Senior UX Designer (Advised - AJ Bell Investcentre)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer (Advised - AJ Bell Investcentre)

Company: AJ Bell

Location: Exchange Quay, Manchester, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design

Date Posted: January 29, 2026

Experience Level: 7+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive strategic design initiatives and influence decision-making at senior levels within the Investcentre platform UX team.

• Maintain a hands-on approach to daily design work, setting a high standard and leading by example for UX best practices.

• Develop and maintain components within a Figma design system, contributing to design guidelines and component libraries for enhanced user experience.

• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including product managers, developers, and business stakeholders, to deliver intuitive and impactful user journeys.

• Advocate for user-centered design principles across the wider business, showcasing the value of UX and its impact on customer satisfaction and business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant influence, focusing on the Investcentre platform. The emphasis is on both strategic leadership and hands-on execution, requiring a candidate who can mentor others while also being deeply involved in daily design tasks. The financial services context and scale of assets under administration (over £62bn) indicate a need for robust, scalable, and compliant design solutions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic planning and execution of UX design initiatives for the Investcentre platform, aligning with overarching business goals and product roadmaps.

• Design and deliver high-fidelity wireframes, prototypes, and user flows for both desktop and mobile interfaces, ensuring a seamless and intuitive user experience.

• Actively contribute to and maintain the company's design system within Figma, ensuring consistency, scalability, and efficiency across all product designs.

• Conduct and oversee comprehensive usability testing, employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to gather user feedback and inform design iterations.

• Clearly and persuasively communicate design ideas, rationales, and strategies to diverse audiences, including senior leadership, product teams, and engineering.

• Serve as a champion for UX within the organization, identifying opportunities to promote user-centered design thinking and highlight the impact of UX on business outcomes.

• Provide mentorship and guidance to other UX team members, fostering a collaborative environment and promoting professional development within the design discipline.

• Collaborate closely with product management, engineering, marketing, and other stakeholders to ensure a unified and effective product development process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership and hands-on design work, common for senior roles. The emphasis on "design leadership," "shaping our overall design strategy," and "influencing decision-making at senior levels" suggests a significant impact beyond individual contribution. The scale of the platform (£62bn assets under administration) implies a need for highly scalable and robust design solutions.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in User Experience (UX) Design or a closely related field, with a proven track record of designing complex digital products.

Required Skills:

• Design Leadership: Proven ability to lead design initiatives, influence strategic direction, and contribute to high-level design strategy.

• User Experience (UX) Design: Expertise in end-to-end UX design processes, from research and ideation to wireframing, prototyping, and user testing.

• Figma Expertise: Advanced proficiency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and managing design systems and component libraries.

• Design Systems: Deep understanding and practical experience in creating, maintaining, and scaling design systems and component libraries.

• Usability Testing: Demonstrated skill in designing and conducting comprehensive usability tests using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

• Communication & Collaboration: Exceptional ability to articulate design concepts, rationales, and strategies persuasively to diverse stakeholders, and to foster strong collaborative relationships.

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills to address complex user challenges and business requirements effectively.

• User Psychology: In-depth understanding of user psychology and behavior to inform design decisions and create empathetic user experiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Financial Services Background: Experience designing for financial platforms, understanding of investment products, and regulatory compliance.

• Accessibility Expertise: Strong knowledge and practical application of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) in design.

• Mentorship: Experience guiding and mentoring junior designers, providing constructive feedback, and fostering team growth.

• Agile/Scrum: Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and experience working in cross-functional Agile teams.

• Responsive Design: Expertise in designing for both desktop and mobile platforms, ensuring consistent experiences across devices.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 7+ years of experience, coupled with "design leadership" and "influencing decision-making at senior levels," positions this as a senior-level individual contributor role. The specific mention of Figma and design systems is crucial, indicating a modern and component-driven design approach. Financial services experience is highly preferred, suggesting the need for an understanding of industry-specific complexities.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a minimum of 7 years of UX design work, with a strong emphasis on complex digital products and user-centered design solutions.

