Head of Product Design

Role Overview

Join a fast-growing AI procurement platform backed by Sequoia and Index, dedicated to transforming procurement for large industrial companies across Europe. As Head of Product Design, you will pioneer how humans and AI agents interact within the product, managing a team of approximately four product designers, and positioning design as a vital strategic partner alongside product and engineering teams. This is a senior leadership role that will directly influence profitability and shape futuristic AI-native user experiences.

Main Responsibilities

• Design the interaction model for an agent-centric product where AI agents carry out procurement tasks and users supervise and manage exceptions.
• Shift the product approach from screen-centric to agent-driven experiences by crafting mental models, UI patterns, and frameworks that facilitate comprehensible and reliable decision-making for non-specialist users.
• Convert complex procurement concepts like should-costing, raw material indices, and contract leakage into understandable and actionable user experiences.
• Maintain and develop the design system and component architecture to support agent-based development and quick iterations.
• Recruit, build, and lead a product design team of around four members, setting high standards for quality, efficiency, and strategic impact.
• Elevate design's role as an equal strategic partner alongside product management and engineering within the product development trio.
• Promote deep user insight company-wide by applying UX research best practices and advocating continuously for authentic user challenges.
• Work in close coordination with executive leaders and cross-functional teams including Product Management, Engineering, and C-suite.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• More than six years of product design experience, with a minimum of two years leading and managing design teams at fast-growing tech firms.
• Expertise in designing data-intensive, process-centered products where high information density enhances usability.
• Proven record in creating and sustaining design systems and component architectures for sophisticated software.
• Advanced understanding of AI as a core design element, including a clear vision on large language models (LLMs), agent technologies, and automation within product UX.
• Experience crafting UX designs tailored to AI/LLM-driven products and agent workflows, simplifying complex AI notions for general users.
• Strong systems thinking approach, focusing on frameworks and patterns beyond individual screens.
• Capability to balance strategic leadership duties with practical, hands-on design contributions.
• Excellent collaboration skills with product and engineering teams and proficiency in managing stakeholders including executives.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related discipline.
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken.

Desirable Skills

• Knowledge of German language is beneficial but not mandatory.
• Familiarity with enterprise procurement, supply chain processes, or industrial software.
• Prior experience with companies recognized for outstanding design quality.

Work Location and Conditions

• This position is based in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
• Work arrangement is hybrid on-site in Munich’s office.
• Visa sponsorship is not provided; candidates must have legal authorization to work in Germany.

Company Overview

The employer is a Series A stage AI/ML SaaS scaleup focused on procurement intelligence and supply chain management, serving large European industrial clients. The platform leverages AI agents to automate and optimize procurement workflows across categories like spending, cost intelligence, supplier management, sourcing, and compliance. Supported by top global and European venture investors, the company employs around 150 people and is expanding rapidly.