Principal Product Designer (12 month FTC - Mat Cover)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Principal Product Designer (12 month FTC - Mat Cover) Company: ClearScore Technology Limited Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom / London, England, United Kingdom Job Type: Temporary / Contractor Category: Product Design / Service Design Date Posted: 2026-02-20T09:44:38 Experience Level: 10+ Years (Principal Level) Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This Principal Product Designer role is a critical 12-month fixed-term contract covering maternity leave, focusing on complex problem spaces within ClearScore's "Upstream" mission.
• The position requires a senior designer to lead discovery, set strategic design direction, and shape user experiences aimed at improving financial understanding and decision-making for users.
• A key aspect of this role is acting as interim Service Design Lead, strengthening service thinking across the design community and fostering a shared understanding of end-to-end customer journeys.
• The role demands a high degree of autonomy and comfort influencing C-suite executives through compelling research, data insights, and persuasive storytelling to drive design-led decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically for a Principal Product Designer. While the input data comes from a general job listing, the output is tailored to the nuances of "Revenue Operations," "Sales Operations," and "GTM" roles by emphasizing strategic impact, cross-functional collaboration, and data-driven decision-making, which are core tenets of these operations functions. The emphasis on "Credit Health" and "financial decisions" is interpreted as a proxy for driving measurable business outcomes and user value, akin to how operations roles drive revenue or efficiency.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end product evolution cycles, from deep discovery and ideation through to handover to platform partners, ensuring alignment with business strategy and user needs.
• Define and clarify complex problem spaces, establishing clear design principles and measurable success metrics for owned initiatives.
• Drive the development and execution of high-impact initiatives focused on enhancing users' "Credit Health," directly solving user problems and contributing to business objectives.
• Act as interim Service Design Lead, championing and embedding service design thinking into problem framing and solution delivery across design teams.
• Regularly present design direction, strategic rationale, and user insights to the CEO and other C-level executives, facilitating data-led trade-offs and confident decision-making.
• Adapt swiftly to new insights and evolving strategic directions, maintaining dynamic workflow in a fast-paced environment through regular leadership check-ins.
• Invent novel interaction patterns and maintain complex information architecture diagrams and user flows to ensure cohesive and scalable product experiences.
• Collaborate daily with Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, Data Analysts, and Content Designers to deliver high-quality, integrated solutions.
• Provide design leadership within cross-functional squads, elevating design quality through constructive critique, mentorship, and leading by example.
• Shape the responsible and user-centered application of AI within the product to enhance user understanding and decision-making capabilities.
• Design for global scale across diverse markets (UK, South Africa, Canada, Australia), ensuring adaptability while respecting regulatory and cultural nuances.
• Travel internationally to gain contextual understanding for scaling experiences across markets, informing global design strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are framed to highlight the strategic, cross-functional, and impact-oriented nature of a Principal Product Designer role, drawing parallels to high-level operations roles. The emphasis on "solving user needs and aligning to business strategy" is directly transferable to operations goals like revenue growth or efficiency improvements. The "interim Service Design Lead" aspect highlights leadership and process improvement, akin to operations leadership.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in Product Design, with a significant portion at a Principal or Lead level, demonstrating expertise in complex, data-heavy, or regulated environments.

Required Skills:

• Systems Thinking: Deep ability to connect product experiences with operational, commercial, and technical realities, understanding interdependencies.
• Ambiguity Navigation: Proven comfort and effectiveness in leading self and others through uncertainty with clarity, confidence, and strategic direction.
• C-Suite Influence: Demonstrated success in influencing senior executives (including C-suite) through insightful research, structured reasoning, and persuasive storytelling.
• Research Proficiency: Extensive experience planning and executing multi-method user research, translating complex learnings into actionable design artifacts and compelling insights.
• Service Design Capabilities: Strong practical experience in mapping, analyzing, and evolving complex end-to-end customer journeys, identifying service opportunities.
• Rapid Prototyping: Skill in utilizing low-to-high fidelity prototypes, including AI-assisted tools, to rapidly validate hypotheses and iterate on design solutions.
• Data-Driven Design: Ability to leverage data analysis and user insights to inform design decisions and measure impact.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Proven ability to partner effectively with Product Management, Engineering, Research, Data, and Content teams to deliver cohesive solutions.
• Design Leadership: Experience providing design leadership within squads, fostering quality through critique, mentorship, and setting high standards.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working in regulated domains such as FinTech, credit, financial services, or open banking.
• Familiarity with AI tools and their application in enhancing user experience and decision-making.
• Experience designing for international markets, understanding regulatory and cultural nuances.
• Knowledge of information architecture and complex user flow design.
• Ability to invent new interaction patterns.

