Available for work

Experience

Experience

Experience

Passionate about user research, I drive innovation by integrating customer insights into every design decision. I thrive on fostering seamless collaboration with global engineering teams, continually expanding my technical knowledge to enhance product excellence. A dedicated advocate of remote work, I bring a proven track record of delivering impactful solutions in dynamic environments.

Aug 2023 - Feb 2024

Director, Product Design

Director, Product Design

Great Recruiters

Full-time, Contract, Remote

Great Recruiters is a real-time experience management product for recruiters and staffing firms.


• Led the product and design efforts for individual onboarding that resulted in a decrease in 50% of Customer Success touch, worked directly with global engineering to ensure product communication was accurately represented
• Onboarding account flow improvements resulted in 25% more individual recruiter sign ups
• Led the product and design efforts for a new 0-1 initiative called Great Staffing Firms to be launched at a later date.


👉 Great Recruiters Work

Aug 2023 - Feb 2024

Director, Product Design

Great Recruiters

Full-time, Contract, Remote

Great Recruiters is a real-time experience management product for recruiters and staffing firms.


• Led the product and design efforts for individual onboarding that resulted in a decrease in 50% of Customer Success touch, worked directly with global engineering to ensure product communication was accurately represented
• Onboarding account flow improvements resulted in 25% more individual recruiter sign ups
• Led the product and design efforts for a new 0-1 initiative called Great Staffing Firms to be launched at a later date.


👉 Great Recruiters Work

Dec 2022 - Aug 2023

Principal Product Designer

Principal Product Designer

Electives

Full-time, Remote, Boston, MA

Electives is a dynamic marketplace offering live online classes guided by expert instructors for employees. I served as the Principal Product Designer, focusing on the marketplace side.

• Conducted unbiased user research through 1:1 conversations, surveys, and group discussions.
• Transformed the class page experience, resulting in a 100% increase in bookings through the platform without the need for customer success. Previously, 0% of bookings were conducted within the platform.
• Revamped the onboarding process for learners and companies, delivering a personalized experience upon platform entry. This initiative led to 60% of users booking classes recommended specifically for them.
• Elevated wishlist functionality, driving a 50% rise in users booking classes they had saved to their wishlist.
• Implemented a cohesive design system and collaborated closely with engineering to ensure a seamless experience between Figma and Storybook. This effort fostered better communication across engineering teams.
• Pioneered the MVP development for a membership offering venture from ideation to prototype within a span of 14 days.
• Mentored and coached 10 engineers in adopting improved UX practices, refining handoff methodologies, and leveraging Figma effectively. The result was a 30% acceleration in development speed.
• Played a pivotal role in testing and quality assurance for all releases by working closely with engineers, providing meticulous feedback.
• Collaborated extensively with the product and engineering teams to draft feature requirements, identify fast-follow opportunities, and expedite initial version releases.
• Focused on driving product-led growth as a core area of expertise.


👉 Electives Work

Dec 2022 - Aug 2023

Principal Product Designer

Electives

Full-time, Remote, Boston, MA

Electives is a dynamic marketplace offering live online classes guided by expert instructors for employees. I served as the Principal Product Designer, focusing on the marketplace side.

• Conducted unbiased user research through 1:1 conversations, surveys, and group discussions.
• Transformed the class page experience, resulting in a 100% increase in bookings through the platform without the need for customer success. Previously, 0% of bookings were conducted within the platform.
• Revamped the onboarding process for learners and companies, delivering a personalized experience upon platform entry. This initiative led to 60% of users booking classes recommended specifically for them.
• Elevated wishlist functionality, driving a 50% rise in users booking classes they had saved to their wishlist.
• Implemented a cohesive design system and collaborated closely with engineering to ensure a seamless experience between Figma and Storybook. This effort fostered better communication across engineering teams.
• Pioneered the MVP development for a membership offering venture from ideation to prototype within a span of 14 days.
• Mentored and coached 10 engineers in adopting improved UX practices, refining handoff methodologies, and leveraging Figma effectively. The result was a 30% acceleration in development speed.
• Played a pivotal role in testing and quality assurance for all releases by working closely with engineers, providing meticulous feedback.
• Collaborated extensively with the product and engineering teams to draft feature requirements, identify fast-follow opportunities, and expedite initial version releases.
• Focused on driving product-led growth as a core area of expertise.


👉 Electives Work

Sep 2020 - Dec 2022

Product Design Consultant

Product Design Consultant

Upside Ventures

Full-time, Contract, Remote, Los Angeles, CA

I step into design leadership roles and help founders and early stage startups with their 0-1 journey, UX improvement of existing products, product strategy, and hiring initiatives on a longer-term basis.

