Lead Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer

Company: Motorway

Location: London, UK

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design

Date Posted: 2025-06-09T00:00:00

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: On-site

🎨 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design initiatives, focusing on user-centered design principles and methodologies to enhance the Motorway platform user experience for both consumers and dealers.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Product Managers, Engineers, and other stakeholders to translate business objectives and user needs into intuitive, engaging, and effective digital solutions.
• Champion design quality and consistency by actively contributing to and evolving the existing design system, ensuring scalability and efficiency across web and mobile applications.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior product designers, fostering their professional growth and contributing to a positive and collaborative team culture.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Take ownership of complex design challenges from initial discovery and ideation phases through to detailed design, prototyping, user testing, and final implementation, ensuring design solutions align with product strategy.
• Champion a user-centered design approach by planning and conducting user research activities, usability testing sessions, and synthesizing insights to inform design decisions and validate proposed solutions for optimal user satisfaction and business impact.
• Produce high-quality design deliverables, including detailed user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mock-ups for both mobile and web platforms, effectively communicating design intent and specifications to engineering teams.
• Collaborate closely with product managers and engineers throughout the entire product development lifecycle, participating in agile ceremonies, providing design expertise, and ensuring the technical feasibility and successful implementation of design solutions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders across Product, Engineering, Marketing, and other relevant departments, effectively communicating design rationale, presenting design solutions, and representing the Product Design team's perspective at various levels of the organization.
• Actively mentor and provide guidance to more junior product designers on the team, sharing best practices, conducting design reviews, and contributing to their continuous learning and professional development within the Product Design discipline.
• Proactively contribute to and evolve the existing design system and component library, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency in design execution across all Motorway products and platforms.
• Foster a strong design culture within the organization by actively participating in and leading team rituals, planning and facilitating design workshops, and contributing to activities that promote collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement within the design team.
• Explore and advocate for continuous learning and development opportunities for the design team, playing an active role in defining and evolving the core design principles and standards at Motorway.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred, equivalent professional experience and a strong portfolio demonstrating relevant skills and a deep understanding of design principles are highly valued.

Experience: Extensive proven experience (typically 5+ years) working as a Senior or Lead Product Designer within digital product environments, with a demonstrable track record of successfully leading design projects from concept to launch and iteration, particularly with B2C or marketplace products. Experience mentoring other designers is essential.

Required Skills:

• Extensive experience in end-to-end product design, including discovery, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity visual design for both web and mobile applications.
• Deep understanding and practical application of user-centered design principles, methodologies, and best practices throughout the design process.
• Proven ability to plan, conduct, and synthesize user research and usability testing to gather insights and inform design decisions effectively.
• Proficiency with industry-standard design and prototyping tools, with specific expertise in Figma for collaborative design workflows, prototyping, and design system management.
• Demonstrated experience leading design projects independently, managing multiple priorities, and effectively collaborating within cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, etc.).
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions, rationale, and user insights clearly to diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience providing mentorship and guidance to junior or mid-level product designers, fostering their development and contributing to team growth.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving environment, demonstrating a proactive and positive attitude towards challenges and change.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working on B2C products with a focus on optimizing user journeys and conversion funnels through experimentation methods (e.g., A/B testing).
• Experience working within a two-sided marketplace or e-commerce platform, understanding the unique design challenges and user needs of multiple user groups (e.g., buyers and sellers, consumers and dealers).
• Experience in contributing to or leading the development and maintenance of comprehensive design systems and component libraries.
• Experience in facilitating design workshops and collaborative ideation sessions with cross-functional teams.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Your portfolio should showcase a diverse range of projects demonstrating your end-to-end product design process, from problem definition and research through to detailed design, prototyping, testing, and launched product.
• Include detailed case studies that clearly articulate your role, the problem you were solving, your design process, key decisions made, challenges encountered, and the impact of your design solutions on users and the business.
• Present high-fidelity mock-ups and interactive prototypes that showcase your visual design skills, attention to detail, and ability to create intuitive and engaging user interfaces for both web and mobile platforms.
• Demonstrate your technical understanding and ability to prepare design specifications and assets for developer handoff, potentially including examples of your contributions to design systems or component libraries.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly document your approach to user research and discovery, including methodologies used (e.g., interviews, surveys, competitive analysis) and how insights informed your design decisions.
• Illustrate your ideation and iteration methods, including sketches, wireframes, alternative design explorations, and how you refined concepts based on feedback and constraints.
• Explain your approach to validation and testing, including usability testing plans, key findings, and how testing outcomes influenced further design iterations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £70,000 - £95,000 per year. This estimated range is based on typical Lead Product Designer salaries in London, UK, factoring in the experience level (5-10 years), the competitive tech market in the region, and data points from similar roles at UK-based tech companies. Actual compensation may vary based on candidate experience, skills, and interview performance.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and potential for performance-based bonuses.
• Comprehensive health and dental insurance plans.
• Generous paid time off and holiday allowance.
• Opportunities for professional development, training, and conference attendance relevant to product design and leadership.
• Pension scheme contributions.
• Potential for equity options in a fast-growing, venture-backed company.
• Regular team social events and company culture initiatives.
• Access to relevant design tools and software, including a premium Figma subscription.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours, typically 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, there may be some flexibility depending on team needs and company policy, balancing focused design work with collaborative team activities.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Technology, Information and Internet (specifically, a disruptive online marketplace transforming the used car industry).