📝 Enhancement Note: The skills are framed to emphasize strategic thinking, data utilization, stakeholder management, and process ownership, which are critical for operations professionals. Skills like "Systems Thinking," "Ambiguity Navigation," and "C-Suite Influence" are directly analogous to high-level operations roles that require strategic problem-solving and executive communication. "Research Proficiency" and "Service Design Capabilities" are interpreted as the foundational elements for understanding and optimizing complex processes and user journeys, similar to operations analysis.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies Demonstrating Impact: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies that highlight your process from problem definition through to shipped solutions, focusing on the impact of your design decisions on user behavior and business outcomes.
• Problem Framing & Discovery: Evidence of how you tackled ambiguous problem spaces, conducted user research (qualitative and quantitative), and synthesized insights to define the core user needs and business objectives.
• Strategic Design Direction: Examples of how you set design principles, defined information architecture, and created user flows for complex systems or features.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Artifacts or descriptions illustrating your collaboration with Product, Engineering, and Data teams to bring designs to life, showcasing your role in the end-to-end delivery process.
• Service Design Thinking: Demonstrations of your ability to map and analyze end-to-end customer journeys, identify service gaps, and propose improvements that enhance the overall customer experience.
• Stakeholder Communication: Evidence of presenting design rationale, research findings, and strategic direction to senior leadership (C-suite level), demonstrating persuasive storytelling and data-backed arguments.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Showcase examples of how you've designed or optimized workflows, user journeys, or information architecture to improve efficiency, clarity, and user satisfaction.
• Research Synthesis & Application: Document how you translate research findings into actionable design strategies and product decisions, demonstrating a clear link between insight and outcome.
• System Implementation & Handoff: Illustrate your process for handing off designs to engineering, including the creation of detailed specifications, design systems, and collaboration to ensure accurate implementation.
• Metrics & ROI Demonstration: Provide examples of how you've defined key performance indicators (KPIs) for design initiatives and measured their impact, demonstrating a focus on return on investment and business value.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are tailored to showcase the strategic thinking, process optimization, and measurable impact expected from a Principal Product Designer, mirroring the expectations for a senior operations professional. The emphasis on "problem framing," "workflow design," "metrics and ROI," and "stakeholder communication" directly aligns with core operations competencies.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given this is a 12-month FTC (Fixed-Term Contract) for a Principal-level role in London or Edinburgh, and based on industry benchmarks for senior design positions in the UK FinTech sector, the estimated salary range would be £80,000 - £110,000 per annum, pro-rated for the contract duration.

Benefits:

• Contract Duration: 12-month fixed-term contract.
• Holidays: 25 paid holidays annually, plus a "duvet day" on your birthday.
• Hybrid Work Environment: Flexible hybrid model with 2 days per week in the office.
• Health & Wellness:
  • Private health and dental cover through Bupa, including comprehensive mental health support.
  • Access to GP office visits for convenient medical consultations.
  • An in-house psychotherapist available for confidential support.
• Financial Well-being:
  • Life assurance scheme providing financial security.
  • Up to 6% matched pension contributions.
  • Access to a financial coach to assist with personal financial planning and goal achievement.
• Professional Development:
  • Continued investment in learning and development opportunities.
  • Leadership-led training programs.
  • Regular "Lunch and Learns" with guest speakers.
• Workplace Perks:
  • Dog-friendly office environment.
  • Daily breakfast and complimentary snacks provided.
  • Access to discounts through Cobens Extras.
  • Free sports and social clubs for employee engagement.
• Work Culture:
  • A "no clock-watching" culture that emphasizes outcomes over hours worked.
  • Transparent pay structure and a clear career growth plan.
• Family Support: Generous maternity and paternity plans.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, approximately 40 hours per week. The company promotes a "no clock-watching" culture, emphasizing flexibility and focusing on results rather than strict adherence to fixed hours, within the context of a hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is estimated based on UK market data for Principal Designer roles in FinTech, adjusted for contract positions. The benefits are listed comprehensively as provided in the source data, highlighting aspects beneficial to professionals seeking a stable and supportive work environment, including financial planning and continuous development opportunities relevant to operations career paths.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Technology (FinTech), specifically focused on credit scoring and financial health. ClearScore operates in a sector that is heavily regulated, data-intensive, and crucial for consumer financial well-being. Company Size: ClearScore is a rapidly growing scale-up, with over 20 million users globally. While specific employee numbers aren't provided, its expansion into multiple international markets suggests a significant and dynamic organization. Founded: October 2016. This relatively recent founding date indicates a modern, agile, and innovation-driven company culture.

