Product Designer

Wood Mackenzie
Full-timeCity of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Wood Mackenzie

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: September 18, 2025

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

  • Contribute to the strategic evolution of Wood Mackenzie's industry-leading energy data platform by designing user-centered, innovative solutions.

  • Drive customer experience enhancements through a deep understanding of user needs and business objectives, leveraging a full UX design process.

  • Collaborate effectively within an agile product team, partnering with Product, Engineering, and QA to deliver high-quality design outputs.

  • Play a key role in maintaining and evolving the enterprise design system to ensure consistency across the product ecosystem.

  • Utilize modern design and collaboration tools, including Figma and Dovetail, to conceptualize, validate, and iterate on design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a mid-level Product Designer, indicating a need for demonstrated practical experience beyond foundational knowledge. The emphasis on a "global data and analytics business" and "energy industry professionals" suggests a B2B SaaS environment, requiring a focus on complex data visualization and enterprise-level user experiences. The mention of "React and other modern technologies" implies a need for designers familiar with front-end development constraints and capabilities.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

  • Conceptualize, design, and deliver high-fidelity user interfaces and interactive prototypes for the energy data platform, ensuring alignment with user needs and business goals.

  • Conduct and synthesize user research, including usability testing, customer interviews, and data analysis (via tools like Amplitude), to inform design decisions and identify opportunities for improvement.

  • Define user flows, information architecture, and wireframes to map out user journeys and product functionality effectively.

  • Collaborate closely with product managers to translate business requirements and user insights into actionable design specifications.

  • Work hand-in-hand with front-end developers to ensure accurate implementation of designs, providing clear design rationale and support throughout the development lifecycle.

  • Contribute to and advocate for the adoption of the enterprise design system, ensuring visual and interaction consistency across all product touchpoints.

  • Facilitate design thinking workshops and brainstorming sessions with cross-functional teams to foster innovation and creative problem-solving.

  • Present design concepts and research findings to stakeholders at various levels, articulating design rationale and gaining buy-in.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a comprehensive product design lifecycle, from initial research and conceptualization through to detailed design and collaboration with engineering. The emphasis on "customer needs with business objectives" and "user research and business strategy" indicates a strategic responsibility beyond just visual design, requiring a strong understanding of product strategy and market context within the energy sector.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

  • Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in UX/Product Design, with a proven track record of delivering successful digital products.

  • Demonstrated experience working within collaborative, cross-functional product teams in an agile development environment.

Required Skills:

  • User Research & Testing: Proficient in planning and executing usability tests, developing test plans, and translating qualitative and quantitative user insights into actionable design improvements.

  • Information Architecture & Wireframing: Strong ability to structure complex information and create clear, intuitive user flows and wireframes.

  • Prototyping & Visual Design: Expertise in creating high-fidelity interactive prototypes and visually appealing user interfaces using industry-standard tools.

  • Agile Development Methodology: Familiarity and practical experience working within agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban) and collaborating with development teams.

  • Workshop Facilitation: Confident and skilled in leading design thinking workshops, brainstorming sessions, and design sprints.

  • Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design rationale, present findings, and influence stakeholders at all levels.

  • Design Tools: Advanced proficiency with design and prototyping tools such as Figma and Dovetail (or equivalent industry-standard tools like Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision).

  • Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to effectively manage and engage with internal and external stakeholders, building consensus and driving design decisions.

Preferred Skills:

  • Data Visualization: Experience designing effective data visualizations and dashboards for complex datasets.

  • Complex Information Design: Ability to present intricate information in a clear, digestible, and actionable format.

  • Design System Experience: Proven experience contributing to or building and maintaining enterprise-level design systems.

  • Energy Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with the energy, renewables, or natural resources industries, or experience with B2B enterprise software platforms.

  • Amplitude & Other Analytics Tools: Experience leveraging product analytics tools to understand user behavior and inform design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Essential Experience" and "Required Skills" clearly delineate the foundational requirements. The "Preferred Skills" offer opportunities to stand out, particularly those related to data visualization and industry-specific knowledge, which are highly relevant given Wood Mackenzie's domain. The mention of Amplitude and Dovetail points to a data-informed design approach.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3 significant product design projects, demonstrating a full UX process from conception to completion.

