Product Advisor - UX/UI

Reporting To: CEO and Director of Product

Location: Remote

Duration & Commitment

• Initial Phase (First 120 days): 10 to 20 hours per week to lead UX/UI and product design during a period of transition to maternity leave for our Director of Product.
• Ongoing Support (After 120 days): Transition to a contractor/advisor role providing fractional UX/UI and product design support, with flexible time expectations TBD.

Compensation

• $25 - $50/hr, commensurate with experience.
• Mix of cash and equity available.

🏡 About Viva:

Viva Benefits is a network of affordable housing that offers families a set of benefits, including access to health, education, and financial resources. As one example, Viva offers families access to FREE cash - worth more than $5,000 - to help accelerate the transition to homeownership. We are creating equity for all through housing.

📌 Key Responsibilities & Time Allocation

To ensure clarity and balance in responsibilities, the following percentage ranges represent the approximate distribution of effort:

UX/UI Design Execution (40%)

• Design user interfaces for features across the Resident App, Housing Partner Dashboard, and Marketing Website, using Viva’s Figma-based design system.
• Prioritize clarity, accessibility, and mobile-first best practices.
• Design within constraints — apply and adapt existing components
• (not inventing new ones unless justified and approved).
• Maintain consistency across touchpoints while balancing user and business goals.
• Write or validate Acceptance Criteria (ACs) for design tickets, ensuring they are:
  • Clear, testable, and user-centered
  • Grounded in actual behavior (not assumptions)
  • Written in collaboration with Product, not in isolation

Design QA + Implementation Support (20%)

• Review how designs are built by engineers across devices and breakpoints.
• Flag misalignments between implementation and intent (e.g., spacing, interaction, color contrast).
• Document bugs or mismatches and follow up until resolved.
• Use staging environments and collaborate with Product or QA teams to validate live features.
• Assist with QA and testing to ensure ACs are met before launch.

Cross-Functional Collaboration (15%)

• Join weekly Product Syncs to understand what’s launching, blocked, or shifting.
• Meet 1:1 (or async) with Product, Engineering, Marketing, or Ops as needed for feedback, alignment, or approvals.
• Translate one-pager ideas into concrete UI with minimal cycles.
• Proactively communicate if a request lacks clarity or violates existing system rules.

Accessibility & Design Governance (10%)

• Ensure every design passes basic accessibility checks: contrast, tap targets, screen reader compatibility.
• Suggest small improvements when you see accessibility issues in existing components.
• Advocate for design consistency and brand integrity across use cases and platforms.

Figma Hygiene & Design Documentation (10%)

• Keep all Figma files clean, organized, and handoff-ready.
• Use component naming conventions and version control properly.
• Annotate flows when needed for developer clarity.
• Maintain links to design sources in Trello or OnePagers.

Optional: Light Visual / Marketing Design (5%)

• Support with light design needs for case studies, flyers, or event materials — only if time allows and is approved.
• Use existing marketing templates (Canva or SendGrid) without creating new brand elements.

📋 AOR Transition Plan & Self-Assessment

The Areas of Responsibility (AORs) will be shared prior to the hiring panel. Candidates should prepare a transition plan to address risks, propose improvements, and outline their approach to managing these responsibilities.

Each candidate will be asked to self-assess their confidence level (1-5) in managing each AOR independently with minimal onboarding/training. If their score is below 4/5, they should outline:

• Any prior experience or evidence supporting their competency.
• Areas where they need additional support.
• Requests to delegate (up to 3 “get out of jail free” cards for non-critical tasks).

This process ensures alignment between expectations and capabilities while identifying areas for development.

✅ Preferred Qualifications:

• 3+ years of experience in UX/UI design, preferably in mission-driven or multi-platform environments
• Expert in Figma (design libraries, components, auto layout, and file structure)
• Strong understanding of accessible design principles
• Experience designing across responsive web and mobile
• Clear communicator who documents well and works asynchronously
• Able to prioritize clarity and utility over visual novelty
• Experience working within or adjacent to a Product team is a plus

📈 Success Metrics:

• Designs are shipped on time and match our system visually and functionally
• Residents can easily access and use new features without confusion or friction
• Marketing and partner-facing materials are clear, branded, and consistent
• The engineering team has clean, complete files to work from
• Any proposed system improvements are grounded in real need and surfaced respectfully

ℹ️ Additional Information:

This is a temporary role with the potential for long-term engagement as a contractor or advisor based on performance and company needs. The Product Advisor - UX/UI will collaborate closely with internal teams and leadership to ensure a smooth transition.

For questions, contact thao@viva.fund.

🔹 Please note: At this time, we are only considering candidates who are authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for visa sponsorship, now or in the future.