Head of Design

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Head of Design

Company: Sky

Location: Osterley, United Kingdom (with potential for Leeds or Whitehall)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Design Leadership / Digital Experience Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-01

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is a senior leadership position focused on heading a multi-disciplinary design team responsible for the digital customer experience across Sky's core platforms, including Sky.com and the My Sky app.

• The Head of Design will be instrumental in shaping customer journeys, driving strategic transformation, and fostering a high-performing design culture within the Digital Customer Experience team.

• A key aspect of this role involves close collaboration with Product, Technology, and Customer teams to ensure seamless and exceptional digital interactions for millions of users.

• The position requires a strong focus on embedding user-centered design (UCD) principles, leveraging data and research, and advocating for inclusive design practices at an executive level.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Head of Design," the responsibilities heavily lean into operationalizing design strategy, managing design operations, and ensuring the efficient delivery of customer experiences. This aligns it with a "Digital Experience Operations" or "Design Operations Leadership" category within the broader GTM and RevOps ecosystem, emphasizing the process and execution aspects of design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and scale a multi-disciplinary design team comprising Product Designers, Content Designers, and Service Designers to deliver world-class, evidence-based, and inclusive digital experiences.

• Define and execute the vision for team growth, fostering a culture that attracts, nurtures, and retains top-tier design talent within the organization.

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

• Integrate behavioural insights and user research into all design decisions, ensuring customer needs are paramount in strategy formulation and product delivery.

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

• Embed robust service design practices, define and monitor key CX KPIs, streamline workflows, integrate AI and data tools, and ensure accountability for all design outputs.

• Champion the highest standards of design quality, encompassing interface and interaction design, content design, service orchestration, and journey design.

• Drive measurable outcomes by defining KPIs, assessing CX impact, and advocating for evidence-based product development.

• Ensure recognized expertise in accessibility and inclusive design, creating and championing solutions that cater to diverse customer needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a significant operational component, focusing on team scaling, process embedding (service design, UCD), KPI management, workflow streamlining, and integration of tools (AI, data). This goes beyond traditional design leadership to encompass the operational management of design delivery.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Specific educational requirements are not detailed, but a strong portfolio and extensive experience in design leadership and strategy are prioritized.

Experience: Minimum of 10+ years of experience, with a significant portion in leading large, multi-disciplinary design teams and shaping executive-level strategy.

Required Skills:

• Proven track record of leading large, multi-disciplinary teams to deliver world-class, award-winning digital products and services across web and native platforms.

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

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

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

• Craft Excellence: Champion the highest standards of design quality, from interface & interaction design to content design, service orchestration, and journey design.

• Experience defining 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 that meet diverse customer needs.

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

• Experience in defining and managing service blueprints and journey maps.

• Familiarity with AI and data tools for design optimization.

• Experience in a large media or entertainment organization.

• Background in customer experience strategy development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "embedding research & data into design and product strategy" via specific tools (Contentsquare, Adobe Analytics) and the requirement for "advanced expertise in Figma" and "scaling large design systems" indicates a need for strong operational execution and proficiency in design operations tools and methodologies.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• People: Showcase evidence of building and leading high-performing design teams, including talent development, mentorship, and team structure optimization.

• Process: Demonstrate the application of scalable User-Centered Design (UCD) methods that drive measurable outcomes, highlighting process design, optimization, and efficiency.

• Position: Provide examples of influencing strategy at a senior executive level, embedding design thinking, and articulating vision through compelling rationale and data.

• Product: Present provable world-class app-first digital experiences, detailing the design process from conception to launch and ongoing iteration, with a focus on user impact.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates should be prepared to discuss and showcase their approach to defining and documenting design processes, including:

  • Workflow design and optimization for design teams.

  • Implementation and automation of UCD methodologies and design system governance.

  • Measurement and performance analysis of design outputs against CX KPIs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit "Application Requirement" for a portfolio covering People, Process, Position, and Product directly addresses the operational aspects of design leadership. It requires candidates to demonstrate not just creative output but also the systems and processes they've put in place to achieve it consistently and at scale.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As a senior leadership role (Head of Design) in the UK, with significant responsibilities and a required experience level of 10+ years, the estimated salary range would typically be between £90,000 - £140,000 per annum. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar leadership positions in major media and technology companies in the UK, considering the location (Osterley, London commuter belt) and the scope of managing a large, multi-disciplinary team.

