Lead Designer Senior (H/F) - Lyon

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Designer Senior (H/F)

Company: Smile Group (UX-Republic)

Location: Lyon, France (Villeurbanne)

Job Type: Full-Time (CDI)

Category: Design Operations / UX/UI Leadership

Date Posted: September 21, 2026

Experience Level: Senior (7-10+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (1 day/week initially, increasing to 2-3 days/week)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the UX/UI vision and strategy for a significant BtoE (Business to Employee) application redesign project within the nuclear energy sector.

• Provide leadership and mentorship to a team of UX Designers, UI Designers, and Product Designers, fostering a high-performing and quality-driven design culture.

• Ensure comprehensive design consistency across all user journeys, interfaces, and interactions throughout the entire product lifecycle (Discovery, Delivery, Run).

• Act as a key liaison, facilitating alignment and effective communication between design, product management, business analysis, development teams, and business stakeholders.

• Drive the evolution and governance of the program's design system to maintain brand integrity and operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior leadership position within the design function, specifically focused on a critical BtoE digital transformation project. The "Lead Designer Senior" title, coupled with the requirement for 7-10+ years of experience and specific industry knowledge (energy/nuclear/BtoE), indicates a strategic, hands-on leadership role. The emphasis on "piloting the vision," "encadrer les designers," and "garantir la cohérence globale" points to a blend of strategic oversight and direct team management.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and champion the overarching UX/UI strategy for the nuclear BtoE application suite, aligning with business objectives and user needs.

• Guarantee the cohesive design of user journeys, interfaces, and interactions, ensuring a unified and intuitive user experience across all applications.

• Mentor, coach, and guide UX Designers, UI Designers, and Product Designers, fostering their professional development and ensuring high-quality output.

• Arbitrate design decisions by balancing user requirements, business constraints, and technical feasibility, ensuring pragmatic and effective solutions.

• Uphold and enforce the quality of design deliverables, ensuring adherence to established design standards and best practices.

• Lead the development, maintenance, and governance of the program's design system, promoting reusability and consistency.

• Structure and oversee user research initiatives, translating insights into actionable product directions and design decisions.

• Actively participate in user interviews, usability testing, data analysis, and decision-making processes to inform design strategy.

• Transform user insights and analytics into clear product orientations and concrete design choices.

• Ensure a user-centric approach is consistently applied and adapted to the specific needs of the BtoE context.

• Collaborate closely with Product Owners (PO), Product Managers (PM), Business Analysts (BA), developers, and business unit representatives.

• Participate actively in agile ceremonies and contribute to the service center operational model.

• Facilitate seamless alignment and communication between design, product, and technical teams.

• Support team members in enhancing their skills and improving the quality of their execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly delineate a leadership role encompassing strategic vision, team management, process ownership (design system, user research), and cross-functional collaboration. The mention of "Discovery – Delivery – Run" phases and "centre de services piloté" indicates a mature product development lifecycle and operational model.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for senior design leadership roles. Equivalency through extensive experience and a strong portfolio is also highly valued. Experience:

• Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive experience in UX/UI design, with a significant portion in leadership or senior individual contributor roles.

• Demonstrated experience in managing complex, large-scale digital transformation projects, particularly within enterprise or BtoE environments.

• Proven track record of successfully leading and mentoring design teams. Required Skills:

• UX/UI Strategy Definition: Ability to conceptualize, articulate, and implement comprehensive UX/UI strategies for complex programs.

• Design System Management: Expertise in creating, evolving, and governing design systems for large-scale applications.

• User Research & Analysis: Proficiency in structuring and conducting user research, synthesizing insights, and translating them into design decisions.

• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Proven ability to lead, inspire, and develop design teams, fostering collaboration and high performance.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Exceptional ability to work effectively with Product Managers, Developers, Business Analysts, and business stakeholders.

• Agile Methodologies: Deep understanding and practical experience working within agile development frameworks (Scrum, Kanban).

• Interface & Interaction Design: Strong command of principles and best practices for designing intuitive and effective user interfaces and interactions.

• Problem-Solving: Capacity to analyze complex problems, identify root causes, and propose innovative and pragmatic design solutions.

• Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts and rationale clearly to diverse audiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Energy/Nuclear Industry Experience: Direct experience or strong understanding of the BtoE landscape within the energy or nuclear sectors.

• Product Design Leadership: Experience in a Product Design Lead or Head of Design role.

• Service Design Principles: Familiarity with service design methodologies to ensure holistic user experiences.

• Design Operations (DesignOps): Understanding of DesignOps principles for streamlining design workflows and team efficiency.

• Data Visualization: Ability to design effective data visualizations for complex information.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Must have: industrie / énergie / BtoE" requirement is critical. This implies that candidates without this specific domain experience, even with strong design skills, may not be considered. The 7-10+ years of experience positions this as a senior role requiring strategic thinking and proven leadership.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Strategic Design Leadership: Showcase examples of defining and executing UX/UI strategy for complex digital products or programs, demonstrating a clear understanding of business goals.

