Vlad Derdeicea🇷🇴

About Vlad Derdeicea

Chapter Lead at Raiffeisen Bank

I lead a team of 9 designers at a major European bank, shaping digital experiences across web and mobile banking. Before that, I founded and ran a design agency for 8 years (40+ international clients) and built data visualization tools at 8x8.

I can help you with: career transitions into design leadership, building your portfolio for senior roles, navigating enterprise/banking UX, understanding AI's impact on design careers, and presenting design work to stakeholders who don't speak "design."

Published in UX Collective. Active Designlab mentor. 15+ years in design.

→ derdeicea.com

Expertise

Sessions with Vlad Derdeicea

• Mentorship Session (30 min): A focused 30-minute first conversation to get you unstuck and pointed in the right direction. Tell me where you are, where you want to be, and the one thing blocking you. I'll give you an honest read on the level you're operating at, the gap to where you want to be, and the single highest-leverage move to make next. Come with a specific question, and your portfolio or CV link if you have one - the sharper your ask, the more you'll get out of 30 minutes. If it turns out you need deeper work, we'll figure out which track fits: portfolio and interview prep, or a full career roadmap. No pressure either way - you'll leave with something useful regardless.
• Portfolio Critique & Redesign Strategy (90 min): Three working sessions to align your portfolio, CV and interview story to the level you're actually targeting - not just "polished." We start from a level read (the DesignLevel assessment as pre-work), so we work from evidence, not opinion. Then we rebuild your portfolio around the decisions and product thinking that signal seniority, and get your story ready to hold up in interviews. What we cover: Session 1 - Critique against level A line-by-line read of 2-3 case studies and your CV against your target level: where the work sits, and where it undersells you. Session 2 - Redesign strategy A concrete overhaul plan: which projects to prioritize, what gaps to fill (research, prototypes, metrics), and how to restructure your cases to show seniority. Tooling and visual polish as needed. Session 3 - Interview prep A review of your updated work, a final positioning roadmap, and a mock walkthrough so your narrative holds up live. You'll leave with a rebuilt portfolio direction, a clear redesign plan, and an interview story that matches your level. Best for designers actively job-hunting or preparing to level up.
• Career Roadmap to Your Next Level (60 min): Four sessions to turn "I want to grow" into a measurable plan against a real leveling standard - not vague advice. We start by mapping where you operate today versus where you're perceived (the two rarely match), pinpoint the specific gaps between your current level and the next, and build a concrete 3-6 month growth plan with milestones you can actually check off. The final session reviews your progress and adjusts. You'll get a free Growth Kit and the DesignLevel assessment, so we start from data on day one. Best for designers stuck between levels, or preparing for a promotion or a move into a lead role. What we cover: - Session 1 - Level read: your operating level vs. perceived level - Session 2 - Gap analysis: what stands between you and the next level - Session 3 - Your plan: a 3-6 month roadmap with measurable milestones - Session 4 - Review and adjust: progress check and recalibration

What mentees say

“His support was truly exceptional. During our meeting, he shared a wealth of valuable insights and practical lessons drawn from his experience. I was also deeply impressed by his enthusiasm, positive energy, and genuine passion for helping others grow.”

“Got lots of inspiration and value out of that session, will definitely follow up with an updated portfolio and Vlad's comments applied :) Also looking forward to experimenting with UX which he inspired me to do :)”

“I recently had a session with my mentor, and it was truly valuable. Their amazing communication skills and deep subject knowledge made complex topics easy to grasp. While my overall experience met expectations, I would encourage others to”