Experience
Omniva
Product Design Lead · April 2024 – August 2025
I joined Omniva — the state-owned postal company aiming to strengthen its technology capabilities — to bring Product Design expertise from a mature SaaS environment and raise design quality on high-stakes projects.
Within weeks, I unexpectedly inherited two designers and began building a Product Design team from scratch, shifting the practice from task delivery to strategic product partnership while also contributing hands-on to key projects.
Key achievements:
— I reshaped Product Design into a strategic, product-focused discipline.
— Built systems, rituals, and practices to help the team grow both professionally and personally.
— Championed customer feedback as the most valuable input for design decisions, influencing product teams.
— Redesigned most of the Omniva Mobile app UI/UX for a more functional, user-friendly experience.
— Hired a senior designer whose speed and quality of delivery elevated the entire team’s performanc
— Laid the groundwork for a modern, tokenized, theme-able design system and contributed as a core member of the Front-End group implementing it.
— Built systems, rituals, and practices to help the team grow both professionally and personally.
— Championed customer feedback as the most valuable input for design decisions, influencing product teams.
— Redesigned most of the Omniva Mobile app UI/UX for a more functional, user-friendly experience.
— Hired a senior designer whose speed and quality of delivery elevated the entire team’s performanc
— Laid the groundwork for a modern, tokenized, theme-able design system and contributed as a core member of the Front-End group implementing it.
Despite all the challenges, the experience was an incredible learning journey and a true test of resilience, creativity, and leadership.
Pipedrive
(Group) Design Systems Manager · February 2022 – April 2024
I spent almost 7 years at Pipedrive, recommend you to read the Pipedrive era from bottom to top.
While I never aimed to be a manager, I embraced the challenge when it became necessary to support the design organization’s growth and evolving maturity.
— Defined the mission and vision for both the team and Pipedrive’s design systems, creating two yearly roadmaps through inclusive collaboration and delivering on them.
— Elevated the design system’s component and documentation quality to a point we felt we were proud enough about it to puvlish it on Figma Community (2025 update: has been since removed).
— Introduced a contrast-based color system to improve accessibility, and delivered highly requested features including customizable navigation and dark mode.
— Strengthened operational practices by introducing process improvements, fostering strong partnerships with Product and Engineering leadership, and building a culture of trust and empowerment within the team.
— Learned the ropes of people management, including hiring, onboarding, giving feedback, handling difficult conversations, and making tough decisions when needed.
While I never aimed to be a manager, I embraced the challenge when it became necessary to support the design organization’s growth and evolving maturity.
— Defined the mission and vision for both the team and Pipedrive’s design systems, creating two yearly roadmaps through inclusive collaboration and delivering on them.
— Elevated the design system’s component and documentation quality to a point we felt we were proud enough about it to puvlish it on Figma Community (2025 update: has been since removed).
— Introduced a contrast-based color system to improve accessibility, and delivered highly requested features including customizable navigation and dark mode.
— Strengthened operational practices by introducing process improvements, fostering strong partnerships with Product and Engineering leadership, and building a culture of trust and empowerment within the team.
— Learned the ropes of people management, including hiring, onboarding, giving feedback, handling difficult conversations, and making tough decisions when needed.
Following my time as Design Systems Manager, I stepped into a Group Manager role within Design Leadership, reporting directly to the VP of Design. My focus remained on guiding the Design Systems team and driving consistency, quality, and accessibility across Pipedrive’s products. This period brought greater involvement in cross-departmental initiatives and leadership forums, while continuing to support my team in delivering high-impact work.
Senior Product Designer, Design Systems · July 2021 – February 2022
Design Systems were part of my interest area since day one at Pipedrive – creating modular systems and reusing components to maintain consistency was actually something I loved to do both in code and in design long before I joined the company. So when at Pipedrive the opportunity came along to join the Design Systems team and focus on this full-time, I jumped on it.
I contributed to Pipedrive’s Design Systems by improving component quality, standardizing documentation, and enabling scalable theming across the web app. I collaborated closely with both Product Designers and Engineers to ensure the system met real-world needs.
— Refactored every web app design component in Figma to raise quality and improve the experience for Product Designers.
— Created a standardized template for component documentation to ensure consistency and usability
— Designed and implemented a semantic token-based asset system in Figma, fully theme-able in code, enabling a comprehensive visual update across the web app (which we did twice in the following 2 years).
— Collaborated daily with 40+ Product Designers, gathering feedback, implementing updates, and consulting on system usage.
— Worked side by side with engineering to update existing components and create new ones.
— Refactored every web app design component in Figma to raise quality and improve the experience for Product Designers.
