SENIOR PRODUCT DESIGNER

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer
Company: EF Education First / Hult
Location: United Kingdom
Job Type: Full time
Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design
Date Posted: 2025-10-27T03:28:33
Experience Level: 8+ Years Professional Experience
Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the visual language and interaction model for core learning platforms across mobile and web, blending pedagogy, visual craft, and AI technology.
• Establish and scale the visual design system, motion principles, and component libraries to ensure quality and consistency across Efekta's connected learning ecosystem.
• Lead the creative development of visual themes for content, learning interfaces, and AI characters, designing emotionally impactful digital learning experiences.
• Partner closely with Learning Designers, Engineers, and Product Managers to forge cohesive user experiences that merge pedagogy with market-leading design.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Senior Product Designer" within the Efekta Design Studio, indicating a significant level of autonomy and responsibility. The emphasis on "foundational member" and "driving the visual language" suggests a pivotal role in shaping the company's product aesthetic and user experience strategy. The explicit mention of blending pedagogy with AI technology and defining the future of education highlights the strategic importance of this design position within Efekta's innovative EdTech mission.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Establish and scale the visual design system, motion principles, and component libraries to unify Efekta’s learning ecosystem across all platforms, ensuring unparalleled quality and consistency.
• Contribute to and define the global design language of Efekta, setting the benchmark for scalable design excellence and platform-agnostic performance.
• Lead the creative development of visual themes for content, learning interfaces, and AI characters, ensuring engagement and innovative expression of the EF brand identity.
• Design and ship emotionally impactful digital learning experiences for web and mobile, maintaining the highest standards of accessibility and visual fidelity.
• Prototype and rigorously test sophisticated interactions and motion storytelling to enhance usability, user delight, and overall product effectiveness.
• Produce polished visual assets, motion studies, and creative content that directly inform product decisions and support high-level marketing collaborations.
• Drive the integration of Generative AI tools into the design pipeline, exploring novel creative directions and accelerating the speed of high-fidelity concepting.
• Partner closely with Learning Designers, Engineers, and Product Managers to forge cohesive user experiences that seamlessly merge strong, evidence-based pedagogy with market-leading design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a strong focus on both strategic design system development and hands-on creative execution, particularly in visual themes, character design, and motion. The inclusion of "driving the integration of Generative AI tools" points to a forward-thinking design approach and a need for adaptability. The requirement to partner with Learning Designers and Product Managers underscores the collaborative nature of this role in a product development lifecycle.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for senior roles, often supplemented by extensive professional experience.

Experience: 8+ years of professional experience in designing and shipping digital products, applications, and content experiences at scale.

Required Skills:

• Foundational Design Expertise: Strong foundational skills in User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI) design, and design research.
• Visual Craft Mastery: Elite visual aesthetic, sharp eye for detail, composition, and motion storytelling.
• Branding & Character Design: Deep passion and expertise in branding, character design, and creative content development.
• Systems Thinking & Execution: Ability to balance high-level vision setting with pixel-perfect execution, and capability to build scalable design systems.
• Tool Proficiency (Expert Level):
  • Figma: Expert-level proficiency for all design and prototyping tasks.
  • Adobe Creative Suite: Mastery of relevant tools (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects) for asset creation and motion design.
  • Generative AI Tools: Active leveraging of generative AI tools to accelerate creative output and explore novel directions.
• Design Systems: Proven history of creating, maintaining, and scaling design systems and visual languages.
• Collaboration & Communication: Organized, articulate, and communicative, with a demonstrated ability to seek out and foster close, cross-functional partnerships.
• Accessibility: Commitment to designing for the highest standards of accessibility.
• Learner Advocacy: A relentless advocate for the learner, driven by a mission to define the next generation of education, always starting with the 'Why?'.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience specifically within the EdTech industry or in designing learning platforms.
• Familiarity with pedagogical principles and their translation into digital experiences.
• Experience with advanced animation and motion graphics tools.
• Contributions to open-source design systems or design communities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "T-shaped" designer profile, with a deep specialization in visual craft, branding, and motion, is a key differentiator. The emphasis on "expert-level proficiency" in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite, coupled with the active leveraging of Generative AI, indicates a need for a highly skilled and modern designer. The requirement for a "strong, articulate portfolio" is paramount, especially demonstrating specific areas like visual identity, character design, and motion storytelling.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate Product Strategy: Showcase your ability to translate complex learning challenges into simple, emotive, and effective design solutions.
• Visual Identity & Branding: Provide examples of establishing and evolving visual identities for digital products, highlighting brand consistency and impact.
• Character Design & AI Integration: Include work on designing engaging AI characters or visual elements that represent AI functionalities within a product.
• Motion Storytelling: Present case studies that effectively use motion design to enhance user experience, communicate information, or create emotional resonance.
• Design System Contributions: Detail your experience in creating, scaling, or maintaining design systems, component libraries, and visual languages, with examples of their application.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Illustrate how you have partnered with engineers, product managers, and learning designers to bring products to life, showing your communication and integration skills.
• Accessibility Integration: Showcase how accessibility considerations were incorporated into your design process and final deliverables.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Articulate your process for ideating, designing, and iterating on user flows and interfaces, with a focus on user-centered design principles.
• System Implementation: Document your approach to building and scaling design systems, including component creation, documentation, and governance.
• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Explain how you measure the success of your designs, particularly in terms of user engagement, learning outcomes, and overall product performance.
• Generative AI Integration: Describe your methodology for leveraging generative AI tools within the design process, from concepting to asset creation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are highly specific, emphasizing visual craft, character design, motion storytelling, design systems, and the integration of AI. Candidates must be prepared to articulate not just the final output but the strategic thinking, process, and collaborative efforts behind their work. The ability to demonstrate the impact of their designs on user engagement and learning outcomes will be crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior Product Designer with 8+ years of experience in London, UK, the estimated salary range is typically between £70,000 to £100,000 per annum. This range can vary based on the depth of specialization, specific portfolio strength, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model: 4 days in-office (central London, Chelsea SW3) and 1 day Work From Home (WFH), offering a balance between collaboration and flexibility.
• Global Impact: Opportunity to shape the future of online education and impact millions of learners worldwide.
• Innovation Focus: Work with cutting-edge AI technology and contribute to defining the future of learning experiences.
• Diverse & Inclusive Culture: Emphasis on valuing unique perspectives and contributions from all backgrounds.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning and skill enhancement, particularly in emerging areas like Generative AI in design.
• Standard Benefits: Likely includes a competitive pension scheme, health insurance, generous paid time off, and potential for performance-based bonuses.