Team Structure:

• The Design team is integral to ClearScore's "design-led and data-driven" approach. This Principal role will be part of the "Upstream" mission, suggesting a focus on early-stage product development and strategy.
• The role involves close collaboration with Product, Engineering, Research, and Data Analysts within cross-functional squads.
• As interim Service Design Lead, this individual will influence and guide the broader Design community, indicating a matrixed or community-of-practice approach to leadership.

Methodology:

• User-Centricity: A core philosophy, driving decisions to enable positive financial choices for users.
• Data-Driven: Heavy reliance on data analysis to inform product strategy and measure impact.
• Design-Led: Design thinking and user experience are central to product development and company strategy.
• Agile & Iterative: The fast-paced environment and focus on outcomes suggest an agile approach to product development and workflow management.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context is built from the provided description, emphasizing its FinTech focus, growth stage, and user-centric, data-driven culture. This information is crucial for operations candidates to understand the environment they would be joining, the industry dynamics, and the company's strategic priorities, which directly influence operations functions.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Principal (10+ years experience). This indicates a senior individual contributor role with significant strategic influence, leadership responsibilities, and a high degree of autonomy. It's a position typically focused on tackling the most complex problems and shaping the future direction of a discipline.

Reporting Structure: The role involves reporting to senior leadership (potentially Head of Design, CPO, or CEO, given the C-suite interaction requirement) and also acting as interim Service Design Lead, suggesting a dual reporting or influence structure. Day-to-day collaboration will be within cross-functional squads.

Operations Impact: This role has the potential to significantly impact the company's "Credit Health" mission by directly shaping user experiences that lead to better financial decisions. This translates to driving user engagement, retention, and potentially new revenue streams or partnerships by improving the core value proposition. The influence extends to shaping the company's strategic direction through C-suite presentations and data-led insights.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Stepping into an interim Service Design Lead role offers immediate leadership experience and the opportunity to influence team-wide processes and strategy.
• Strategic Impact: Directly contributing to a core company mission ("Upstream") and presenting to the CEO provides high visibility and the chance to shape major product initiatives.
• Skill Specialization: Deepening expertise in regulated financial domains, AI applications in product, and global design scaling presents opportunities for specialized career growth.
• Contract to Perm Potential: While a fixed-term contract, exceptional performance could lead to opportunities for permanent roles within ClearScore, given the company's growth trajectory.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career analysis is geared towards operations professionals by framing the "Principal" level as a strategic, high-impact role common in senior operations positions. The emphasis on "shaping the future direction," "driving user engagement/retention," and "influencing team-wide processes" aligns with the strategic contributions expected from operations leaders.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: ClearScore operates a hybrid work model, with offices in Edinburgh and London. The office environment is described as "dog-friendly" and equipped with facilities designed for productive interactions.

Office Location(s):

• Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
• London, England, United Kingdom

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Focus: Office days are optimized for team building, collaborative projects, and learning/mentorship opportunities, fostering synergy.
• Tools & Technology: While not explicitly detailed, it's implied that designers will have access to the necessary tools for prototyping, research synthesis, and collaboration within a tech-driven company.
• Team Interaction: Hybrid model encourages in-person interaction to maximize team connection and knowledge sharing, crucial for complex problem-solving in design and operations.

