Senior UX/UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX/UI Designer

Company: PA Consulting

Location: London, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UI/UX Design, Service Design, Consulting

Date Posted: June 11, 2025

Experience Level: Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (minimum 2 days per week in office/client site)

🎨 Role Summary

• Lead complex UX/UI and Service Design projects from strategic conception through to tangible execution for a diverse portfolio of private and public sector clients.
• Combine strategic thinking, customer-centric service design methodologies, and agile practices to deliver impactful and innovative digital solutions.
• Drive design excellence, ensuring the delivery of high-quality design deliverables across the entire design lifecycle while managing project timelines and risks.
• Act as a design consultant, balancing internal project contributions with client-facing deliverables, and effectively communicating design decisions and rationale to senior stakeholders.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

• Lead complex design projects, encompassing UX, UI, and Service Design, managing assignments from strategy to execution and ensuring successful outcomes.
• Produce exceptional design deliverables, including wireframes, prototypes, user flows, journey maps, and high-fidelity UI designs, maintaining a high standard of quality and innovation.
• Drive innovation within design projects, exploring and integrating emerging technologies and current trends in service design to create forward-thinking solutions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with senior clients, acting as a trusted design advisor and effectively communicating design decisions and their business impact.
• Mentor and develop design colleagues, fostering a collaborative and inclusive team environment that promotes excellence and continuous learning.
• Contribute to business development activities, including leading and contributing to proposals, pitches, and senior client conversations to secure new design opportunities.
• Balance internal PA Consulting projects with client-facing deliverables, ensuring seamless integration of design and broader business objectives.
• Work cross-functionally with product, engineering, and other expert teams within an agile framework, participating in activities like whiteboarding sessions and asynchronous communication.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated as a strict requirement, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is typically preferred for a Senior UX/UI Designer role in a consulting firm. Relevant professional certifications in UX, Service Design, or Agile methodologies would also be highly beneficial.

Experience: Proven track record as a Senior UX/UI Designer with 5-10 years of experience, specifically within a client-facing role at an agency or consultancy. Demonstrated experience leading complex design projects from strategy through delivery and owning assignment outcomes is essential. A strong portfolio showcasing successful service and product design projects for diverse clients is critical.

Required Skills:

• Senior-level expertise in UX Design, including user research, information architecture, user flows, wireframing, and usability testing.
• Senior-level expertise in UI Design, including visual design principles, interaction design, prototyping, and creating high-fidelity mockups.
• Extensive experience in Service Design methodologies, including journey mapping, service blueprints, stakeholder mapping, and designing end-to-end service experiences.
• Strong proficiency in Agile methodologies and experience working in cross-functional agile teams.
• Proven ability to lead complex design projects, manage medium-sized assignments, structure workstreams, and identify and manage project risks.
• Exceptional client relationship management skills, with experience building and maintaining strong relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical problem-solving abilities.
• Demonstrated experience in business development, including leading and contributing to proposals and pitches.
• Experience mentoring and developing junior to mid-level design colleagues.
• Comfort and experience working across multiple industry sectors (e.g., Consumer & Manufacturing, Public Sector, Defence & Security, Energy & Utilities, Financial Services, Transport).

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with current trends in emerging technologies such as AI, automation, and digital transformation and their implications for design.
• Experience with the UK Government Service Standard.
• Proficiency in advanced design tools and software relevant to UX, UI, and Service Design (specific tools not listed but highly implied).
• Experience contributing to or leading the development of design systems.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Your portfolio should prominently feature case studies of complex UX/UI and Service Design projects where you played a senior or lead role, demonstrating your strategic thinking and end-to-end design process.
• Include examples of work for diverse clients, ideally across some of the sectors PA Consulting operates within (e.g., public sector, financial services, manufacturing).
• Showcase your ability to translate complex client challenges into structured workstreams and deliver tangible, impactful design outcomes.
• Present high-quality visual design deliverables alongside evidence of user research, ideation, prototyping, and testing phases.

