Head of Design

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Head of Design

Company: Sky

Location: Osterley, United Kingdom (with options in Leeds & Whitehall)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Design Leadership / Digital Experience Operations

Date Posted: April 27, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ Years (Senior/Executive)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and scale a multi-disciplinary design team (Product Designers, Content Designers, Service Designers) to drive strategic transformation and deliver world-class, evidence-based, inclusive digital experiences across Sky.com and the My Sky app.

• Define and champion the vision for team growth, fostering a culture that attracts, nurtures, and retains top-tier design talent within the Digital Customer Experience team.

• Shape front-to-back and end-to-end customer experiences across the entire customer lifecycle, leveraging service blueprints, journey maps, and reusable service patterns.

• Embed behavioural insights and user research into all design decisions, ensuring customer needs are central to strategy and delivery.

• Partner with senior leaders across Product, Technology, and Customer Experience (CX) to shape long-term strategic plans, secure executive buy-in, and scale experience maturity organization-wide.

• Integrate service design practices, define and monitor CX KPIs, streamline workflows, integrate AI and data tools, and ensure delivery accountability across all design outputs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role, while titled "Head of Design," has significant operational components crucial for a Head of Operations or RevOps professional. The emphasis on scaling teams, defining KPIs, streamlining workflows, integrating AI/data tools, and ensuring delivery accountability indicates a strong need for operational excellence within the design function. The role requires managing processes, driving efficiency, and ensuring measurable outcomes, aligning with core operations principles. The "Process" requirement in the application section further reinforces this.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, manage, and scale a multi-disciplinary design team, including Product Designers, Content Designers, and Service Designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.

• Strategic Vision & Planning: Define the strategic vision for design within the Digital Customer Experience team, collaborating with senior stakeholders to shape long-term plans and influence executive decision-making.

• Customer Journey Orchestration: Design and optimize front-to-back and end-to-end customer experiences across the entire lifecycle, utilizing service blueprints, journey maps, and reusable service patterns to ensure consistency and efficiency.

• Data-Driven Design Integration: Embed user research, behavioural insights, and data analytics into every stage of the design process, ensuring customer needs and business objectives drive design strategy and product outcomes.

• Process Optimization & Scalability: Implement and refine service design practices, define and monitor key customer experience (CX) KPIs, streamline workflows, and integrate AI and data tools to enhance operational efficiency and design output accountability.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with senior leaders in Product, Technology, and other Customer Experience functions to align on strategy, secure buy-in, and drive the adoption of best-in-class design and experience practices across the organization.

• Design System Management: Oversee the utilization and scaling of large design systems across complex digital ecosystems, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and adherence to the highest standards of design quality.

• Accessibility & Inclusivity: Champion and ensure adherence to the highest standards of accessibility and inclusive design, creating solutions that cater to diverse customer needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership and operational execution. For an operations candidate, understanding the "Process Optimization & Scalability" and "Data-Driven Design Integration" aspects is key, as these directly relate to driving efficiency and measurable impact through structured methodologies. The need to "Embed service design practices, define and monitor CX KPIs, streamline workflows, integrate AI and data tools" is a direct call for operational expertise.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, HCI, Psychology, Business, or a related field is typically expected for senior leadership roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in design leadership roles, with a significant portion focused on digital product and service design within large, complex organizations.

Required Skills:

• Proven track record of leading and scaling large, multi-disciplinary design teams (Product, Content, Service).

• Demonstrated experience shaping strategy at an executive level through compelling design rationale, vision storytelling, and data-driven recommendations.

• Advanced expertise in Figma and the ability to utilize and scale large design systems across complex digital ecosystems.

• Deep understanding of embedding research & data into design and product strategy, utilizing tools such as Usertesting, Contentsquare, and Adobe Analytics.

• Championing the highest standards of design quality, including interface & interaction design, content design, service orchestration, and journey design.

• Experience defining CX KPIs, measuring CX impact, and driving evidence-based product outcomes.

• Recognized expertise in accessibility and inclusive design, with proven ability to create and champion solutions for diverse customer needs.

• Proven ability to build and grow senior design talent, driving team performance, skills progression, and succession planning.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the media and entertainment industry.

• Familiarity with agile methodologies and large-scale digital transformation initiatives.

• Experience with AI integration in design workflows.

• Knowledge of service blueprints and journey mapping as operational tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma, design systems, research tools (Usertesting, Contentsquare, Adobe Analytics), and KPI definition points to a need for candidates who understand the operational backbone of design. The "Process" requirement in the application section specifically calls for scalable User-Centered Design (UCD) methods, aligning with operational efficiency.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• People: Evidence of building and nurturing high-performing, multi-disciplinary design teams, including examples of talent development, team structure optimization, and fostering a positive team culture.