Work Schedule: The company promotes a "no clock-watching" culture, emphasizing flexibility. However, the hybrid model requires a minimum of 2 days per week in the office for this role (Levels 1-5). Office days are coordinated to maximize collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment description highlights elements relevant to operations professionals: the hybrid model's balance of flexibility and collaboration, the focus on productive interactions, and the emphasis on outcomes over strict hours, which resonates with operational efficiency principles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application review, potentially followed by a brief call with a recruiter to assess basic fit and understanding of the role.
• Portfolio Review & Discussion: A session with hiring managers or senior designers to present selected case studies. This will involve discussing your approach to problem-solving, discovery, design process, and impact.
• Design Challenge/Workshop: Likely a practical exercise or workshop, either take-home or live, to assess your systems thinking, service design skills, and ability to navigate ambiguity under timed conditions. This might involve critiquing an existing experience or proposing solutions to a defined problem.
• Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with Product, Engineering, and potentially senior leadership (including C-suite) to assess collaboration skills, strategic thinking, and ability to influence diverse stakeholders.
• Final Interview: A concluding discussion, possibly with a senior executive, to confirm overall fit, cultural alignment, and address any remaining questions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Impact: Select 2-3 strong case studies that best demonstrate your Principal-level capabilities, particularly in complex problem spaces, service design, and influencing stakeholders.
• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate: the problem, your role and responsibilities, the process undertaken (discovery, ideation, design, testing, iteration), the solutions, and most importantly, the measurable outcomes and impact.
• Highlight Systems & Service Thinking: Explicitly demonstrate how you connected product design to broader operational, commercial, and technical realities, and showcase your service design approach to end-to-end journeys.
• Showcase C-Suite Communication: Prepare to discuss how you've presented to and influenced senior leadership, using examples of structured thinking and persuasive storytelling.
• Be Prepared for Ambiguity: Practice articulating how you approach and bring clarity to uncertain or ill-defined problem spaces.
• Demonstrate AI Tool Proficiency: If applicable, showcase how you've leveraged AI tools responsibly and effectively in your design process.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: Thoroughly research ClearScore, its mission, target audience, and the FinTech landscape.
• Practice Systems & Service Design: Be ready to analyze complex systems, map user journeys, and identify opportunities for improvement, considering all touchpoints.
• Focus on Process & Rationale: Articulate your thought process clearly, explaining why you made certain decisions, especially when dealing with constraints or trade-offs.
• Prepare for Leadership Questions: Anticipate questions about leading others, mentoring, managing ambiguity, and influencing cross-functional teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process and preparation tips are framed to guide candidates on demonstrating the strategic, analytical, and communication skills vital for high-level operations roles, such as articulating process improvements, justifying decisions with data, and managing stakeholder expectations.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Proficiency in industry-standard tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), and prototyping tools (e.g., Principle, ProtoPie) is essential for creating high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes.
• AI Tools for Design: Familiarity and practical experience with emerging AI tools that can assist in design ideation, content generation, or rapid prototyping.
• Collaboration Platforms: Experience with tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar for day-to-day communication and cross-functional team interaction.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Analytics Platforms: Experience using tools such as Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or Pendo to understand user behavior, track key metrics, and inform design decisions.
• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or internal dashboards to interpret and present data insights effectively.
• Research Tools: Proficiency with user research platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback) and survey tools (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform).

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM/Automation role, understanding how product design integrates with the user lifecycle managed by CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and marketing automation platforms is beneficial for context. Awareness of how design impacts user onboarding, engagement, and retention funnels is key.
• Information Architecture Tools: Tools for mapping complex systems and user flows (e.g., Miro, Whimsical, Lucidchart).

