UX/UI Product Designer

HelloKindred; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A staffing solutions company in Johannesburg seeks a UX/UI Product Designer to lead design initiatives, managing multidisciplinary teams and enhancing user experiences. Candidates should have a minimum of 7 years of experience, a strong portfolio, and expertise in Figma. The role requires effective storytelling to engage stakeholders and a proactive, empathetic approach to design. This position offers a hybrid work setup and aims to create impactful design solutions.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of experience in UX, UI, and product design.
• Proven ability to lead teams and scale design practices.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating craft-level design.

Responsibilities

• Lead design initiatives aligning user needs with business goals.
• Present design decisions using storytelling.
• Conduct user research and usability testing to inform design.

Skills

UX design

UI design

Product strategy

Team leadership

Figma

Data analysis

Inclusive design

Education

Tertiary qualification in Design, HCI, or related field

Tools

Figma

Microsoft Office Suite

Prototyping software

Job description

HelloKindred are specialists in staffing marketing, creative and technology roles, offering a range of talent solutions that can be delivered on-site, remotely or hybrid.

Our vision is to make work accessible and people’s lives better. We do this by disrupting traditional employment barriers –connecting ambitious talent to flexible opportunities with trusted brands.

Job Description

Anticipated Contract End Date/Length: November 17th, 2025 - July 30th, 2026
Work Set Up: Hybrid

Our client in the global professional services industry is looking for a UX/UI Product Designer to lead multidisciplinary initiatives that align user needs, business goals, and technological possibilities. The role extends beyond UX and UI execution, encompassing product strategy, scalable design practices, and AI‑driven innovation. This position plays a pivotal role in guiding design teams, shaping strong client relationships, and positioning design as a catalyst for measurable business outcomes. It requires foresight to create sustainable, tangible solutions that can be tested, validated, and seamlessly embedded into daily life, ensuring both immediate impact and long‑term value.

• Lead design workstreams and ensure high‑quality outputs across UX, UI, and interaction design (Level 9).
• Oversee multidisciplinary design teams and manage delivery across multiple projects or platforms (Level 8).
• Drive large‑scale, multi‑market design programmes that integrate strategy, design, and technology (Level 7).

Strategy and Vision

• Translate insights into user stories, flows, and tangible design deliverables (Level 9).
• Influence product roadmaps, define scalable design practices, and embed human‑centred design (Level 8).
• Define and evolve design vision, embedding systematic practices across organisations and markets (Level 7).

Stakeholder and Client Engagement

• Present design decisions clearly, using storytelling to influence stakeholders (Level 9).
• Shape client relationships, ensuring design aligns with business goals and measurable value (Level 8).
• Act as the primary partner to senior executives, framing design as a driver of business transformation (Level 7).

Systems and Innovation

• Apply and evolve design systems to ensure accessibility, consistency, and scalability (Level 9).
• Implement governance models, design operations, and AI‑enabled workflows (Level 8).
• Champion design innovation at scale, driving adoption of AI and identifying new opportunities for growth (Level 7).

Team Development and Culture

• Mentor junior designers on craft, process, and stakeholder engagement (Level 9).
• Coach and develop teams to balance strategic thinking with executional excellence (Level 8).
• Build and grow design capability, culture, and talent pipelines across the organisation (Level 7).

Activities

User Research and Analysis

• Conduct user research through interviews, surveys, and usability testing to uncover needs, behaviours, and pain points.
• Analyse qualitative and quantitative data to inform design decisions.
• Create and maintain user personas, journey maps, and empathy maps.
• Perform competitor benchmarking and best practice analysis to identify opportunities for optimisation.

Interaction Design

• Define information architecture and design intuitive browsing flows.
• Develop low‑to‑mid fidelity wireframes with detailed interaction notes.
• Create interaction models to ensure seamless and intuitive user experiences.

Visual Design and Prototyping

• Design accessible interfaces aligned with the product vision and user needs.
• Apply systematic design practices and contribute to design systems.
• Build interactive prototypes to test and validate design concepts.

Collaboration and Communication

• Work with Product Owners and Developers to align requirements and priorities.
• Participate in agile ceremonies to maintain design integration.
• Present and articulate design rationale to diverse audiences.
• Support business development by contributing to proposals and showcasing design value.

Testing and Validation

• Conduct usability testing and A/B experiments to refine design performance.
• Use analytics and feedback to optimise experiences against KPIs.
• Stay current on emerging design trends, tools, and methodologies.
• Advocate for inclusive and accessible design.
• Contribute to retrospectives to improve team workflows and tools.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of experience in UX, UI, and product design within consultancy or digital product environments.
• Tertiary qualification in Design, HCI, or a related field.
• Proven ability to lead teams, scale systematic design practices, and embed efficient workflows.
• Expertise in Figma, prototyping software, and Microsoft Office Suite, with familiarity in AI‑assisted design tools.
• Comprehensive understanding of branding, marketing, data, social media, business analysis, and development.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating craft‑level design and systems‑level thinking.
• Excellent facilitation, storytelling, and influencing skills with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and maintain organisational efficiency.
• Collaborative, proactive, and empathetic approach with a growth‑oriented mindset.

Additional Information

Candidates must be legally authorized to live and work in the country the position is based in, without requiring sponsorship.

We appreciate your interest in this opportunity. Please note only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

HelloKindred is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.