— Created a standardized template for component documentation to ensure consistency and usability
— Designed and implemented a semantic token-based asset system in Figma, fully theme-able in code, enabling a comprehensive visual update across the web app (which we did twice in the following 2 years).
— Collaborated daily with 40+ Product Designers, gathering feedback, implementing updates, and consulting on system usage.
— Worked side by side with engineering to update existing components and create new ones.
Product Designer · July 2018 – June 2021
I delivered UX and UI solutions across multiple high-impact Pipedrive products, combining design, prototyping, and front-end skills to improve usability, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
— Scheduler: Designed calendar availability interface and customer-facing booking page.
— Caller: Owned UX and UI for the telephony widget, from call initiation to logging.
— Web Forms: Built customer-facing forms and customization interface; created prototypes with HTML/CSS/JS. Developed a micro design system for embedded forms with accessibility, validation, and clear error messaging.
— WYSIWYG Editor: Redesigned rich text editor for email client and Notes, adding new formatting features and improving usability.
— Duplicate Management: Designed UX/UI for identifying and merging duplicate CRM entries, reducing friction for users.
Junior Product Designer · July 2017 – June 2018
I gained hands-on experience designing B2B SaaS products, conducting user research, and collaborating across teams to deliver practical solutions.
— Learned in-house design workflows for a B2B SaaS environment versus prior web development for SMEs.
— Conducted extensive end-user research, including shadowing a customer on-site in Tallinn.
— Designed an internal dashboard for Pipedrive developers, engaging with dozens users and collaborating closely with the Head of Quality and CTO.
— Delivered smaller CRM features, including deal-winning probability and follow-up frequency visualizations.
— Learned in-house design workflows for a B2B SaaS environment versus prior web development for SMEs.
— Conducted extensive end-user research, including shadowing a customer on-site in Tallinn.
— Designed an internal dashboard for Pipedrive developers, engaging with dozens users and collaborating closely with the Head of Quality and CTO.
— Delivered smaller CRM features, including deal-winning probability and follow-up frequency visualizations.
RaulWalter
Project Manager · May – December 2015
RaulWalter specializes in identity solutions for both public and private sector applications.
I worked on the company's website and marketing materials.
Antenn
Co-founder, Designer, Developer · November 2012 – July 2017*
I co-founded a web design and development studio focused on helping Estonian SMEs improve their online presence.
— Built high-quality, custom WordPress websites tailored to client needs, handling both design and development.
— Gradually shifted my focus to mostly on design, following a growing passion and expertise in creating user-focused solutions.
— Managed operations, projects, and client relationships as the main point of contact.
— Maintained studio activity from 2013–2017, later focusing on ongoing support and occasional development for existing clients.
— Managed operations, projects, and client relationships as the main point of contact.
— Maintained studio activity from 2013–2017, later focusing on ongoing support and occasional development for existing clients.
Raadio 1 OÜ
Web Editor · September 2011 – November 2012
Raadio 1 was a podcast publishing company, producing radio shows legendary in the Estonian tech community such as Restart, Buum, and Digitund.
In my role, I had to write summaries for the shows and publish them in a timely manner on the website. I also maintained and evolved the website.
💡 Something that was and perhaps is still really only possible in "e-Estonia" – never for once did I physically meet my employers while working in the company.
One of the Raadio 1 founders Henrik Roonemaa went on to found Geenius Meedia, a media platform for talented authors on science and technology. Geenius became one of the most important customers for my web studio Antenn and a success on the media landscape.
Education
Estonian Aviation Academy
Communication, Navigation and Surveillance · Sep 2010 – June 2014
Communication, Navigation and Surveillance · Sep 2010 – June 2014
The education provided me with solid foundational knowledge in engineering and informatics. Unfortunately, I never pursued a career in aviation as I immersed myself in the world of web design already during my studies and haven't pivoted back since.
Activities and societies
Tartu University Chamber Choir, student magazine Propeller, Estonian Aviation Days.
Activities and societies
Tartu University Chamber Choir, student magazine Propeller, Estonian Aviation Days.
Student exchanges
Anadolu University (Eskişehir Turkey) – Spring 2012
Anadolu University (Eskişehir Turkey) – Spring 2012
Scholarships
Pühajärve scholarship – November 2013 – from the Estonian Aviation Academy Fund. A traditional scholarship in Estonian Aviation Academy, given to one student each year.
Pühajärve scholarship – November 2013 – from the Estonian Aviation Academy Fund. A traditional scholarship in Estonian Aviation Academy, given to one student each year.
Get in touch
You can contact me via this form or on LinkedIn. I'm fluent in Estonian and English.
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