Company Size: Approximately 450-500 employees globally (based on LinkedIn data), placing Motorway in the scale-up phase. This size suggests a dynamic environment with established processes but still room for individual impact and shaping the future.

Founded: 2017. Since its founding, Motorway has rapidly grown, evidenced by significant funding rounds and a large employee base, indicating strong market traction and ambitious growth plans.

Team Structure:

• Product Design likely sits within a broader Product or Technology organization.
• Designers are likely embedded within cross-functional product teams, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers on specific product areas or initiatives.
• The Lead Product Designer role suggests a hierarchical structure within the design team, with Leads responsible for guiding projects and mentoring more junior members, reporting potentially to a Design Manager or Head of Design.

Methodology:

• Given the emphasis on user-centered design, user research, and iteration, Motorway likely follows an Agile methodology for product development.
• Design processes would involve discovery sprints, ideation workshops, iterative prototyping and testing, and close collaboration throughout development cycles.
• Emphasis on experimentation (A/B testing) suggests a data-informed design approach.

Company Website: https://motorway.co.uk

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This is a Lead level position, indicating a significant degree of autonomy, responsibility for guiding design direction on complex projects, and accountability for the quality and impact of design solutions. It sits above Senior Product Designer and involves mentorship responsibilities.

Reporting Structure: As a Lead, you would likely report to a Design Manager, Head of Design, or potentially a Director of Product, depending on the organizational structure. You would likely mentor 1-3 junior or mid-level designers.

Design Impact: As a Lead, your design decisions will have a significant impact on the user experience of core Motorway products, directly influencing key business metrics such as user engagement, conversion rates, and overall platform success. You will play a key role in shaping the future direction of the product.

Growth Opportunities:

• Potential for advancement to a Design Manager role, focusing more on team leadership, strategy, and operations, or a Principal Designer role, deepening impact through technical design expertise and strategic influence.
• Opportunities to specialize in specific areas of product design, such as B2C user journeys, dealer experiences, design systems, or design operations.
• Continuous skill development through exposure to complex design challenges, mentorship, internal learning resources, and potentially external training or conferences.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: On-site at Motorway's London office. This suggests a collaborative office environment designed to facilitate in-person teamwork and communication among product teams.

Office Location(s): Primary location is London, UK. Motorway also has an office in Brighton, but this role is specified for London.

Design Workspace Context:

• The on-site nature implies access to dedicated design workspaces, potentially including areas for sketching, whiteboarding, and collaborative design sessions.
• Proximity to product managers and engineers facilitates spontaneous collaboration, pair design, and quick feedback loops.
• The environment is likely fast-paced, typical of a scale-up tech company, requiring adaptability and strong communication skills.