• Process: Demonstrable application of scalable User-Centered Design (UCD) methods that drive measurable outcomes, including examples of process implementation, workflow optimization, and the use of service blueprints or journey maps to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

• Position: Concrete examples of influencing strategy at a senior executive level, demonstrating how design thinking and data-driven insights have shaped business direction and secured buy-in for design initiatives.

• Product: Provable examples of world-class, app-first digital experiences delivered, showcasing design quality, user impact, and successful integration across web and native platforms.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase how you've documented and standardized design processes, including workflow design, implementation, and performance analysis.

• Provide examples of process optimization efforts, highlighting improvements in efficiency, consistency, and stakeholder alignment.

• Demonstrate an understanding of how to measure and report on the effectiveness of design processes and their impact on business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is critical for operations-focused candidates. The "Process" requirement is a direct call for demonstrating operational capabilities within design. Candidates should highlight how they've implemented, scaled, and measured design processes to drive efficiency and achieve business outcomes, not just aesthetic quality.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: While not specified, for a Head of Design role with 10+ years of experience, leading a significant team, and operating at an executive level in the UK (Osterley/London area), the estimated salary range would likely be between £100,000 - £150,000 per annum, potentially higher for exceptional candidates with a proven track record of significant impact.

Benefits:

• Sky Q subscription for home entertainment.

• Sky Glass at an exclusive, discounted rate.

• Generous pension package.

• Comprehensive private healthcare.

• Discounted mobile and broadband services.

• Access to a wide range of Sky VIP rewards and exclusive experiences.

• On-campus amenities at Osterley: 13 subsidised restaurants/cafes, Waitrose, subsidised gym, cinema, car wash, beauty salon.

• On-campus amenities at Leeds: Pool/table tennis, subsidised gym.

• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with a hybrid working model that balances office-based collaboration with remote flexibility. Specific office days will be determined as part of the recruitment process and team arrangements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior design leadership roles in the UK, considering the company's scale and the role's strategic importance. The benefits listed are directly from the job description, highlighting Sky's attractive employee package.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Media and Entertainment, Telecommunications, Technology. Sky is a leading European provider of entertainment products and services, with a significant digital presence and a focus on customer experience.

Company Size: Large (likely 10,000+ employees, based on typical large media/telecom companies). This implies a structured environment with established processes but also opportunities for significant impact and influence.

Founded: Sky was founded in 1989, indicating a long-standing presence and evolution within the media landscape.

Team Structure:

• The Head of Design reports to the Director of Digital Experience, placing them within a larger Customer Experience Centre of Excellence.

• The role leads a multi-disciplinary design team (Product Designers, Content Designers, Service Designers), implying a structured internal design function.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on embedding behavioral insights, research, and data analytics (Contentsquare, Adobe Analytics) into design and strategy.

• Service Design Excellence: Utilization of service blueprints, journey maps, and reusable service patterns to create cohesive end-to-end experiences.

• Agile & Iterative Development: Implied through the partnership with Product and Technology teams, and the focus on delivering digital products and services.

• Scalable Processes: Focus on scaling design systems and UCD methods to ensure efficiency and consistency across a large digital ecosystem.

Company Website: Sky Careers (Note: The provided company_url was empty, this is a general corporate careers link for Sky.)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is presented as inclusive and focused on employee well-being and professional growth. For an operations professional, understanding the "Methodology" section is key, as it details how Sky approaches design and customer experience, which has direct operational implications for process, efficiency, and data utilization.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is an executive-level position, equivalent to a senior director or VP within a specialized function. It requires strategic leadership, team management, and significant influence over product and customer experience strategy. For an operations professional, this role represents a significant step into leading a critical business function with a strong operational component.

Reporting Structure: The Head of Design reports to the Director of Digital Experience, who is likely part of a broader Head of Customer Experience or Chief Customer Officer function. This places the role at a strategic level, with direct influence on the customer journey and digital touchpoints.

Operations Impact: The Head of Design directly impacts operational efficiency and customer satisfaction by:

• Scaling design teams and processes to meet demand.

• Streamlining customer journeys, reducing friction and support needs.

• Ensuring consistency and quality across digital touchpoints, leading to higher customer adoption and retention.

• Integrating data and AI tools to optimize design output and operational workflows.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into a VP or Chief Design Officer role, overseeing a broader design and CX strategy.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Opportunities to move into broader Digital Experience, Product, or even operational leadership roles, leveraging a deep understanding of customer journeys and operational efficiency.

