UX Designer - Ops & Regs

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer - Ops & Regs

Company: AJ Bell

Location: Exchange Quay, Manchester - Hybrid, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Operations

Date Posted: 2026-01-20

Experience Level: Mid-level (2-3 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on enhancing internal user experiences for agents and customers through user-centered design principles, with a strong emphasis on understanding and optimizing operational and regulatory processes.

• You will lead end-to-end design projects, from initial discovery and research to final implementation, ensuring designs are grounded in real-world user insights.

• A key aspect involves close collaboration with internal teams, developers, business analysts, and stakeholders to deliver seamless improvements to internal tools and digital journeys.

• The position also requires contribution to and maintenance of a design system, ensuring consistency, accessibility, and adherence to current UX/UI trends and compliance standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: While titled "UX Designer," the "Ops & Regs" designation and the emphasis on internal tools, operational processes, and regulatory compliance indicate a specialized UX role with significant operational impact. This is not a typical external-facing product UX role but one deeply embedded within business operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the entire design lifecycle for internal operational and regulatory tools, encompassing discovery, user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and implementation.

• Conduct in-depth fieldwork and direct observation with internal teams (agents, operational staff) to deeply understand their daily workflows, pain points, challenges, and successes.

• Translate complex operational processes and regulatory requirements into intuitive, efficient, and user-friendly digital interfaces and journeys for internal users.

• Develop and refine wireframes, user flows, and interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and gather early feedback.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including developers, business analysts, product managers, and legal/compliance officers, to ensure designs are technically feasible, meet business objectives, and adhere to regulatory constraints.

• Contribute to the development, maintenance, and evolution of the company's design system, creating and updating components to ensure consistency, accessibility, and adherence to brand guidelines.

• Advocate for the correct usage and adoption of the design system by teams, providing guidance and support.

• Partner with the dedicated UX research team and/or conduct user testing sessions to validate design hypotheses, gather qualitative feedback, and iterate on solutions.

• Champion UX best practices and user-centricity across the organization by sharing insights through internal blogs, workshops, and proactive engagement with stakeholders.

• Participate actively in team critique sessions, show and tells, and mentoring opportunities, contributing to a positive and collaborative team culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of core UX design skills with a specific focus on operational efficiency and regulatory adherence. The "sit with our internal teams regularly" aspect is a unique differentiator, implying a deep dive into business processes rather than just user interface design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating UX design capabilities and an understanding of user-centered design principles is paramount.

Experience:

• 2-3 years of professional experience in a User Experience (UX) design role, either within an agency setting or an in-house environment.

Required Skills:

• User-Centred Design Principles: Deep understanding and practical application of human-centered design methodologies to solve user problems.

• Wireframing & Prototyping: Proficiency in creating low-fidelity wireframes and interactive prototypes to visualize and test design concepts.

• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions clearly and effectively to diverse audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to identify user pain points and develop innovative solutions.

• Design System Contribution: Experience in contributing to, maintaining, or evolving design systems, understanding component-based design and its benefits for consistency and scalability.

• Visual Design Principles & Accessibility: Solid understanding of visual design aesthetics, typography, layout, and a strong commitment to designing accessible interfaces compliant with WCAG standards.

Preferred Skills:

• UX Research Experience: Familiarity with or direct experience in conducting user research methodologies (e.g., interviews, surveys, usability testing) to inform design decisions.

• Service Design Principles: Understanding of service design concepts and how to map and improve end-to-end user journeys, particularly within operational contexts.

• Regulatory/Compliance Awareness: Experience or a keen interest in understanding and designing within constraints imposed by CASS (Client Asset rules), financial regulations, or other compliance frameworks.

• Design System Development: Prior experience in building a design system from the ground up, not just contributing to an existing one.

• Prototyping Tools: While beneficial, specific experience with particular prototyping software (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "2-3 years" experience level, combined with the responsibility of "leading design projects," suggests this is a mid-weight role. The emphasis on internal tools and regulatory aspects means candidates with experience in enterprise software, FinTech, or regulated industries will have a distinct advantage.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies Demonstrating End-to-End Design: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies that illustrate your process from problem identification and research through to design solutions and outcomes. Focus on projects that involved understanding complex workflows or regulatory constraints.

• Process Optimization Examples: Include examples where your designs directly led to simplification or improvement of operational processes, with quantifiable results if possible.

• Design System Contributions: If applicable, highlight your involvement in design systems, detailing specific components you designed, updated, or helped implement, and the rationale behind them.

• Accessibility & Compliance Considerations: Demonstrate how you have incorporated accessibility standards and considered regulatory requirements in your design work.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of mapping complex operational processes and translating them into clear, user-friendly digital journeys.