Process Documentation:

• Detailed documentation of your design process within each case study is critical, highlighting your approach to user research, stakeholder interviews, and problem definition.
• Clearly articulate your methods for ideation, concept development, prototyping, and iterative design based on feedback.
• Demonstrate your approach to validating design solutions through usability testing, user feedback, and performance metrics.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: While a specific salary range is not provided in the job description, based on typical Senior UX/UI Designer salaries in London, UK, within a consulting firm of PA Consulting's size and reputation, the estimated salary range is likely to be between £65,000 and £90,000 per annum. This range can vary based on exact experience level, specific skill set, and negotiation. This estimate is based on market data from similar roles in the London area for senior-level designers with consulting experience.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health and lifestyle perks, including private healthcare for the employee and their family.
• 25 days of annual leave, with an additional half day on Christmas Eve, and the option to purchase up to 5 additional days.
• Generous company pension scheme to support long-term financial planning.
• Opportunities to engage in community and charity-based initiatives, aligning with company values.
• Annual performance-based bonus, rewarding individual and company success.
• PA share ownership opportunities, allowing employees to have a stake in the company's success.
• Access to tax-efficient benefits such as Cycle to Work scheme and Give As You Earn.
• Budget for professional development, including technical and non-technical training courses and certifications.

Working Hours: The standard working week is expected to be full-time, likely around 40 hours per week. The role requires hybrid working with a minimum of 2 days per week either in the office (London or Manchester) or on a client site. Flexibility may be required based on client needs and project phases, potentially involving more time on client site (up to 5 days per week). The company promotes a trust-based, flexible environment.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: PA Consulting operates across a diverse range of industries, including Consumer & Manufacturing, Defence & Security, Energy & Utilities, Financial Services, Government & Public Services, Health & Life Sciences, and Transport. This diversity provides designers with exposure to a wide array of complex challenges and client contexts.

Company Size: PA Consulting is a large global consulting firm with over 4,000 strategists, innovators, designers, consultants, digital experts, scientists, engineers, and technologists. For design professionals, this size implies access to extensive resources, a large network of experts across disciplines, and opportunities to work on large-scale, impactful projects.

Founded: PA Consulting was founded in 1943, giving it a long history and established presence in the consulting landscape. This history suggests a stable organization with deep industry knowledge and a track record of delivering complex projects.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UX/UI Designer will be part of the Digital & Data community, working alongside product managers, engineers, and other experts in cross-disciplinary teams.
• The role involves leading and managing medium-sized assignments, indicating a level of responsibility for project outcomes and team guidance.
• Collaboration is emphasized, with expectations to work cross-functionally with multiple teams and stakeholders, both internally and on client sites.

Methodology:

• The company utilizes agile best practices in its project delivery.
• Emphasis on customer-centric service design approaches.
• The description mentions live in-person whiteboarding sessions for problem-solving, alongside asynchronous communication tools like Teams.

Company Website: https://www.paconsulting.com/

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This is a Senior-level design role, indicating a requirement for significant experience (5-10 years) and the ability to lead complex projects independently. Senior Designers at PA Consulting are expected to be both visionary and pragmatic, capable of shaping design approaches and influencing client decisions.

Reporting Structure: While the direct reporting structure isn't explicitly detailed, the role involves working within the Digital & Data community and collaborating with PA leaders. Senior Designers typically report to a Design Lead, Design Manager, or potentially a Partner within the consulting structure.

Design Impact: Design at PA Consulting appears to have a significant impact, as Senior Designers are expected to lead and deliver complex projects, contribute to business development, and shape client decisions. The focus on "bringing ingenuity to life" through innovative software solutions suggests design is central to their client offerings.

Growth Opportunities:

• Opportunity to progress on a technical career track within design, without the necessity of moving into a Partner role if not desired.
• Deepen expertise through a culture of learning and growth, with a budget for technical and non-technical training and certifications.
• Opportunities to mentor and develop other design colleagues, building leadership skills.
• Exposure to a broad variety of projects and sectors, allowing for diverse skill development and specialization.
• Potential to contribute to creating new client offers and enhancing existing ones, fostering business development and strategic growth.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: The primary work environment is a hybrid model, combining time in PA Consulting offices (London or Manchester) and on client sites. This suggests a dynamic environment that requires adaptability to different client locations and working styles.

