Principal Product Designer - Strategic Discovery (all genders)

Role: Principal Product Designer (Strategic Specialist) – Partner Tech, Berlin. Focus on product discovery, research strategy, and complex problem framing. Acts as a bridge between User Research, Product Management, and Design Strategy, operating in the discovery phase to translate insights into structural user experience concepts, interaction models, and tangible product experiences. Partners with senior Product Management to co‑create strategic prioritization frameworks and influence the long‑term roadmap. Responsibilities: - Conduct advanced multi‑method research (qualitative & quantitative) and synthesize findings. - Transform abstract insights into concept models, low‑to‑mid fidelity user flows, structural wireframes, and service blueprints. - Perform strategic synthesis and information architecture: create archetypes, user segmentations, and holistic journey maps. - Vision CX and align strategy, turning data into actionable experience visions for short, mid, and long‑term product strategies. - Solve B2B/complex system problems, navigating enterprise architectures and multi‑stakeholder landscapes. - Facilitate large workshops, drive cross‑functional alignment, and upskill product teams in discovery practices. - Define and run cohesive research and discovery strategies across the product lifecycle. - Materialize product strategy and shape concepts hands‑on using journey mapping, JTBD, and structural documentation. - Discover partner attitudes, behaviors, and motivations through rigorous field research. - Translate insights into compelling narratives, storyboards, and qualitative benchmarks for executive buy‑in. - Model user‑centered design practices, define research principles, and lead research operations initiatives. - Co‑create strategic prioritization frameworks with senior Product Management. - Translate customer insights into business cases linked to commercial metrics (e.g., retention, acquisition, operational efficiency). Qualifications: - Proven expertise in advanced multi‑method research and strategic synthesis. - Strong capability in conceptual design and experience modelling. - Ability to create information architecture, archetypes, and journey maps. - Experience in CX visioning and aligning strategy with business ambitions. - Background in B2B/complex system problem solving. - Skilled facilitator of large workshops and cross‑functional teams. - Track record of guiding Product Managers and designers through ambiguous problem spaces. - Hands‑on experience with customer journey mapping, JTBD, and structural documentation. - Ability to uncover partner attitudes through rigorous field research. - Excellent storytelling, narrative creation, and executive communication. - Experience building research operations and defining research principles. - Ability to translate insights into business cases tied to commercial metrics. What We Offer: - 27 days of holiday (up to 30 with tenure) plus 2 paid volunteering days. - Employee shares program. - 40% discount on Zalando fashion and beauty products, 30% discount on Lounge, and additional external partner discounts. - Relocation assistance (subject to agreement). - Family services, counseling, and support. - Health and wellbeing options (Wellhub/Gympass) and mental health coaching. - Development opportunities via training platform and biannual peer‑to‑peer review.