• Demonstrations of your ability to lead design initiatives and contribute to strategic design planning, illustrating your impact on product direction.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your design process, the solutions you implemented, and the measurable outcomes achieved.

• Examples of your work with design systems, including contributions to Figma component libraries, design guidelines, and their application in product development.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase your systematic approach to UX design, detailing your methodology for user research, ideation, prototyping, and testing.

• Include examples of how you have documented design processes, user flows, and system components to ensure clarity and consistency for development teams.

• Highlight your ability to integrate feedback from various sources (user testing, stakeholder input, business requirements) into your design process.

• Demonstrate your understanding of how to translate complex business requirements and user needs into actionable design specifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior UX role, a portfolio is paramount. The emphasis here is on demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to drive outcomes, not just individual design output. Specific mention of design systems and Figma indicates a need for practical, hands-on examples of these skills.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Generous Holiday Entitlement: Starting at 26 days, increasing up to 31 days with service length, plus a holiday buy and sell scheme.

• Competitive Pension Scheme: Matched contributions up to 7%, offering strong long-term financial planning support.

• Performance-Based Incentives: Discretionary bonus scheme and an annual free share awards scheme, aligning employee success with company performance.

• Investment and Savings Plans: Buy As You Earn (BAYE) Scheme for employee share ownership.

• Health & Well-being: Health Cash Plan (Medicash), discounted private healthcare and dental plans, free gym membership with classes, Employee Assistance Programme, and Sick Pay+ pledge.

• Work-Life Balance Support: Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave, discounted nursery fees, and paid time off for volunteer work.

• Professional Development: Support for ongoing technical training, professional qualification support, personal development programs, talent management programs, and dedicated time for proof-of-concepts and new technology assessment.

• Additional Perks: Bike loan scheme, loans for travel season tickets, death in service scheme, charitable giving opportunities, and a vibrant social calendar.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are assumed to be 40 hours per week. The role operates on a hybrid model, requiring a minimum of 50% of working time in the office per month. An initial period of full-time office presence is expected for onboarding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on publicly available data for similar senior UX roles in the UK, considering the financial services sector, company size (FTSE 250), and location. The extensive list of benefits provided by AJ Bell is a significant draw and highlights a strong employee-centric culture.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Investment Platforms)

Company Size: Over 1,500 employees (FTSE 250 company)

Founded: AJ Bell was founded in 2000 and listed on the London Stock Exchange in December 2018.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UX Designer will be part of the Advised UX Team, reporting directly to the Lead UX Designer.

• This team likely collaborates closely with product managers, business analysts, developers, QA testers, and UX researchers.

Methodology:

• AJ Bell emphasizes a customer-centric approach, aiming to "make investing easier." This translates to a focus on user experience and intuitive platform design.

• The company utilizes a hybrid working model, suggesting a balance between collaborative in-office work and flexible remote arrangements.

• A commitment to continuous improvement is evident through dedicated time for proof-of-concepts, assessing new technology, and supporting professional development.

Company Website: https://www.ajbell.co.uk/

📝 Enhancement Note: AJ Bell's position as a leading UK investment platform and a FTSE 250 company suggests a stable, growth-oriented environment with a focus on delivering high-quality digital services. The company's stated mission to "make investing easier" directly aligns with the core purpose of a UX designer.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor / Design Leadership

This role represents a significant step in a UX design career. It moves beyond executing designs to shaping strategy, leading initiatives, and influencing product direction. The "Senior" title, coupled with responsibilities like "design leadership" and "shaping our overall design strategy," indicates a role with substantial autonomy and impact.

Reporting Structure:

The Senior UX Designer reports directly to the Lead UX Designer, who likely oversees the broader UX strategy and team. This structure allows for senior designers to focus on specific platform ownership (Investcentre) while benefiting from leadership guidance and strategic alignment. Collaboration will be extensive with product, engineering, and other business functions.

Operations Impact:

The Senior UX Designer's impact is critical to the success of AJ Bell's Investcentre platform, which manages over £62 billion in assets and serves over 182,000 customers. By improving user experience, the role directly contributes to:

• Increased customer acquisition and retention.

• Enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty.

• Greater user adoption of platform features.

• Reduced support costs through intuitive design.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Progression: Potential to advance to Lead UX Designer, Head of UX, or similar leadership roles, managing larger teams and strategic design portfolios.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas such as financial services UX, design systems, user research methodologies, or accessibility.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into Product Management, UX Research, or other product-focused roles within AJ Bell.

• Skill Development: Access to ongoing technical training, professional qualification support, and personal development programs designed around career goals.

• Mentorship: Formal and informal opportunities to mentor junior designers, honing leadership and coaching skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned for individuals who are ready to take on significant responsibility and influence. The growth opportunities are clearly outlined, offering a path for career advancement within a large, established financial services company.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model, with a minimum of 50% of time spent in the Manchester office.

Office Location(s): The primary office location for this role is Exchange Quay, Manchester. AJ Bell also has offices in London and Bristol, suggesting potential for cross-office collaboration or understanding of a national presence.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model is designed to foster strong connections and collaborative work, with designated office time for team interaction.

• Modern Tools & Technology: Expect access to industry-standard design tools like Figma, alongside other relevant project management and communication software.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular face-to-face interaction with UX colleagues, product teams, and other stakeholders, facilitating efficient communication and problem-solving.

Work Schedule:

• The role is full-time, with standard working hours likely around 9 am to 5 pm (or equivalent for the 40-hour week). The hybrid nature offers flexibility, but the requirement for office presence ensures team cohesion and collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect of the work environment, emphasizing a balance between flexibility and in-person collaboration. The Manchester location places the role within a vibrant city with good transport links.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

2. Technical Interview / Portfolio Review: This is a critical stage where candidates will present their portfolio. Expect to walk through 2-3 key projects, detailing your process, decision-making, challenges, and outcomes. Be prepared to discuss your experience with Figma, design systems, and user research methodologies.

3. Hiring Manager Interview: A more in-depth discussion with the Lead UX Designer or Hiring Manager, focusing on leadership capabilities, strategic thinking, collaboration style, and how you would approach specific challenges within the Investcentre platform.

4. Team/Cross-functional Interview: An opportunity to meet with potential colleagues (e.g., Product Managers, Developers) to assess collaboration and communication skills.

5. Final Interview (Potentially with Senior Leadership): May involve a discussion on your vision for the Investcentre UX and your fit within AJ Bell's broader strategic objectives.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best demonstrate your senior-level capabilities, leadership, and impact, particularly those involving complex systems or financial products if possible.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process you followed, key decisions made, challenges encountered, and the measurable results. Quantify outcomes wherever possible (e.g., increased conversion, reduced error rates).

• Highlight Figma & Design Systems: Showcase your expertise in Figma, including your contributions to component libraries and design systems. Explain how you've used them to ensure consistency and efficiency.

• Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Go beyond just showing UI designs; explain the strategic rationale behind your design choices and how they aligned with business goals.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design philosophy, how you handle constructive criticism, how you collaborate with developers, and your approach to accessibility.

Challenge Preparation:

• You may be given a small design challenge or scenario to work through, either as a take-home task or during an interview.

• Focus on demonstrating your thought process, problem-solving skills, and ability to apply UX principles.

• Consider how you would approach this challenge within AJ Bell's context and constraints (e.g., existing design system, financial services regulations).

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is central to this process. Candidates must be able to articulate their design decisions and demonstrate a strategic mindset, not just aesthetic skills. The emphasis on Figma and design systems suggests that practical, hands-on experience with these tools will be heavily scrutinized.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as a required expertise for prototyping, design systems, and component libraries. This will be the core design tool.

• Prototyping Software: While Figma offers robust prototyping, familiarity with other tools might be beneficial for specific use cases or legacy systems.

• User Research Tools: Experience with tools for surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics), user interview platforms (e.g., Zoom, Teams), and potentially usability testing platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics to understand user behavior and track the impact of design changes.

• Product Analytics: Tools like Mixpanel or Amplitude to gain deeper insights into user interaction patterns and feature adoption.

