UX Designer (6 months FTC/Secondment)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer (6 months FTC/Secondment) Company: Lloyds Banking Group Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom Job Type: FULL_TIME, TEMPORARY Category: User Experience (UX) / Design Operations Date Posted: 2025-08-11 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years) Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on the crucial function of designing user interfaces and experiences for internal colleague-facing tools, specifically a new payment management system.
• The UX Designer will be responsible for the end-to-end user journey, ensuring a seamless and efficient experience for payment specialist colleagues.
• A key aspect involves balancing intricate business requirements with user needs, leveraging user research and data to inform design decisions.
• The position demands strong collaboration skills, working closely with cross-functional teams including Product Owners, Developers, and other Designers to deliver high-quality solutions.
• Emphasis is placed on advocating for inclusive and accessible design, ensuring the system is usable by a diverse range of users.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UX Designer", the context of designing a "payment management system for our payment specialist colleagues" and the emphasis on "colleague-facing or business-facing tools" strongly indicate a focus on internal business operations and employee experience, rather than external customer-facing product design. This role is ideal for operations professionals with a strong design background or designers interested in internal process optimization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Craft end-to-end colleague experiences for a new payment management system, ensuring a cohesive and intuitive user journey.
• Creatively apply components from a central design system to achieve an optimal balance of content and User Interface (UI) elements on screen.
• Develop interactive prototypes using industry-standard software (e.g., Sketch, InVision, Figma, Axure, Adobe XD) to visualize and test design concepts.
• Gather and interpret user research (quantitative and qualitative) to align stakeholders and users on individual needs, and to inform the interaction design process.
• Balance and negotiate complex business requirements with user needs, employing diplomatic communication to advocate for customer-centric solutions.
• Adapt designs to technical constraints of different platforms while guiding the development of the best possible end-user experience.
• Champion inclusive and accessible design principles, ensuring the system caters to users of diverse ages, backgrounds, and technical abilities.
• Effectively communicate design rationale and technical specifications to internal customers and development teams.
• Proactively contribute to and recommend improvements for existing design systems, enhancing their utility for the project and broader design community.
• Collaborate closely with Product Owners, Customer Journey Managers, Developers, Specialist Colleagues, and other Designers throughout the project lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on process integration and operational efficiency through design. The need to "balance business requirements with user needs" and "gather user research and rationale" points to a data-informed approach common in operations roles. The mention of "technical constraints" and "communicating with developers to ensure designs meet specifications" underscores the practical application of design within a business context.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

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

Experience:

• Demonstrable experience (typically 2-5 years) in User Experience (UX) design and Interaction Design.
• Proven track record of taking ownership of interaction design throughout the project lifecycle, from concept to delivery.
• Experience crafting interfaces or tools for non-linear user journeys is highly desirable.
• Prior experience designing colleague-facing or business-facing tools is a significant advantage.
• Familiarity working within complex operational landscapes, with experience in the financial services industry being a strong preference.

Required Skills:

• User Experience (UX) Design: Expertise in user-centered design principles and methodologies.
• Interaction Design: Strong ability to design intuitive and efficient user flows and interactions.
• Prototyping: Proficiency in using various prototyping tools (e.g., Sketch, InVision, Figma, Axure, Adobe XD) to create interactive mockups.
• Layout Skills: Excellent ability to create clear, functional, and aesthetically pleasing layouts.
• Design Systems: Experience working with and contributing to design systems, understanding their importance for consistency and efficiency.
• User Research Interpretation: Ability to interpret and apply insights from quantitative and qualitative user research to inform design decisions.
• Communication & Presentation: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts clearly to diverse audiences.
• Inclusive & Accessible Design: Deep understanding and practical application of principles for creating accessible and inclusive user experiences.
• Adaptability: Capacity to adapt designs to technical constraints while maintaining user experience quality.

Preferred Skills:

• Financial Services Experience: Prior experience within the financial services sector, understanding its unique operational and regulatory nuances.
• Business Process Understanding: Familiarity with business processes and how design can optimize internal workflows.
• Agile Methodologies: Experience working within Agile development environments.
• Stakeholder Management: Ability to effectively manage relationships and communicate with various internal stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the operational focus, candidates demonstrating an understanding of business process optimization through design, and experience with Agile methodologies, will be highly valued. The "financial services experience" preference is a strong signal for candidates with experience in regulated environments or internal systems used within such organizations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end UX design projects, clearly detailing the problem, your role, the process followed, and the final outcome.
• Include examples of designing for colleague-facing or business-facing tools, demonstrating an understanding of internal user needs and workflows.
• Present case studies that highlight your ability to balance business requirements with user needs, supported by research and data.
• Demonstrate your proficiency with prototyping tools and how you've used them to test and iterate on designs.
• Provide examples of your work with design systems, illustrating how you've leveraged or contributed to them for consistency and efficiency.
• Clearly articulate your process for incorporating user feedback and research findings into design iterations.

