UX Designer - 12 Month FTC

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer - 12 Month FTC

Company: Lloyds Banking Group

Location: Manchester, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design

Date Posted: 2026-03-23

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

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and deliver end-to-end user experiences, balancing user needs with business requirements through a data-driven approach.

• Leverage and contribute to a central design system to ensure consistency and efficiency across digital products.

• Utilize advanced prototyping tools to bring design concepts to life and facilitate clear communication with stakeholders and development teams.

• Advocate for inclusive and accessible design principles, ensuring products meet the needs of a diverse user base.

• Collaborate within a multi-disciplinary team to drive design solutions from concept through to successful delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on a 12-month Fixed-Term Contract (FTC), indicating a need for immediate impact and the ability to quickly integrate into ongoing projects. The emphasis on a design system and balancing business/user needs points towards a role within a mature digital product development environment, common in large financial institutions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Skillfully craft the end-to-end user experience by defining cohesive journeys, step-by-step, and strategically using components from a central design system.

• Balance content and UI elements on screen to optimize user engagement and task completion.

• Bring designs to life using prototyping software such as Sketch, InVision, Figma, Axure, or Adobe XD, to create interactive and testable prototypes.

• Gather and interpret user research (quantitative and qualitative) to inform design decisions and align stakeholders on individual user needs.

• Diplomatically advocate for customer needs, pushing back when necessary to ensure the best possible outcome for the end-user.

• Adapt designs to technical constraints of different platforms while guiding the creation of optimal end-user experiences.

• Champion customer inclusion and accessibility, ensuring designs cater to users of diverse ages, backgrounds, and technical abilities.

• Collaborate closely and quickly with multi-disciplinary teams, including product managers, developers, and researchers.

• Ensure designs are seen through to delivery by communicating effectively with developers and stakeholders, ensuring specifications are met.

• Connect design decisions to wider business goals, demonstrating how great design drives clarity, efficiency, user satisfaction, and commercial outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on UX design role with a strong emphasis on user advocacy, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to translate research into tangible design solutions. The mention of balancing technical constraints and business goals is critical for a role within a regulated industry like financial services.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for UX design roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: Demonstrable experience within User Experience design, with a significant portion focused on UX and visual design, or a strong background in interactive design.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrable experience in User Experience (UX) design.

• Strong experience as a UX and visual designer, or from an interactive design background.

• Full ownership of the Interaction Design project lifecycle.

• Excellent prototyping and layout skills, with the ability to articulate these clearly to internal customers and development teams.

• Comfort using and contributing to existing design systems, with the ability to recommend improvements.

• Ability to interpret quantitative and qualitative research findings to inform the interaction design process.

• Familiarity with working within a complex, enterprise-level landscape.

• Strong collaborative mindset for working closely and quickly with multi-disciplinary teams.

• Strong ability to see designs through to delivery, communicating effectively with developers and stakeholders.

• Strong advocacy of customer inclusivity and accessibility principles.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience shaping complex industries such as financial services or automotive.

• Expertise in crafting elegant structures through information architecture, task flows, and interaction patterns.

• Experience contributing to and extending design systems for scalability and reusability.

• Proven ability to facilitate workshops that drive ideas and align teams around outcomes.

• Experience mentoring junior designers or contributing to the wider design community.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize practical experience and a broad skill set covering the entire UX design process, from research interpretation to stakeholder communication and delivery. The preference for financial services experience suggests familiarity with regulatory environments and complex user needs common in this sector.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end UX design projects, detailing the problem, your process, your role, and the outcomes (quantifiable where possible).

• Include case studies demonstrating how you balanced user needs with business objectives and technical constraints.

• Present examples of your work with design systems, illustrating how you leveraged existing components or contributed to their evolution.

• Demonstrate your proficiency in creating interactive prototypes using tools like Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar.

• Highlight your approach to user research interpretation and how it informed your design decisions.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your design process for each project, from initial research and ideation to wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final handoff.

• Document how you collaborated with cross-functional teams, including developers, product managers, and researchers, throughout the design lifecycle.

• Showcase how you gathered and incorporated feedback from stakeholders and users to iterate on designs.

• Detail your approach to ensuring design specifications were met during the development and delivery phases.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is paramount for UX roles. For this specific position at Lloyds Banking Group, it should emphasize projects that demonstrate an understanding of complex user journeys, adherence to design systems, and a focus on accessibility and business impact within a regulated environment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £68,160 - £74,976 per annum.

Benefits:

• A generous pension contribution of up to 15%.

• An annual performance-related bonus.

• Share schemes, including free shares.

• Benefits adaptable to lifestyle, such as discounted shopping.

• 30 days of holiday, in addition to bank holidays.

• A range of wellbeing initiatives.

• Generous parental leave policies.