Benefits:

• Sky Q: Access to Sky's premium television service.

• Sky Glass Exclusive Rate: Discounted access to Sky Glass, a television product.

• Generous Pension Package: Contribution towards retirement savings.

• Private Healthcare: Comprehensive medical coverage.

• Discounted Mobile and Broadband: Reduced rates for Sky's communication services.

• Sky VIP Rewards and Experiences: Exclusive benefits and opportunities for employees.

Working Hours: While a standard 40-hour work week is implied for full-time roles, the hybrid nature suggests flexibility. Operations-focused roles at this level often require adaptability to meet project deadlines and strategic needs, which may occasionally extend beyond standard hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on typical UK market rates for Head of Design roles in large organizations, considering the specified location and experience level. Benefits are directly extracted from the job description.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Media & Entertainment, Telecommunications, Technology. Sky is a leading European broadcaster and a significant player in digital services, constantly innovating to enhance customer engagement and product offerings. This industry context implies a fast-paced, customer-centric environment where digital experience is a key differentiator.

Company Size: Sky is a large enterprise, employing over 30,000 people globally. This scale means established processes, significant resources, and opportunities for large-scale impact, but also requires navigating complex organizational structures and driving change effectively.

Founded: Sky was founded in 1989. Its long history signifies stability and deep market understanding, combined with continuous evolution to stay competitive in the rapidly changing media and technology landscape.

Team Structure:

• The Head of Design will lead a multi-disciplinary team within the Digital Customer Experience team, a "Centre of Excellence."

• This team includes Product Designers, Content Designers, and Service Designers, indicating a holistic approach to user experience.

• The role reports to the Director of Digital Experience, placing it within a broader CX leadership structure.

• Significant cross-functional collaboration is expected with senior leaders across Product, Technology, and CX. Methodology:

• The team's approach emphasizes user-centered design (UCD), data-driven decision-making, and the strategic application of service design practices.

• Emphasis is placed on creating "world-class, evidence-based, inclusive digital experiences."

• The use of tools like Figma, Usertesting, Contentsquare, and Adobe Analytics suggests a data-informed and tool-enabled design process.

• Strategy is shaped through compelling design rationale, vision storytelling, and data-driven recommendations.

Company Website: sky.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights Sky as a major player in the media and entertainment sector, demanding a sophisticated approach to digital customer experience. The "Centre of Excellence" designation for the Digital Customer Experience team suggests a focus on standardized processes and best practices, aligning with an operations-centric view of design.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role, equivalent to an executive or director level within the design function. It requires strategic oversight, team management, and significant influence over product and CX strategy. The role is operational in its execution of design strategy at scale.

Reporting Structure: The Head of Design reports directly to the Director of Digital Experience, positioning them within a key leadership group responsible for shaping Sky's digital customer interactions. This structure allows for direct impact on CX strategy and execution.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and substantial impact on revenue and business decisions by optimizing digital customer journeys. By improving self-service capabilities, product exploration, and account management, the Head of Design directly influences customer acquisition, retention, satisfaction, and ultimately, revenue through enhanced user experience on Sky.com and the My Sky app.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to refine and scale design operations processes, develop best practices for large teams, and implement advanced UCD and service design methodologies across a vast customer base.

• Leadership Development: Potential to grow into roles with broader scope within the Digital Experience organization, possibly overseeing larger departments or taking on more strategic CX initiatives.

• Industry Influence: By contributing to world-class, award-winning digital products, the individual can build a strong reputation and influence within the broader digital design and CX community.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Develop deeper expertise in product strategy, technology roadmaps, and customer insights through close collaboration with senior leaders in these areas.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role represents a significant step in a design career, moving from individual contribution or team lead to strategic operational leadership of a design function within a major corporation. The growth opportunities are tied to expanding operational scope and strategic influence.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Sky operates modern, large-scale campus-style offices (Osterley) and tech hubs (Leeds). These environments are designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and employee well-being, featuring extensive amenities.

Office Location(s): Primary locations are Osterley (West London) and Leeds (West Yorkshire). The job description also mentions Whitehall, suggesting potential for collaboration or presence in other key Sky locations.

Workspace Context:

• The hybrid working model combines office-based collaboration with remote work flexibility.