  • Projects should highlight your problem-solving skills, user research methodologies, wireframing, prototyping, and final visual design execution.

  • Evidence of how you translated user insights and business requirements into effective design solutions.

  • Clear articulation of your role and contributions within each project, especially in collaborative team environments.

Process Documentation:

  • Case studies within the portfolio should clearly outline the design process followed, including:

    • User research methods employed and key findings.
    • Iterative design cycles and rationale for design decisions.
    • Prototyping tools and techniques used.
    • Usability testing plans and outcomes.
    • How feedback was incorporated and design iterations were made.
  • Examples of contributions to or utilization of a design system, if applicable.

  • Documentation of how designs were handed off to development teams and the collaboration process.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Product Designer role, a strong portfolio is paramount. The requirements emphasize not just the final output but the underlying process, research, and iterative design thinking. For this specific role, showcasing experience with complex data or B2B enterprise applications would be highly beneficial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

  • Comprehensive health and wellness programs, including medical, dental, and vision coverage.

  • Generous paid time off (holidays, sick leave, and personal days).

  • Pension scheme with company contributions.

  • Opportunities for professional development, including training, certifications, and conference attendance.

  • Hybrid working model offering flexibility between office and remote work.

  • Access to cutting-edge technology and tools for design and analysis.

  • Collaborative and supportive work environment with a focus on innovation.

Working Hours:

  • Standard full-time working hours, typically around 37.5-40 hours per week.

  • Hybrid work arrangement allows for flexibility in structuring workdays, with expectations for collaboration during core office hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: As no specific salary was provided, a reasonable estimate has been generated based on UK market rates for a mid-level Product Designer. The benefits listed are standard for a company of Wood Mackenzie's likely size and industry presence.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Data & Analytics, Energy, Renewables, Natural Resources. Wood Mackenzie operates in a sector critical to global economic and environmental transitions, providing essential insights for decision-makers.

Company Size: Part of S&P Global, suggesting a large, established, global organization with significant resources and reach. The specific design team size is not detailed but is described as "collaborative."

Founded: Wood Mackenzie was founded in 1973, indicating a long history and deep expertise in its domain.

Team Structure:

  • The Product Designer will be part of a collaborative design team based in Edinburgh and London.

  • This team likely works closely with dedicated Product Managers, Engineering teams (using React), and Quality Assurance (QA) testers within an agile framework.

Methodology:

  • Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using customer insights and data (Amplitude, Dovetail) to inform design decisions and measure impact.

  • Agile Development: Working in iterative cycles with close collaboration between design, product, and engineering.

  • User-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding and addressing customer needs through research and testing.

  • Design System: Commitment to maintaining and evolving a consistent design language across products.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Wood Mackenzie's position as a leader in energy data analytics is crucial. The company's values (Inclusive, Trusting, Customer committed, Future Focused, Curious) provide a strong indication of the expected work environment and professional conduct. The hybrid model and global presence suggest a dynamic and potentially diverse team.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Product Designer. This role is expected to contribute independently to design tasks, collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, and begin to influence product direction through user advocacy and design expertise.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Design Lead or Head of Product Design, working within product teams that are structured around specific platform areas or customer segments.

Operations Impact: Product Designers at Wood Mackenzie have a direct impact on how energy professionals access and interpret critical data. Their work can influence user adoption, efficiency, and decision-making accuracy, thereby contributing to customer success and Wood Mackenzie's market leadership.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in areas such as data visualization, complex information design, or user research methodologies.

  • Design System Leadership: Potential to take on more responsibility in evolving and governing the enterprise design system.

  • Cross-functional Exposure: Gain exposure to product strategy, engineering best practices, and business development within the energy sector.

  • Leadership Progression: As experience grows, opportunities may arise for Senior Product Designer roles, leading projects, mentoring junior designers, or moving into management.