Working Hours: Full-time, with a hybrid working pattern requiring at least two days per week (40% of time) spent in the Manchester office. The standard working week is approximately 40 hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided falls within the mid-to-senior level for UX Designers in the UK, particularly in major cities like Manchester. The comprehensive benefits package is typical for a large, established financial institution, offering significant value beyond base salary. The hybrid model with a specific office-day requirement should be carefully considered by applicants.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services. Lloyds Banking Group is one of the UK's largest financial services groups, providing a wide range of banking and financial services. This context implies a strong emphasis on security, regulatory compliance, customer trust, and innovation within a traditionally conservative sector.

Company Size: Large Enterprise. As a major banking group, Lloyds Banking Group is a vast organization with thousands of employees, offering extensive opportunities for career development and exposure to diverse business functions.

Founded: 2009 (Lloyds Banking Group as it is known today, formed from various historical entities dating back much further). The company has a long heritage and a significant role in the UK economy.

Team Structure:

• The UX team likely operates as part of a larger digital product or IT division, working in close collaboration with product management, engineering, and business stakeholders.

• Designers may be organized into squads or feature teams focused on specific product areas or customer journeys.

• Reporting structures would typically involve a Head of UX/Design or a Design Lead, with opportunities for collaboration across different design specialisms.

Methodology:

• Data-driven design: Utilizing customer insights, analytics, and A/B testing to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Agile development: Working in iterative cycles, with regular feedback loops and close collaboration with development teams.

• Design Thinking: Employing user-centric methodologies to empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test solutions.

• Design Systems: Adhering to and contributing to established design systems to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Operating within financial services means a strong focus on regulated environments, data security, and building customer trust. The culture likely balances innovation with a need for stability and compliance. The size of the organization offers immense potential for learning and career progression.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-to-senior UX Designer, requiring a solid foundation of experience and the ability to work with a degree of autonomy. It's a crucial role for driving user-centricity within a large organization.

Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will likely report to a UX Lead or Head of Design within the digital product development function. They will work closely with Product Managers and development teams, forming part of a multi-disciplinary squad.

Operations Impact: This role directly impacts customer satisfaction, digital product adoption, and operational efficiency through intuitive and accessible user interfaces. Well-designed user experiences can lead to increased customer retention, reduced support costs, and enhanced brand perception, contributing significantly to the Group's commercial outcomes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in specific areas like accessibility, interaction design, or user research interpretation. Opportunity to contribute to and influence the evolution of the company's design system.

• Leadership Potential: With proven performance, there's potential to move into Senior UX Designer roles, take on more complex projects, lead design initiatives, or mentor junior designers.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain experience working across various product areas within the vast Lloyds Banking Group, understanding different business needs and customer segments. Opportunities to lead design workshops and facilitate cross-team alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The 12-month FTC nature means the focus will be on delivering immediate value. However, for high performers, there's often potential for contract extensions or conversion to permanent roles within Lloyds Banking Group, given the company's size and continuous need for skilled digital talent.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model. The role requires spending a minimum of two days per week (40% of time) at the Manchester Westminster House office. This implies a blend of remote work and in-office collaboration.

Office Location(s): Manchester Westminster House, United Kingdom. This location is a significant hub for the bank, likely offering modern facilities and a collaborative workspace.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model is designed to foster collaboration, team building, and spontaneous idea exchange during office days. Expect a dynamic environment with opportunities to interact with various departments.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, high-speed internet, and potentially specialized design software and hardware. The company likely provides necessary software licenses for design tools.

• Team Interaction: Office days are structured for team meetings, workshops, design reviews, and co-creation sessions, facilitating stronger team cohesion and alignment.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with the expectation of hybrid working. While core hours may apply, there's likely flexibility within the hybrid model, with specific arrangements discussed during the onboarding process. The role is designed to support work-life balance within the framework of a 40-hour week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid arrangement is a key feature. Applicants should be comfortable commuting to Manchester at least twice a week and understand the expectations for in-office collaboration versus remote work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess alignment with the role's requirements and experience level.

• Technical Interview/Portfolio Review: A deeper dive into your portfolio, discussing specific projects, your design process, problem-solving approaches, and how you handle challenges. Be prepared to articulate your design decisions and their impact.

• Stakeholder/Team Interview: This may involve meeting with potential team members (developers, product owners) and hiring managers to assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and cultural fit.

• Case Study/Design Challenge (Potentially): You might be asked to complete a take-home design exercise or a live design challenge to evaluate your practical UX skills and problem-solving abilities in a timed setting.

• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership to confirm fit and suitability for the role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your UX and visual design skills, particularly those relevant to financial services or complex digital products.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the problem statement, your specific role and contributions, the design process you followed, the key challenges you faced, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your methodology – user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and iteration. Explain why you made certain decisions.

• Showcase Design System Use: If applicable, demonstrate how you utilized and contributed to design systems.

• Accessibility Focus: Clearly articulate your approach to inclusive and accessible design.

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

• Prepare to Present: Be ready to walk through your portfolio and present your work confidently and concisely.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, ensure you fully grasp the brief, the target audience, and the business objectives.

