Senior UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UI Designer

Company: M&G plc

Location: Edinburgh or Stirling, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time, Temporary (12-month fixed-term contract)

Category: Digital Design / User Interface Design

Date Posted: April 13, 2026

Experience Level: Experienced Colleague (Equivalent to 5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (2-3 days per week in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design and delivery of high-quality, pixel-perfect, and accessible User Interface (UI) solutions across M&G's web and mobile digital platforms.

• Champion the evolution and maintenance of M&G's design system and component library, ensuring consistency and scalability across all digital touchpoints.

• Translate complex business requirements, regulatory needs, and user journeys into intuitive, engaging, and visually compelling UI designs.

• Collaborate effectively within cross-functional, agile product teams, working closely with UX designers, product owners, brand specialists, and senior stakeholders to deliver exceptional digital experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a Senior UI Designer position, emphasizing leadership in design execution and contribution to design system evolution. The 12-month fixed-term contract suggests a project-driven need, likely related to ongoing digital transformation initiatives within M&G plc's financial services and asset management segments. The hybrid work model with specific office days indicates a need for strong in-person collaboration alongside remote flexibility.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the creation of visually appealing, accessible, and scalable UI designs for both web and mobile applications, adhering to M&G's brand guidelines and established design system standards.

• Actively contribute to the enhancement and expansion of M&G's design system, including its component library, ensuring it remains a robust foundation for digital product development.

• Deconstruct intricate user flows, business objectives, and regulatory mandates to craft clear, intuitive, and user-friendly interface solutions.

• Foster strong collaborative relationships with UX designers, researchers, product managers, engineers, and content strategists throughout the entire product design lifecycle.

• Confidently present and articulate design rationales, solutions, and recommendations to a diverse range of stakeholders, including senior leadership, business units, compliance, risk, and technology teams.

• Integrate seamlessly into agile product teams, contributing to iterative design improvements and feature enhancements within fast-paced development cycles.

• Ensure all UI designs rigorously meet established accessibility standards, such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), and usability best practices.

• Provide mentorship and guidance to junior designers, fostering a culture of design excellence and knowledge sharing within the team.

• Support comprehensive stakeholder management, effectively communicating design progress and gathering feedback from various business, compliance, risk, and technology functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design execution, strategic contribution to design systems, and significant stakeholder interaction. The emphasis on regulatory needs and financial services context is crucial, requiring designers to be acutely aware of compliance and risk considerations in their UI solutions. Mentoring responsibilities indicate a senior-level expectation for leadership and team development.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Digital Media, or a related field is often preferred for senior roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be strongly considered.

Experience: Proven experience as a Senior UI Designer, Digital Designer, or a closely related role, with a demonstrated track record of delivering high-quality UI work across responsive digital platforms.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrable expertise as a Senior UI Designer or Digital Designer with a strong portfolio showcasing high-quality UI work across responsive web and mobile platforms.

• Expert proficiency in industry-leading modern design tools, including Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.).

• Deep understanding of design systems, component-based design principles, and the creation of scalable UI frameworks.

• Exceptional visual design capabilities, encompassing mastery of typography, layout principles, colour theory, and interaction design patterns.

• Robust stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to influence decisions, build trust, and manage expectations across all organizational levels.

• Significant experience working effectively within cross-functional agile development teams.

• Strong leadership qualities, including the ability to guide design direction, mentor peers, and consistently elevate design quality standards.

Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience working within the financial services industry or other highly regulated environments.

• Familiarity with and practical application of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and inclusive design principles.

• Experience designing for and managing enterprise-scale digital products and platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma and Adobe Creative Suite is standard for UI roles. The requirement for a strong portfolio is paramount. The "nice to have" skills are highly relevant given M&G's industry, suggesting candidates with this background will have a significant advantage. The "Work Level: Experienced Colleague" confirms the seniority and expected depth of experience.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a range of high-quality UI design work, specifically demonstrating experience with responsive digital platforms (web and mobile).

• Case studies that clearly articulate design challenges, your thought process, the UI solutions implemented, and the impact of your design decisions.

• Examples of contributions to or utilization of design systems and component libraries, illustrating your understanding of scalability and consistency.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of working within agile development methodologies, including contributions to sprint planning, design reviews, and iterative feedback loops.

• Examples of collaboration with UX designers, researchers, product managers, and engineers, highlighting your role in the end-to-end design lifecycle.