• Examples of iterative design processes, showing how feedback (user testing, stakeholder reviews) was incorporated to refine designs.

• Documentation of how you collaborated with technical teams (developers, BAs) to ensure successful implementation of designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, as it will be the primary way to assess a candidate's ability to translate complex requirements into effective user experiences, especially within an operational and regulated context. The emphasis on "internal teams" means case studies on enterprise tools or internal process improvements will be highly relevant.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Generous Holiday Entitlement: Starting at 25 days, increasing to 31 days with service.

• Holiday Buy and Sell Scheme: Flexibility to manage your annual leave.

• Pension Schemes: Matched contributions up to 6% to support long-term financial planning.

• Discretionary Bonus Scheme: Performance-related bonus opportunities.

• Share Awards: Annual free share awards, aligning employee success with company growth.

• Buy As You Earn (BAYE) Scheme: Opportunity to invest in company shares.

• Health & Wellbeing:

  • Health Cash Plan (Medicash)
  • Discounted private healthcare and dental plan.
  • Free on-site gym with a variety of free classes.
  • Employee Assistance Programme for confidential support.

• Work-Life Balance & Support:

  • Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave.
  • Sick pay pledge.
  • Loans for travel season tickets.
  • Bike loan scheme.

• Career Development:

  • Personal development programmes tailored to career goals.
  • Ongoing technical training and support for professional qualifications.
  • Talent management programmes and peer recognition schemes.
  • Support to attend conferences, events, and meet-ups.
  • Dedicated time for proof-of-concepts and exploring new technologies.

• Other Perks:

  • Discounted nursery fees (Kids Planet on Exchange Quay).
  • Death in service scheme.
  • Charitable giving opportunities through salary sacrifice.
  • Social events calendar (monthly drinks, parties).
  • Parking at Exchange Quay.
  • Casual dress code.

Working Hours:

• Standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, aligning with a full-time role.

• The company operates a hybrid working model, requiring a minimum of 50% of working time in the office per month. New hires will undergo an initial full-time office period for onboarding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The extensive benefits package suggests a strong commitment to employee well-being and professional development, which is attractive to operations professionals seeking a stable and supportive work environment. The salary range is an estimate based on UK market data for similar roles and locations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Investment Platform)

• AJ Bell operates within the dynamic UK financial services sector, specifically as a fast-growing investment platform provider. This industry is characterized by stringent regulatory oversight, a focus on customer trust, and a drive for technological innovation to simplify investing. The "Ops & Regs" focus of this UX role is directly aligned with the industry's emphasis on compliance and efficient operations.

Company Size: Over 1,500 employees

• As a FTSE 250 company with over 1,500 employees, AJ Bell offers the stability and resources of a large organization while retaining a dynamic and growing culture. This size implies established processes and a significant internal user base for the UX team to support.

Founded: 1995 (implied by "listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange in December 2018" and "award-winning for six consecutive years")

Team Structure:

• UX Function: Part of a larger, centralized UX function.

• UX Ops & Regs Team: A small, growing squad within the UX function, specifically focused on internal experiences related to operations and regulations. This team includes designers at various levels, including an apprentice.

• Reporting: The UX Designer will likely report to a UX Lead or Manager within the broader UX team, with close daily interaction with business analysts, developers, and stakeholders from operational departments.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: High degree of collaboration expected with internal operational teams, developers, business analysts, and potentially legal/compliance departments.

Methodology:

• User-Centred Design: Core to the team's approach, ensuring all designs are informed by user needs and behaviors.

• Data-Driven Insights: Encouraged through UX research, user testing, and direct observation of internal processes.

• Iterative Design: Designs are refined based on feedback and performance data.

• Design System Adoption: Emphasis on consistency and efficiency through a shared design system.

• Agile Practices: Likely adopted given the collaborative and iterative nature of software development in a tech-forward company.

Company Website: ajbell.co.uk

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's position as a FTSE 250 financial services firm implies a structured yet innovative environment. The "Ops & Regs" team's focus suggests that efficiency, compliance, and internal user productivity are key strategic priorities for AJ Bell.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-level UX Designer with Specialization

Reporting Structure:

Operations Impact:

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in UX for operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and financial services technology, becoming a go-to expert in this domain.

• Design System Leadership: Grow into a more senior role within the design system team, potentially leading its development and advocating for its adoption.

• Service Design Expansion: Develop skills in service design to map and optimize broader internal and external service journeys.

• Research Acumen: Enhance UX research capabilities, potentially leading research initiatives for the Ops & Regs team.