Office Location(s): The main locations mentioned are London (Bressenden Place) and Manchester (York St). These offices likely serve as hubs for team collaboration and internal meetings when not on client site.

Design Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model implies a mix of collaborative time in physical offices/client sites and potentially some remote work flexibility (though minimum in-office days are specified).
• In-person whiteboarding sessions are mentioned, indicating a preference for interactive, collaborative problem-solving when teams are together.
• The diverse office locations and client sites mean designers will likely experience varied working environments depending on their project assignments.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time with a hybrid working approach. A minimum of two days per week are required in the office or on a client site. The actual time spent and location will vary by role or assignment, with the possibility of spending up to 5 days per week on a client site depending on project needs. This requires flexibility and willingness to travel if client sites are not local to the designer's preferred office.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

• Round 1: Competency Interview (45 mins): Focuses on assessing core design and consulting competencies, likely including questions about past project experiences, collaboration skills, problem-solving approaches, and how you handle challenging situations. Prepare to discuss specific examples from your portfolio that demonstrate required skills.
• Round 2: Case Study Task (60 mins): This will likely involve a design challenge or a deep dive into a project from your portfolio. Be prepared to walk through your process, explain your design decisions, and articulate your rationale clearly and concisely within the time limit. Practice presenting complex information effectively.
• Final Round: Meeting with a PA Leader (60 mins): This stage will likely focus on assessing strategic fit, leadership potential, business acumen, and alignment with PA Consulting's values and culture. Be prepared to discuss your career aspirations, how you approach client relationships, and your perspective on the future of design in consulting.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate your portfolio to prominently feature projects relevant to the sectors PA Consulting serves and that showcase your experience in complex UX/UI and Service Design challenges.
• Structure case studies to clearly articulate the problem, your role and responsibilities, the process you followed, the key design decisions made (with rationale), and the impact or outcomes of your work. Quantify impact where possible.
• Focus on demonstrating your strategic thinking, client collaboration skills, and ability to lead projects from conception to delivery.
• Be prepared to discuss the challenges you faced in each project and how you overcame them, highlighting your problem-solving skills.
• Ensure your portfolio is easily navigable and visually appealing, reflecting your UI design skills.

Challenge Preparation:

• Review common design case study formats used in consulting interviews. Practice structuring your thoughts and presenting a logical, well-articulated design process under time pressure.
• Be prepared to discuss your approach to user research, stakeholder management, iterative design, and how you would measure the success of your design solutions.
• Practice articulating your design rationale clearly and persuasively, as you will need to "take clients on a journey through design decisions."
• Research PA Consulting's work and values to tailor your approach and demonstrate understanding of their consulting context.

ATS Keywords: UX Design, UI Design, Service Design, Consulting, Agile, Client Management, Strategic Thinking, Innovation, Leadership, Mentoring, Problem Solving, Analytical Thinking, Collaboration, Business Development, Design Tools, Emerging Technologies, Digital Transformation, Case Study, Portfolio, User Research, Wireframing, Prototyping, Usability Testing, Journey Mapping, Service Blueprint, Stakeholder Management, Proposals, Pitches, Cross-functional Teams, Public Sector, Financial Services, Consumer & Manufacturing, Defence & Security, Energy & Utilities, Health & Life Sciences, Transport.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

• While specific tools are not listed, proficiency in industry-standard design tools for UX/UI work is essential. This would typically include tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or Axure RP for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design.
• Experience with tools for creating user flows and journey maps (e.g., Miro, Mural, Lucidchart) is also expected.
• Proficiency in presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote) is crucial for client presentations and internal communication.

Collaboration & Handoff:

• Experience with collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams (explicitly mentioned) is required for communication and asynchronous collaboration.
• Familiarity with design handoff tools (e.g., Zeplin, Abstract, Figma's developer handoff features) for effective collaboration with engineering teams is beneficial.
• Knowledge of documentation tools for maintaining design systems and style guides is valuable.