• Specialization & Innovation: Lead innovation in areas like AI-driven design, advanced personalization, or new digital service models.

• Mentorship & Influence: Shape the careers of a large design team and influence industry best practices in design and CX operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth potential, particularly for individuals who can demonstrate strong operational leadership within a design context. The ability to scale processes, manage teams effectively, and drive measurable business outcomes is crucial for career progression within Sky and the broader industry.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model, with a mix of office-based collaboration and remote work. The office environments are designed to facilitate collaboration, innovation, and employee well-being.

Office Location(s):

• Osterley: A large campus with extensive amenities, located in West London, with good transport links.

• Leeds: A tech hub located near the city center, offering a vibrant workspace.

• Whitehall: (Note: While listed in locations_alt_raw, the primary description focuses on Osterley and Leeds for this role. Whitehall might be a broader company location or a misunderstanding in the data.)

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Offices are equipped to support team meetings, workshops, and cross-functional collaboration, essential for integrating design with Product and Technology.

• Technology & Tools: Access to industry-standard design tools (Figma), analytics platforms (Contentsquare, Adobe Analytics), and potentially internal Sky systems for workflow management and data analysis.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with design team members, product managers, engineers, and other CX stakeholders, fostering a connected and informed work environment.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours per week), with flexibility offered through the hybrid working model, allowing for better work-life integration and efficient management of operational tasks and team coordination.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model at Sky is a key aspect of the work environment, indicating a modern approach to work-life balance. For operations professionals, this means demonstrating proficiency in managing distributed teams and ensuring operational continuity across different working locations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: Application and portfolio review to assess alignment with core requirements, particularly the "People, Process, Position, Product" framework.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion focused on leadership experience, strategic thinking, team management philosophy, and understanding of design operations.

3. Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: A deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, focusing on specific case studies that demonstrate impact in the four key areas (People, Process, Position, Product). This is where operational execution will be heavily scrutinized. Expect to present how you've solved complex problems, scaled processes, influenced strategy, and delivered tangible results.

4. Cross-Functional Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with senior leaders from Product, Technology, and other CX teams to assess collaboration style, strategic alignment, and ability to influence.

5. Final Interview: May involve the Director of Digital Experience or other senior executives to discuss vision, leadership, and long-term strategic fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure is Key: Organize your portfolio clearly around the four requested areas: People, Process, Position, Product.

• Quantify Impact: For "Process" and "Product," use data and metrics to demonstrate the impact of your work. Highlight how you improved efficiency, reduced costs, increased conversion rates, or enhanced customer satisfaction.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your approach (emphasizing operational methods), the solutions implemented, and the measurable outcomes.

• Showcase Leadership (People): Detail your experience in building, mentoring, and leading design teams. Include examples of how you've fostered growth, managed performance, and created strong team dynamics.

• Demonstrate Strategic Influence (Position): Provide evidence of how you've influenced executive-level decisions and shaped business strategy through design.

• Focus on Scalability: For "Process," highlight how your methods are scalable and applicable across a large organization like Sky.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for scenario-based questions related to leading design teams through change, managing complex stakeholder relationships, and driving operational efficiency within design.

• Consider how you would approach scaling a design system or embedding new service design practices across a large organization.

• Think about how you would define and track CX KPIs that align with business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is crucial for operations candidates. The "Process" requirement in the portfolio is a direct signal that operational competence is as important as design execution. Candidates should prepare to discuss how they've implemented, optimized, and measured design processes for efficiency and impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for interface and interaction design, and for scaling design systems. Advanced proficiency is required.

• Design Systems: Experience in building, managing, and scaling large design systems across multiple platforms.

• Prototyping Tools: Familiarity with tools integrated with Figma or standalone prototyping software.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Usertesting: For qualitative user feedback and research.

• Contentsquare: For quantitative analysis of user behavior on digital platforms, understanding user journeys, and identifying friction points.

• Adobe Analytics: For comprehensive web analytics, tracking user behavior, campaign performance, and conversion funnels.

• KPI Monitoring Tools: Experience in defining, tracking, and reporting on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to customer experience and design impact.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how design outputs integrate with CRM systems and customer data platforms for personalized experiences may be beneficial.

• AI & Data Tools: Experience integrating AI and data tools into design workflows for enhanced insights and automation.

Other Relevant Technologies:

• Service Blueprints & Journey Mapping Tools: Tools like Miro, Mural, Lucidchart, or specialized service design software.