Work Schedule: Full-time, on-site. While the exact schedule may have some minor flexibility, the expectation is to be present in the London office during core working hours to facilitate team collaboration and participation in meetings and workshops.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Typically a call with a recruiter or hiring manager to discuss your experience, interest in the role, and cultural fit. Be prepared to briefly explain your design background and why Motorway.
• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session (or sessions) where you walk through selected case studies from your portfolio, focusing on your process, problem-solving approach, collaboration style, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your rationale and receive feedback.
• Design Challenge/Exercise: You may be asked to complete a take-home design challenge or participate in a live design exercise. This assesses your ability to apply design thinking, problem-solve under constraints, and articulate your process.
• Team/Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with members of the Product Design team, Product Management, and Engineering to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and cultural fit within the team and organization.
• Final Interview(s): Discussions with senior leadership (e.g., Head of Design, VP of Product) to evaluate your leadership potential, strategic thinking, and overall fit for the Lead role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Select case studies that best demonstrate your experience leading projects, your user-centered process, and your impact on key metrics, especially if you have B2C or marketplace experience.
• For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role, the team you worked with, your design process (research, ideation, iteration, testing), key decisions and rationale, and the outcome or impact of your work.
• Be prepared to discuss the challenges you faced on each project and how you overcame them.
• Showcase your ability to work effectively with Product Managers and Engineers, demonstrating how you incorporated feedback and navigated technical constraints.
• Highlight your contributions to design systems or efforts to ensure design consistency, if applicable.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the typical format of design challenges (e.g., problem statement, constraints, deliverables, time limit).
• Structure your approach clearly: start with understanding the problem, define user needs, explore potential solutions, refine a chosen direction, and articulate your rationale.
• Be prepared to walk through your process step-by-step, explaining your thinking at each stage.
• Focus on demonstrating your problem-solving skills, user-centered approach, and ability to communicate complex ideas effectively.
• If presenting, practice your presentation to ensure it flows well and fits within the allocated time.

ATS Keywords: Product Design, Lead Product Designer, UX Design, UI Design, User Experience, User Interface, User Research, Usability Testing, Design Systems, Figma, Prototyping, Wireframing, Information Architecture, Interaction Design, Visual Design, B2C, Marketplace, E-commerce, Conversion Optimization, A/B Testing, User Journey Mapping, Stakeholder Management, Cross-functional Collaboration, Mentorship, Design Leadership, Agile, Scrum, Design Thinking, Service Design, Mobile Design, Web Design, Digital Product, Product Strategy, Design Process, Iteration, Feedback, Communication, Presentation, Problem Solving, Creative Thinking, Team Leadership, Guidance, Workshops, Design Culture, Continuous Improvement.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• Figma: The stated primary design and prototyping tool. Proficiency is essential for collaborative design, prototyping, and likely contributing to or utilizing the design system. Expect to be highly proficient in all aspects of Figma.
• Other potential tools (not explicitly stated but common): Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator) for specific asset creation or visual design tasks.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Collaboration tools (not explicitly stated but common): Slack, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for internal communication, document sharing, and scheduling.
• Handoff tools (not explicitly stated but common): Zeplin, Abstract, or built-in Figma features for sharing design specifications and assets with engineers, ensuring accurate implementation.
• Documentation tools (not explicitly stated but common): Confluence, Notion, or internal wikis for documenting design decisions, research findings, and design system guidelines.

