UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer
Company: Tes
Location: Sheffield or London, England, United Kingdom
Job Type: Fixed Term (6 months), Contractor/Temporary
Category: Product Design & User Experience
Date Posted: February 16, 2026
Experience Level: Mid-Weight (implied by description)
Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office per week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Focus on transforming complex user problems and data-informed insights into simplified, accessible, and high-performing digital products using a human-centric approach.
• Drive the entire design lifecycle, from discovery and hypothesis-driven experimentation to delivery and post-launch optimization.
• Play a pivotal role in Design Operations (DesignOps), contributing to the refinement of internal workflows and the maintenance of design consistency across the organization.
• Collaborate within cross-functional product teams, working closely with Product Managers and Engineers to ensure technical feasibility and user adoption.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is explicitly for a "Mid-Weight UX Designer" and is a fixed-term contract of 6 months, indicating a need for an experienced individual to contribute immediately to a business transformation phase, specifically moving from a collection of products to a centralized eco-system suite.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Continuous Discovery: Lead all stages of the design process, integrating learning and discovery with efficient delivery of features and improvements.
• Lean Experimentation: Deconstruct complex concepts into lean experiments to rapidly validate assumptions and minimize development waste.
• Advanced Prototyping: Create high-fidelity, interactive prototypes using Figma for user testing and effective communication with engineering and stakeholders.
• Workshop Facilitation: Lead collaborative sessions, including design sprints and ideation workshops, to align stakeholders and foster innovation.
• Ceremony Leadership: Support and lead design-specific ceremonies such as design critiques and peer reviews to enhance the team's craft and output.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineers, involving developers early in the ideation process to ensure technical feasibility.
• Mixed-Methods Research: Partner with UX Researchers to conduct generative and evaluative research, translating data into actionable insights and comprehensive journey maps.
• Impact Measurement: Define and track key UX metrics (e.g., task success rate, SUS, retention) to quantify the success and effectiveness of launched features.
• DesignOps Contribution: Actively contribute to Design Operations by refining internal workflows, ensuring design consistency, and championing design thinking principles across Tes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a full-stack UX role, covering end-to-end product development from ideation and research to delivery and performance measurement, with a strong emphasis on collaboration and DesignOps. The mention of "Eco-system Suite" suggests a focus on platform-level design thinking rather than isolated features.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Degree in Product Design, HCI, Behavioural Science, or equivalent industry experience. Diverse perspectives and non-linear career paths are valued.

Experience:

• Proven track record of delivering complex B2B or B2C SaaS products in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with autonomy, proactively identifying gaps and proposing solutions.
• Experience working in high-performing teams utilizing Agile methodologies with sprints and continuous deployment cycles.
• Familiarity with modern research methods.

Required Skills:

• Figma Mastery: Proficiency in Figma, including Auto-layout, Components, and Variables.
• Product Discovery & Design Execution: Ability to drive the full design process from understanding user needs to delivering polished interfaces.
• Lean Experimentation & Hypothesis Validation: Experience in designing and executing experiments to test assumptions quickly.
• Advanced Prototyping Skills: Ability to create interactive, high-fidelity prototypes for user testing and stakeholder communication.
• Workshop Facilitation: Experience leading design sprints, ideation sessions, and stakeholder alignment meetings.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with Product Managers and Engineers.
• Mixed-Methods Research Partnership: Ability to collaborate with researchers and translate research findings into design actions.
• Impact Measurement & UX Metrics: Understanding and application of key UX metrics (SUS, Task Success Rate, etc.) to evaluate design effectiveness.
• Systems Thinking: Ability to understand how design decisions impact the broader product ecosystem and maintain scalability.
• Agile Proficiency: Experience working within Agile frameworks and contributing to continuous deployment cycles.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the EdTech industry.
• Familiarity with DesignOps principles and practices.
• Knowledge of specific UX research methodologies beyond basic familiarity.
• Experience with journey mapping tools and techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements highlight a blend of technical proficiency (Figma), strategic thinking (SaaS expertise, systems thinking), and collaborative skills (cross-functional partnership, workshop facilitation). The emphasis on an "Evidence-Based Portfolio" is a critical requirement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Problem-Solution Narrative: Clearly articulate the user problem or business challenge addressed by each project.
• Process Demonstration: Showcase the end-to-end design process, including discovery, ideation, user research, iteration, and validation.
• User Testing & Iteration: Provide evidence of user testing, feedback incorporation, and how iterations led to improved outcomes.
• Measurable Outcomes: Quantify the impact of your design solutions, referencing UX metrics or business results where possible.
• Technical Execution: Demonstrate proficiency in design tools, particularly Figma, highlighting complex components, auto-layout, or interactive elements.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Ability to map and optimize user flows for complex SaaS applications.
• Design System Contribution: Experience in contributing to or utilizing design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency.
• Collaboration Protocols: Documented experience in collaborating with engineering and product management within Agile frameworks.
• Experimentation Frameworks: Evidence of using lean experimentation to validate design hypotheses.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job description explicitly calls for an "Evidence-Based Portfolio" demonstrating the "why" behind the "what," user testing iterations, and measurable outcomes. This suggests a strong emphasis on impact and a data-driven approach to design.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £42,000 - £51,000 per annum.