  • Industry Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge within the energy and natural resources industries, which can be a significant career asset.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mid-level designation suggests a path for growth towards senior roles or specialized design leadership. The company's focus on data and its industry context offer unique opportunities for skill development and career advancement within a niche but critical sector.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment. Employees are expected to work from the Edinburgh office, with flexibility for remote work. This suggests a modern office setup designed to facilitate collaboration.

Office Location(s): Edinburgh, GB-Edinburgh-Office (United Kingdom).

Workspace Context:

  • The workspace is designed to foster collaboration, with opportunities to connect with colleagues in person.

  • Access to modern design tools (Figma, Dovetail) and potentially advanced hardware and software for design and data analysis.

  • An environment that encourages knowledge sharing and continuous learning, likely through team meetings, design critiques, and internal workshops.

Work Schedule:

  • Standard full-time hours, likely Monday to Friday.

  • The hybrid model allows for some flexibility, with an expectation that designers will be present in the office for key collaborative activities and team meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role implies a need for strong self-management and communication skills, whether working remotely or in the office. The Edinburgh office location is a key factor for candidates considering relocation or local employment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  • Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience against the job requirements.

  • Hiring Manager/Recruiter Call: A preliminary discussion to gauge fit, understand motivations, and explain the role and company in more detail.

  • Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A core part of the process will likely involve presenting your portfolio, discussing your design process, and potentially completing a design exercise or case study. This will focus on your problem-solving skills, user-centric approach, and ability to articulate design rationale.

  • Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers or stakeholders to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and cultural fit.

  • Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader to discuss overall fit and career aspirations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your skills in UX/Product Design, user research, and problem-solving, ideally with examples relevant to B2B or complex data.

  • Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the challenges you faced, your solutions, and the outcomes or impact. Use visuals effectively to illustrate your journey.

  • Showcase Process: Emphasize your thinking process, research methodologies, and how you iterated on designs based on feedback and data. Include wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and final UI designs.

  • Highlight Collaboration: If possible, mention how you collaborated with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders.

  • Be Prepared to Answer Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, how you handle constructive criticism, and how you approach complex problems.

Challenge Preparation:

  • If a design challenge is provided, focus on understanding the brief thoroughly.

  • Prioritize user needs and business objectives in your approach.

  • Document your thought process clearly.

  • Be mindful of time constraints and present your solution concisely.

  • Clearly state any assumptions you made.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is critical for a design role. Candidates should prepare to deeply discuss their projects, demonstrating not just the "what" but the "why" and "how" behind their design decisions. Understanding Wood Mackenzie's industry and the nature of their data platform will be key to tailoring portfolio examples and interview responses.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • Figma: Essential for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration.

  • Dovetail: Key for user research synthesis, organizing insights, and sharing findings.

  • Sketch/Adobe Creative Suite/InVision: Considered as alternatives or complementary tools to Figma and Dovetail.

Analytics & Reporting:

  • Amplitude: Mentioned as a tool for understanding user behavior, indicating a data-informed approach to design.

  • Data Visualization Tools: While not explicitly named, experience with tools or principles of data visualization is a strong plus, given the nature of the product.

CRM & Automation:

  • Not explicitly mentioned as primary design tools, but familiarity with CRM systems and workflow automation concepts can be beneficial for understanding the broader product ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and Dovetail is explicitly stated as required or highly valued. Given the company's focus on data, any experience with data visualization tools or concepts will be a significant advantage. Exposure to B2B SaaS platforms and their underlying technologies (like React) is also beneficial.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • Inclusive: Expect a collaborative environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and team members work together to achieve common goals.

  • Trusting: A culture where mutual trust and psychological safety are encouraged, allowing for open communication and feedback.

  • Customer Committed: A strong focus on understanding and meeting customer needs, with design decisions driven by customer value and feedback.

  • Future Focused: An emphasis on innovation and forward-thinking, particularly in how the energy industry interacts with data and transitions to sustainability.

  • Curious: A drive to learn, explore new ideas, and translate knowledge into actionable insights and improved user experiences.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to work closely with Product Managers and Engineers, acting as integral members of product teams.

  • Design Critiques & Feedback: A culture that likely involves regular design reviews and feedback sessions to refine work and share knowledge.

