📍 Job Overview
Job Title: Senior UX / UI Designer - Ecommerce
Company: Swanky
Location: Exeter, Devon (Remote)
Job Type: Full-time
Category: UI/UX Design, Ecommerce Design, Product Design
Date Posted: 2025-06-15T00:00:00
Experience Level: Senior (4-5+ years)
Remote Status: Hybrid or Remote (UK-based)
🎨 Role Summary
- Lead the design of high-fidelity, commercially effective ecommerce websites for a diverse portfolio of international brands, focusing on both aesthetics and conversion optimization.
- Drive user experience improvements across the entire customer journey, from initial site interaction to post-purchase touchpoints like email campaigns and digital advertising assets.
- Collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams, including clients, project managers, and developers, to translate business goals and user needs into compelling digital experiences.
- Contribute significantly to the evolution of internal design standards, methodologies, and design systems, fostering a culture of design excellence and continuous improvement within the team.
🖼️ Primary Responsibilities
- Design and iterate on high-fidelity user interfaces and experiences for ecommerce websites, ensuring alignment with brand guidelines and conversion best practices.
- Conduct user research activities, including creating user personas, defining user journeys, and developing sitemaps to inform design decisions and optimize user flows.
- Develop wireframes and interactive prototypes to visualize design concepts, gather feedback, and validate solutions with internal teams and clients.
- Collaborate closely with development teams throughout the implementation phase, providing detailed specifications, conducting design QA, and ensuring design integrity is maintained.
- Design digital marketing assets, including social media ads and email templates, ensuring consistent brand messaging and optimized performance for retained clients.
- Participate in design critiques, share knowledge, and contribute to the development and maintenance of internal design systems and best practices.
- Communicate design decisions and rationale effectively to clients and internal stakeholders, building rapport and managing expectations.
🎓 Skills & Qualifications
Education: While a specific degree isn't explicitly stated, a background in Design, HCI, or a related field is typically beneficial. Demonstrated experience and a strong portfolio are paramount.
Experience: 4-5+ years of professional experience in digital design, with a significant focus on ecommerce platforms and a proven track record showcased in a comprehensive portfolio.
Required Skills:
- Proven expertise in digital design principles, including typography, layout, and color theory, applied effectively in an ecommerce context.
- Strong understanding of user experience (UX) principles and methodologies, with the ability to translate insights into design solutions that drive conversion.
- High proficiency in Figma for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration.
- Excellent problem-solving skills with a flexible and adaptable approach to design challenges.
- Confident and clear communication skills, capable of presenting design concepts and rationale to clients and internal teams.
- A keen interest in ecommerce trends, social media, and digital marketing strategies.
Preferred Skills:
- Advanced Figma techniques, including the use of variables, design tokens, and complex responsive layouts.
- Experience with animation tools (e.g., Lottie, After Effects) for creating engaging micro-interactions and digital assets.
- Proven experience across the full design lifecycle, from discovery and wireframing to UI design and quality assurance (QA).
- Experience customizing and working with Shopify themes and the Shopify platform.
- Interest in and exploration of how AI can be integrated into design workflows and enhance user experience.
- Previous experience working in a digital agency or within an in-house ecommerce team.
🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Showcase a strong portfolio specifically demonstrating expertise in designing ecommerce front-end experiences.
- Include detailed case studies that articulate your design process, from initial problem definition and research through to final design solutions and their impact.
- Present high-fidelity visuals that highlight your skills in typography, layout, and color theory, demonstrating a strong visual design sensibility.
- Where applicable, include examples of interactive prototypes or motion design elements to showcase technical and creative capabilities.
Process Documentation:
- For each case study, clearly document the research and discovery phases, including user insights, competitive analysis, and any initial findings that informed your approach.
- Illustrate your ideation and iteration process, showing sketches, wireframes, and early design concepts that led to the final solution.
- Describe your validation and testing approaches, explaining how user feedback or data influenced design decisions and improvements.
💵 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: Competitive Salary DOE (Depending on Experience). Based on industry standards for a Senior UX/UI Designer in the UK with 4-5+ years of experience, particularly with ecommerce and agency background, the estimated salary range is typically between £45,000 and £65,000 annually. This range can vary based on exact experience, location within the UK, and the specific skills brought to the role. Research included data from similar senior design roles on major UK job boards and salary aggregators for the Exeter/Devon and broader UK remote markets.
Benefits:
- 30 days holiday per year (inclusive of bank holidays), with an additional day accrued for each full year of service, up to a maximum of 5 extra days.
- Flexible working hours to support work-life balance and accommodate creative workflows.