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days.
• 5% pension contribution after probation period.
• Access to state-of-the-art offices.
• Benefits platform: "My Benefits World".
• Free eye care cover.
• Life Assurance.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• Quarterly Tes Socials.
• Access to an extensive Learning and Development menu.

Working Hours:

• Approximately 40 hours per week, with a hybrid working pattern requiring 3 days per week in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided, and the benefits package is comprehensive, including typical elements like leave, pension, and health coverage, alongside specific perks like office access and social events, which are relevant for a hybrid role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: EdTech (Education Technology). Tes is a global leader in this sector, providing solutions for schools worldwide. Company Size: Tes is a global organization with a significant presence, indicated by its mission to serve millions of children across thousands of schools in over 100 countries, and its community of over 13 million educators. Founded: Over 100 years ago, suggesting a long-standing history and deep understanding of the education sector.

Team Structure:

• A global UX team, split between the UK and Australia.
• Composed of UX Designers, UX Researchers, Content Designers, a Head of Design, and a Global Head of UX.
• Works across multiple products, aiming to craft delightful experiences.
• Operates within cross-functional product teams.

Methodology:

• Human-Centric Approach: Emphasizes understanding user needs and designing solutions that are simplified and accessible.
• Evidence-Based Design: Relies on data-informed insights, user research, and hypothesis-driven experimentation.
• Agile & Lean: Works in sprints with continuous deployment, utilizing lean experimentation to validate ideas quickly.
• DesignOps Focus: Actively refining internal workflows, maintaining design consistency, and promoting design thinking.
• Ecosystem Thinking: Shifting from individual products to a centralized eco-system suite, requiring a holistic view of user experience.

Company Website: www.tes.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Tes operates in the EdTech space with a mission to support educators and students globally. The company culture appears collaborative, data-driven, and focused on continuous improvement, as evidenced by the emphasis on DesignOps and ecosystem thinking.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Weight UX Designer. This level implies a solid foundation in UX principles and practices, with the ability to manage projects independently and contribute strategically to product development. The role requires ownership of the design lifecycle and contribution to DesignOps, indicating a step beyond junior responsibilities.

Reporting Structure:

• The UX Designer will likely report to a UX Lead, Head of Design, or Global Head of UX within the Product department.
• They will work within cross-functional product teams, collaborating closely with Product Managers and Engineers.

Operations Impact:

• The UX Designer directly influences the usability, accessibility, and effectiveness of Tes's EdTech solutions, impacting millions of educators and students worldwide.
• By transforming user problems into simplified digital products, the role contributes to operational efficiency for schools and enhances the learning experience for students.
• Contributions to DesignOps and the development of a centralized ecosystem suite will have a strategic impact on product consistency, development efficiency, and overall user satisfaction at scale.

Growth Opportunities:

• Senior UX Design: Potential to advance to a Senior UX Designer role, taking on more complex projects and mentoring junior designers.
• Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas like UX Research, DesignOps, or specific product domains within Tes.
• Leadership: Potential progression into leadership roles, such as Lead UX Designer or Design Manager, overseeing teams and strategic design initiatives.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: Experience gained in product teams can open doors to roles in Product Management or other GTM functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant growth potential within the UX discipline, with opportunities for specialization and leadership within a global EdTech organization. The fixed-term nature might be a stepping stone to a permanent role or a project-based engagement.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid model requiring 3 days per week in the office. The company mentions "state-of-the-art offices," suggesting modern, well-equipped workspaces designed for collaboration.