• Office spaces are equipped to support collaboration, with amenities like subsidized restaurants, gyms, and recreational facilities.

• The Osterley campus, in particular, is a significant hub with extensive facilities to support employee needs and encourage campus presence.

• The role requires interaction with various teams, implying a dynamic and collaborative workspace.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time schedule is expected, likely around 40 hours per week. However, the hybrid model offers flexibility, and senior leadership roles may require adaptability to meet business needs and project deadlines, especially when managing design operations and strategic initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of the Osterley and Leeds offices provides insight into the physical work environment, emphasizing amenities and collaborative spaces. The hybrid model is a key aspect, impacting how design operations and team management will be conducted.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely involves a review of CV and portfolio against the core requirements.

• Portfolio Deep Dive: Expect a detailed discussion and presentation of your portfolio, focusing on the "People, Process, Position, Product" criteria. This will be a critical stage to assess your operational approach to design.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with the Director of Digital Experience, peers in Product and Technology, and potentially HR, assessing strategic thinking, leadership style, and cultural fit.

• Design Challenge (Potential): While not explicitly stated, a senior design leadership role might involve a strategic case study or presentation challenge to assess problem-solving, strategic vision, and communication skills.

• Final Rounds: Discussions with senior leadership to finalize the decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Impact: Clearly organize your portfolio around the four required areas: People, Process, Position, and Product. Use distinct sections or case studies to highlight each.

• Quantify Outcomes: For "Process" and "Product," emphasize measurable results. Use metrics (e.g., conversion rate improvements, task completion times, user satisfaction scores, adoption rates of design systems) to demonstrate the impact of your work.

• Showcase Leadership: For "People," detail your experience in team building, mentorship, performance management, and fostering inclusive cultures. Highlight how you've scaled teams and developed talent.

• Strategic Rationale: For "Position," clearly articulate how you've influenced executive strategy, communicated design vision, and driven organizational change. Use examples of presentations, proposals, or strategic documents.

• Process Detail: For each case study, be prepared to walk through your design process, explaining the UCD methods used, how research and data informed decisions, and how you managed dependencies and stakeholders.

Challenge Preparation:

• Strategic Thinking: Prepare to discuss your vision for the future of digital design at Sky, how you would address current challenges, and how you would scale the design function.

• Operational Acumen: Be ready to articulate how you would manage design budgets, resource allocation, and project timelines for a large team.

• Stakeholder Management: Prepare examples of how you've managed complex stakeholder relationships, secured buy-in, and navigated organizational politics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Application Requirement" for the portfolio is a direct guide to the interview process. Candidates must prepare to present concrete evidence of their operational capabilities in leading design teams and processes, not just their design aesthetic.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Advanced expertise is a core requirement for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. The ability to utilize and scale large design systems within Figma is crucial.

• Design Systems Tools: Proficiency in managing and scaling design systems, likely integrated with Figma or similar platforms, is essential for consistency across complex ecosystems.

• User Research & Data Tools:

  • Usertesting.com: For conducting user research and gathering feedback.
  • Contentsquare: For analyzing user behavior on digital platforms, understanding user journeys, and identifying pain points.
  • Adobe Analytics: For tracking website and app performance, user engagement, and conversion metrics.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Proficiency in tools like Adobe Analytics and Contentsquare for detailed user behavior analysis and performance tracking.

• Ability to define and monitor CX KPIs using these or similar analytics platforms. CRM & Automation:

• While not directly listed, a Head of Design in a large organization will likely interact with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms to understand customer data and campaign impacts. Familiarity with how design influences these areas is beneficial.

• Understanding of integration tools for seamless data flow between design, product, and analytics platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, Usertesting, Contentsquare, and Adobe Analytics indicates a strong emphasis on a data-driven, tool-proficient design operation. Candidates must demonstrate hands-on experience with these specific technologies and a strategic understanding of how they contribute to operational efficiency and design effectiveness.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs through exceptional digital experiences.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing research, analytics, and user feedback to inform design strategy and product development.

• Excellence & Craftsmanship: Upholding the highest standards of design quality across all touchpoints, from interaction to content.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Working effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals and embed design thinking across the organization.

• Inclusivity & Accessibility: Championing design that is usable and enjoyable for all customers, regardless of ability or background.

