynamic, collaborative, and geared towards innovation. As a Lead Product Designer, you’ll work within cross-functional teams that value your insights and contributions, fostering an environment where creative problem-solving is encouraged. Kale’s mission to empower creators promotes a culture of trust, making it a fulfilling space to work in and grow your skills alongside passionate colleagues.

The Lead Product Designer's role at Kale is integral to shaping the company's success. By delivering user-centered designs and high-quality product improvements, you directly influence customer satisfaction and the overall health of the business. Your contributions help to enhance brand-creator relationships, thereby reshaping the landscape of social commerce in a meaningful way.

When discussing your design process, outline key steps such as research, ideation, prototyping, and user testing. Emphasize how you engage cross-functional teams and use feedback to refine your designs, showcasing your ability to adapt and iterate based on evolving user needs and business goals.

Discuss your approach to receiving feedback, such as viewing it as a valuable input rather than criticism. Mention how you assess feedback, seek clarifications if necessary, and implement actionable changes while maintaining the integrity of your design vision. This shows your openness and collaborative spirit.

Prepare to share a specific project where you encountered a complex design issue. Detail how you identified the problem, what research or testing you conducted, and the solution you implemented. Explain the outcome, emphasizing tangible results that benefited users and aligned with project goals.

Explain your method for prioritization, such as using frameworks that focus on impact versus effort. Describe how you consult with stakeholders and your team to ensure important tasks align with overall goals and deadlines while allowing flexibility for evolving priorities.

Discuss your proficiency with industry-standard design tools (e.g., Sketch, Figma, Adobe Creative Suite). Highlight how these tools enhance your workflow, contribute to collaborative projects, and aid in creating high-fidelity prototypes that accurately reflect your design intent.

Share your strategies for incorporating user feedback into your designs, such as conducting user research, usability testing, and analyzing user data. Explain how you involve users early in the design process to ensure their needs and pain points shape your design decisions.

Discuss your commitment to continuous learning by subscribing to industry blogs, participating in webinars or conferences, and engaging with design communities. Mention specific resources that inspire your work and how you integrate new trends or technologies into your design approach.

Reflect on a scenario where you effectively collaborated with someone whose views differed from yours. Focus on how you approached the conversation positively and constructively, leading to a compromise that merged both perspectives and enhanced the overall design outcome.

Articulate your view on the significant role design plays in achieving Kale’s mission since user experience can influence brand perception and customer loyalty. Highlight how thoughtful design helps bridge the gap between customers and brands, fostering trust and driving engagement in social commerce.

Express your understanding of potential challenges, such as aligning diverse stakeholder perspectives and navigating rapid growth within a startup environment. Discuss how you plan to address these challenges through proactive communication, flexibility, and a solution-oriented mindset.