Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer

Company: VML Enterprise Solutions

Location: Porto, Porto, Portugal

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Customer Experience (CX)

Date Posted: 2026-02-24

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Remote OK (with potential for hybrid in Porto)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive end-to-end UX design processes for complex e-commerce and digital experiences, translating business and user needs into intuitive and effective solutions.

• Lead discovery phases, including qualitative and quantitative research, usability testing, and requirements workshops, to inform design strategy and execution.

• Create and present a comprehensive range of design artifacts, from personas and journey maps to wireframes and interactive prototypes, to articulate design rationale and gain stakeholder buy-in.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams (UI, Service Design, Optimisation, Consulting, Development) and clients to ensure cohesive, high-quality user experiences that align with business objectives.

• Provide UX leadership and strategic guidance to internal teams and clients, contributing to the overall growth and success of the CX practice within VML Enterprise Solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Senior UX Designer," the description emphasizes the need for strong e-commerce/online experience and owning the full UX process, indicating a role that is more than just design execution. It requires strategic thinking, client-facing skills, and leadership within the UX discipline. The "Remote OK" status, combined with the specific Porto location, suggests a potential for a hybrid model or a primary remote role for candidates in that region.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and facilitate product definition and UX requirements workshops with clients and internal stakeholders to define project scope, objectives, and user needs.

• Lead the planning, execution, and analysis of qualitative and quantitative user research, including user interviews, surveys, contextual inquiries, and competitive analysis.

• Synthesize research findings into actionable insights, identifying key user behaviors, pain points, and opportunities for innovation and improvement.

• Apply design thinking methodologies to conceptualize new experiences, products, and services, developing feasible and viable solutions that meet both user and business requirements.

• Create detailed design artifacts, including personas, customer journey maps, user flows, information architecture diagrams, wireframes, and interactive prototypes, to effectively communicate design concepts and solutions.

• Develop and present compelling design rationales, product strategies, and proposed design approaches to diverse audiences, including working groups, C-suite executives, and clients.

• Collaborate effectively with Account Leads, Head of UX, Head of CX, UI Designers, Service Designers, Developers, and Program Managers to ensure seamless integration of UX into the overall product development lifecycle.

• Act as a UX subject matter expert, providing leadership and guidance to clients and internal teams, and contributing to the continuous improvement of design quality and user experience standards.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of UX processes, methodologies, and best practices within the VML Enterprise Solutions CX team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design work and strategic leadership. The emphasis on "running workshops," "scoping research," and "communicating, defending and building consensus" points to a senior role that requires influence and project ownership, not just execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, Graphic Design, Psychology, Computer Science, or a related field.

Experience:

• Significant proven experience in UX design, with a strong preference for agency or consultancy backgrounds.

• 5-10 years of professional experience in UX design, with a substantial portion dedicated to e-commerce or complex online customer journeys.

Required Skills:

• Compelling portfolio showcasing high-quality, best-in-class UX design work, with a focus on e-commerce and complex digital journeys.

• Expertise in conducting and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative user research methodologies.

• Proficient in using design thinking techniques and frameworks to solve complex user and business problems.

• Advanced skills in creating a range of design artifacts: personas, journey maps, user flows, information architecture, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.

• Strong understanding of technical constraints, user goals, and business requirements that influence product development.

• Excellent client communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and build consensus.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with A/B testing and conversion rate optimization (CRO) techniques.

• Familiarity with user interface (UI) design principles and best practices.

• Experience with service design methodologies and principles.

• Knowledge of agile development methodologies.

• Experience working with large enterprise clients and global brands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "compelling portfolio" and "significant proven experience" at an agency is critical. The "5-10 years" experience level suggests a need for candidates who can operate autonomously and mentor junior designers, even if a formal management role isn't explicitly stated.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio that clearly articulates your role and contributions to each project, demonstrating your end-to-end UX process.

• Case studies that highlight your ability to tackle complex e-commerce or online journey challenges, showcasing problem definition, research methodologies, design rationale, and final outcomes.

• Evidence of your proficiency in creating key design artifacts such as personas, journey maps, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.

• Demonstrations of how your UX solutions have met specific business objectives and user needs, ideally with quantifiable results or impact.

Process Documentation:

• Ability to document and articulate your UX design process, from initial discovery and research to ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.

• Experience in defining and optimizing design workflows, ensuring efficiency and quality throughout the project lifecycle.

• Understanding of how to integrate UX processes with broader project management, development, and client engagement frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is explicitly stated as a mandatory requirement. Candidates should prepare to walk through their process, explain design decisions, and articulate the impact of their work, especially for e-commerce and complex journeys.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Opportunity to work with a global network of over 30,000 employees across 150+ offices.

• Exposure to a wide range of industry-leading brands (e.g., Coca-Cola, EY, Bosch, Unilever, Ford, Mercedes-Benz).

• Focus on career development and skill growth, with opportunities for learning and advancement.