• Demonstrations of how you ensure designs meet accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and usability best practices, potentially through design documentation or testing insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a portfolio is explicitly stated and is a critical component of the application. The portfolio should not only showcase visual design skills but also methodological understanding, particularly regarding design systems, accessibility, and agile collaboration within a regulated environment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: While not explicitly stated, for a Senior UI Designer role in Edinburgh/Stirling with 5-10 years of experience, the typical salary range is estimated to be between £55,000 and £75,000 per annum. This range is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in the UK financial services sector, considering the hybrid work model and the fixed-term contract nature.

Benefits:

• Pension Scheme: A valuable pension scheme with 18% contribution (13% Employer, 5% Employee).

• Share Schemes: Access to Share Save and Share Incentive Plan, alongside financial wellbeing and support services.

• Annual Leave: 38 days of annual leave (including bank holidays), with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days and utilize the "Time Off When You Need It" policy.

• Inspiring Families Policy: Market-leading parental leave benefits covering maternity, adoption, surrogacy, and paternity.

• Health & Protection: Comprehensive cover including Private Healthcare, Critical Illness cover, and Life Assurance, with family options available.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are assumed to be around 40 hours per week. The role offers hybrid flexibility, requiring 2-3 days per week in the Edinburgh or Stirling office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided benefits are extensive and highly competitive, particularly the pension contribution, generous annual leave, and inclusive family policies. The salary estimate is based on general UK market data for senior design roles in financial services and the specified locations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services, specifically Savings and Investments, with operations in Asset Management and Life insurance. M&G plc has a heritage of over 175 years, indicating stability and a long-term perspective.

Company Size: M&G plc is a large, established financial institution. While exact employee numbers for the specific design team are not provided, the company has a significant global presence. This implies access to substantial resources, established processes, and potentially a structured career path.

Founded: M&G plc's heritage dates back over 175 years, signifying a deep-rooted history and extensive experience in the financial sector.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UI Designer will join the Digital Experience Centre of Excellence (CoE), suggesting a specialized team focused on driving digital design standards and innovation.

• This role reports to the Senior Digital Design Manager, indicating a clear reporting line within a design leadership structure.

Methodology:

• The team operates within an agile product development framework, emphasizing iterative design and continuous improvement.

• A "human-centred design" approach is explicitly mentioned, alongside a focus on translating complex requirements into intuitive experiences.

• Data analysis and insights are implicitly important for informing design decisions, particularly in a regulated financial environment, though specific data analysis responsibilities are not detailed for this UI role.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: M&G plc's strong heritage in financial services means the company culture likely values integrity, long-term planning, and a degree of structured process, balanced with a modern push towards digital innovation through its Digital Experience CoE. The emphasis on "telling it like it is, owning it now, and moving it forward together with care and integrity" suggests a culture that values transparency, accountability, and collaborative progress.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as an "Experienced Colleague," aligning with a Senior level. It requires a high degree of autonomy in design execution, problem-solving, and the ability to mentor others. The focus is on delivering high-quality UI and contributing to strategic design initiatives like the design system.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UI Designer reports directly to the Senior Digital Design Manager. This suggests a structured hierarchy within the design function, offering opportunities for guidance, feedback, and potential career progression within the management track or as a principal individual contributor.

Operations Impact: As a Senior UI Designer within the Digital Experience CoE, the role has a direct impact on the usability, accessibility, and aesthetic appeal of M&G's digital customer-facing and internal platforms. This directly influences customer satisfaction, engagement, brand perception, and the efficiency of internal operations. High-quality UI design in financial services is critical for building trust and ensuring compliance.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in UI design for regulated industries, accessibility standards (WCAG compliance), and advanced design system development.

• Leadership: Potential to grow into a Lead UI Designer role, managing design projects or a small team, or to move into a UX Design or Product Design leadership position.

• Skill Development: Opportunities to expand knowledge in UX research methodologies, interaction design, and potentially product strategy through collaboration with product owners and stakeholders. Continuous learning is a stated company value.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for senior designers to refine their craft, contribute strategically to foundational design assets like the design system, and develop leadership skills through mentoring and stakeholder management. The fixed-term nature might also offer exposure to different project types within M&G.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: M&G plc operates with a hybrid model. This means the work environment will blend remote work with in-office collaboration, specifically requiring 2-3 days per week at either the Edinburgh or Stirling office. This setup aims to balance flexibility with the benefits of in-person teamwork and interaction.