Research & Testing:

• Experience with tools or methods for conducting user research (e.g., user interviews, surveys) and gathering user insights.
• Familiarity with usability testing platforms or approaches for validating design solutions.
• Understanding of how to use analytics data (e.g., Google Analytics, product analytics tools) to inform design decisions and measure impact is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

• Ingenuity: A core value at PA Consulting, emphasizing innovative thinking and finding breakthrough solutions for complex challenges. For designers, this means pushing creative boundaries and exploring new approaches.
• Collaboration: The culture emphasizes working in interdisciplinary teams and collaborating effectively across different expert areas (product, engineering, etc.) and with clients.
• Excellence and Quality: There is a focus on delivering exceptional design deliverables and maintaining high standards in all aspects of work.
• Curiosity and Learning: The company promotes a culture of continuous learning and growth, encouraging designers to deepen their expertise and explore new areas.
• Inclusion and Diversity: PA Consulting is committed to building an inclusive environment that values human difference and diverse mindsets.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional collaboration is key, working closely with product managers, engineers, and other experts.
• The mention of whiteboarding sessions suggests a preference for interactive, in-person problem-solving when possible.
• Effective communication, both synchronous (Teams calls, meetings) and asynchronous (Teams messages), is expected.
• A collaborative leadership style is valued, with an emphasis on mentoring and developing team members.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

• Navigating diverse industry sectors: Working across multiple sectors requires adaptability and the ability to quickly understand different business contexts, user needs, and regulatory environments.
• Balancing consulting demands with design execution: Effectively managing client relationships, business development activities, and internal contributions while ensuring high-quality design output can be demanding.
• Solving complex, ambiguous problems: Consulting projects often involve tackling ill-defined problems that require significant strategic thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
• Leading and mentoring teams: As a Senior Designer, effectively leading project teams and mentoring junior colleagues requires strong leadership and interpersonal skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX, UI, or Service Design, or to explore areas like emerging technologies (AI, automation).
• Consulting Skills: Enhance consulting skills through client interaction, proposal development, and strategic influence.
• Leadership Development: Grow leadership capabilities by leading projects and mentoring team members.
• Formal Training: Access to budget for technical and non-technical training courses and certifications.
• Industry Exposure: Gain broad experience working across a variety of complex projects and industry sectors.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

• Be prepared to discuss your end-to-end design process for a complex project, from initial problem framing and research through to final delivery and impact measurement. Use specific examples from your portfolio.
• Explain how you adapt your design process based on project constraints, client needs, and agile methodologies.
• Discuss your approach to user research, including the methods you use and how you synthesize findings to inform design decisions.
• Describe how you handle design critiques and incorporate feedback into your iterative design process.
• Walk through a challenging design problem you've faced and how you approached solving it, highlighting your analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Company Culture Questions:

• Research PA Consulting's recent projects, clients, and thought leadership, particularly within the Digital & Data space and the sectors they operate in.
• Be prepared to discuss how your values and working style align with PA Consulting's culture of ingenuity, collaboration, and excellence.
• Ask thoughtful questions about the design team structure, collaboration practices, and how design contributes to strategic decision-making within the firm.
• Enquire about opportunities for professional development and mentorship within the Digital & Data community.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 2-3 strong case studies that best showcase your senior-level experience, strategic thinking, and ability to deliver impactful solutions for clients.
• For each case study, clearly articulate the client challenge, your specific role and responsibilities, the design process you followed, the key design decisions and rationale, and the tangible outcomes or impact of your work.
• Emphasize your collaboration with clients and cross-functional teams throughout the project.
• Be prepared to articulate the business value of your design solutions and how they addressed the client's needs and objectives.
• Practice presenting your case studies concisely and engagingly within the allotted time, being ready to answer detailed questions about your process and decisions.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

• Submit your application through this link.
• Tailor your resume to highlight your senior-level UX/UI and Service Design experience, specifically emphasizing client-facing roles, project leadership, and experience across diverse sectors. Incorporate relevant ATS keywords.
• Prepare a compelling portfolio that showcases your strongest case studies of complex projects, demonstrating your strategic thinking, design process, collaboration skills, and the impact of your work.
• Customize your cover letter to explain your interest in PA Consulting and this specific role, highlighting how your skills and experience align with the requirements and the consulting environment.
• Research PA Consulting's work and values thoroughly to prepare for interviews and demonstrate your understanding of their business and consulting approach.