• Team Growth & Development: Fostering an environment where designers can learn, grow, and perform at their best.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role necessitates close collaboration with Product Management, Technology, Marketing, and Customer Support teams, acting as a bridge between design and business objectives.

• Strategic Partnership: Engaging with senior leadership to shape long-term vision and secure buy-in for design initiatives.

• Evidence-Based Advocacy: Using data and user insights to build consensus and drive forward design recommendations.

• Mentorship & Empowerment: Cultivating a collaborative team environment where team members feel empowered to contribute and are supported in their professional development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values and collaboration style emphasize a structured, data-informed, and cross-functional approach to design, which is characteristic of mature design operations within large organizations.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Design Operations: Effectively scaling a multi-disciplinary design team and its processes to meet the demands of a large organization with multiple digital products.

• Driving Executive Buy-in: Consistently influencing senior leadership and securing resources for design initiatives in a competitive landscape.

• Integrating New Technologies: Keeping pace with and integrating emerging technologies, such as AI, into the design workflow and customer experience.

• Maintaining Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive and high-quality user experience across a complex ecosystem of web and native platforms.

• Balancing Innovation with Execution: Fostering creativity and innovation while ensuring efficient delivery of projects against business objectives.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic CX Leadership: Deepen expertise in shaping and executing customer experience strategy at an enterprise level.

• Advanced Design Operations: Develop best practices for managing, scaling, and optimizing design functions within a large, complex organization.

• Cross-Disciplinary Expertise: Gain deeper insights into product management, technology roadmaps, and business operations through close collaboration.

• Industry Recognition: Opportunity to lead award-winning design work and contribute to the advancement of design practices in the media and entertainment sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are framed around the operational complexities of leading design in a large enterprise, requiring strong strategic and execution capabilities. Growth opportunities focus on expanding leadership scope and strategic impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your philosophy for building and scaling a high-performing, multi-disciplinary design team. How do you foster a culture of excellence and inclusivity?" (Focus on People & Process)

• "Walk us through a time you influenced executive-level strategy using design rationale and data. What was the outcome?" (Focus on Position)

• "How do you ensure that design decisions are evidence-based and customer-centric? Describe your process for integrating research and data into the design lifecycle." (Focus on Process & Product)

• "What is your approach to defining and managing design systems at scale? How do you ensure their adoption and evolution?" (Focus on Process & Product) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Sky's mission and its digital customer experience? How do you see design contributing to Sky's future success?"

• "How would you approach integrating AI and new technologies into our design processes to enhance customer experiences?"

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid environment. How do you ensure effective collaboration and team cohesion?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• "People" Section: Prepare specific examples of team growth, talent development initiatives, performance management strategies, and how you've fostered a positive team culture. Quantify team growth and retention if possible.

• "Process" Section: Detail a specific UCD process you've implemented or optimized. Showcase how you used service blueprints, journey maps, or other tools to drive measurable outcomes. Be ready to discuss your experience with Usertesting, Contentsquare, and Adobe Analytics in practice.

• "Position" Section: Present a case study where you influenced senior stakeholders, perhaps by presenting a strategic vision, a business case for a new design initiative, or a significant product redesign. Highlight your communication and persuasion skills.

• "Product" Section: Showcase a flagship digital product (web or app) you led the design for. Detail the user problem, your design solution, the key features, and the measurable impact on users and the business. Emphasize app-first experiences if applicable.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation advice is tailored to the specific requirements of the role, emphasizing the "People, Process, Position, Product" framework and the need to demonstrate operational leadership through concrete examples and data.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused design leadership position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link, ensuring your CV and portfolio are up-to-date and tailored to the role.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio specifically to highlight your experience in the four key areas: People (team leadership), Process (UCD, design operations), Position (strategic influence), and Product (world-class digital experiences). Ensure each section is clearly delineated and supported by evidence.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize leadership experience, operational achievements, familiarity with key tools (Figma, Contentsquare, Adobe Analytics, Usertesting), and expertise in areas like design systems, accessibility, and UCD. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your experience using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), focusing on how you've managed design operations, led teams, and driven strategic outcomes. Prepare to present your portfolio confidently and answer strategic and operational questions.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Sky's current digital offerings, recent news, and their stated values. Understand their market position and how a strong design operation contributes to their business goals.

⚠️ 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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