Office Location(s): The role is based in either Edinburgh or Stirling, Scotland. These locations offer access to modern office facilities typical of large financial institutions, likely equipped with collaborative workspaces, meeting rooms, and the necessary technology infrastructure.

Workspace Context:

• The hybrid model supports a flexible workspace, allowing individuals to choose their work location based on the day's activities, with designated office days fostering team cohesion and collaborative sessions.

• Access to standard design tools (Figma, Adobe Creative Suite) is expected, along with company-provided hardware and software necessary for digital design work.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with fellow designers, UX professionals, product managers, and other key stakeholders will be present during office days, facilitating knowledge sharing and problem-solving.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is full-time, likely around 40 hours per week. While the role is hybrid, specific office days will be coordinated to maximize team collaboration and ensure alignment with business needs. Flexibility is implied by the hybrid model and M&G's stated commitment to flexible working arrangements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role is a key aspect of the work environment. Candidates should be comfortable structuring their week to meet the 2-3 day office requirement and leveraging remote time for focused individual work or virtual collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of CV and, critically, the submitted portfolio to assess design skills, experience, and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: An interview likely involving a presentation of selected portfolio pieces, where candidates will articulate their design process, rationale, and problem-solving approach. This is where the translation of complex requirements into UI solutions will be assessed.

• Skills & Experience Interview: Deeper dive into technical skills (Figma, design systems), stakeholder management experience, agile working, and leadership capabilities.

• Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interview: Assessment of alignment with M&G's values (e.g., audience-first, collaborative, confident communicator, detail-oriented, resilient). This may involve situational questions.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader or hiring manager to confirm fit and discuss the role's strategic context.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 strong projects that best demonstrate your senior-level UI design skills, particularly those involving responsive design, design systems, and complex requirements.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the design process, key decisions made, challenges overcome, and the quantifiable or qualitative outcomes.

• Highlight Design System Contribution: If you have experience building or significantly contributing to a design system, showcase this with examples of components, guidelines, and the impact on consistency and efficiency.

• Showcase Accessibility Focus: Include examples or discussion points demonstrating how you incorporate accessibility standards (WCAG) and inclusive design principles into your work.

• Prepare for Technical Questions: Be ready to discuss your proficiency with Figma, your understanding of design system architecture, and your approach to interaction design.

• Tailor to M&G: Research M&G's existing digital products and brand guidelines. If possible, subtly tailor your presentation to show how your skills align with their current needs and future aspirations.

Challenge Preparation:

• While not explicitly mentioned, be prepared for potential design challenges. These might involve a short exercise to design a specific UI component or flow, or a more in-depth case study analysis.

• Focus on demonstrating your problem-solving approach, ability to work under pressure, and communication of design decisions.

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, especially when discussing trade-offs or constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is explicitly stated as required and will be central to the review process. Candidates should prepare a presentation that effectively communicates their senior-level UI design expertise, particularly in the context of financial services and design systems.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Expected to be the primary tool for UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency in its advanced features, including component management, auto layout, and collaborative workflows, is crucial.

• Adobe Creative Suite: While Figma is primary, proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator may still be required for asset creation, image manipulation, or working with existing brand assets.

• Prototyping Tools: Figma's built-in prototyping capabilities are likely sufficient, but familiarity with other tools like InVision or Adobe XD could be beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary responsibility for a UI Designer, understanding how analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) are used to measure UI performance and impact is advantageous.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the UI Designer's core toolkit, but understanding how UI designs integrate with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) or customer journey automation platforms can provide valuable context.

• Familiarity with project management and collaboration tools like Jira, Confluence, or Asana, commonly used in agile environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable. The other tools listed are either supplementary design tools or related technologies that provide context for how UI designs contribute to broader business objectives.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Audience-First Mindset: A strong commitment to understanding and designing for user needs, ensuring intuitive and engaging digital experiences. This translates to user research, usability testing, and empathy-driven design.

• Collaborative & Team-Orientated: Encouraging cross-disciplinary teamwork and open communication to achieve shared goals. This involves active participation in team meetings, design critiques, and shared problem-solving.

• Confident Communicator: The ability to clearly articulate design decisions, rationale, and feedback to diverse audiences, including stakeholders and team members.

• Proactive & Self-Starting: Taking initiative, managing workload effectively, and driving tasks forward independently within a fast-paced environment.

• Detail-Orientated: A meticulous approach to design, ensuring high quality, consistency, and adherence to standards in every aspect of the UI.