- Provision of a MacBook Pro or alternative tech of your choice to ensure you have the necessary tools.
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme offering 24/7 support for personal and professional challenges.
- Opportunities to work with ambitious, internationally recognized brands on high-profile ecommerce projects.
- Occasional opportunities for travel to client meetings and industry conferences.
- A supportive and creative team culture with regular social events and clear opportunities for professional growth and development.
Working Hours: Full-time role with flexible hours, allowing for adaptation to project needs and personal productivity peaks common in creative roles.
🎯Team & Company Context
🏢 Company & Design Culture
Industry: IT Services and IT Consulting, specializing in creating compelling digital experiences for international brands on the Shopify platform, with a strong focus on ecommerce and conversion optimization.
Company Size: Swanky is a company with 51-200 employees (LinkedIn), suggesting a well-established but still agile organization where individual contributions have significant impact. For design professionals, this often means exposure to a variety of projects and direct collaboration across departments.
Founded: Founded in 2010, Swanky has over a decade of experience as a Shopify partner, indicating a deep understanding of the ecommerce landscape and a history of sustained growth and expertise in the design and development of online stores.
Team Structure:
- The design team likely works closely with project managers, developers, and marketing specialists to deliver integrated ecommerce solutions.
- Reporting structure is likely within a design or creative department, potentially reporting to a Design Lead or Creative Director.
- Strong emphasis on cross-functional collaboration, given the agency model and the need to work with clients, internal teams, and external stakeholders.
Methodology:
- Likely employs a user-centered design approach, incorporating research, ideation, prototyping, and testing throughout the project lifecycle.
- Utilizes design thinking principles to solve complex ecommerce challenges and create innovative solutions.
- Employs iterative design processes, allowing for continuous feedback and refinement based on performance data and user insights.
Company Website: http://www.swankyagency.com
📈 Career & Growth Analysis
Design Career Level: This is a Senior-level design role, indicating expectations of significant autonomy, leadership in design projects, and the ability to mentor or guide more junior designers. The scope of responsibility involves leading design efforts on key client projects and contributing to internal design standards.
Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Design Lead, Creative Director, or potentially a Head of Delivery or similar role, depending on the exact organizational structure. This suggests a position within a design hierarchy with opportunities for influence and contribution to strategic design direction.
Design Impact: Design plays a critical role at Swanky, directly impacting client revenue and brand equity through conversion optimization and compelling user experiences. Senior designers have a direct influence on the success of high-profile ecommerce sites and digital marketing campaigns.
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential for advancement to a Design Lead or management position, taking on more responsibility for team guidance and project oversight.
- Opportunities to specialize in specific areas of ecommerce design, such as conversion rate optimization (CRO), mobile commerce, or emerging technologies like AI in design.
- Growth through leading complex or strategic client projects, expanding your portfolio with high-impact case studies.
🌐 Work Environment
Studio Type: The company offers flexibility with options for working from their beautiful Exeter HQ, a hybrid arrangement, or fully remote within the UK. The Exeter HQ is described as having amenities like free drinks and snacks, suggesting a comfortable and potentially collaborative physical space.
Office Location(s): Primary location is Exeter, Devon, UK. Remote work is an option for candidates based anywhere in the UK.
Design Workspace Context:
- The work environment is designed to support both focused individual work and collaborative team efforts, whether in the physical office or through effective remote collaboration tools.
- Access to necessary design tools and technology (MacBook Pro or choice of tech) is provided to ensure designers can work effectively regardless of location.
- Regular team socials and a supportive culture aim to foster connection and collaboration among designers and the wider team, even in a distributed setting.
Work Schedule: Full-time role with flexible hours, allowing designers to manage their time effectively while meeting project deadlines and client requirements.
📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process
Design Interview Process:
- Initial screening to assess basic qualifications and experience.
- Portfolio review to evaluate the quality of work, design process, and relevance to ecommerce. Be prepared to walk through key case studies, explaining your rationale and impact.
- Technical interview or design challenge to assess problem-solving skills, tool proficiency (especially Figma), and ability to apply design principles to real-world scenarios.
- Cultural fit interview with team members or leadership to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and alignment with company values.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Curate your portfolio to prominently feature your strongest ecommerce design projects, highlighting your role and contribution.
- Structure case studies clearly, outlining the problem, process (research, ideation, testing), solution, and measurable impact (e.g., conversion rate improvements, AOV increase).
- Ensure high-quality visuals that demonstrate your mastery of UI design principles.
- Be prepared to discuss your design decisions in detail and articulate your rationale clearly.
Challenge Preparation:
- Familiarize yourself with common ecommerce design challenges (e.g., optimizing product pages, improving checkout flow, mobile responsiveness).