Process Documentation:

• Exhibit how you document user flows, wireframes, and prototypes to communicate design intent effectively to development teams and stakeholders.
• Showcase examples of how you've translated user research into actionable design improvements.
• Include evidence of your approach to ensuring designs are implemented according to specifications and are accessible to all users.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, a portfolio that emphasizes the impact of design on internal operational efficiency and user satisfaction for colleagues will be particularly strong. Candidates should prepare to walk through their design process, focusing on problem-solving, user research integration, and stakeholder communication, especially in the context of business systems.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £59,850 - £66,500 per annum.

Benefits:

• Generous Pension Contribution: Up to 15% contribution, offering strong long-term financial security.
• Annual Performance Related Bonus: Opportunity to earn a bonus based on individual and company performance, aligning personal success with organizational goals.
• Share Schemes: Including free shares, providing employees with ownership and a stake in the company's success.
• Discounted Shopping: Access to various discounts on goods and services, adding tangible value to compensation.
• Holiday Entitlement: 30 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays, promoting work-life balance.
• Wellbeing Initiatives: A range of programs and resources focused on supporting employee health and wellbeing.
• Generous Parental Leave Policies: Comprehensive policies to support employees during significant life events.

Working Hours: 35 hours per week, full-time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is competitive for mid-level UX Design roles in the UK, particularly within the financial services sector. The comprehensive benefits package underscores Lloyds Banking Group's commitment to employee welfare and long-term engagement, which can be a significant factor for candidates considering a contract or secondment role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services. Lloyds Banking Group is one of the UK's largest financial institutions, offering a wide range of banking and financial services. This context means the operations environment is often complex, regulated, and focused on security and efficiency. Company Size: Large enterprise. As a major banking group, Lloyds Banking Group employs a significant number of people, offering ample opportunities for professional development and exposure to diverse business areas. Founded: 1765 (as Lloyds Bank). The company has a long and established history, indicating a stable environment with deeply ingrained processes and a culture that values tradition alongside innovation.

Team Structure:

• The UX Designer will join the Business Transaction Banking platform, a specific business unit within the broader organization.
• The team likely includes Product Owners, Customer Journey Managers, Developers, Specialist Colleagues, and other Designers, fostering a collaborative, cross-functional environment.
• Reporting structure will likely involve a Lead UX Designer or Design Manager, with direct collaboration across product and engineering teams.
• Cross-functional collaboration is central, requiring close partnership with business stakeholders to understand operational needs and translate them into effective designs.

Methodology:

• The platform utilizes experience design principles to simplify and improve payment processes, suggesting a user-centric approach integrated with business objectives.
• Design work is likely conducted within an Agile framework, involving iterative development and continuous feedback loops.
• Data analysis and user research are key to informing design decisions, aligning with a data-driven operations mindset.
• Automation and efficiency are implicit goals, as the role aims to improve the tools used by colleagues for managing payments.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's long history and large size suggest a structured environment with established processes. However, the mention of "Business Transaction Banking platform" and "using experience design to make processes simple, quick, and friction-free" indicates an active effort towards modernization and efficiency improvements within specific operational domains. The hybrid working model is also a key aspect of their current operational culture.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level UX Designer, suitable for individuals with 2-5 years of dedicated UX/Interaction Design experience. It requires a solid understanding of design principles and the ability to work independently on specific project components, while also collaborating effectively within a team. Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will likely report to a Design Lead or Manager within the Business Transaction Banking platform. They will work closely with Product Owners and development teams, requiring strong communication and collaboration skills to navigate project priorities and technical implementations. Operations Impact: The UX Designer's work directly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of payment specialists by improving the tools they use daily. By creating a more intuitive and user-friendly payment management system, this role contributes to reduced errors, faster processing times, and improved colleague satisfaction, all of which have a tangible impact on operational performance and cost savings.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Development in Financial Services UX: Gain specialized experience in designing for complex, regulated environments within the financial sector, a valuable niche skill.
• Contribution to Design Systems: Opportunity to influence and enhance an existing design system, contributing to broader organizational design standards and best practices.
• Cross-functional Collaboration Expertise: Develop stronger collaboration skills by working with diverse teams (Product, Engineering, Business Specialists), enhancing understanding of end-to-end product development lifecycle.
• Potential for Stakeholder Influence: As the role involves presenting to customers and adapting designs based on feedback, there's an opportunity to grow influence and build credibility with key stakeholders.
• Pathway to Senior UX Roles: Successful performance in this FTC/secondment could lead to opportunities for more permanent or senior UX design positions within Lloyds Banking Group, particularly within operations-focused design teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations-focused candidates, this role offers a chance to apply design skills directly to internal business processes, providing a unique perspective on operational efficiency. The FTC/secondment nature also allows for concentrated experience in a specific area, potentially leading to specialized career paths within large financial institutions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid Working. Employees are expected to spend at least two days per week (or 40% of their time) at one of the company's office sites. This model blends the benefits of in-person collaboration with the flexibility of remote work. Office Location(s): Edinburgh Citymark, 150 Fountainbridge. This specific location in Edinburgh serves as a central hub for the team and the broader organization in that region.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace will likely be designed to foster collaboration, with access to meeting rooms, shared work areas, and potentially dedicated design studio spaces.
• Colleagues can expect to work alongside Product Owners, Developers, and other Designers, facilitating direct communication and co-creation.
• Access to the necessary technology and tools for UX design, prototyping, and collaboration will be provided, supporting efficient workflow.
• The hybrid model allows for focused individual work at home and collaborative sessions or team meetings in the office, catering to different work styles and task requirements.