• Resilient & Adaptable: The capacity to manage competing priorities, navigate challenges, and adjust to changing project requirements or feedback.

• Committed to Continuous Improvement: A drive for learning, skill development, and staying abreast of design trends and best practices.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Working closely with UX designers, product owners, engineers, and brand teams to ensure a cohesive and effective product development process.

• Design System Advocacy: Championing the use and evolution of the design system to maintain consistency and efficiency across all digital products.

• Feedback Exchange: Actively participating in design reviews, providing constructive feedback, and being open to receiving and incorporating feedback from peers and stakeholders.

• Knowledge Sharing: Contributing to the team's collective knowledge through mentorship, sharing best practices, and participating in internal design forums or discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values emphasize a user-centric approach, strong collaboration, and a proactive, quality-driven work ethic. These are critical for success within a structured financial services organization undergoing digital transformation.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Design Excellence with Regulatory Constraints: Navigating the complexities of financial services regulations while delivering innovative and user-friendly UI designs. This requires a deep understanding of compliance requirements and careful design choices.

• Maintaining Consistency Across Diverse Platforms: Ensuring a cohesive brand and user experience across various web and mobile applications, especially within an enterprise environment. This is where the design system plays a crucial role.

• Managing Stakeholder Expectations: Effectively communicating design decisions and trade-offs to a broad range of stakeholders with potentially differing priorities and levels of design understanding.

• Adapting to a Fast-Paced Agile Environment: Delivering high-quality UI designs iteratively and responding quickly to feedback and changing project scopes.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design System Development: Gaining deeper expertise in scaling, maintaining, and governing design systems for large organizations.

• Specialization in Accessibility: Becoming a subject matter expert in WCAG compliance and inclusive design principles for financial products.

• Cross-Functional Skill Acquisition: Opportunities to learn more about UX research, product strategy, and front-end development principles through collaborative projects.

• Leadership Training: Developing mentoring skills and potentially taking on project leadership responsibilities within the design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for senior design roles in regulated industries. The growth opportunities are geared towards deepening expertise in core design areas and developing leadership potential.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to translate complex business or regulatory requirements into a clear and intuitive UI design. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your problem-solving methodology, user advocacy, and ability to simplify complexity.)

• "How do you approach building or contributing to a design system? What are the key considerations for ensuring scalability and adoption across an organization?" (Demonstrate understanding of component-based design, documentation, and governance.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about M&G plc, and how do you see your skills as a Senior UI Designer contributing to our mission of giving customers confidence in their money?" (Research M&G's mission, values, and recent digital initiatives.)

• "How do you embody M&G's value of being 'audience-first' in your design process?" (Connect your personal design philosophy to their stated values.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, key decisions, and the impact. Use visuals effectively to support your story.

• Focus on "Why" and "How": Don't just show what you designed; explain why you made certain design choices and how you arrived at those solutions, especially in relation to user needs and business goals.

• Highlight Design System Work: If you have relevant experience, dedicate time to showcasing your contributions to design systems, including component examples and guidelines.

• Address Accessibility: Be prepared to discuss how you ensure your designs are accessible and inclusive, referencing WCAG standards where applicable.

• Be Prepared for Detail: Interviewers may ask specific questions about your workflow, tools, and technical considerations.

• Engage Your Audience: Make it a conversation. Ask clarifying questions if needed and be ready to discuss your work enthusiastically.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on the portfolio. Candidates should prepare to discuss their process, rationale, and ability to navigate the specific challenges of UI design in a regulated financial services environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link, ensuring you include your CV.

• Crucially, upload your portfolio. This is a mandatory requirement; applications without a portfolio will likely not be considered.

• Curate your portfolio to highlight your strongest UI design work, focusing on responsive platforms, design systems, and complex problem-solving relevant to financial services if possible. Prepare 3-4 case studies that showcase your process and impact.

• Tailor your CV to emphasize keywords and responsibilities mentioned in the job description, such as "Senior UI Designer," "Figma," "design systems," "accessibility," "agile methodology," and "stakeholder management."

• Research M&G plc's mission, values, and recent digital presence to better articulate your interest and how you align with their culture and goals during potential interviews.

• Practice presenting your portfolio and articulating your design rationale clearly and concisely, anticipating questions about your process, tool proficiency, and stakeholder management skills.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details, particularly salary estimates and specific process expectations, should be verified directly with the hiring organization or recruiter (Phoebe Ewers) before making application decisions. The closing date for applications is April 27th, 2026.