Data Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Data Product Designer

Company: Three UK

Location: Newbury, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Data Product Design & Strategy

Date Posted: 2026-05-19T14:06:48.316

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the design and architecture of the data layer within the Unified Data Platform (UDP), ensuring business needs are met through intuitive, self-serve data products.

• Own and meticulously maintain the comprehensive metrics catalogue, ensuring accurate definitions and strong alignment with business stakeholders to foster data consistency across the UDP.

• Collaborate closely with Data Engineering teams to implement a robust metrics layer, guaranteeing consistent application and reliable data product delivery.

• Contribute to the overarching strategic vision for the UDP, proactively identifying and addressing tactical solutions and future remediation needs.

• Cultivate and maintain an in-depth understanding of the UDP's capabilities, functionalities, and strategic importance to the business.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the Data Product Strategy and Business Enablement team, indicating a focus on translating business needs into tangible data assets and ensuring those assets are accessible and usable by the broader organization. The emphasis on a "Unified Data Platform" and a "metrics layer" suggests a strategic initiative to centralize and standardize data consumption, requiring a strong understanding of data governance and data product lifecycle management. The hybrid work arrangement with 3 days in office highlights a blend of collaborative and focused work.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Architect and define the business data layer of the Unified Data Platform, ensuring it aligns with organizational data strategy and governance standards.

• Design and develop data products that are optimized for self-service consumption, empowering business users to access and analyze data independently.

• Lead the creation and ongoing maintenance of a detailed metrics catalogue, including clear definitions, business context, and ownership for each metric.

• Partner with Data Engineering to ensure a consistent and reliable metrics layer is implemented and governed across the UDP.

• Contribute to the strategic roadmap for the UDP, identifying opportunities for enhancement and ensuring alignment with evolving business priorities.

• Deeply understand the architecture, capabilities, and data flows within the UDP to effectively design and support data products.

• Research and stay abreast of industry best practices, emerging trends, and innovative solutions in data product design, data modeling, and data platform architecture.

• Ensure all designed data products adhere to principles of scalability, reliability, and performance optimization to support current and future business demands.

• Facilitate workshops and discussions with business stakeholders to gather requirements, validate designs, and ensure buy-in for data product initiatives.

• Develop comprehensive documentation for data products, including data dictionaries, lineage, and usage guidelines, to support adoption and governance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize ownership and strategic contribution. Owning the business data layer and metrics catalogue implies a significant level of responsibility for data integrity and accessibility. The requirement to work towards the strategic vision and consider remediation for tactical solutions suggests a need for both long-term strategic thinking and practical execution. Collaboration with D&A Engineering is crucial for implementation.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related quantitative field is typically expected for roles of this nature.

Experience: Proven track record (5-10 years) in data product design, data architecture, and data modeling within complex data environments. Experience in telecommunications or a related data-intensive industry is highly advantageous.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in data product design principles and methodologies.

• Strong understanding of various data modeling techniques (e.g., dimensional, relational, data vault) and their application.

• Proven ability to translate complex business requirements into clear, actionable data product designs.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with a strong ability to influence and negotiate with diverse stakeholders.

• Advanced analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with a knack for dissecting intricate data challenges and formulating effective solutions.

• Experience working collaboratively in cross-functional teams, including Data Engineering, Analytics, and Business Units, to deliver data-driven outcomes.

• Proficiency in managing and maintaining comprehensive metrics catalogues, ensuring accuracy and alignment.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with data governance frameworks and best practices.

• Experience with agile development methodologies in a data context.

• Knowledge of data visualization tools and principles for effective data product presentation.

• Understanding of cloud data platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and their associated services.

• Exposure to data cataloging and metadata management tools.

• Experience in the telecommunications industry and its unique data challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements lean heavily on practical experience in designing and architecting data solutions. The emphasis on communication and stakeholder management suggests this role requires strong interpersonal skills alongside technical acumen. The "5-10 years" experience level indicates a need for seasoned professionals capable of independent work and strategic input.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase examples of data product designs, highlighting the problem addressed, the proposed solution (including data models and data flows), and the expected business impact.

• Present case studies demonstrating your experience in translating business requirements into robust, user-friendly data products.

• Include documentation artifacts that illustrate your approach to defining metrics, managing catalogues, and ensuring data consistency.

• Provide examples of how you have collaborated with engineering teams to implement data solutions, showcasing your understanding of the development lifecycle.

Process Documentation:

• Detail your process for requirements gathering and stakeholder engagement in data product design.

