Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer
Company: Starling Bank
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: Product Design / Fintech Operations
Date Posted: August 10, 2025
Experience Level: Senior (5-10 years implied)
Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and execute industry-leading user experiences for new products and features across iOS, Android, and Online Bank platforms, ensuring a customer-centric approach.
• Lead the design process for strategic product initiatives and iterative improvements, managing the full lifecycle from concept to delivery.
• Drive the evolution and growth of internal tooling and design systems, maintaining consistency and usability across mobile and web interfaces.
• Advocate for and implement inclusive and accessible design solutions to complex user problems, aligning with Starling's values.
• Collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams, including engineers, researchers, content designers, and product managers, to achieve optimal product outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Product Designer," the emphasis on "internal tooling," "design systems," and "collaboration with engineers, research, content designers and product managers" strongly indicates a role with significant operational impact within the product development lifecycle. This role requires not just creative design but also a deep understanding of how design integrates into broader product operations and delivery processes. The "consumer-facing mobile app" experience is primary, but the mention of internal tools suggests a broader operational scope.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Utilize user-centered design methodologies to craft exceptional user experiences for new products and features, spanning concept generation to final execution across Starling's digital platforms (iOS, Android, Online Bank).
• Take ownership of the design for significant new strategic products and features, as well as smaller tactical fixes and ongoing iterations of existing experiences.
• Manage the end-to-end design process, incorporating existing insights, research findings, technical constraints, and business requirements to deliver effective solutions.
• Actively participate in regular design reviews, providing constructive feedback on colleagues' work and seeking specific feedback on your own designs to foster continuous improvement.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of Starling's internal tooling and comprehensive design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability across mobile and web interfaces.
• Champion and implement inclusive and accessible design principles to address complex user challenges, ensuring all customers can effectively interact with Starling's products.
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships with other designers, user researchers, content designers, product managers, and engineers to ensure seamless product development and delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic product vision and tactical execution. The emphasis on "technical constraints," "business needs," and "internal tooling/design systems" points to a need for operational awareness and the ability to translate design concepts into implementable solutions within the existing product ecosystem. The role requires strong process ownership and a proactive approach to problem-solving within a collaborative, cross-functional environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Specific educational qualifications are not explicitly stated, reflecting Starling Bank's focus on skills and attitude over formal degrees. However, a background in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is implicitly expected.
Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of experience in product design, with a strong emphasis on senior-level contributions to consumer-facing mobile applications, is required. This experience should demonstrate a deep understanding of the end-to-end design process and its integration into product development operations.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in User-Centered Design (UCD) methodologies for crafting industry-leading user experiences.
• High level of attention to detail and craft, with demonstrated strengths in visual design and pixel-perfect execution.
• Exceptional collaboration skills, with a track record of working effectively within cross-functional teams (engineers, researchers, product managers).
• Ability to navigate and thrive in ambiguous problem spaces, distilling complex user flows into elegant and user-centric solutions.
• Experience in working with and evolving comprehensive design systems across multiple platforms (iOS, Android, responsive web).
• Strong foundation in user research, including planning, executing, and actioning insights to inform design decisions.
• Proactive, confident, and effective communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design decisions to diverse stakeholders.
• A robust portfolio showcasing well-crafted case studies that detail research, user experience (UX), and user interface (UI) design skills, including outcomes, results, and impact.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for internal tools or operational software.
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and their impact on design workflows.
• Understanding of front-end development principles to inform design feasibility.
• Experience in mentoring junior designers or contributing to design team growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "senior level" implication, combined with the need to "evolve and grow internal tooling and design systems," suggests that candidates with experience in establishing design processes, governance, and scalable design solutions will be highly valued. The emphasis on a portfolio with "outcomes, results and impact" is critical for demonstrating operational effectiveness and business value.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of two well-crafted case studies that clearly articulate the design process from problem identification to solution implementation and measured impact.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of user research methodologies and how research insights were integrated into design decisions.
• Highlight expertise in both user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design, with a focus on visual design quality and pixel-perfect execution.
• Detail the consideration of technical constraints and business needs in the design process.
• Clearly present the outcomes, results, and quantifiable impact of your design work, using relevant metrics where possible.
• Include examples of work on consumer-facing mobile applications and, ideally, contributions to design systems or internal tooling.