• Prioritize: Focus on the core user problems and business goals. You may not have time to solve every aspect of a complex problem; demonstrate strategic prioritization.

• Communicate Your Thinking: Talk through your assumptions, your decision-making process, and any trade-offs you're making. This is often more important than the final solution itself.

• Consider the Constraints: Be mindful of the implied technical and business constraints of a large financial institution.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the 12-month FTC, the hiring team will be looking for candidates who can hit the ground running. Your portfolio and interview performance should clearly demonstrate your ability to quickly understand complex problems, apply your UX expertise effectively, and deliver results.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Prototyping & Design: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, Axure. Proficiency in at least one of these is essential.

• Design System Management: Experience working with and contributing to established design systems.

• Collaboration Tools: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Jira, Confluence for communication, project tracking, and documentation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar tools to interpret user behavior data.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, an understanding of how UX design impacts customer journeys within CRM systems and marketing automation platforms can be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of prototyping software (Sketch/InVision/Figma/Axure/Adobe XD) indicates a strong need for hands-on design and prototyping skills. Familiarity with design systems is also a critical technical requirement.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, ensuring inclusive and accessible design for all.

• Integrity & Trust: Upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and data security, crucial in the financial services sector.

• Collaboration: Working effectively in multi-disciplinary teams, fostering open communication and shared ownership of outcomes.

• Innovation & Improvement: Continuously seeking ways to enhance user experiences and contribute to the evolution of design systems and processes.

• Efficiency: Designing solutions that are not only user-friendly but also technically feasible and aligned with business objectives.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively participating in agile teams, contributing design expertise to product development cycles.

• Process Review & Feedback: Engaging in design critiques, user testing sessions, and stakeholder reviews to refine designs based on constructive feedback.

• Knowledge Sharing: Proactively sharing insights, best practices, and design patterns within the team and across the wider design community.

📝 Enhancement Note: Lloyds Banking Group emphasizes a values-led culture. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate how their approach aligns with these values, particularly regarding customer advocacy, integrity, and collaborative teamwork.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse Needs: Navigating the complex requirements of various user segments, business stakeholders, and regulatory bodies within a large financial institution.

• Technical Constraints: Adapting designs to fit within existing technical architectures and platform limitations while still delivering a high-quality user experience.

• Design System Evolution: Contributing to or extending a mature design system requires careful consideration of scalability, consistency, and backward compatibility.

• Pace of Delivery: Working within a 12-month FTC means needing to deliver impactful results within a compressed timeframe, requiring efficient workflows and strong prioritization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Best Practices: Exposure to cutting-edge UX methodologies and best practices within the financial services industry.

• Design System Expertise: Opportunities to deepen knowledge and practical application of design systems.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gaining insights into product management, development, and business strategy within a large-scale enterprise.

• Accessibility Standards: Enhancing expertise in WCAG guidelines and inclusive design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior UX roles in large, regulated industries. The learning opportunities are substantial, offering a chance to grow professionally within a stable and influential organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting user needs with business requirements. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, negotiation skills, and data-driven decisions.)

• "Walk us through a complex UX project in your portfolio. What was the problem, your role, your process, and the key learnings?" (Be ready to present your portfolio with clarity and confidence.)

• "How do you ensure your designs are inclusive and accessible? Can you provide an example?" (Highlight your understanding of WCAG and practical application.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for Lloyds Banking Group, and specifically in the financial services industry?" (Research the company's purpose, values, and recent initiatives.)

• "How do you stay updated with the latest UX trends and technologies?" (Showcase your commitment to continuous learning.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: Have a clear, logical flow for each case study: Problem, Solution, Process, Outcome.

• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your design decisions, linking them back to user needs, business goals, or research findings.

• Demonstrate Impact: Use metrics and data to showcase the success of your work. If direct metrics aren't available, discuss anticipated outcomes or qualitative feedback.

• Be Ready for Questions: Anticipate questions about your process, challenges, and alternative solutions.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, prototypes, final designs) effectively to support your narrative.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare specific examples that align with the job description's emphasis on design systems, accessibility, balancing business/user needs, and working within complex environments. The 12-month FTC means interviewers will be assessing your ability to quickly integrate and contribute.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Lloyds Banking Group careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features projects that demonstrate your UX and visual design skills, particularly those involving complex user journeys, design systems, and accessibility considerations. Tailor your case study selection to highlight relevance to financial services if possible.

• Resume Optimization: Update your CV to clearly articulate your experience in User Experience design, interaction design, and visual design, using keywords from the job description. Quantify your achievements with specific metrics where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your work. Prepare specific examples for common UX interview questions, focusing on your experience within large organizations and your understanding of user-centric design principles.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Lloyds Banking Group's mission, values, and recent digital initiatives. Understand their commitment to customer inclusivity and their role in the UK financial landscape.

⚠️ 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.