Senior Design Strategist

We are looking for our new Senior Design Strategist, who is capable of independently leading a design stream within a project, coordinating other designers and actively participating in presales, concept and proposal writing.

Appic by Hiflylabs specializes in creating impactful AI, mobile and web applications by combining cutting-edge technologies with data-driven insights.

Our developers, designers, and business analysts work seamlessly together to deliver user-friendly, future-proof software solutions. We offer services in custom software development, innovative UX/UI design, digital consulting and AI solutions, utilizing technologies such as Swift, Kotlin, Angular, React, Python, Node.js, Java, and more.

At Appic, we transform your ideas into reality, building the digital future today.

Responsibilities

1. Scoping & Strategic Architecture

• Transform vague client ideas into concrete product scopes, defining the "what," the "why," and the "how."
• Proactively define the ideal team setup (designers, researchers, developers) and project phases for every new engagement.
• Create realistic effort and time estimates, ensuring our proposals are both competitive and commercially viable
• Strong AI adaptation capability

2. Commercial & Presales

• Lead the design portion of the presales process, participating in pitches and qualifying technical requirements.
• Write and present compelling design proposals that clearly articulate the benefits of our Design Thinking based "Way of Working."
• Facilitate high-stakes workshops with C-suite stakeholders to align business KPIs with user needs.
• Gather and understand business objectives, applying consulting skills to qualify requirements
• Liaise with stakeholders, engineers, leadership, designers, and customer-facing teams to develop design solutions that drive business value and align with strategic objectives
• Proven ability to quickly adapt across diverse business domains and successfully deliver in international project environments.

3. Professional Leadership & Process Design

• Select and adapt methodologies (Lean, Agile, or Service Design) to fit specific project constraints.
• Shape, own and defend the product vision throughout the delivery lifecycle, driving long-term direction and outcomes
• Provide professional leadership of product design projects, including coordinating design streams
• Elevate the internal design team through active mentoring, peer reviews, and professional growth planning.
• Contribute to all stages of the design process, from user research through wireframes to product delivery

Requirements

• 5+ Years of High-Level UX Experience: Specifically in environments where you were responsible for the "big picture" (Agency or Consultancy experience is a plus)
• Good business understanding: "good design" must also be "good business." You are comfortable talking about budgets, timelines, and resource allocation.
• Practical knowledge of design thinking methodology
• Client facing experience
• User-centered mindset
• Thorough knowledge of Figma or similar tools for mapping ecosystems and project roadmaps.
• Fluent written and verbal communication skills in English (necessary for being able to work on international projects)
• Constructive approach
• Knowledge of industry trends, innovative technologies

Nice to have

• AI design experience
• Experience in branding
• Experience in financial and healthcare sectors
• Experience in Service design

Why Appic?

• AI-First Culture: We don't just talk about AI; we integrate it into our delivery. You’ll be at the forefront of how AI changes UX.
• Diverse Domain Exposure: From Finance to Healthcare, you’ll never be bored.
• Autonomy: We hire seniors to lead, not to follow. You will have a seat at the table in shaping how our design department evolves.

About the company

We're Hiflylabs, a vibrant team of 250+ data and tech enthusiasts based in Budapest. From data engineering to data science, artificial intelligence and application development, we work on a wide range of projects around the world.

Over a Decade of Mastery

For twelve years, Hiflyers have been reshaping industries through Data Warehousing, Business Intelligence, and Data Analytics. From consulting to operations, we offer tailored, hands-on solutions to complex business problems, helping our clients grow.

Our Commitment

At Hiflylabs, we're not just about projects; we're about people. We believe that our people are our most valuable assets, and we are committed to nurturing their personal and professional development through our unique mentoring system.

Check out our Website, LinkedIn page and YouTube channel to get an insight into who we are and how we work!