• Design System Implementation: Present case studies detailing the creation, management, or significant evolution of a design system, highlighting its impact on consistency and efficiency.

• Team Leadership & Mentorship: Include examples or testimonials demonstrating your ability to lead, mentor, and grow design teams, showcasing your leadership approach.

• BtoE/Enterprise Project Experience: Provide detailed case studies of projects within an enterprise or BtoE context, emphasizing problem-solving, user impact, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Process Optimization: Demonstrate how you've improved design workflows, research methodologies, or team processes to enhance output quality and speed.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates are expected to articulate their design processes clearly, including:
  • Discovery Phase: How user needs are identified, researched, and translated into product requirements.
  • Delivery Phase: How designs are iterated upon, tested, and handed off to development teams.
  • Run Phase: How designs are maintained, iterated upon based on feedback, and how the design system is managed post-launch.
  • Workflow Design: Examples of designing efficient and scalable design workflows within agile environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead Designer role, the portfolio is paramount. It should not only showcase visual design skills but, more importantly, strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and a deep understanding of design processes within a complex organizational and project context. The emphasis on BtoE and energy/nuclear industries means portfolio pieces from these sectors will be highly advantageous.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: €50,000 - €55,000 per year (CDI)

Benefits:

• Mutuelle d’entreprise: Comprehensive company health insurance.

• Transports en commun pris en charge à 50%: 50% subsidy for public transport costs.

• Minimum de 9 JRC par an: A minimum of 9 days of paid leave ("Jours de Repos Congés" or similar) per year, in addition to standard annual leave.

• Prime de vacances: An annual holiday bonus.

• Tickets Restaurant à hauteur de 10€ pris en charge à 50%: Meal vouchers valued at €10, with a 50% employer contribution.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, typically around 35-40 hours per week in France. The specific daily schedule can be discussed, with a hybrid work arrangement allowing for flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to France and Lyon. For a senior role with 7-10+ years of experience and specialized industry knowledge, this range appears competitive for the French market, particularly in a major city like Lyon. The benefits package is standard for French employment contracts (CDI).

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology Consulting, Digital Transformation, UX/Product Design. UX-Republic is part of the Smile Group, a larger entity specializing in digital transformation and open-source technologies.

Company Size: UX-Republic is described as a "entreprise à taille humaine" (human-sized company) that has benefited from integration into the larger SMILE group. SMILE Group is a significant player in digital transformation across Europe.

Founded: UX-Republic was founded with a focus on UX, Product Design, and digital consulting. Its integration into SMILE Group occurred more recently, enhancing its capabilities and reach.

Team Structure:

• Operations Team Aspect 1: The design team will likely consist of UX Designers, UI Designers, and Product Designers, led by the Lead Designer. This team operates within a broader project structure that includes Product Owners, Product Managers, Business Analysts, and Developers.

• Operations Team Aspect 2: The Lead Designer will report into a senior management position within UX-Republic or SMILE Group, likely a Head of Design, Director of Consulting, or similar. The team operates within a matrixed structure typical of consulting firms.

• Operations Team Aspect 3: Collaboration is highly cross-functional, involving close partnerships with product teams, engineering, and directly with business stakeholders within the client's nuclear energy division.

Methodology:

• Operations Process 1: Data analysis and insights are central, with a strong emphasis on user research to inform product decisions and design directions.

• Operations Process 2: Workflow planning and optimization are key, especially concerning the design process from discovery to delivery and the management of the design system. Agile methodologies are explicitly mentioned.

• Operations Process 3: Automation and efficiency are pursued through the strategic use of a design system and streamlined design-user research-development handoffs.

Company Website: https://jobs.smile.eu (main career portal) and https://ux-republic.com/ (UX-Republic specific)

📝 Enhancement Note: The dual identity of UX-Republic within the Smile Group is important. UX-Republic brings specialized UX/Product Design expertise, while Smile Group provides broader digital transformation capabilities and resources. This suggests a supportive but potentially large organizational context.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Lead position, marking a significant step in a design career. It signifies a transition from individual contributor or junior lead to a strategic leadership role responsible for a major program's design direction and team performance.

Reporting Structure: The Lead Designer will report to senior leadership within UX-Republic/Smile Group and will manage a team of designers. They will also work closely with client-side project leaders (PO, PM).

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and substantial impact on the success of a critical BtoE application redesign. Effective UX/UI leadership will drive user adoption, operational efficiency for employees, and ultimately contribute to the client's business performance within the nuclear sector.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in BtoE/energy sector design challenges, advanced design system management, and strategic design leadership.

• Industry Exposure: Gain significant experience in a highly regulated and critical industry (nuclear energy), which can be a valuable specialization.