Process Documentation:

• Present evidence of experience in developing and iterating on design systems, showing how they were implemented and scaled.
• Illustrate how user feedback and research findings were systematically incorporated into design iterations and product improvements.
• Document approaches to collaborating with engineering and product management teams to ensure successful implementation of designs.
• Showcase examples of advocating for and designing inclusive and accessible solutions, detailing the process and considerations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process specifically calls for a "Portfolio review (90 mins)" where candidates present two case studies. This indicates a high degree of importance placed on the candidate's ability to articulate their design process, problem-solving approach, and the tangible results of their work. This section of the portfolio is crucial for demonstrating not just design skill, but also operational rigor and impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on London, England, United Kingdom, for a Senior Product Designer with 5-10 years of experience in the fintech sector, the estimated annual salary range is £65,000 - £90,000. This estimate is derived from industry benchmarks for similar roles in the London tech and fintech market, considering the company's reputation and the role's seniority.

Benefits:

• 25 days of holiday per year, with the flexibility to take public holidays when most convenient.
• An additional day of holiday to celebrate your birthday.
• Annual leave entitlement increases with length of service.
• Option to buy or sell up to five additional days of annual leave.
• 16 hours of paid time off for volunteering activities annually.
• Company-enhanced pension scheme with salary sacrifice options.
• Life insurance coverage equivalent to 4x your annual salary.
• Private Medical Insurance (PMI) with VitalityHealth, including comprehensive mental health support and cancer care. Partner benefits extend to discounts with recognized brands like Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith, and Peloton.
• Generous family-friendly policies designed to support work-life balance.
• Perkbox membership, offering access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly exclusive perks.
• Access to schemes such as Cycle to Work, salary-sacrificed gym partnerships, and Electric Vehicle (EV) leasing.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are 40 per week. While the role is hybrid, the company preference for office interaction suggests a structured work week with potential for flexible arrangements within the hybrid model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on typical market rates for a Senior Product Designer in London's competitive fintech industry. Starling Bank is known for offering a comprehensive benefits package, which is attractive to professionals focused on long-term career stability and well-being, common considerations for individuals in operations-focused design roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Banking / Fintech. Starling Bank operates in the rapidly evolving financial technology sector, known for its innovation, customer-centricity, and disruption of traditional banking models. This environment demands agility, data-driven decision-making, and a continuous focus on improving user experience and operational efficiency.
Company Size: Over 2,800 employees. This indicates a well-established, growing company with the resources to support significant product development and operational infrastructure, while still retaining a dynamic, tech-first culture.
Founded: 2014. This relatively recent founding date means Starling Bank has built its entire infrastructure and culture around modern technology and digital-first principles, which is highly relevant for operations-focused roles.

Team Structure:

• The Product team is part of the Technology department, operating in a fast-paced, progress-driven environment.
• The design team is described as "small" but works closely with engineers, research, content designers, and product managers, indicating a highly collaborative and integrated structure.
• A flat organizational structure is in place to empower individuals to make decisions, fostering autonomy and accountability.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on user-centered design methods and a strong focus on customer needs.
• Data analysis and insights from research are core to the design process.
• Workflow planning involves close collaboration with engineering and product management for efficient problem-solving and product building.
• Automation and efficiency are implicitly valued through the focus on design systems and streamlining user experiences.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Starling Bank's tech-first, digital-native approach means that operational excellence in product design is critical. The emphasis on "making progress," "building things that keep us on the cutting edge," and a "flat structure to empower you to make decisions" suggests a culture that rewards initiative, efficiency, and proactive problem-solving, all key attributes for operations-minded professionals.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Senior Product Designer level. It involves leading design efforts on strategic products, taking ownership of work, and contributing to the evolution of design systems and internal tooling. This implies a level of responsibility that extends beyond individual feature design, touching upon the operational health and scalability of the design practice itself.
Reporting Structure: Designers work closely with engineers, researchers, content designers, and product managers. While not explicitly stated, a Product Designer typically reports into a Design Lead, Head of Design, or Head of Product, within a broader technology or product organization. This structure necessitates strong cross-functional communication and alignment with product operations.
Operations Impact: The Product Designer's work directly impacts customer acquisition, retention, and overall user satisfaction through the quality and usability of Starling's banking products. By ensuring elegant, efficient, and user-friendly interfaces, the designer contributes to operational efficiency by reducing customer support queries and simplifying user journeys. The development of design systems also streamlines the product development process, improving efficiency for engineering and design teams.