• Illustrate your methodology for data modeling, including schema design and entity-relationship diagrams.

• Explain your approach to defining and documenting metrics, including data quality checks and validation processes.

• Outline your process for working with Data Engineering to ensure successful implementation and deployment of data products.

• Describe how you ensure user adoption and gather feedback for continuous improvement of data products.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on design and architecture, a portfolio is crucial. It should clearly articulate the candidate's thought process, design decisions, and the tangible outcomes of their work. Demonstrating experience with metrics catalogues and cross-functional collaboration with engineering will be key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Data Product Designer with 5-10 years of experience in Newbury, England, the estimated salary range is £60,000 - £85,000 per annum. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in the UK, considering the company's size and the telecommunications sector's compensation trends. Factors such as specific experience, interview performance, and the precise scope of responsibilities within VodafoneThree may influence the final offer.

Benefits:

• Competitive Pay: A strong base salary recognizing your skills and experience.

• Bonuses: Performance-based bonuses to reward contributions and achievements.

• Generous Leave: Up to 28 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, ensuring a healthy work-life balance.

• Paid Charity Work Time: Opportunities to contribute to the community through paid volunteer time.

• Personalised Benefits: Flexibility to tailor benefits to individual needs and preferences.

• Discounts & Vouchers: Access to various discounts and vouchers for personal use.

• Pension Plan: A comprehensive pension scheme to support long-term financial security.

• Advanced Learning Tools: Access to extensive resources for continuous professional development and skill enhancement.

• Supportive Parental Leave: Industry-leading policies to support new parents.

Working Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week, typically Monday to Friday, with a hybrid working arrangement (approximately 3 days in office per week).

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on typical UK market rates for this role and experience level. The listed benefits are directly from the provided text and are comprehensive, highlighting a strong employee value proposition.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Telecommunications. VodafoneThree is a significant player in the UK market, investing heavily in 5G and digital infrastructure. This industry context means a focus on connectivity, innovation, and evolving customer needs.

Company Size: Large enterprise, indicated by its role as a major telecommunications provider and the "Grade 11" designation for the role. This size implies structured processes, significant resources, and opportunities for large-scale impact.

Founded: While the exact founding date of "VodafoneThree" as a merged entity isn't provided, Vodafone has a long history in telecommunications, and Three UK was established in 2003. This history suggests a company with established infrastructure and a forward-looking approach to digital transformation.

Team Structure:

• The Data Product Designer will be part of the "Data Product Strategy and Business Enablement team," suggesting a dedicated unit focused on maximizing the value of data.

• This team likely comprises roles such as Data Analysts, Data Engineers, Business Analysts, and potentially Data Scientists, all working collaboratively.

Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is core, with a strong emphasis on building a "network the UK can count on" and leveraging "£11bn invested in 5G and digital infrastructure."

• Agile methodologies are likely employed, given the pace mentioned ("We move at pace") and the focus on iterative development and continuous improvement.

• A culture of collaboration and connection is promoted through the hybrid working model and emphasis on diverse perspectives.

Company Website: https://www.three.co.uk/ (and potentially https://www.vodafone.co.uk/)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights a significant investment in technology and a commitment to being a leader in the UK's digital future. The "VodafoneThree" branding suggests a new, integrated entity, likely focused on leveraging combined strengths. The emphasis on "closing the digital divide" and "empowering communities" points to a socially conscious organizational mission.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a mid-to-senior level within the data domain, specifically focused on product design. It requires a blend of technical expertise in data architecture and modeling, combined with strategic thinking and strong business acumen. As a "Grade 11" position, it signifies a level of responsibility and impact comparable to experienced professionals who can lead design initiatives and influence strategic direction.

Reporting Structure: The Data Product Designer reports to Mark Chaimbault, the Hiring Manager, and is part of the Data Product Strategy and Business Enablement team. This team likely collaborates closely with Data Engineering and various business units that consume data.

Operations Impact: The Data Product Designer has a direct impact on how the business accesses, interprets, and utilizes data. By designing the data layer of the Unified Data Platform and creating optimized, self-serve data products, this role empowers business users, improves decision-making speed and accuracy, and ultimately drives business efficiency and revenue enablement. The work directly supports the company's strategic investments in 5G and digital infrastructure by ensuring the data supporting these initiatives is well-structured and accessible.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in data architecture, data product management, or specific data modeling techniques within the telecommunications sector.

• Leadership: Progress into roles such as Lead Data Product Designer, Data Architect, or Data Product Manager, potentially leading teams or larger strategic initiatives.