• Mentorship: Guide and mentor junior designers or apprentices within the UX team.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Take on more strategic project leadership roles, influencing product roadmaps for internal tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path here is not just about climbing a ladder but also about developing a specialized skill set. For operations-minded UX professionals, this role offers a chance to make a significant, measurable impact on core business functions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid Working Model

Office Location(s):

• Exchange Quay, Manchester: This is the primary location mentioned, serving as AJ Bell's headquarters. The office is described as providing parking and being close to amenities.

• Other Offices: Central London and Bristol are also mentioned as office locations, though the primary role is based in Manchester.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on in-person time are designed to foster collaboration. The UX team actively participates in critique sessions and show-and-tells, encouraging knowledge exchange and peer learning.

• Tools & Technology: While specific tools aren't listed here, the role implies access to standard UX design and prototyping software, as well as relevant internal systems and potentially dedicated research tools. The company also offers "Dedicated time for proof-of-concepts and assessing new tech," suggesting an environment that supports experimentation.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with the UX Ops & Regs team, the broader UX function, and various internal business stakeholders to foster strong working relationships and ensure design alignment.

Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is for a full-time role, typically 40 hours per week. The hybrid model provides flexibility in how these hours are structured between office and remote work, with an initial onboarding period requiring full-time office presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with a minimum office presence ensures that candidates who value in-person collaboration and team dynamics will find this environment suitable, while still offering flexibility. The Manchester location places it within a significant tech and business hub in the UK.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a brief call with HR or a recruiter to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: Candidates will be expected to present a selection of their work from their portfolio, focusing on projects that demonstrate their UX process, problem-solving skills, and impact, particularly in operational or regulated contexts. This may involve a design challenge.

• Technical/Design Interview: A deeper dive into UX methodologies, design principles, tool proficiency, and how candidates approach complex problems. This may include behavioral questions related to collaboration and problem-solving.

• Stakeholder/Team Interviews: Meetings with potential team members, including other designers, developers, business analysts, and potentially operational stakeholders to assess fit and collaboration potential.

• Final Interview: May involve senior management or the hiring manager for a final decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Process, Not Just Polish: Clearly articulate your design process for each case study – research, ideation, iteration, and rationale behind key decisions.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrates the positive impact of your designs on user efficiency, task completion, or error reduction.

• Highlight "Ops & Regs" Relevance: Select projects that showcase your ability to design for complex workflows, regulatory constraints, or internal tools. If you don't have direct experience, explain how your general UX skills translate.

• Showcase Collaboration: Explain how you worked with developers, BAs, and stakeholders, and how you managed feedback.

• Be Ready to Discuss Design Systems: Prepare to talk about your experience with design systems, whether contributing to, using, or building them.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Challenge: Be prepared for a design exercise, which could be a take-home task or an on-the-spot problem. It will likely involve a scenario related to improving an internal operational process or designing a feature within a regulated context.

• Process Mapping: Practice mapping out a simple workflow to demonstrate your ability to deconstruct and visualize processes.

• User Scenario Analysis: Be ready to analyze a user scenario and propose UX solutions.

• Presentation Skills: Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, as you'll need to present your solutions effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potentially a design challenge means candidates should prepare thoroughly to showcase their practical UX skills and problem-solving approach, especially in the context of operational efficiency and regulatory considerations.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar is expected for wireframing, prototyping, and visual design. Figma is increasingly a common requirement for collaborative design systems.

• Design System Management: Experience with tools or platforms used for managing and documenting design systems (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook, or in-built features of design tools).

• Collaboration Tools: Familiarity with platforms like Jira, Confluence, Slack, or Microsoft Teams for project management, documentation, and team communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary focus for the UX Designer, an understanding of how to access and interpret user data from analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Pendo, Mixpanel) to inform design decisions is beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Experience with or understanding of CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and automation platforms can be helpful, as UX designers may design interfaces or workflows that interact with these systems, particularly for internal sales or customer support operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job description doesn't list specific tools, a strong candidate will be proficient in leading design and prototyping software and have experience working within or contributing to design systems. Familiarity with project management and communication tools is assumed for collaborative environments.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centred Focus: A fundamental commitment to understanding and prioritizing the needs of internal users (agents, operational staff) and external customers.

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working together across teams – UX, development, business analysis, and operations – to achieve shared goals.

• Curiosity & Continuous Learning: An environment that encourages asking questions, exploring new ideas, and staying updated with UX trends and technologies.

• Efficiency & Simplicity: A drive to design solutions that simplify complex processes and improve operational efficiency.

• Creativity & Innovation: Valuing creative problem-solving and the generation of novel solutions to user challenges.

