Lead UI Designer (Manager)

Help this FinTech to take their visual language to the next level with more refinement, creativity and micro-interactions whilst also playing a key part in the evololution and growth of the design team.

The client

This FinTech are on a mission to helping people turn their money into something greater – whether they’re saving for a rainy day, growing money through investing, buying a home, or building a retirement fund.

Now at Series D funding, approximately 320 people and over 1Million users they are entering the next phase in their growth.

The current design team sits at 10 people and counting.

The role

As the UI Design Lead, you will report to the Head of Product Design and your mission is to set the direction for all things UI Design, along with inspiring and guiding the whole design team to deliver delightful experiences. You’ll be a designer with impeccable eye for detail and consistency, and a creative flair for brand aplication and micro-interactions.

You will manage a small team of designers who you will mentor and help to develop, raising the experience and visual design quality while getting the teams working in ways that make great products.

Therefore, previous management experience is essential for this role.

You will also lead on the Design system along with your team. You will work with them to co-create and iterate on it and partner closely with engineering to ensure that components are implemented accurately.

Key responsibilities:

• Both hands-on design and management of a team of Product Designers. Being responsible for their output and all aspects of their development and growth.
• You’ll be responsible for ensuring that the brand is applied in a way that is intuitive and engaging. You’ll explore new creative approaches to projects and challenge what exists to drive impact.
• You’ll influence and inspire all designers across the team, advocating for polished, intuitive and accessible user experiences.
• You’ll lead cross-team design and creative sharing sessions to help drive consistency of the brand experience and provide feedback regularly.
• You’ll work closely with product managers, data scientists and engineering teams to make sure your team isn’t just shipping great designs, but they are deeply involved throughout the design process.
• You will be responsible for the final UI outputs, ensuring designers create pixel perfect screens utilising design system components where possible, creating new patterns where required and adding beautiful transitions and animations to make the experience ‘magical’.
• Iterating and testing solutions to check it solves the user problem.
• You’ll have ownership of the Design system. Constantly evaluating where it needs improvements and building strong relationships with engineers, supporting them with component implementation.
• You’ll work closely with the Brand & Creative team to translate the brand into beautiful UI, continuously exploring new ways to iterate and improve.
• You’ll help raise the bar for design within the org.
• You’ll regularly work with design leaders and product leadership. This is to help make sure long-term strategy, business goals and experience quality are all in alignment and that there are healthy opportunities for visibility and feedback.
• Drive and support cross-team initiatives that make the Design practice better – such as improving  hiring processes, expanding community presence, interviewing potential new team members – and much more.

The candidate

• A experienced UI Design Manager, comfortable bneing both hands on and managing a small team.
• Possess a portfolio of beautifully crafted consumer facing digital products spanning mobile and web.
• Solid understanding and demonstration of UI Design principles, with mastery in design tools, methodologies, processes, best practices, and key deliverables.
• Ability to distil requirements, providing clear guidance to designers, defining the task, goals and outcomes as well as supporting and providing clear feedback.
• You’re an excellent communicator who can convey your ideas and thought process, understanding and building relationships with a cross-section of team members.
• You’ve built or heavily contributed to a Design System before.
• You thrive in a fast paced environment where you can use lightweight processes, creative ideas and quick iteration to have a huge impact.

What’s in it for you?

• Opportunity to join a fast-growing, award-winning and super ambitious business.
• Opportunity to shape the future creative direction for a product with over 1Million users.
• Work with a friendly team of highly motivated individuals.
• Be in an environment where you are truly listened to and can actually have an impact.
• Thriving collaborative and inclusive company culture.

Benefits package:

• Hybrid working environment
• Company shares
• Private Medical Insurance
• Personal Annual Learning and Development budget
• Home office furniture allowance
• Gympass subscription to a variety of gyms and wellbeing apps
• Company pension scheme
• Health Cash Plan (cashback on visits to the dentist & opticians etc)
• Cycle to work scheme
• Enhanced parental pay & leave
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays with additional days added with length of service.