• A culture that values connection, belonging, and the power of differences.

• Empowerment to make a difference and be recognized for contributions.

• Competitive remuneration package and benefits, subject to company policy.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility often available in hybrid or remote roles. The exact schedule will align with project needs and team collaboration requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is not specified, so a professional estimate based on location (Porto, Portugal) and experience level (Senior, 5-10 years) within the agency/consultancy sector has been provided. The benefits are inferred from the company description, emphasizing global reach, brand exposure, and career growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Marketing, Advertising, Technology, Consultancy, and Digital Experiences. VML operates at the intersection of these fields, leveraging creativity, technology, and data to drive growth for clients.

Company Size: Large (30,000+ employees globally). This indicates a vast network of resources, expertise, and opportunities for collaboration, but also a structured environment with established processes.

Founded: VML Enterprise Solutions is part of VML, formed by the merger of VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, with a combined heritage of over a century. This history suggests a strong foundation and deep industry experience.

Team Structure:

• The CX team includes Leads in UX, UI, Service Design, Optimisation, and Consulting.

• The Senior UX Designer reports into the Lead UX.

• This role requires close collaboration with various internal teams (UI, Development, Program Management, Account Leads) and external clients.

Methodology:

• VML emphasizes a growth partner approach, blending creative agency, consultancy, and technology powerhouse capabilities.

• They deliver end-to-end solutions that aim for "revolutionary work."

• Data, CRM, and technology are core components of their offerings.

• The company culture is driven by core values: Heart, Brains, and Courage, promoting empathy, curiosity, innovation, and bold problem-solving.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: VML is a significant player in the marketing and digital transformation space, formed from a major merger. The "Enterprise Solutions" division suggests a focus on large-scale, complex digital initiatives for major corporations. The core values (Heart, Brains, Courage) are key to understanding their operational philosophy.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level individual contributor role within the UX discipline. It requires significant experience and the ability to lead projects and influence stakeholders independently. The role is pivotal in delivering high-impact CX solutions for enterprise clients.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX Designer reports to the Lead UX, indicating a clear hierarchy within the UX team. This structure allows for mentorship and strategic alignment.

Operations Impact: The work directly influences client satisfaction, brand perception, customer engagement, and ultimately, revenue for VML's clients. By designing effective digital experiences, the Senior UX Designer contributes to client growth and VML's reputation as a leading digital transformation partner.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in e-commerce UX, complex journey design, and potentially specialized areas like service design or optimization.

• Leadership Development: Opportunity to mentor junior designers, lead project teams, and take on more strategic client-facing responsibilities.

• Career Progression: Potential to advance to Lead UX Designer, Head of UX, or other senior leadership roles within the CX practice or broader VML organization.

• Industry Exposure: Work with a diverse portfolio of global brands, gaining broad industry experience and insight.

• Learning & Development: Access to VML's resources for continuous learning, skill enhancement, and professional development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a pathway to leadership. The structure within Enterprise Solutions suggests opportunities to work on transformative projects for major brands, which can significantly boost a UX professional's career trajectory.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is listed as "Remote OK" with a specific location in Porto, Portugal. This suggests a hybrid work environment is possible, where employees might work remotely primarily but have the option to use a local office in Porto for collaboration or meetings. The broader VML company is a large, global organization with numerous offices.

Office Location(s): Porto, Portugal is the specified location. VML has a global presence with over 150 offices in 64 markets.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role requires close collaboration with UX, UI, Service Design, Consulting, and Development teams, implying a dynamic and interactive team setting, whether remote or hybrid.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design and prototyping tools, as well as collaboration platforms, will be essential for effective remote and hybrid work.

• Client Interaction: Frequent interaction with clients, including C-suite executives, will be a key aspect of the role.

Work Schedule: While core working hours will likely align with business needs and team availability, the "Remote OK" status suggests some flexibility. The emphasis on client work and global brands may require accommodating different time zones at times.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote OK" status combined with a specific physical location (Porto) is a key feature. It suggests that while remote work is supported, having a presence or being able to attend meetings in Porto might be beneficial or required occasionally, pointing towards a hybrid model.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of CV and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their portfolio, walking through key projects, their process, and the impact of their work. Expect detailed questions about your role, decisions, and outcomes.

• Skills-Based Interviews: Discussions focusing on UX methodologies, design thinking, research techniques, e-commerce best practices, and problem-solving abilities.

• Scenario/Case Study: Potential for a design challenge or case study, either pre-interview or during the interview process, to assess practical application of skills.

• Stakeholder/Team Interviews: Meetings with potential colleagues (Lead UX, other designers, developers) and hiring managers to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and leadership potential.

• Final Interview: Possibly with senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your specific role and responsibilities, the process you followed (research, ideation, design, testing), your key contributions, the challenges you faced, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight E-commerce Expertise: Showcase projects that specifically demonstrate your understanding of e-commerce flows, user journeys, conversion optimization, and online retail best practices.