• Cross-functional Mobility: Transition into roles within Data Engineering, Business Intelligence, or broader Data Strategy functions, leveraging a deep understanding of the data platform.

• Continuous Learning: Access to "amazing learning tools" and industry trends fosters ongoing skill development in areas like advanced data modeling, cloud technologies, and data governance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Grade 11" designation suggests a significant level of autonomy and influence. The growth opportunities align with a typical career path for a data professional moving from design to broader management or specialized technical leadership.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role operates under a hybrid working model, requiring approximately 3 days per week in the office. This suggests a modern office environment designed to facilitate collaboration, team meetings, and focused individual work, balancing in-person interaction with remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): The primary office location is The Connection, Newbury, England, RG14 2FN. This location serves as a hub for hybrid work, offering facilities and a collaborative atmosphere for employees.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model encourages in-office days for team synergy, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional meetings, fostering a connected work culture.

• Technology & Tools: Employees will have access to the necessary technology and tools to perform their roles effectively, including potentially advanced workstations, secure network access, and collaboration software. The company's investment in digital infrastructure implies a tech-forward environment.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for interaction with immediate team members (Data Product Strategy & Business Enablement) and broader cross-functional teams (Data Engineering, business stakeholders) are expected, particularly during in-office days.

Work Schedule: The standard working hours are 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday. While a structured schedule is in place, the hybrid nature may offer some flexibility in terms of daily start and end times, provided business needs and team collaboration requirements are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of the work environment, indicating a company that values flexibility while recognizing the importance of in-person collaboration for complex design and strategy roles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application and resume, focusing on relevant experience in data product design, architecture, and stakeholder management.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with Mark Chaimbault to assess your technical expertise, strategic thinking, and fit with the team's objectives. Be prepared to discuss your experience with data modeling and metrics catalogues.

• Technical/Portfolio Review: A session dedicated to reviewing your portfolio. You will likely be asked to walk through specific projects, explaining your design process, data modeling choices, and the business impact achieved. Expect questions on how you ensure scalability, reliability, and performance.

• Cross-functional Interview: An interview with members of the Data Engineering team or key business stakeholders to evaluate your collaboration skills and ability to translate technical designs into implementable solutions.

• Final Interview: Potentially a discussion with a senior leader to confirm alignment with company values and strategic goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by project type or by key skill demonstrated (e.g., Data Layer Design, Metrics Catalogue Implementation).

• Case Studies: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, your role and responsibilities, the design solutions you proposed (including data models, diagrams, and metrics definitions), the challenges encountered, and the measurable business outcomes or impact. Quantify results whenever possible.

• Visuals: Use clear diagrams, mockups, and flowcharts to illustrate your data product designs and architecture. Ensure they are easy to understand for both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Metrics Focus: Highlight your experience with metrics catalogues, demonstrating how you ensured consistency, accuracy, and alignment with business needs.

• Tailoring: If possible, subtly tailor your portfolio to align with VodafoneThree's context, perhaps by referencing the importance of connectivity or digital infrastructure in your project examples.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Be prepared for a hypothetical design challenge, such as designing a data product for a specific business need (e.g., customer churn prediction, network performance analysis). Focus on your approach: understanding requirements, data modeling, metrics definition, and potential implementation considerations.

• Stakeholder Communication: Practice articulating complex technical concepts clearly and concisely to different audiences. Be ready to justify your design decisions and discuss trade-offs.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you would approach common data challenges, such as data quality issues, performance bottlenecks, or conflicting stakeholder requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess both technical depth and the ability to apply that knowledge in a collaborative, business-oriented environment. A strong portfolio is paramount for this role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Data Modeling Tools: ER/Studio, Lucidchart, draw.io, or similar for creating data models, entity-relationship diagrams, and data flow diagrams.

• Metrics Management Tools: Potentially specialized tools or robust documentation platforms (e.g., Confluence, internal wikis) for maintaining the metrics catalogue.

• Collaboration Platforms: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Jira, Confluence for team communication, project management, and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Visualization Tools: Tableau, Power BI, or similar might be used for understanding how data products are consumed, though direct usage might be less emphasized than design.

• SQL: Essential for understanding data structures, querying data, and validating designs.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems (e.g., Salesforce): Understanding how CRM data integrates into the broader data platform is beneficial.

• Data Integration Tools: Familiarity with concepts behind ETL/ELT processes and tools (e.g., Informatica, Talend, Azure Data Factory) is advantageous for understanding data flow.