Work Schedule: A standard 35-hour work week, full-time. While the overall structure is defined, Lloyds Banking Group supports flexible working options, which may allow for some adaptation in daily start/end times, provided business needs and team collaboration requirements are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment is a key feature, requiring individuals to be comfortable managing their time effectively between home and office. For operations professionals, understanding the cadence of in-office collaboration days versus remote work days will be important for planning and maximizing team efficiency.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess suitability for the role and experience level.
• First Interview: Likely a conversation with a hiring manager or senior team member to discuss your experience, design philosophy, and fit with the team's culture. Expect questions about your approach to UX design, handling challenging requirements, and collaboration.
• Portfolio Presentation/Design Challenge: You may be asked to present specific projects from your portfolio, highlighting your process, problem-solving skills, and the impact of your designs. Alternatively, a take-home or live design challenge might be given to assess your practical design skills and approach to a specific problem.
• Final Interview: Potentially with more senior stakeholders or cross-functional team leads to assess broader fit and strategic thinking.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Process: Clearly articulate your UX process for each project, emphasizing how you gathered requirements, conducted research, iterated on designs, and collaborated with teams.
• Showcase Business Impact: For this role, demonstrate how your designs have improved efficiency, reduced errors, or enhanced the user experience for colleagues within a business context. Quantify results where possible (e.g., "reduced task completion time by X%").
• Highlight Collaboration: Include examples of how you worked with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders, illustrating your communication and teamwork skills.
• Present Diverse Skills: Showcase your proficiency in various design tools, your ability to create interactive prototypes, and your understanding of inclusive design principles.
• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that involved designing internal tools, business-facing applications, or complex user journeys, as mentioned in the job description.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, ensure you understand the business problem and the target users (in this case, payment specialists).
• Prioritize Key UX Principles: Focus on user flows, information architecture, and interaction design that directly address the challenge’s core issues.
• Structure Your Presentation: Clearly outline your approach, key decisions, and the rationale behind them. Be prepared to present your solution concisely and effectively.
• Consider Business Constraints: Think about how real-world technical and business constraints might influence your design choices, mirroring the demands of a corporate environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the focus on internal tools and business processes, interviewers will likely probe into how you translate operational needs into user-friendly designs. Prepare to discuss specific instances where you influenced stakeholders or navigated complex requirements to achieve an optimal outcome for business users.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Prototyping Software: Explicitly mentioned are Sketch, InVision, Figma, Axure, and Adobe XD. Proficiency in at least one of these is essential. Figma is increasingly becoming a standard for collaborative design.
• Design Systems: Experience with and ability to contribute to design systems is crucial for maintaining consistency and efficiency across projects.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly stated, UX Designers in operations roles often leverage tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or internal BI tools to understand user behavior and measure the impact of design changes.
• Familiarity with data analysis to inform design decisions is highly valued.

CRM & Automation:

• No specific CRM or automation tools are mentioned for the UX Designer's direct use, but understanding how UX design integrates with CRM platforms (like Salesforce) or workflow automation tools can be beneficial for context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern collaborative design tools like Figma is highly recommended. Understanding how UX designs integrate with back-end systems and business processes is a plus, especially for candidates transitioning from external-facing product design to internal operations roles.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity (Internal Focus): While the company serves external customers, this role emphasizes the internal customer (the payment specialist colleague). Designs should prioritize their needs, efficiency, and ease of use.
• Efficiency and Process Improvement: A core value will be to streamline operational processes through effective design, reducing friction and improving productivity.
• Collaboration and Teamwork: Working effectively with diverse teams (Product, Engineering, Business) is paramount. A collaborative mindset is essential for success.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Leveraging user research and analytics to inform design choices, ensuring solutions are evidence-based.
• Inclusivity and Accessibility: A commitment to creating products that are usable by everyone, regardless of background or ability.