• Showcase Process: Don't just show final designs; illustrate your thinking process, including research insights, wireframes, user flows, and iterations.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores, reduced task completion times).

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, how you handled disagreements, and how you collaborated with cross-functional teams.

Challenge Preparation:

• If a design challenge is presented, focus on understanding the brief, asking clarifying questions, and applying your structured problem-solving approach.

• Prioritize key user needs and business goals.

• Clearly articulate your assumptions, rationale, and proposed solutions.

• Manage your time effectively and present your solution concisely and persuasively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on the portfolio. Candidates should prepare to defend their design decisions and showcase their process and impact, especially concerning e-commerce.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, Axure RP (proficiency in at least one, ideally more, is expected).

• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, Hotjar, Google Analytics, SurveyMonkey, Typeform.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Miro, Mural.

• Information Architecture: Visio, Lucidchart, Whimsical.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• While not a primary focus for UX, understanding how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation tools influence customer journeys and data collection can be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in industry-standard UX design and prototyping tools is essential. Experience with research platforms and collaboration tools is also expected, especially given the remote/hybrid nature of the role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Heart: Fostering empathy, trust, and genuine connections for human-centric work. This means understanding user needs deeply and collaborating respectfully.

• Brains: Valuing relentless curiosity, collaborative intelligence, and innovation to solve complex challenges. This translates to a proactive approach to learning, problem-solving, and strategic thinking.

• Courage: Inspiring individuals to speak up, embrace experimentation, and advocate for bold solutions. This encourages taking initiative, pushing boundaries, and championing best practices in UX.

• Impact-Driven: A focus on delivering measurable results for clients and contributing to their growth.

• Connection & Belonging: VML aims to create an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and integrated.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close collaboration with UI designers, service designers, consultants, developers, and account leads is fundamental.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Using research data and analytics to guide design choices and demonstrate impact.

• Iterative Design: Embracing feedback loops and continuous improvement through testing and iteration.

• Client Partnership: Working as a strategic partner with clients, building trust and aligning on goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's core values (Heart, Brains, Courage) should inform how candidates approach their work and interactions. Demonstrating these values in their portfolio and interview responses will be key.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business Constraints: Effectively translating complex client requirements and technical limitations into user-centered solutions that still drive business value.

• Managing Diverse Stakeholder Expectations: Navigating differing opinions and priorities among clients and internal teams to achieve consensus on design direction.

• Driving Innovation in Established Brands: Introducing new and potentially disruptive UX approaches to large, established organizations with existing brand guidelines and processes.

• Staying Ahead of Evolving Technology & Trends: Continuously learning and adapting to new design tools, methodologies, and user behaviors in the rapidly changing digital landscape.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in e-commerce UX, conversion rate optimization, or emerging areas of CX.

• Leadership Track: Develop skills in team leadership, client management, and strategic UX planning.

• Industry Exposure: Gain experience across a broad spectrum of global brands and industries.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Opportunity to learn from UI, Service Design, and Consulting specialists within VML.

• Certifications & Training: Access to internal and external training programs to enhance UX skills and knowledge.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they've overcome similar challenges and how they approach continuous learning and professional development within the dynamic field of UX.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex e-commerce UX challenge you’ve tackled. What was your process, what were the key insights, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your structured approach, research, and impact.)

• "How do you balance user needs with client business objectives and technical constraints? Provide an example." (Highlight your negotiation and problem-solving skills.)

• "How do you approach validating your design solutions with users and stakeholders?" (Discuss your experience with usability testing, A/B testing, and feedback loops.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What attracts you to VML and this specific role?" (Research VML's recent work, values, and approach.)

• "How do you embody our core values of Heart, Brains, and Courage in your work?" (Prepare specific examples.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select Relevant Projects: Choose 2-3 strong projects that best showcase your e-commerce expertise, end-to-end process, and problem-solving skills.

• Tell a Story: Frame each project as a narrative, emphasizing the problem, your role, your process, and the impact.

• Be Data-Driven: Use metrics and user feedback to support your design decisions and demonstrate success.

• Explain Your "Why": Be ready to articulate the rationale behind every design decision you made.

• Practice: Rehearse your presentation to ensure clarity, conciseness, and confidence.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss your portfolio in depth. Expect questions that probe your strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and how you apply UX principles to achieve business outcomes, particularly in e-commerce contexts.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the VML Enterprise Solutions careers page.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your e-commerce UX experience, your end-to-end process ownership, and your ability to deliver high-impact digital solutions.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your years of experience, key skills (UX research, wireframing, prototyping, e-commerce), and quantifiable achievements relevant to the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, prepare answers to common UX interview questions, and research VML's recent projects and company values.

• Company Research: Understand VML's positioning as a "growth partner," their merger history, and their core values (Heart, Brains, Courage) to demonstrate your alignment.

⚠️ 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.