• Unified Data Platform (UDP): Deep understanding of the specific technologies underpinning VodafoneThree's UDP will be critical, likely involving cloud-based data warehousing and data lake technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the specific stack isn't detailed, the role implies working with modern data architecture principles, likely involving cloud-based solutions and robust data management tools. Proficiency in SQL and data modeling software is a baseline expectation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Connectivity & Purpose: A core value is building a network the UK can count on, connecting people, places, and potential. This translates to a sense of purpose in ensuring data infrastructure supports these goals.

• Inclusion & Belonging: VodafoneThree actively fosters a workplace where diverse perspectives are welcomed, voices are heard, and everyone feels safe to be themselves. This commitment to DEI is a significant cultural pillar.

• Responsibility & Sustainability: Building responsibly and investing sustainably are key, implying a focus on long-term impact and ethical practices in data management and product design.

• Pace & Learning: The organization moves at pace and acknowledges learning as they go. This suggests a dynamic environment that values agility, adaptability, and continuous improvement.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The hybrid model and team structure emphasize close collaboration between Data Product Design, Data Engineering, and various business units to ensure data products meet real-world needs.

• Open Communication: Encouragement of diverse perspectives and hearing voices suggests an environment where constructive feedback and open dialogue are valued.

• Shared Ownership: Working towards a unified vision for the UDP implies a collaborative approach where team members contribute to shared goals and support each other's efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes both a strong sense of purpose in connecting the nation and a commitment to an inclusive and dynamic work environment. Candidates should be comfortable with a fast-paced setting and value collaboration and diversity.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Unified Data Platform Complexity: Navigating and designing for a large, potentially complex Unified Data Platform requires a deep understanding of its architecture, data sources, and existing limitations.

• Balancing Business Needs with Technical Feasibility: Translating diverse business requirements into scalable, reliable, and performant data products while adhering to technical constraints and architectural standards.

• Metrics Standardization: Establishing and enforcing consistent metric definitions and application across a large organization can be a significant challenge, requiring strong stakeholder management and governance.

• Keeping Pace with Technology: The rapid evolution of data technologies requires continuous learning to ensure designs remain current and leverage the most effective solutions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Data Architecture & Design: Deepen expertise in advanced data modeling techniques, cloud data solutions, and data product lifecycle management through hands-on experience and internal resources.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Opportunities to attend relevant industry events and pursue certifications in data management, cloud technologies, or data product design.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Potential for mentorship from senior architects or leaders within the data organization, with pathways to take on more leadership responsibilities in data product strategy and team management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to large-scale data initiatives. The growth opportunities are tied to developing expertise within a leading telecommunications company, providing a strong foundation for a career in data product design and architecture.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for designing a new data product from initial business requirement gathering to final implementation handoff. How do you ensure scalability and reliability are built-in from the start?"

• "How would you approach creating and managing a comprehensive metrics catalogue for an organization like VodafoneThree? What are the key challenges, and how would you ensure alignment across business units?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on what you know about VodafoneThree's investment in 5G and digital infrastructure, how do you see data product design contributing to these strategic goals?"

• "How do you foster an inclusive environment within your design process, and how do you ensure diverse stakeholder voices are heard and incorporated?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each portfolio piece as a narrative: the problem, your role and solution, the design choices (especially data models and metrics), the implementation collaboration, and the measurable impact.

• Visual Clarity: Ensure your diagrams and models are clean, well-annotated, and easy to follow. Be prepared to explain every element.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use numbers to demonstrate the value of your designs (e.g., "improved data retrieval time by X%", "enabled Y new reporting capabilities").

• Address UDP Context: Briefly explain how your past experiences designing data layers or metrics catalogues are directly transferable to VodafoneThree's Unified Data Platform initiative.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of data product lifecycle, stakeholder management, and the ability to translate technical designs into business value, all within the context of a large, strategic data platform.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Data Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the SmartRecruiters platform.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature projects demonstrating data layer design, data modeling expertise, metrics catalogue management, and cross-functional collaboration with engineering teams. Include clear diagrams and quantifiable outcomes.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords such as "Data Product Design," "Data Architecture," "Unified Data Platform," "Metrics Catalogue," "Data Modeling," and "Stakeholder Management." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, problem-solving approach, and experience with case studies. Be ready to discuss your understanding of scalability, reliability, and performance in data products.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with VodafoneThree's mission, strategic investments (5G, digital infrastructure), and commitment to inclusion. Understand how data product design supports these initiatives.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.