• Accountability: Taking ownership of design projects from start to finish and ensuring successful implementation and adoption.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The team actively collaborates with various departments, ensuring UX insights are integrated into business strategy and development.

• Feedback-Driven: A culture that values constructive criticism and uses feedback from peers and stakeholders to refine designs. This is evident in the mention of critique sessions.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of insights and best practices through internal blogs, workshops, and show-and-tell sessions.

• Mentorship & Support: A supportive environment where more experienced designers mentor junior members, fostering a learning culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to foster a collaborative and learning-oriented environment, with a strong emphasis on user-centricity and practical problem-solving, which aligns well with the operational focus of this UX role.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complex Operational Workflows: Understanding and simplifying intricate internal processes that may have evolved over time.

• Navigating Regulatory Constraints: Designing effective user experiences within strict financial regulations (CASS, compliance) requires careful consideration and collaboration with legal/compliance teams.

• Balancing Internal & External User Needs: While this role primarily focuses on internal users, the impact often extends to customer experience, requiring an understanding of the broader ecosystem.

• Driving Adoption of Designs/Design System: Ensuring that implemented designs and design system components are effectively adopted and used by various teams.

• Measuring Impact of Internal Tool UX: Quantifying the ROI of UX improvements for internal tools can be more challenging than for external-facing products.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized UX Expertise: Develop deep knowledge in UX for financial services, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance.

• Design System Leadership: Gain experience in building, maintaining, and governing a design system, a highly valued skill in the UX field.

• Research Acumen: Enhance UX research skills through collaboration with the dedicated research team or by initiating user testing.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Improve ability to influence product roadmaps and business strategy through strong UX advocacy.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to learn from senior designers and to mentor junior colleagues.

• Industry Exposure: Support for attending conferences and events to stay updated on UX trends and network within the industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical of specialized UX roles within regulated industries. The growth opportunities are significant for a UX professional looking to build a niche expertise and influence within a large organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Tell me about a time you designed a solution for a complex operational process. What was the challenge, your approach, and the outcome?"

  • Preparation: Prepare a case study focusing on process simplification, workflow mapping, and measurable improvements. Highlight your research and iterative design process.

• "How do you ensure your designs comply with regulatory requirements? Can you give an example?"

  • Preparation: Discuss your understanding of accessibility standards and how you would approach integrating regulatory guidelines. If you have direct experience with financial regulations, prepare a relevant example. Otherwise, discuss how you'd collaborate with compliance teams.

• "Describe your experience with design systems. What is your contribution philosophy?"

  • Preparation: Be ready to discuss your experience using, contributing to, or building design systems. Explain the benefits of a design system for consistency, efficiency, and scalability.

• "How do you gather user feedback for internal tools, and how do you handle conflicting feedback from different stakeholders?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in designing for internal operations and regulatory tools, rather than external customer-facing products?"

  • Preparation: Articulate your interest in the tangible impact on business efficiency, problem-solving for internal users, and the unique challenges of regulated environments.

• "How do you see yourself contributing to our UX team's culture and methodology?"

  • Preparation: Reference the company's values and team structure. Discuss your collaborative approach, willingness to share knowledge, and how you embrace continuous learning.

• "AJ Bell is a FTSE 250 company in the financial services sector. How does this context influence your approach to UX design?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Presentation: For each case study, follow a clear narrative: Problem -> Research -> Solution (with key design artifacts) -> Outcome/Impact -> Learnings.

• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your design decisions at each stage.

• Be Interactive: Be prepared to answer questions about your process, tools, and decisions.

• Showcase Collaboration: Briefly mention how you collaborated with developers, BAs, and stakeholders.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your user-centered design process and how you iterated based on feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Thorough preparation across these areas will demonstrate not only your UX skills but also your understanding of the specific operational and regulatory context of the role, making you a strong candidate.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused UX designer position:

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

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight experience in user-centered design, process optimization, collaboration with development teams, and any exposure to regulated industries or internal tool design. Use keywords like "UX," "User Experience," "Wireframing," "Prototyping," "Design Systems," "Accessibility," and "Operational Efficiency."

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 strong case studies that best showcase your end-to-end design process, problem-solving skills, and impact, particularly focusing on projects that involved complex workflows or regulatory considerations. Prepare to present these clearly and concisely.

• Research AJ Bell: Understand their business model, their position in the financial services market, and the company's stated values. This will help you tailor your responses during interviews.

• Prepare for a Design Challenge: Be ready to tackle a problem that involves designing or improving an internal process or tool, demonstrating your ability to apply UX principles in a practical, operational context.

⚠️ 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.

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