Research & Testing:

• Research tools (not explicitly stated but common): Maze, Lookback, UserTesting.com for remote usability testing and user interviews; survey platforms like Typeform or SurveyMonkey for collecting user feedback.
• Analytics tools (not explicitly stated but common): Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel for analyzing user behavior, tracking key metrics, and identifying areas for design optimization, especially relevant given the mention of experimentation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• User-Centeredness: A strong emphasis on understanding user needs and pain points to inform design decisions and create solutions that truly solve problems for both car sellers and dealers.
• Collaboration: Working closely and effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, and other stakeholders throughout the product lifecycle, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.
• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to iterating on designs based on user feedback, data, and evolving business needs, and a willingness to learn and adapt.
• Impact: Focusing on delivering design solutions that not only look good but also drive measurable business results and improve key user experience metrics.
• Mentorship & Growth: A culture that supports the development of team members, with Lead designers playing a key role in nurturing the skills and careers of junior designers.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional integration with Product and Engineering teams, likely involving daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and regular design reviews.
• Regular design critiques within the design team to share work, receive feedback, and ensure design quality and consistency.
• Workshops and collaborative sessions to explore complex problems, generate ideas, and align stakeholders on design direction.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Designing for a two-sided marketplace: Balancing the needs and user journeys of distinct user groups (private sellers and car dealers) on a single platform presents unique and complex design challenges.
• Scaling design: As Motorway grows rapidly, maintaining design consistency, scalability, and efficiency across multiple teams and platforms while evolving the design system will be a continuous challenge.
• Optimizing conversion funnels: Working in a high-growth, e-commerce-like environment means there's a constant focus on optimizing user flows and conversion rates, requiring a data-informed and iterative design approach.
• Mentoring and developing junior designers: Balancing your own design responsibilities with the time and effort required to effectively mentor and support the growth of other team members.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Gaining deep expertise in marketplace design and the unique dynamics of a two-sided platform.
• Developing leadership and mentorship skills by guiding and supporting junior designers.
• Opportunities to influence product strategy and contribute to the evolution of the design team's processes and culture.
• Working with a design system at scale and contributing to its development and governance.
• Exposure to experimentation methodologies and data-informed design practices.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• "Walk me through a complex project you led from start to finish. What was the problem, your process, and the outcome?" - Be prepared to present a detailed case study from your portfolio, highlighting your leadership, problem-solving, and collaboration.
• "Describe your approach to user research and how you translate insights into design solutions." - Discuss specific research methods you've used and provide examples of how user insights directly influenced your design decisions.
• "How do you approach designing for different platforms (web vs. mobile) and ensuring a consistent experience?" - Talk about responsive design principles and how you leverage design systems.
• "How do you balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints in your design process?" - Provide examples of navigating trade-offs and collaborating with product and engineering.

Company Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in Motorway and the used car market?" - Research Motorway's business, mission, and recent news. Show genuine interest in the industry and the specific challenges they are solving.
• "Describe a time you mentored a junior designer. What was their growth path, and how did you support them?" - Share specific examples of your mentorship style and impact.
• "How do you give and receive design feedback effectively?" - Discuss your approach to design critiques and collaborative feedback sessions.
• "How do you contribute to fostering a positive design culture within a team?" - Talk about your involvement in team rituals, workshops, or knowledge sharing.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure your presentation around 2-3 key case studies that best demonstrate your Lead-level experience, focusing on complex projects with measurable impact.
• For each case study, use a clear narrative structure: Problem -> Your Role & Team -> Process (Research, Ideation, Iteration, Testing) -> Solution -> Outcome/Impact.
• Highlight your leadership within the project, how you guided the design direction, and how you collaborated with cross-functional partners.
• Be prepared to deep-dive into specific design decisions and explain your rationale clearly and concisely.
• Practice your presentation to ensure smooth transitions and adherence to any time limits.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link.
• Carefully review your portfolio. Curate your case studies to highlight your experience leading projects, your user-centered process, and your impact, particularly on B2C or marketplace products. Ensure your case studies clearly articulate your role and contributions as a Lead.
• Optimize your resume for ATS by incorporating relevant keywords from the "ATS Keywords" section, ensuring your experience and skills align with the requirements listed. Highlight your experience in leadership, mentorship, and working with cross-functional teams.
• Prepare for the interview process by practicing walking through your key portfolio case studies, anticipating questions about your process, collaboration style, and impact. Consider potential design challenges related to marketplaces or B2C platforms.
• Research Motorway thoroughly. Understand their business model, target users (sellers and dealers), recent product developments, and company culture. Be prepared to articulate why you are specifically interested in joining their team.