• Project Management Tools: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for managing design team workflows and project timelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of specific analytics and design tools (Figma, Usertesting, Contentsquare, Adobe Analytics) indicates that candidates are expected to have hands-on experience with these technologies and understand how they contribute to operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, driving design and operational decisions based on user insights and feedback.

• Data-Driven Excellence: A belief in using data, research, and analytics to inform strategy, measure impact, and optimize processes for continuous improvement.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Valuing strong working relationships with Product, Technology, and other CX teams to achieve shared goals and drive integrated experiences.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: A drive to explore new technologies (like AI), methodologies, and approaches to enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency.

• Inclusivity & Accessibility: A commitment to creating experiences that are accessible and welcoming to all customers, reflecting diverse needs.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Emphasis on working closely with Product, Tech, and CX leadership to ensure design strategy is aligned with broader business objectives and operational capabilities.

• Feedback & Iteration: A culture that encourages constructive feedback and iterative design processes to refine solutions and ensure they meet user and business needs.

• Knowledge Sharing: Practices that promote sharing best practices, learnings, and insights across the design team and with partner teams to foster collective growth and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "Data-Driven Excellence" and "Innovation & Continuous Improvement" aligns strongly with operational values. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they foster these values within their teams and how they drive operational efficiency through data and process.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling a Large Team: Managing the growth and development of a multi-disciplinary design team within a large, complex organization requires robust operational planning and leadership.

• Driving Organization-Wide Maturity: Elevating the overall level of design and CX maturity across Sky necessitates influencing diverse stakeholders and embedding new practices consistently.

• Balancing Strategic Vision with Execution: Ensuring that high-level strategic goals are translated into actionable design and operational plans that deliver tangible results.

• Integrating New Technologies: Successfully incorporating AI and advanced data tools into existing design workflows and processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Leadership Development: Opportunities to hone executive influence, strategic planning, and large-scale operational management skills.

• Industry Best Practices: Exposure to leading-edge practices in service design, user experience, and digital operations within the media and entertainment sector.

• Mentorship: Potential to be mentored by senior leaders within Sky and to mentor emerging design and operations talent.

• Innovation Exposure: Working at the forefront of digital customer experience, with opportunities to explore and implement innovative solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are highly operational in nature, focusing on scaling, process integration, and strategic execution. Candidates should frame their experience in overcoming similar challenges, highlighting their operational problem-solving skills.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to building and scaling a multi-disciplinary design team. What operational frameworks or processes do you implement to ensure high performance and talent development?"

• "How have you used service blueprints and journey maps to drive operational efficiency and improve end-to-end customer experiences at an executive level?"

• "Provide an example of how you've embedded research and data (e.g., Contentsquare, Adobe Analytics) into design and product strategy to influence senior stakeholders and achieve measurable outcomes."

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of Sky's position in the market, what do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for the Digital Customer Experience team?"

• "How would you foster a culture of data-driven decision-making and continuous process improvement within a large design organization?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: Dedicate clear sections of your presentation to "People," "Process," "Position," and "Product" as requested.

• Highlight Operational Impact: For each case study, emphasize the operational aspects: how you streamlined workflows, increased efficiency, scaled solutions, or utilized data for operational improvements.

• Quantify Results: Use metrics to showcase the tangible impact of your work, especially for "Process" and "Product." For example, "Reduced customer self-service resolution time by X%," or "Increased feature adoption by Y% through optimized journey design."

• Demonstrate Leadership: For "People," discuss your team-building strategies, performance management, and how you fostered a culture of operational excellence.

• Showcase Strategic Influence: For "Position," explain how you translated business strategy into operational design plans and gained executive buy-in.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation focuses on how candidates can demonstrate operational leadership through their design experience. Questions are framed to elicit responses that highlight process management, data utilization, team scaling, and strategic influence, all critical for an operations-focused role.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-aligned design leadership position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Sky's careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio specifically to address the four key areas: People, Process, Position, and Product. For the "Process" section, ensure you highlight examples of implementing scalable UCD methods, optimizing workflows, and demonstrating measurable operational outcomes.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience in leading teams, managing processes, influencing strategy, and delivering impactful digital products. Use keywords such as "operations," "process optimization," "workflow management," "KPIs," "data analytics," and "stakeholder management" where relevant to your experience.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your experience using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), with a strong emphasis on the "Action" and "Result" components related to operational efficiency and impact. Prepare specific examples for the portfolio presentation.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Sky's recent initiatives, digital products (Sky.com, My Sky app), and their stated values. Understand their market position and how design and operations contribute to their overall business strategy.

⚠️ 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.

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