- Practice working within time constraints and articulating your thought process as you work through a design problem.
- Be ready to explain your design choices and how they address user needs and business goals.
ATS Keywords: Ecommerce Design, UX Design, UI Design, Figma, Shopify, Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), User Research, Wireframing, Prototyping, Usability Testing, Information Architecture, Interaction Design, Visual Design, Typography, Layout, Color Theory, Digital Marketing, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, InVision, Design Systems, Agile, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Communication, Agency Experience, Senior Designer, Product Design, Digital Strategy, Front-end Design, User Journeys, Sitemaps, Case Studies, Portfolio, User-Centered Design, Responsive Design, Accessibility, A/B Testing, Analytics, Retail Design, Brand Identity, Digital Asset Design.
🛠 Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Design Tools:
- Figma: Required proficiency for UI design, prototyping, and collaborative design workflows. Expect to utilize its features for responsive design, component creation, and team library management.
- Animation Tools (e.g., Lottie, After Effects): Preferred experience with tools for creating micro-interactions, animated elements, and potentially digital ad assets to enhance user engagement.
Collaboration & Handoff:
- Tools for seamless collaboration with project managers, developers, and clients are essential. This may include project management software, communication platforms (e.g., Slack), and design handoff tools integrated with Figma.
- Emphasis on clear design specifications and documentation to facilitate smooth handoff to development teams.
Research & Testing:
- Experience with tools or methodologies for user research, gathering insights, and potentially conducting usability testing to inform design decisions.
- Familiarity with analytics platforms to understand user behavior and measure the impact of design changes is beneficial for conversion optimization.
👥 Team Culture & Values
Design Values:
- A strong emphasis on creating commercially effective design that drives conversions and contributes directly to client success.
- Valuing smart UX and striking design equally, understanding the importance of both functionality and aesthetics in ecommerce.
- A culture of continuous improvement, contributing to internal design standards and methodologies.
- Encouraging creative problem-solving and a flexible mindset to tackle diverse design challenges.
Collaboration Style:
- Close collaboration with internal teams (PMs, developers) and external clients is central to the workflow.
- A supportive and creative team environment where feedback is encouraged and shared learning is valued.
- Regular social events suggest a focus on building strong team relationships and fostering a positive work atmosphere.
⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Design Challenges:
- Balancing striking visual design with optimal user experience and conversion goals on diverse ecommerce platforms.
- Working with a variety of international brands, each with unique requirements and brand guidelines, requiring adaptability and strong communication skills.
- Staying ahead of evolving ecommerce trends, design technologies (including AI), and user behaviors to deliver innovative solutions.
- Effectively communicating complex design concepts and rationale to clients with varying levels of design understanding.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Opportunities to deepen expertise in ecommerce design, conversion rate optimization (CRO), and platform-specific design (Shopify).
- Exposure to a wide range of industries and brand challenges, expanding your design portfolio and problem-solving capabilities.
- Potential to explore the integration of AI and other emerging technologies into design workflows.
- Support for attending industry conferences and workshops to stay updated on design trends and best practices.
💡 Interview Preparation
Design Process Questions:
- Be ready to discuss your end-to-end design process for an ecommerce project, from discovery to delivery. Use examples from your portfolio to illustrate your approach.
- Prepare to discuss how you collaborate with stakeholders (clients, PMs, developers) throughout the design process.
- Be ready to articulate how you approach problem-solving in design and how you use research and data to inform your decisions.
Company Culture Questions:
- Research Swanky's values and recent work. Be prepared to discuss why you are interested in working specifically at Swanky and how your values align with their focus on commercial effectiveness and striking design.
- Ask questions about the design team structure, collaboration style, and how design fits within the overall agency workflow.
- Inquire about opportunities for professional development and how the company supports designers in staying current with industry trends.
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Select 2-3 of your strongest ecommerce case studies that demonstrate your process, problem-solving skills, and the impact of your design work.
- For each case study, clearly articulate the challenge, your role, your process, key design decisions, and the outcome or impact.
- Practice presenting your portfolio concisely and engagingly, focusing on the story behind the designs and your rationale.
📌 Application Steps
To apply for this design position:
- Submit your application through this link.
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your specific experience in ecommerce design and your proficiency in Figma and other relevant tools.
- Curate your online portfolio to showcase your strongest ecommerce case studies, ensuring each project clearly outlines your process and impact.
- Prepare to discuss your portfolio in detail during the interview process, focusing on your design rationale and problem-solving approach.
- Research Swanky's work and clients to demonstrate your understanding of their business and how your skills can contribute to their success.