Working Hours: The role specifies a standard full-time commitment, which typically translates to approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for some flexibility in how these hours are structured, particularly on the WFH day.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior-level design roles in London, considering the specific requirements for visual craft, motion design, and AI integration. Benefits are tailored to the provided information, highlighting the hybrid model and the unique aspects of working in an innovative EdTech environment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education Technology (EdTech), blending pedagogy with advanced AI technology. Efekta is part of EF Education First, a global leader in education. Company Size: EF Education First is a large, established global organization. Hult International Business School is also a significant educational institution. Efekta, as a product division, likely operates with the agility of a tech startup within the broader corporate structure. Founded: EF Education First was founded in 1965. Hult International Business School traces its origins back to 1966. This deep history provides stability and a strong foundation for innovation.

Team Structure:

• Efekta Design Studio: A dedicated design team responsible for the visual language and interaction model of Efekta's learning platforms.
• Cross-functional Teams: Close collaboration is expected with Learning Designers, Engineers, and Product Managers, forming agile product development squads.
• Reporting: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Design, Design Lead, or Product Lead within the Efekta division.
• Global Ecosystem: Part of a larger connected, global learning ecosystem.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: While not explicitly stated for design, the company's focus on AI and technology suggests an underlying data-informed approach to product development.
• Pedagogy-First: A core principle is blending strong, evidence-based pedagogy with innovative design and technology.
• Agile Development: Implied through cross-functional team structures and the need for rapid iteration and concepting.
• User-Centricity: A strong advocacy for the learner is a core value, driving design decisions.

Company Website: EF Education First, Hult International Business School (Efekta operates within this ecosystem, specific Efekta website not directly provided but implied to be part of EF's digital offerings.)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to be a blend of a large, established educational organization with the innovative, fast-paced spirit of a tech product division. The emphasis on "defining the future of education" and "blending pedagogy with advanced AI" indicates a mission-driven environment. The London studio is described as vibrant and multicultural, fostering diversity and innovation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, indicating a high level of individual contribution and specialization. It represents a significant step beyond mid-level designer roles, requiring strategic input, leadership in specific design domains, and the ability to mentor or guide others implicitly.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Lead, working within cross-functional product teams. This structure allows for direct impact on product development while benefiting from senior guidance and strategic alignment.

Operations Impact: The role has a profound impact on user engagement, learning efficacy, and brand perception. By shaping the visual language, interaction models, and creative content, the designer directly influences how millions of learners worldwide experience and benefit from Efekta's educational products. The integration of AI into the design pipeline also positions this role at the forefront of technological innovation in EdTech.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization Advancement: Deepen expertise in advanced visual design, motion graphics, AI-driven design, or specific areas of EdTech product development.
• Design System Leadership: Take on greater responsibility for the evolution and governance of Efekta's global design system.
• Team Leadership: Potential to move into a Design Lead or Managerial role, mentoring junior designers and overseeing design initiatives.
• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Opportunity to gain deeper insights into pedagogy, AI technology, and product management through close collaboration.
• Strategic Input: Influence product strategy and roadmap through design-led innovation and user advocacy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a career path that typically involves either deepening specialization (becoming a Principal or Staff Designer) or moving into people management. The role's position within a large organization like EF Education First suggests potential for broader career development across different product lines or educational verticals over time.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company operates a Hybrid Model, with a requirement for 4 days in their central London office and 1 day working from home. This suggests a collaborative office environment designed to foster teamwork and innovation.

