Founding Product Designer

We have partnered with an incredibly exciting, fast-growing UK tax technology start-up that is rewriting the rules of the accountancy profession.
Package of £85,000 with a 50% annual bonus + EMI Share Options
Having already secured seed funding and currently progressing through a £1.5m round, they are building expert systems that transform incredibly complex tax legislation into clean, machine-readable code.
Their platform is already live, integrated with Xero, and actively used by accounting practices supporting hundreds of SMEs.
Up until now, the focus has been on flawless technical accuracy and functionality. Now, they need a Founding Product Designer to take complete ownership of the user experience and lead a ground-up redesign.
There are no layers of bureaucracy, no endless sign-off processes, and no team to manage just yet. You will work directly with the founders (CEO/CTO) and sit face-to-face with users to turn a high-powered technical engine into a modern, intuitive, and genuinely beautiful B2B SaaS platform.
The Role & Responsibilities
As the solo design leader, you will be entirely hands-on, bridging the gap between complex backend data workflows and a seamless user experience.
* End-to-End Product Design: Own the UX/UI of the entire platform, including dashboard design, complex report builders, audit trail visualisations, and data ingestion flows.
* Build the Blueprint: Establish and maintain a scalable design system from scratch that the engineering team can build with efficiently.
* Deep User Research: Conduct direct research sessions with existing accounting firm clients. You will watch how they work, gather feedback, and translate those insights into definitive design choices.
* Shape the Brand: Define the visual identity of the product, moving it away from "boring compliance software" into a modern, distinct, and premium SaaS category.
* Domain Immersion: Work alongside in-house domain experts to understand UK tax logic, ensuring you can design with a true understanding of user intent.
What We Are Looking For
This role requires a unique blend of high-level systems thinking and flawless pixel-level execution.
* B2B SaaS Expertise: You have a proven track record designing complex tools where users interact with dense data points (e.g., fintech, compliance platforms, ERPs, dashboards, or advanced reporting tools).
* Systems Thinker: You look beyond individual screens. You care deeply about how data flows, how steps connect, and how to build user confidence through UI. 100%
* Hands-On: You thrive as a solo operator. You are excited to design day-to-day rather than managing or directing others.
* User-Obsessed: You love getting in front of clients, asking "why" repeatedly, and building based on real human behaviour rather than assumptions.
Nice to Haves:
* Experience working within a fast-paced seed-stage startup (navigating pivots and rapid iteration cycles).
* Prior experience building design systems from scratch.
* A background or exposure to tax, accounting, or compliance tech.
What Success Looks Like in 12 Months
* You will have launched a distinct visual identity that sets the company entirely apart from traditional, legacy tax software.
* Key user workflows will be completely redesigned based on your fresh user research.
* A scalable design system will be fully embedded into the engineering workflow.
User research will be a core pillar of how the company builds product moving forward.
To Apply
If you are an ambitious designer who loves complex workflows and wants the financial upside of a generous equity and bonus structure, we want to hear from you.
Please apply and include a link to your portfolio highlighting your experience with complex B2B SaaS data products.
Ripple Recruitment is acting as an employment agency for this vacancy. My client is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Due to high volumes of interest, we can only respond to shortlisted applicants
Only candidates based in UK and eligible to work in UK are allowed