Collaboration Style:

• Expect a highly collaborative environment where designers work closely with product managers to define requirements and developers to ensure accurate implementation.
• Open communication and constructive feedback are likely encouraged, forming a key part of the iterative design process.
• Designers are expected to be proactive in sharing their work, seeking input, and contributing to the team's collective knowledge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "colleague-facing" tools and "payment specialist colleagues" highlights a specific operational culture focused on empowering employees through well-designed internal systems. Understanding the daily pain points and workflows of these colleagues will be key to thriving in this environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse Stakeholder Needs: Navigating the requirements and expectations of various internal teams (e.g., Product, IT, Business Operations) can be complex.
• Designing for Non-Linear Journeys: Creating intuitive experiences for complex, non-sequential user tasks requires careful information architecture and interaction design.
• Technical Constraints: Adapting designs to fit within existing technical platforms and development capabilities while still delivering a high-quality user experience.
• Adoption of New Systems: Encouraging colleagues to adopt and effectively use a new payment management system requires a user experience that is demonstrably better than existing methods.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Financial Operations: Gain specialized knowledge of payment processing, transaction management, and the operational intricacies of a major financial institution.
• Advanced UX Techniques: Opportunity to hone skills in areas like complex workflow design, information architecture for business applications, and inclusive design for professional tools.
• Cross-Functional Project Experience: Exposure to various stages of product development within a large, structured organization.
• Contribution to Enterprise Design Systems: Potential to influence and evolve design standards that impact numerous internal tools and products across the group.

📝 Enhancement Note: For individuals interested in operations, this role presents a unique challenge to apply UX principles to improve internal business processes. The growth opportunities lie in developing specialized skills within the financial services sector and understanding the intersection of design and operational efficiency.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Tell me about a time you designed a colleague-facing tool. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them?" Prepare a case study focusing on internal tools, highlighting your process, stakeholder management, and the impact of your design on productivity or user satisfaction.
• "How do you balance business requirements with user needs when they conflict?" Be ready to discuss your approach to research, negotiation, and finding solutions that satisfy both parties, using a specific example.
• "Describe your experience with [specific prototyping tool mentioned, e.g., Figma]. How have you used it to test and iterate on designs?" Be prepared to discuss your workflow and demonstrate your proficiency.
• "How do you ensure your designs are inclusive and accessible?" Discuss your understanding of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and how you integrate them into your design process.
• "How do you gather and interpret user research to inform your designs?" Be ready to explain your methods for qualitative and quantitative research and how you translate findings into actionable design improvements.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Lloyds Banking Group and its purpose to help Britain prosper?" Research the company's values, recent news, and its role in the financial sector.
• "How do you see yourself fitting into our hybrid working model and collaborative team environment?" Reflect on your preferred work style and how you contribute effectively in both remote and in-office settings.
• "What interests you about designing for internal business processes rather than external customers?" Frame this positively, focusing on the impact of improving employee efficiency and the unique challenges of internal tool design.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, your key contributions, and the measurable outcomes.
• Highlight Process Over Polish: While polished visuals are good, the interviewers will be more interested in your thought process, problem-solving skills, and how you arrived at your solutions.
• Emphasize Collaboration: Point out instances where you worked with developers or stakeholders to refine designs or overcome implementation challenges.
• Quantify Impact: If possible, use data to demonstrate the effectiveness of your designs, such as improvements in task completion rates, reduction in errors, or user feedback scores.
• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs made, and alternative solutions considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely assess not only design skills but also your ability to operate within a large corporate structure, collaborate effectively, and understand the impact of design on business operations. Prepare to articulate your value proposition in terms of improving internal efficiency and user experience for colleagues.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused UX Design position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Lloyds Banking Group careers portal.
• Operations Portfolio Customization: Tailor your CV and portfolio to highlight experience in designing internal tools, process optimization through UX, and working within business operations or financial services contexts. Select 2-3 key projects that best demonstrate your ability to solve business problems with user-centered design.
• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly lists your UX/Interaction Design experience, specific tools proficiency (Figma, Sketch, etc.), and any relevant financial services or internal system design experience. Quantify achievements where possible, focusing on efficiency gains or user satisfaction improvements.
• Operations Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, focusing on how you gather requirements, conduct research, iterate on designs, and collaborate with technical and business stakeholders. Be ready to discuss your understanding of inclusive design and its importance in a professional setting.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Lloyds Banking Group's mission, values, and current initiatives, particularly those related to digital transformation or employee experience. Understand their hybrid working model and how you can contribute effectively within it.

⚠️ 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.