Contract Overview:
Balsam International Unlimited Company – Philippine Regional Operating Headquarters (hereafter “Balsam International” or “Team Manila”) is looking for an individual independent contractor to take on the role of Senior UX/UI Designer. This role involves independently delivering high-quality, user-centric, and pixel-perfect designs for Balsam Brands websites, combining strong cross-functional collaboration with ownership of UX/UI priorities and projects, and ensuring digital experiences effectively communicate brands and products while consistently advocating for the end user. This role reports to the Director of UX/UI.
Important Note: If you do not have an Upwork account yet, please don't create one until we instruct you to do so.
Key Deliverables
These are the primary outcomes expected from this role:
Design Production
- Understands brand, products and users to produce high-quality designs in accordance with brand guidelines
- Design icons and graphic assets for use across our website, collaborating with Creative to ensure consistency across all channels
- Provides final UI designs with specifications for developers
Design Iteration and Collaboration
- Partners with Product Managers & eCommerce teams to hypothesize, test, and measure the success of the product, leveraging current tools & technologies.
- Translates hypothesis, based on business results and testing, into concepts and requirements, delivering user flows, customer journeys, wireframes, comps, and prototypes.
- Collaborates with UX Researchers to support testing and iterations of design solutions
- Collaborates with user experience designers to turn wireframes and concepts into compelling, beautifully crafted experiences
User-Centered Approach and Consistency
- Follows and updates our style guides and pattern libraries, and ensures consistent implementation
- Understands customer goals, business requirements and technical constraints to work within project parameters
- Effectively brainstorms, sketches and mocks up multiple visual ideas to satisfy design requirements
- Manages multiple priorities/projects under tight deadlines, working independently and/or with the design team
- Be able to articulate design decisions
Other Duties and Responsibilities
- Performs ad hoc tasks and other duties that may be assigned from time to time to support the function, team projects, and training activities.
What we're looking for:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Web/Graphic Design, or have equivalent work experience.
- 5 years of relevant experience in user interface, product design, web design, or a design-related field
- An online portfolio (please specify which work was created 100% by you vs. by a team)
- Passion for design (typography, color, and grid layouts)
- Knowledge of mobile design standards and familiarity with responsive design best practices
- User-centered approach to design
- Proficient in Figma, Sketch, Photoshop, and Illustrator, with the ability to produce organized files with sensible layer structures and naming
- Competency with HTML and CSS
- Impeccable eye for detail and consistency
- Ability to respond effectively and appropriately to creative feedback and constructive criticism
- Self-motivated with strong organizational skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Note: The scope of work will be agreed upon in advance and may be updated through mutual agreement via Upwork. Individual independent contractors maintain control over how deliverables are completed.
Location: This role is open to individual independent contractors located in Metro Manila, Bataan, Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, Rizal, and Tarlac.
Our must-have:
- Fast, reliable DSL, Fiber, or Broadband connection (not mobile or broadband stick) as the primary internet connection with a minimum actual speed of 50MBPS;
- Personal laptop and a backup device; and
- Must be willing to engage via the Upwork platform.
Important Notes:
- Independent Contractor Role: This engagement does not create an employer-employee relationship. Individual independent contractors are responsible for their own taxes, insurance, and benefits.
- Billing & Tracking: All time/work is logged and paid via Upwork
- Hardware: Individual independent contractors use their own equipment
- Work Hours: Flexible schedule based on agreed-upon deliverables and timelines
- Hourly Rate: 10.94 USD/hour, non-negotiable
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Web or Graphic Design or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of relevant UX/UI design experience
- Online portfolio with clear attribution of work ownership
- Proficiency in Figma
- Proficiency in Adobe Photoshop
- Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator
- Competency with HTML and CSS
- Knowledge of mobile design standards and responsive design best practices
- Fast, reliable internet connection (minimum actual speed 50MBPS) — DSL, Fiber, or Broadband (not mobile stick)
- Personal laptop and a backup device
- Willingness to engage and log work via the Upwork platform
- Strong attention to detail, organization, and ability to manage multiple priorities
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Balsam Brands Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Balsam Brands and has not been reviewed or approved by Balsam Brands.
-
Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as generous, including fully covered employee medical premiums in listed plans, broad plan choices, and added features like infertility coverage and HSA funding. Mental health/EAP and disability/life protections further reinforce everyday coverage.
-
Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off includes PTO that increases with tenure, a separate paid annual shutdown week, and a long‑tenure sabbatical. These elements extend recharge time beyond standard offerings.
-
Affordable Benefits — The employer covers the full employee premium on medical and a high share for dependents in current postings, lowering out‑of‑pocket costs. This affordability raises the overall value of total rewards even when base pay is the focus.
Balsam Brands Insights
What We Do
Balsam Brands is a multi-brand E-Commerce retailer with roots in holiday and home décor. We strive for excellence in everything we do and present a unique opportunity to those who are seeking to have a meaningful impact in a fast-paced, high-energy environment. The company has been the recipient of multiple awards, including: • Forbes Magazine: America’s 25 Best Small Companies (2016) • Inc. 5000: America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) • San Francisco Business Times: Fast 100 – Fastest Growing Bay Area Companies (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) • Silicon Valley Business Journal: 75 Fastest Growing Private Companies (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