Office Location(s): The office is located in Chelsea (SW3), London, United Kingdom. This is a prime, central location known for its vibrant atmosphere.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The London office serves as a hub for a multicultural team of engineers, academics, data scientists, and product leaders, encouraging cross-pollination of ideas.
• Modern Tools & Technology: As a tech-focused EdTech company, expect access to contemporary design software, hardware, and potentially advanced prototyping tools.
• Team Interaction: The 4-day in-office requirement is designed to facilitate regular in-person collaboration, brainstorming sessions, and design critiques.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement offers flexibility, particularly on the designated WFH day, allowing for focused individual work or flexibility around personal commitments, while office days are geared towards collaborative activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific mention of "Chelsea (SW3)" provides a clear geographical context. The hybrid model with a significant office presence (4 days) indicates a company that values in-person collaboration and team cohesion, while still offering flexibility. This environment is likely conducive to creative problem-solving and rapid iteration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio by the recruitment team.
• Portfolio Presentation & Design Challenge: Typically involves presenting your portfolio, focusing on specific case studies that highlight your visual craft, motion design, and strategic thinking. You may also be given a design challenge to complete either before or during the interview, potentially involving creating visual assets, refining an interface, or proposing design concepts.
• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and Learning Designers to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and alignment with pedagogical goals.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the design lead or hiring manager focusing on your experience, leadership potential, and fit within the Efekta Design Studio.
• Final Round/Cultural Fit: Possibly a final interview to assess cultural alignment and broader strategic thinking.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Craft & Motion: Prioritize showcasing your strongest visual design, branding, character design, and motion storytelling examples.
• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your process, the constraints, your creative solutions, and the measurable impact (even if qualitative).
• Highlight AI Integration: If you have examples of using Generative AI in your workflow, explicitly detail the tools used and the benefits achieved.
• Showcase Design Systems: Include a section on your design system experience, demonstrating your ability to create scalable and consistent visual languages.
• Articulate Collaboration: Explain your role within cross-functional teams, emphasizing how you partnered with others to achieve product goals.
• Be Ready to Digitize: Prepare to walk through your Figma files or demonstrate your motion work live if requested.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Mission: Research Efekta's mission, values, and the specific products they are building (AI Teaching Assistant 'Addi', 'Hyperclass').
• Pedagogy Meets Design: Consider how pedagogical principles can be visually represented or enhanced through design and AI.
• Visual & Motion Focus: Anticipate tasks that require rapid visual concepting, asset creation, or short motion sequences.
• AI Exploration: Be prepared to discuss how AI can augment the learning experience and how you would approach designing for it.
• Time Management: If given a challenge, allocate time effectively to ensure you deliver a polished outcome within the given constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process heavily emphasizes portfolio demonstration and practical application of skills, particularly in visual craft and motion. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their design process, collaborative experiences, and how they leverage modern tools like Figma and Generative AI. Understanding Efekta's unique blend of education, AI, and design is critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for UI design, prototyping, and design system management. Expert-level proficiency is required.
• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for advanced visual asset creation, illustration, and motion graphics. Specific applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects are likely key.
• Generative AI Tools: Actively leveraged for exploring creative directions, accelerating concepting, and generating assets. Examples could include Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, DALL-E, or Adobe Firefly, integrated into the workflow.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly a designer's primary tool, understanding how to interpret data from analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) to inform design decisions is beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Generally not directly used by product designers, but awareness of how CRM and automation tools impact the user journey and data flow can be helpful for holistic product thinking.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily centered around best-in-class design tools, with a strong emphasis on Figma and the Adobe suite. The explicit mention of "actively leveraging generative AI tools" highlights a forward-thinking approach and a requirement for designers to be proficient in these emerging technologies.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Defining the Future of Education: A core mission to innovate and lead in the EdTech space through the integration of pedagogy and AI.
• Learner-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of students and educators, always starting with the 'Why?'.
• Excellence in Craft: A pursuit of unparalleled quality and consistency in design, with a sharp eye for detail, composition, and motion.
• Innovation & AI Integration: Embracing new technologies, particularly Generative AI, to push creative boundaries and accelerate development.
• Collaboration & Diversity: Valuing diverse perspectives and fostering close partnerships across functions to achieve cohesive and impactful user experiences.
• Systems Thinking: Balancing expansive imagination with the precision required to build scalable and unified design systems.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Partnerships: Emphasis on close collaboration with Learning Designers, Engineers, and Product Managers to create seamless user experiences.