Office Location(s):

• Sheffield, England, United Kingdom
• London, England, United Kingdom

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Focus: The hybrid model and mention of in-person workshops emphasize a desire for collaborative problem-solving and team interaction.
• Tools & Technology: Access to modern design tools like Figma, and likely other relevant UX/product development software.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with UX Researchers, Content Designers, Product Managers, and Engineers during office days.

Work Schedule:

• The role is for a fixed term of 6 months, with a standard working pattern likely around 40 hours per week.
• The hybrid arrangement allows for flexibility, balancing in-office collaboration with remote work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment is a key aspect, balancing the need for in-person collaboration, especially for workshops and design sprints, with the flexibility of remote work. The mention of "state-of-the-art offices" suggests a positive and productive physical workspace.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of CV and portfolio to assess suitability and experience.
• Technical Interview: This will likely involve a deep dive into the candidate's portfolio, discussing their design process, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. Expect questions on Figma proficiency, SaaS experience, and handling complex user challenges.
• Case Study/Design Challenge: A practical exercise, potentially a take-home assignment or a live design jam, to assess design thinking, problem-solving, and execution under timed conditions. This might focus on a specific user problem within Tes's domain.
• Stakeholder/Team Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other UX team members to evaluate collaboration skills, communication, and cultural fit.
• Final Interview: Potentially with a Head of Design or senior leader to discuss strategic alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Narrative is Key: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process, the decisions made (and why), and the outcomes.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals, wireframes, prototypes, user flows, and research artifacts to illustrate your work.
• Highlight Iterations: Demonstrate how user feedback and testing informed your design decisions and led to improvements.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include metrics or data that show the positive impact of your design solutions.
• Tailor to Tes: If possible, subtly tailor your portfolio presentation or select case studies that align with Tes's mission in EdTech and their focus on SaaS and ecosystem design.
• Figma Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your advanced Figma skills (Auto-layout, Components, Variables) and how you leverage them for efficiency and consistency.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research Tes, their products, and the EdTech landscape. Consider the needs of educators and students.
• Focus on Process: For any challenge, emphasize your approach: understanding the problem, user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.
• Think Systemically: Consider how your proposed solution fits within a larger ecosystem.
• Be Realistic: Propose solutions that are technically feasible and align with Agile development cycles.
• Communicate Clearly: Be prepared to articulate your thought process and justify your design decisions concisely.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on an "Evidence-Based Portfolio" and "measurable outcomes" is paramount. Candidates should prepare to articulate their design process in detail and demonstrate tangible impact. The fixed-term nature suggests a need for candidates who can onboard quickly and deliver results efficiently.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for design execution, prototyping, and collaboration. Mastery of advanced features like Auto-layout, Components, and Variables is required.
• Prototyping Tools: Figma's built-in prototyping capabilities are key.
• Design System Tools: Likely involves working with or contributing to a design system, which may be managed within Figma or a dedicated platform.

Analytics & Reporting:

• UX Metrics Tracking: Familiarity with tools or methods for tracking metrics like SUS (System Usability Scale), task success rates, conversion rates, and user retention.
• Data Analysis Tools: While not explicitly stated, competence in interpreting data from analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) or user research findings would be beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly mentioned as a primary tool for the UX Designer, but understanding how UX design integrates with broader SaaS platforms and potentially CRM systems (if applicable to user management or administrative features) could be advantageous.

Collaboration & Project Management:

• Agile Tools: Experience with tools like Jira, Trello, or similar for sprint management and task tracking.
• Communication Platforms: Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar for team communication.
• Workshop Tools: Miro, Mural, or similar for remote/hybrid collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a required tool. The role implies working within a modern digital product development stack, emphasizing collaboration and data-driven design validation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Human-Centricity: A core value driving the design of simplified, accessible, and high-performing digital products.
• Evidence-Based Decision Making: Reliance on data, user insights, and experimentation to validate design choices.
• Collaboration and Partnership: Strong emphasis on working effectively within cross-functional teams and with stakeholders.
• Continuous Improvement & Learning: Commitment to refining internal workflows (DesignOps), elevating craft, and staying current with modern research and design methods.
• Ownership and Autonomy: Encouragement for individuals to take ownership of their domain and proactively identify solutions.
• Impact-Driven: Focus on delivering measurable outcomes and making a positive difference in the education sector.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamless collaboration within product teams, involving engineers and product managers early and often.
• Open Communication: Encouragement of design critiques, peer reviews, and 'show and tells' to foster transparency and collective improvement.
• Workshop-Oriented: Preference for in-person workshops to drive ideation, alignment, and deep collaboration.
• Supportive Environment: The team aims to support each other, acting as a unified force to ensure members have what they need to perform at their best.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture appears to value proactive problem-solving, collaborative ideation, and a data-informed, user-focused approach. The emphasis on DesignOps suggests a mature approach to optimizing the design process itself.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Fixed-Term Contract: The 6-month duration requires rapid onboarding and immediate impact delivery.
• Ecosystem Transformation: Contributing to the shift from a collection of products to a centralized eco-system suite demands a holistic and systemic design perspective.
• Balancing Discovery and Delivery: Effectively managing the tension between exploring new ideas and meeting delivery deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Ensuring effective communication and alignment between UX, Product Management, and Engineering, especially in a hybrid setting.
• Measuring Impact: Defining and consistently tracking UX metrics to demonstrate value and inform future design decisions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• DesignOps Exposure: Gaining practical experience in refining design workflows, processes, and standards.
• SaaS Product Development: Deepening expertise in designing for complex B2B/B2C SaaS platforms within the EdTech sector.
• Ecosystem Design: Developing skills in designing for integrated product suites and understanding platform-level UX challenges.
• Advanced Figma Techniques: Further mastering Figma's advanced features for efficiency and scalability.
• Cross-Functional Acumen: Enhancing understanding of product management and engineering processes.
• Industry Exposure: Working for a global EdTech leader provides insights into the education technology market.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents a significant opportunity to contribute to a major business transformation (ecosystem suite) within a critical sector (EdTech), offering substantial learning and skill development, particularly in DesignOps and large-scale SaaS product design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex user problem you solved in a previous SaaS product. Walk us through your process from discovery to delivery, highlighting key decisions and outcomes." (Focus on problem-solving, process, and impact.)
• "How do you approach balancing continuous discovery with the need for timely delivery in an Agile environment? Provide an example." (Assesses understanding of Agile constraints and lean methodologies.)
• "Tell me about your experience with DesignOps. What are some key workflows or processes you've helped refine, and what was the impact?" (Evaluates contribution to design efficiency and consistency.)
• "How do you ensure technical feasibility when designing complex features? Describe a time you collaborated closely with engineers." (Probes cross-functional collaboration and practical design application.)
• "What are your go-to UX metrics, and how do you use them to measure the success of your designs? Give an example where metrics influenced your design decisions." (Tests data-driven approach and understanding of UX evaluation.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your research, what do you see as the biggest UX challenges or opportunities for Tes in the EdTech space?" (Shows research and strategic thinking.)
• "How do your personal design values align with Tes's mission to empower educators and students?" (Assesses cultural fit and mission alignment.)
• "Describe your ideal collaboration style within a cross-functional team, especially in a hybrid work environment." (Evaluates teamwork and adaptability.)
• "What are your thoughts on the shift from individual products to a centralized ecosystem suite from a UX perspective?" (Tests understanding of the company's strategic direction.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with an overview of your role and the project's objective. Then, detail the problem, your approach, key research/testing findings, design iterations, final solution, and quantifiable results.
• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, interactive prototypes (if feasible to demo), user flow diagrams, and research summaries.
• Storytelling: Frame each project as a narrative – a challenge overcome with thoughtful solutions leading to positive outcomes.
• Figma Focus: Be prepared to show specific examples of your Figma work, explaining how you used Auto-layout, Components, and Variables to create efficient and scalable designs.
• Conciseness: For a fixed-term role, be direct and focus on the most impactful aspects of your projects. Aim for clarity and impact over exhaustive detail.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of the end-to-end UX process, proficiency with Figma, ability to work in Agile/hybrid environments, and a data-driven, problem-solving mindset. Highlighting experience with SaaS and DesignOps will be critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on the Dayforce portal.
• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to highlight 2-3 projects that best showcase your experience with SaaS products, complex problem-solving, and end-to-end design execution. Emphasize projects with measurable outcomes and clear evidence of user testing and iteration.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to explicitly mention your proficiency with Figma (including Auto-layout, Components, Variables), experience in B2B/B2C SaaS environments, Agile methodologies, and any DesignOps contributions. Use keywords from the job description.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, decision-making rationale, and the impact of your work. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions related to collaboration, autonomy, and problem-solving. Be ready to demo your Figma skills and discuss your portfolio in detail.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research Tes, its mission in EdTech, its products, and its stated goals (e.g., the shift to an ecosystem suite). Understand the unique challenges and opportunities within the education technology sector.

⚠️ 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.