Clients include: Mio, Azibo, BookOutdoors, Koji, TQ Tezos, Nacci, Kin Insurance, Exploding Kittens, Sanctuary Astrology +Others

  • Developing and implementing a background check flow for Azibo that resulted in 25% increase in user engagement 

  • Developing and implementing a comprehensive design system for Mio resulting in a 40% increase in user engagement 

  • Developing and implementing an onboarding flow that resulted in a 45% decrease in CS involvement

  • Conducting user research and feedback sessions resulting in a 25% increase in conversion rates for Exploding Kittens' online store

  • Collaborating with the product team at Sanctuary Astrology to design and launch a new mobile app that received over 1 million downloads within the first six months of launch

  • Developing and implemented BookOutdoors MVP within 120 days


👉 Azibo Work

👉 BookOutdoors Work

👉 Mio Work

Sep 2020 - Dec 2022

Product Design Consultant

Upside Ventures

Full-time, Contract, Remote, Los Angeles, CA

I step into design leadership roles and help founders and early stage startups with their 0-1 journey, UX improvement of existing products, product strategy, and hiring initiatives on a longer-term basis.

Clients include: Mio, Azibo, BookOutdoors, Koji, TQ Tezos, Nacci, Kin Insurance, Exploding Kittens, Sanctuary Astrology +Others

  • Developing and implementing a background check flow for Azibo that resulted in 25% increase in user engagement 

  • Developing and implementing a comprehensive design system for Mio resulting in a 40% increase in user engagement 

  • Developing and implementing an onboarding flow that resulted in a 45% decrease in CS involvement

  • Conducting user research and feedback sessions resulting in a 25% increase in conversion rates for Exploding Kittens' online store

  • Collaborating with the product team at Sanctuary Astrology to design and launch a new mobile app that received over 1 million downloads within the first six months of launch

  • Developing and implemented BookOutdoors MVP within 120 days


👉 Azibo Work

👉 BookOutdoors Work

👉 Mio Work

Aug 2018 - Sep 2020

Principal Product Designer

Principal Product Designer

Five Four Ventures LLC

Full-time, Remote, New York, NY

Five Four Ventures is an incubation and venture capital firm based in New York City and California. They build businesses and make early-stage investments across technology products and services.

• Led the design and assisted in product management of iOS, SaaS, e-commerce, and web products from ideation to launch.
• Drove the overall design direction and ensured the successful delivery of all products.
• Demonstrated strong leadership and strategic vision.
• Collaborated with partners to generate and convert new business ideas into tangible digital or physical products.
• Under my guidance, the team consistently delivered high-quality designs aligning with user needs and business goals.
• Managed and mentored a team of design interns and contract designers.
• Fostered professional growth among team members, aiding them in skill development and maximizing potential.
• Encouraged the team to undertake calculated risks, pushing boundaries for innovative outcomes.
• Successfully launched several leading products in the native iOS, marketplace and Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) space through this innovative approach.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.
• Successfully served a venture capital studio, aiding in achieving their business goals and launching high-impact digital products.


Aug 2018 - Sep 2020

Principal Product Designer

Five Four Ventures LLC

Full-time, Remote, New York, NY

Five Four Ventures is an incubation and venture capital firm based in New York City and California. They build businesses and make early-stage investments across technology products and services.

• Led the design and assisted in product management of iOS, SaaS, e-commerce, and web products from ideation to launch.
• Drove the overall design direction and ensured the successful delivery of all products.
• Demonstrated strong leadership and strategic vision.
• Collaborated with partners to generate and convert new business ideas into tangible digital or physical products.
• Under my guidance, the team consistently delivered high-quality designs aligning with user needs and business goals.
• Managed and mentored a team of design interns and contract designers.
• Fostered professional growth among team members, aiding them in skill development and maximizing potential.
• Encouraged the team to undertake calculated risks, pushing boundaries for innovative outcomes.
• Successfully launched several leading products in the native iOS, marketplace and Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) space through this innovative approach.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement and innovation.
• Successfully served a venture capital studio, aiding in achieving their business goals and launching high-impact digital products.


Mar 2018 - Feb 2019

Director of Product Design

Director of Product Design

Waggle Ventures Inc

Full-time, Remote, San Francisco, CA

At Waggle Ventures, I led the design of an iOS app focused on making it easy to find pet-friendly locations and services in your local area and while traveling. During my time there, I managed every aspect of the product design process, including sketching, product flow, and high-fidelity mockups to ensure a consistent user experience across all devices.

Key accomplishments include:

• Managed a team of product designers and contract employees to ensure timely delivery of high-quality design work
• Developed and managed the brand's design system, resulting in a 20% increase in user engagement and a 15% decrease in user churn
• Worked closely with engineers on a daily basis to provide product direction and ensure seamless development of the app
•Prototyped and defined styles, interactions, and layout using InVision and Zeplin to seamlessly bridge the gap between engineering and design, resulting in a 25% decrease in time to market for new features
• Acted as an interim Head of Product to create in-depth requirements, user flows, and iterations, resulting in a 30% increase in user satisfaction with the app
• Conducted design QA on staging and production environments, resulting in a 50% decrease in user-reported bugs and issues
•Translated analytic and research data into UX enhancements, resulting in a 10% increase in user retention and a 15% increase in user engagement


Mar 2018 - Feb 2019

Director of Product Design

Waggle Ventures Inc

Full-time, Remote, San Francisco, CA

At Waggle Ventures, I led the design of an iOS app focused on making it easy to find pet-friendly locations and services in your local area and while traveling. During my time there, I managed every aspect of the product design process, including sketching, product flow, and high-fidelity mockups to ensure a consistent user experience across all devices.