• Open Communication: Encouraging articulate and communicative team members who seek out partnerships.
• Feedback Exchange: A culture that likely supports constructive feedback and iteration on designs.
• Shared Mission: Working towards a common goal of transforming education through technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is strongly aligned with its mission to innovate in education. Values like learner-centricity, excellence in craft, and embracing AI are central. Collaboration is key, with a focus on integrating diverse perspectives to achieve a unified vision for the learning ecosystem.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Pedagogy and Design: Effectively merging evidence-based learning principles with cutting-edge design and AI to create engaging and effective educational experiences.
• Scaling Design Systems: Establishing and maintaining a unified visual design system and motion principles across a complex, global learning ecosystem.
• Integrating Generative AI: Navigating the creative and technical challenges of integrating novel AI tools into established design workflows to accelerate output and explore new possibilities.
• Character Design & AI Persona: Developing compelling visual identities and personas for AI characters (like 'Addi') that are engaging, trustworthy, and align with educational goals.
• Global Brand Consistency: Ensuring a high-quality, consistent brand experience across diverse platforms and learning modules worldwide.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced AI in Design: Gaining hands-on experience and expertise in leveraging Generative AI for creative product design.
• EdTech Innovation: Deep dive into the intersection of education, technology, and AI, shaping the future of learning.
• Design System Mastery: Opportunities to lead and expand expertise in building and managing large-scale design systems.
• Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge: Learning from experts in pedagogy, AI, and product management within a global organization.
• Leadership Development: Potential to grow into design leadership roles, mentoring and guiding design initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are directly tied to the innovative nature of Efekta's products – blending AI, pedagogy, and design at a global scale. Growth opportunities are focused on developing specialized skills in these cutting-edge areas and potentially moving into leadership positions within a mission-driven organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for developing a visual design system from scratch, and how you ensure its scalability and adoption across multiple platforms." (Focus on your experience with Figma, component libraries, and governance.)
• "How would you approach designing the visual identity and personality for an AI Teaching Assistant like 'Addi' to make it engaging and trustworthy for learners of different ages?" (Prepare to discuss character design principles, emotional expression through visuals, and AI integration.)
• "Walk us through a project where you used motion design to significantly enhance user experience or convey complex information. What tools did you use, and what was the impact?" (Be ready to showcase motion studies from your portfolio.)
• "How do you integrate Generative AI tools into your design workflow? Can you share an example of how AI helped you explore new creative directions or accelerate your output?" (Highlight specific tools and the tangible benefits.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Efekta's mission to define the future of education with AI?" (Connect your passion for design with their educational mission.)
• "How do you approach collaboration with non-designers, such as engineers and learning designers, to ensure cohesive product experiences?" (Emphasize your communication and partnership skills.)
• "Given our hybrid work model, how do you ensure effective collaboration and productivity on both in-office and remote days?" (Discuss your strategies for balanced work.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Theme-Driven Narrative: Structure your presentation around key themes like Visual Craft, Motion Storytelling, Design Systems, and AI Integration.
• Deep Dive into 2-3 Case Studies: Select projects that best exemplify the core requirements of the role. For each, clearly articulate the problem, your strategic design thinking, your specific contributions (especially visual and motion aspects), the tools used, and the outcome.
• Visual & Motion Showcase: Dedicate time to visually present your strongest visual assets and motion work. Use high-fidelity mockups and video clips where appropriate.
• Explain Your 'Why': For each project, articulate the learner-centric rationale behind your design decisions.
• Transparency on AI Use: Clearly label and explain any work generated or significantly aided by AI tools, detailing your role in guiding the AI and refining the output.
• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; aim for a presentation that is thorough yet engaging, leaving ample time for Q&A.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating expertise in visual design, motion, design systems, and AI integration. Candidates must be ready to present detailed case studies that highlight their strategic thinking, creative process, and collaborative abilities within the context of EdTech.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Oracle Cloud portal link.
• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to prominently feature your strongest work in visual design, motion graphics, character design, and design systems. Prioritize case studies that showcase your ability to translate complex learning challenges into elegant, emotive solutions.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly highlights your 8+ years of experience, expert-level proficiency in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite, and any experience with Generative AI tools. Quantify achievements where possible, especially related to product shipping and design system impact.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, motivations, and collaborative experiences. Prepare to walk through your portfolio with a focus on visual craft and motion storytelling, and be ready to discuss your approach to AI integration.
• Company Research: Deeply understand Efekta's mission, its AI Teaching Assistant ('Addi'), the 'Hyperclass' concept, and EF Education First's broader impact in global education. Consider how your design philosophy aligns with their values.

⚠️ 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.

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