• BI/Dashboard Tools: Experience with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or internal dashboard solutions to visualize user data and performance metrics.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a UX tool, an understanding of how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms function can provide context for user journeys and data integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the most critical tool mentioned. Proficiency in this area, particularly with design systems, is non-negotiable. Familiarity with analytics tools is also important for demonstrating the impact of UX work.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A core value driven by the company's mission to "make investing easier." This means prioritizing user needs and experience in all design decisions.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: The hybrid model and emphasis on strong connections highlight the importance of working effectively with others.

• Excellence & Innovation: As a FTSE 250 company, AJ Bell values high standards, continuous improvement, and adopting new technologies and approaches.

• Integrity & Trust: Crucial in the financial services sector, ensuring designs are reliable, secure, and transparent.

• Growth & Development: The company invests in its employees through extensive training and development programs, fostering a culture of learning.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect close collaboration with product managers, developers, QA, and business stakeholders, requiring clear communication and a shared understanding of goals.

• Data-Informed Design: Decisions are likely to be informed by user research, analytics, and business data, fostering a pragmatic and evidence-based approach.

• Feedback-Driven: A culture that encourages constructive feedback to continuously improve designs and processes.

• Mentorship: Senior members are expected to guide and support more junior colleagues, promoting knowledge sharing and skill development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on customer centricity and collaboration aligns well with typical UX team values. The company's listed benefits and development opportunities suggest a culture that supports employee growth and well-being.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scale and Complexity: Designing for a platform managing over £62 billion in assets for over 182,000 customers presents significant challenges in terms of scalability, performance, and handling diverse user needs.

• Financial Services Regulations: Navigating the stringent regulatory environment of financial services requires designs that are compliant, secure, and transparent, which can add complexity to the design process.

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Effectively managing the competing priorities of users, business objectives, technical constraints, and regulatory requirements.

• Driving Adoption of New Designs: Ensuring that new features and improved user experiences are effectively adopted by the existing user base.

• Evolving Technology Landscape: Staying abreast of new UX methodologies, design tools, and technologies to maintain a competitive edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Financial Services UX: Gaining specialized knowledge in a high-demand sector.

• Advanced Design System Mastery: Becoming a leader in the development and application of complex design systems.

• Strategic Influence: Developing skills in influencing senior stakeholders and shaping product strategy.

• Mentorship and Leadership: Honing leadership and coaching skills by guiding junior team members.

• Access to Industry Events: Support for attending conferences and meet-ups to stay current with UX trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are inherent to working in a large-scale financial services environment. The growth opportunities are substantial, particularly for those looking to advance into leadership or specialize within a critical industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you successfully influenced senior stakeholders to adopt a significant design change. What was your strategy?" (Focus on communication, data, and stakeholder management.)

• "How would you approach designing a new feature for the Investcentre platform, considering our existing design system and regulatory requirements?" (Demonstrate your process, Figma, and system knowledge.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about AJ Bell and the Investcentre platform specifically?" (Research the company's mission, values, and recent news.)

• "How do you contribute to a collaborative team environment, especially in a hybrid setting?" (Highlight your communication and teamwork skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or a similar framework to present a clear, compelling story.

• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your design decisions, not just the "what."

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs.

• Showcase Figma & Design System Skills: Be ready to demonstrate your proficiency in Figma and discuss how you've leveraged design systems.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your process, tools, and decision-making for each project presented.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skills but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and an understanding of the financial services context. The portfolio presentation is the key opportunity to showcase these attributes.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on smartrecruiters.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating your leadership in UX, experience with Figma and design systems, and any relevant financial services or complex platform design work.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 7+ years of UX experience, specific skills (Figma, design systems, user research), and achievements, using keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on clearly articulating your design process, strategic rationale, and quantifiable outcomes. Prepare to discuss your approach to collaboration, leadership, and problem-solving in a hybrid, regulated environment.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research AJ Bell, its mission, values, and the Investcentre platform. Understand their customer base and the competitive landscape of investment platforms.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with AJ Bell before making application decisions.