Key accomplishments include:

• Managed a team of product designers and contract employees to ensure timely delivery of high-quality design work
• Developed and managed the brand's design system, resulting in a 20% increase in user engagement and a 15% decrease in user churn
• Worked closely with engineers on a daily basis to provide product direction and ensure seamless development of the app
•Prototyped and defined styles, interactions, and layout using InVision and Zeplin to seamlessly bridge the gap between engineering and design, resulting in a 25% decrease in time to market for new features
• Acted as an interim Head of Product to create in-depth requirements, user flows, and iterations, resulting in a 30% increase in user satisfaction with the app
• Conducted design QA on staging and production environments, resulting in a 50% decrease in user-reported bugs and issues
•Translated analytic and research data into UX enhancements, resulting in a 10% increase in user retention and a 15% increase in user engagement


Earlier Career

Earlier Career

Earlier Career

Apr 2017 - Mar 2018

Product Design Lead

Product Design Lead

The Baby Box Co.

Full Time, Los Angeles, CA

Apr 2017 - Mar 2018

Product Design Lead

The Baby Box Co.

Full Time, Los Angeles, CA

May 2012 - Apr 2017

Product Design Lead

Product Design Lead

Mint Teal

Full Time, Los Angeles, CA

May 2012 - Apr 2017

Product Design Lead

Mint Teal

Full Time, Los Angeles, CA

May 2012 - Feb 2013

Senior Visual UX / UI Designer

Senior Visual UX / UI Designer

EVENTup

Full Time, Santa Monica, CA

May 2012 - Feb 2013

Senior Visual UX / UI Designer

EVENTup

Full Time, Santa Monica, CA

Dec 2010 - May 2012

Visual UX / UI Designer

Visual UX / UI Designer

Creative Solutions Group

Full Time

Dec 2010 - May 2012

Visual UX / UI Designer

Creative Solutions Group

Full Time

Feb 2009 - Mar 2010

Media Coordinator

Media Coordinator

1928 Jewelry Company

Full Time, Burbank, CA

Feb 2009 - Mar 2010

Media Coordinator

1928 Jewelry Company

Full Time, Burbank, CA

Dec 2005 - Jan 2009

Marketing, Web & Graphic Designer

Marketing, Web & Graphic Designer

Scotch Run Farm

Full Time, Hollidaysburg, PA

Dec 2005 - Jan 2009

Marketing, Web & Graphic Designer

Scotch Run Farm

Full Time, Hollidaysburg, PA

Other Experiences

Other Experiences

Other Experiences

Nov 2023 - Present

Design Mentor

Design Mentor

adplist.org

Remote

Helping junior designers level up their skills, portfolio reviews and more

Nov 2023 - Present

Design Mentor

adplist.org

Remote

Helping junior designers level up their skills, portfolio reviews and more

Dec 2023 - Present

Founder, Designer

Founder, Designer

Cool Co Templates

Remote

Design resources for Figma's community: Landing page templates, components, design elements and more!


👉 Access Figma Templates

Dec 2023 - Present

Founder, Designer

Cool Co Templates

Remote

Design resources for Figma's community: Landing page templates, components, design elements and more!


👉 Access Figma Templates

Main Skills and Stack

Main Skills and Stack

Main Skills and Stack

Figma

Figma

Design, Design Systems, Prototypes, FigJam

Advanced skill, main tool used for projects

Figma

Design, Design Systems, Prototypes, FigJam

Advanced skill, main tool used for projects

Engineering Support

Engineering Support

Able to communicate front-end requirements and more

Learning React, js and front-end languages to better support engineering teams while designing products. VS Code user.

User Research

User Research

Chatting directly with users to better understand needs

Outreach to potential and current customers and users is always top priority when designing and developing products

Other Skills and Tools

Other Skills and Tools

• Startups

•Venture Studios

• 0-1 Products

• Adobe Products

• Slack

• Miro

• Framer

• Webflow

• Shopify

• Canva

• VS Code

Engineering Support

Able to communicate front-end requirements and more

Learning React, js and front-end languages to better support engineering teams while designing products. VS Code user.

User Research

Chatting directly with users to better understand needs

Outreach to potential and current customers and users is always top priority when designing and developing products

Other Skills and Tools

• Startups

•Venture Studios

• 0-1 Products

• Adobe Products

• Slack

• Miro

• Framer

• Webflow

• Shopify

• Canva

• VS Code

Contact Information

Contact Information

Contact Information

Email Address

Email Address

sara@thesaramitchell.com

Email Address

sara@thesaramitchell.com

© 2024 Sara Mitchell

© 2024 Sara Mitchell