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools and technology stack are listed to reflect common requirements in senior design roles, with an emphasis on platforms that support data analysis, process mapping, and collaboration, aligning with the technical proficiency expected in operations. The mention of CRM and automation provides a bridge to operations-specific toolsets.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A fundamental value driving all decisions, ensuring that user needs and financial well-being are paramount. This translates to a focus on delivering value and solving real problems for customers.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: A commitment to using data and insights to inform strategies, validate hypotheses, and measure the impact of initiatives. This mirrors the analytical rigor expected in operations.
• Design Leadership & Quality: A dedication to maintaining a high standard of design excellence, fostering continuous improvement, and elevating the practice within the organization.
• Collaboration & Transparency: An open environment where ideas are shared freely, feedback is constructive, and teams work together towards common goals, breaking down silos.
• Autonomy & Ownership: Trusting individuals to manage their work and take ownership of complex problem spaces, encouraging initiative and accountability.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: A strong emphasis on embedding designers within cross-functional squads (Product, Engineering, Research, Data) to ensure cohesive product development and shared understanding.
• Constructive Critique: A culture of providing and receiving feedback regularly through design critiques and reviews to foster learning and raise the bar on quality.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement of sharing best practices, learnings, and insights through mechanisms like Lunch and Learns and informal team discussions.
• Agile & Iterative Approach: Working dynamically and adapting to new insights, reflecting a flexible and iterative approach to problem-solving and project execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture and values are interpreted through the lens of a design-led organization, highlighting aspects like data-driven decision-making, collaboration, and ownership, which are highly transferable and critical for success in operations roles.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Tackling complex, ill-defined problem spaces within the "Upstream" mission requires strong strategic thinking and the ability to create clarity for oneself and others.
• Influencing Senior Stakeholders: Effectively communicating complex design rationale and driving consensus with C-suite executives demands sophisticated storytelling and data-backed arguments.
• Balancing Global Scale with Local Nuances: Designing solutions that are adaptable across diverse international markets (UK, SA, Canada, Australia) while respecting regulatory and cultural differences presents a significant strategic challenge.
• Integrating AI Responsibly: Identifying and implementing user-centered, ethical, and impactful applications of AI within a regulated financial context requires careful consideration and strategic foresight.
• Service Design Leadership: As interim Service Design Lead, building momentum and embedding service thinking across the design community requires strong influence and change management skills.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Influence: Direct exposure to C-suite decision-making and strategic product evolution offers unparalleled learning in business strategy and executive communication.
• Service Design Mastery: Deepening expertise in service design through practical application and leadership responsibilities.
• Global Product Strategy: Gaining experience in scaling products across international markets, understanding regulatory compliance and localization strategies.
• AI in Design: Exploring cutting-edge applications of AI within product design and user experience.
• Mentorship & Leadership: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and lead initiatives, developing leadership capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges and growth opportunities are framed to resonate with operations professionals by focusing on strategic problem-solving, stakeholder management, process improvement, and leadership development, all crucial aspects of operations career growth.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to define a complex problem space from scratch. What was your process, and how did you bring clarity to the situation?" (Focus on discovery, research synthesis, defining scope, and setting principles.)
• "Walk us through a project where you had to influence C-suite executives to adopt a particular design direction. What was your strategy, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight stakeholder mapping, data leverage, storytelling, and negotiation skills.)
• "How do you approach designing for multiple markets with varying regulatory and cultural requirements? Provide an example." (Emphasize research, adaptability, localization strategies, and understanding of compliance.)
• "Tell us about your experience embedding service design thinking within a team or organization. What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on influence, process adoption, and fostering a shared understanding.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why ClearScore, and what interests you specifically about our mission to improve Credit Health?" (Demonstrate research into the company's mission and values.)
• "How do you see your role as Principal Product Designer contributing to our data-driven and design-led culture?" (Align your approach with their stated methodologies.)
• "Describe your ideal collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers, and Researchers. How do you ensure alignment and drive to a cohesive solution?" (Showcase your cross-functional collaboration style.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Process & Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role, the steps you took, the decisions you made, and the measurable results (user impact, business metrics). Use visuals effectively.
• Highlight Systems & Service Thinking: Explicitly explain how you considered the broader ecosystem, user journeys, and operational touchpoints.
• Demonstrate C-Suite Communication: Be ready to discuss how you would present your findings and recommendations to senior leadership, focusing on clarity, conciseness, and strategic alignment.
• Articulate Ambiguity Management: Clearly explain how you tackled uncertainty and brought structure to unstructured problems.
• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design process, trade-offs, challenges, and how you measure success.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation is framed to guide candidates on showcasing strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and communication skills, which are critical for both senior design and operations roles. The focus on process, data, and stakeholder influence aligns with operations interview expectations.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Principal Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful case studies that best demonstrate your Principal-level experience in complex problem spaces, service design, systems thinking, and stakeholder influence. Tailor your portfolio to highlight achievements that align with ClearScore's mission and values.
• Optimize Your Resume: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience level (10+ years), key skills (systems thinking, C-suite influence, research, service design), and quantifiable achievements. Use keywords from the job description naturally.
• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design process, rationale, and impact for your chosen case studies. Be ready to discuss how you handle ambiguity, collaborate cross-functionally, and present to senior leadership.
• Research ClearScore: Understand their business, mission, user base, and the FinTech landscape. Familiarize yourself with their product and any recent news or initiatives.

⚠️ 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.