  • Data-Informed Decision Making: Collaboration will involve leveraging user data and research insights to guide discussions and justify design choices.

  • Agile Workflow: Collaboration will follow agile principles, emphasizing iterative development and continuous communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values are clearly articulated, providing insight into the expected professional behaviors and team dynamics. For a designer, demonstrating how you embody these values, particularly "Customer Committed" and "Curious," will be important during the interview process.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Designing for Complexity: The primary challenge will be designing intuitive user experiences for a complex energy data platform, requiring careful information architecture and data visualization.

  • Balancing User Needs and Business Objectives: Effectively translating diverse customer needs and business requirements into cohesive and impactful designs.

  • Evolving Design System: Contributing to and maintaining a robust design system across an enterprise platform requires discipline and foresight.

  • Staying Ahead of Industry Trends: Keeping pace with advancements in UX design, data visualization, and the rapidly evolving energy sector.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Specialized Design Skills: Deepen expertise in data visualization, complex interaction design, and advanced user research techniques relevant to the energy sector.

  • Industry Knowledge: Gain significant domain expertise in the renewables, energy, and natural resources industries, becoming a valuable asset in this specialized field.

  • Design System Contribution: Opportunity to influence and lead aspects of an enterprise-level design system.

  • Cross-functional Learning: Develop a strong understanding of product management, agile development processes, and business strategy within a global data analytics firm.

  • Professional Development: Access to training, conferences, and resources for continuous skill enhancement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents challenges common in enterprise SaaS design but with a unique industry focus. Growth opportunities are strong, particularly for those looking to specialize in data-heavy applications or gain deep industry knowledge.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • User-Centricity: "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting user needs or business requirements. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, research, and decision-making.)

  • Problem-Solving: "Walk me through a challenging UX problem you solved. What was your process, what tools did you use, and what was the impact of your solution?" (Be ready to showcase a project from your portfolio.)

  • Collaboration: "How do you typically collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers? Describe a situation where your collaboration led to a significantly improved product feature." (Highlight your communication and teamwork skills.)

  • Design System Thinking: "What is your experience with design systems? How do you ensure consistency in your work, and what are the benefits of a well-maintained design system?" (Show understanding of scalability and efficiency.)

Company & Culture Questions:

  • "What interests you about Wood Mackenzie and the energy industry?" (Research the company's mission, values, and recent news.)

  • "How do you align with Wood Mackenzie's values (Inclusive, Trusting, Customer committed, Future Focused, Curious)?" (Provide specific examples of how you embody these values.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Structure Your Presentation: Start with an overview of your role and the project's goals. Clearly outline the problem, your process, your solutions, and the results.

  • Focus on Impact: Quantify the impact of your designs whenever possible (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, positive user feedback).

  • Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design choices, research findings, and rationale.

  • Demonstrate Enthusiasm: Show passion for design and for contributing to Wood Mackenzie's mission.

  • Ask Insightful Questions: Prepare questions about the team, the product roadmap, design challenges, and growth opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of the full UX lifecycle, a user-centric mindset, and the ability to collaborate effectively. Tailoring your portfolio to showcase relevant experience (complex data, enterprise B2B) will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

  • Visit the Wood Mackenzie careers page and locate the Product Designer role (JR2317).

  • Submit your application through the provided Workday portal.

  • Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and highlights projects that demonstrate your expertise in UX/Product Design, user research, and problem-solving, ideally with examples related to complex data or B2B platforms.

  • Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your 3+ years of experience, proficiency with Figma and Dovetail, understanding of agile methodologies, and any relevant industry experience. Use keywords from the job description.

  • Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and rationale for key projects in your portfolio. Prepare to discuss how you embody Wood Mackenzie's company values and your interest in the energy sector.

  • Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Wood Mackenzie's services, target audience, company values, and recent industry news to demonstrate genuine interest and understanding during interviews.

⚠️ 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.

Application Requirements

Candidates should have 3+ years in UX/Product Design with a strong portfolio showcasing their work. Proven experience in collaborative product team environments and full UX design process expertise is essential.