Growth Opportunities:

• Potential for progression to Lead Product Designer or Design Manager roles, overseeing design strategy and team development.
• Opportunities to specialize in areas such as design systems, user research, or specific product domains within the bank.
• Involvement in shaping design processes and best practices within a growing fintech organization, offering leadership in operational aspects of design.
• Continuous learning through exposure to complex problems, innovative technologies, and collaboration with experienced professionals across product, engineering, and data science.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant growth potential beyond traditional design execution. The opportunity to "evolve and grow our internal tooling and design systems" and the emphasis on "owning your work" suggest pathways into design operations, product strategy, and even team leadership, where process optimization and efficiency are key performance indicators.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Starling Bank operates with a hybrid working model, indicating a blend of remote work and in-office collaboration. The company expresses a preference for employees to be located within a commutable distance of their offices, facilitating in-person interaction.
Office Location(s): Starling Bank has offices in London, Cardiff, Dublin, Southampton, and Manchester. The Product Designer role is specifically based in London, England, United Kingdom, requiring commute access to this location.

Workspace Context:

• The work environment is described as fast-paced and collaborative, with an open culture where help is readily available.
• Designers work closely with engineers and other product team members, fostering a dynamic and integrated workspace.
• The emphasis on "making progress" and "building things" suggests a results-oriented atmosphere where individual contributions are valued and visible.

Work Schedule: The standard working hours equate to 40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for flexibility in where and when work is performed, provided collaboration needs and project deadlines are met. This flexibility is beneficial for managing design workflows and iterative processes efficiently.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role necessitates strong self-management and communication skills, crucial for maintaining operational continuity and collaboration across distributed teams. The preference for in-office days highlights the value placed on spontaneous collaboration and team cohesion, which are important for efficient product development cycles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Talent Team Chat: An initial conversational screening with the Talent Team to assess initial fit and discuss professional experience.
• Skills and Experience Interview (60 mins): A focused discussion with a team member to delve into your professional background, design skills, and relevant experience. Preparation should include specific examples of your work and how you've applied design principles in practice.
• Portfolio Review (90 mins): A key stage where you will present two detailed case studies of your previous work to two members of the design team. This is an opportunity to showcase your process, problem-solving abilities, and the impact of your designs. Focus on clear storytelling, demonstrating your user-centered approach, and quantifying results where possible.
• Executive Interview (45 mins): A final interview with the Head of Product and an executive member to assess strategic alignment, cultural fit, and overall suitability for the role and the company’s vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Select Diverse Case Studies: Choose two case studies that showcase a range of skills, from complex problem-solving and user research to visual design execution and design system contributions.
• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role and process, the constraints and considerations (technical, business), your design solutions, and the measurable outcomes and impact. Use visuals effectively to illustrate your points.
• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. This could include improvements in conversion rates, task completion times, user satisfaction scores, or reduction in support tickets.
• Articulate Design Decisions: Be prepared to explain the rationale behind your design choices, linking them back to user needs, research findings, and business objectives.
• Showcase Collaboration: Highlight instances where you collaborated with engineers, product managers, or other stakeholders, demonstrating your ability to work effectively in a team environment.

Challenge Preparation:

• While no specific "challenge" is mentioned outside the portfolio review, be prepared for potential discussions on design problems or scenarios during interviews.
• Think about how you would approach a new feature design or an improvement to an existing one at Starling, considering their existing product suite and brand.
• Practice articulating your design process concisely and confidently. Focus on problem definition, ideation, prototyping, user testing, and iteration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is a critical component, acting as a live demonstration of your design process and problem-solving capabilities. Candidates should prepare to speak in-depth about their work, emphasizing the "why" behind their decisions and the measurable impact achieved. This is where you can demonstrate your understanding of product operations by showing how your designs integrate into the broader product development lifecycle and deliver tangible business value.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly likely given industry standards and collaborative nature), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator).
• Prototyping & Collaboration: InVision, Principle, Framer.
• Design System Management: Tools for managing design tokens, component libraries, and documentation (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook integration).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics, Tableau (for data visualization and reporting on user behavior).
• User Feedback & Research: SurveyMonkey, Typeform, UserTesting.com, Hotjar.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly used by Product Designers, an understanding of CRM systems (like Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can provide context for user journeys and customer data.
• Internal Tools: Starling likely uses a range of internal tools for project management (e.g., Jira, Asana), communication (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams), and potentially custom-built systems for internal operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern design tools, particularly Figma, is expected. Experience with design systems is explicitly mentioned as a preferred skill, highlighting the operational aspect of maintaining consistency and efficiency across products. Familiarity with product analytics tools will enable designers to better understand user behavior and measure the impact of their designs, aligning with data-driven operations.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Listen: Actively seek and incorporate feedback from users, stakeholders, and team members to improve designs and processes.
• Keep It Simple: Strive for clarity and simplicity in design solutions, making products intuitive and easy to use, which enhances operational efficiency.
• Do The Right Thing: Prioritize ethical design, inclusivity, and accessibility, ensuring solutions are beneficial and fair to all customers.
• Own It: Take responsibility for your work from conception to completion, demonstrating accountability and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Aim For Greatness: Consistently strive for high quality and innovation in design, pushing boundaries to deliver exceptional user experiences and product value.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, working closely with engineers, researchers, content designers, and product managers in integrated teams.
• Open culture that encourages seeking and offering help, fostering a supportive environment for shared learning and problem-solving.
• Design reviews are a regular practice, promoting continuous feedback and collective improvement of design quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Starling values directly translate to operational principles. "Keep It Simple" and "Aim For Greatness" encourage efficiency and high standards in design output. "Own It" emphasizes accountability and proactive problem-solving, crucial for operational roles. The collaborative style is essential for smooth product lifecycle management.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Innovation with Stability: Designing cutting-edge features while ensuring the reliability and security of a digital banking platform. This requires a deep understanding of technical constraints and operational risk.
• Scaling Design Systems: Evolving and maintaining comprehensive design systems to support a growing product suite and multiple platforms, ensuring consistency and efficiency across the board.
• Navigating Ambiguity: Tackling complex, ill-defined problems with user-centric solutions, requiring strong analytical skills and the ability to synthesize information effectively.
• Cross-functional Alignment: Ensuring design vision and execution are aligned with business objectives, technical capabilities, and user research insights across diverse teams.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deepen expertise in user-centered design, mobile-first principles, and fintech product development.
• Gain experience in building and scaling design systems, contributing to the operational efficiency of the product team.
• Develop skills in user research, data analysis, and presenting design work to executive leadership.
• Opportunities to lead design initiatives on strategic projects and potentially mentor junior designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are common in operations-focused design roles, requiring a blend of creative problem-solving and pragmatic execution. The growth opportunities are aligned with developing a career in product operations or design leadership, emphasizing process improvement and strategic contribution.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Product Strategy: Be prepared to discuss how you would approach designing a new feature for Starling Bank, considering their current product offerings, target audience, and competitive landscape. Focus on your process from research to iteration.
• Design Systems: Discuss your experience with design systems – how you've contributed to them, maintained them, and advocated for their use. Explain their importance for operational efficiency and brand consistency.
• Problem-Solving: Prepare to walk through a complex design problem you've solved, detailing your approach, the trade-offs you made, and the outcomes. Emphasize how you handled ambiguity and constraints.
• Collaboration: Be ready to share examples of how you’ve collaborated effectively with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders to bring designs to life. Discuss how you handle disagreements or differing opinions.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Starling Values: Research Starling Bank's five values (Listen, Keep It Simple, Do The Right Thing, Own It, Aim For Greatness) and prepare examples of how your work and approach align with each.
• Fintech Landscape: Show an understanding of the digital banking and fintech industry, and how Starling fits into it.
• User Advocacy: Demonstrate your commitment to the user, explaining how you champion the voice of the customer in your design process.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Structure your case studies as compelling narratives. Begin with the problem, clearly define your role and responsibilities, detail your process step-by-step, highlight key decisions and challenges, and conclude with the results and impact.
• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, wireframes, user flow diagrams, and research insights to support your story. Ensure your visual design work is presented clearly and effectively.
• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, present metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs, such as improvements in user engagement, task completion rates, or conversion.
• Conciseness: Be mindful of the time allocated for your presentation. Practice to ensure you can convey your key points clearly and efficiently. Be prepared for follow-up questions that probe deeper into your process and decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes portfolio presentation, making it a critical element for demonstrating operational effectiveness. Candidates should prepare to articulate not just the "what" but the "how" and "why" of their design decisions, linking them to user needs and business outcomes. This is an opportunity to showcase your ability to deliver measurable value through your design work.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio specifically highlights projects demonstrating senior-level contributions to consumer-facing mobile apps, strong visual design craft, and experience with design systems or internal tooling. Tailor your case studies to showcase your process, problem-solving, and measurable impact.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to emphasize achievements and responsibilities relevant to product design operations, such as process improvement, cross-functional collaboration, and driving user-centered design within product development lifecycles. Use keywords like "user-centered design," "design systems," "UX/UI," "collaboration," and "impact."
• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your selected case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, articulating design decisions, and quantifying results. Prepare to discuss your understanding of Starling's values and how your approach aligns with their culture.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Starling Bank's products, mission, and recent news. Understand their position in the fintech market and their commitment to customer experience and innovation.

⚠️ 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.