• Leadership Development: Potential to grow into higher management roles within UX-Republic/Smile Group, such as Head of Design, Director of UX, or broader digital transformation consulting roles.

• Client Relationship Management: Develop strong relationships with key client stakeholders, opening doors for future project leadership opportunities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for career advancement within design leadership, particularly for those interested in specialized industries or large-scale digital transformation. The leadership component is as critical as the design expertise.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model. The primary office location is in Villeurbanne (Lyon), providing a physical hub for collaboration, team meetings, and client-facing activities.

Office Location(s): 81 Bd de Stalingrad, 69100 Villeurbanne, France. This location is part of the Lyon metropolitan area, offering good accessibility.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model supports both focused individual work at home and collaborative sessions in the office. The office space is likely designed to facilitate team interaction, workshops, and brainstorming sessions.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to standard design software, collaboration tools, and potentially specialized platforms relevant to the client's industry. The company's emphasis on UX/Product Design suggests a well-equipped design environment.

• Operations Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for interaction with the direct design team, other UX-Republic consultants, and SMILE Group colleagues, fostering knowledge sharing and professional development.

Work Schedule: Full-time with a hybrid arrangement. The flexibility of working 2-3 days from home after the initial phase allows for better work-life balance, which is crucial for sustained productivity in demanding roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid policy, with an increase in remote days over time, indicates a modern and flexible work approach, common in consulting and tech environments. The specific office address grounds the role geographically.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Process Step 1 (First Contact): Initial phone call to discuss aspirations, career goals, and how the role aligns with the candidate's profile. Preparation should focus on articulating career trajectory and motivations for this specific role.

• Process Step 2 (Encounter): A more in-depth meeting to get acquainted, explore professional background, and assess cultural fit. Be prepared to discuss your approach to design leadership and team collaboration.

• Process Step 3 (Technical/Functional Exchange): A discussion with a design expert (likely a senior designer or manager) to evaluate technical skills, design methodology, and leadership approach. This is where portfolio review often occurs.

• Process Step 4 (Final Evaluation): Potentially a final interview with senior management or the client to confirm fit and discuss the strategic aspects of the role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Process Improvement Case Study Structure: For each case study, clearly define the problem (business and user), your role and responsibilities, the process followed (research, ideation, design, testing), key decisions made, and quantifiable outcomes (e.g., improved conversion, efficiency gains, user satisfaction scores).

• Metrics Presentation and ROI Demonstration: Highlight how your design work contributed to measurable business results. Quantify impact wherever possible. If direct ROI is hard to measure, focus on metrics that indicate efficiency, adoption, or user engagement improvements.

• Company-Specific Operations Considerations: Tailor your presentation to emphasize experience relevant to BtoE, enterprise software, and ideally, the energy/nuclear sector. Showcase how you handle complex stakeholder environments and long-term product lifecycles.

• Interactive Demonstration: Be prepared to walk through key parts of your designs or prototypes, explaining your rationale and design choices.

Challenge Preparation:

• Typical Operations Exercise Format: Expect potential case studies related to designing a feature for an enterprise application, restructuring a user flow, or outlining a strategy for improving user adoption.

• Time Management: Practice articulating your thoughts and solutions concisely within a given timeframe.

• Stakeholder Communication: Be ready to demonstrate how you would communicate design decisions and rationale to non-designers, including technical and business teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to assess not only design skills but also leadership potential, cultural fit, and specific industry relevance. A strong portfolio that clearly demonstrates strategic impact and leadership is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX/UI Design Software: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, or similar is essential for wireframing, prototyping, and UI design.

• Prototyping Tools: Experience with tools like InVision, Marvel, or Figma for creating interactive prototypes.

• Design System Management Tools: Familiarity with platforms or methodologies for managing and documenting design systems.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/App Analytics: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar to understand user behavior and measure design impact.

• User Feedback Platforms: Familiarity with tools for collecting and analyzing user feedback (e.g., Hotjar, UserTesting.com).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how design integrates with product management tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence) and potentially CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, if user data informs design) is beneficial.

• Collaboration Tools: Proficiency in tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Miro, and project management software (e.g., Jira, Asana) for effective communication and collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Specific tool requirements are not listed, but proficiency in leading design tools (Figma, Sketch) and a strong understanding of design system implementation are implied. Experience with tools supporting user research and agile workflows is also expected.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the end-user, even in complex BtoE environments.

• Excellence & Quality: A drive for high-quality design deliverables and a commitment to continuous improvement in design execution.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Valuing collective intelligence and fostering a supportive environment where designers can learn from and contribute to each other's work.

• Innovation & Pragmatism: Encouraging creative solutions while ensuring they are feasible and aligned with business and technical constraints.

• Impact-Driven: Focusing on design work that delivers tangible value and positive outcomes for users and the business.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Emphasizing close working relationships with product managers, developers, and business stakeholders to ensure design is integrated throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Process Review Culture: Openness to feedback and iterative improvement of design processes and workflows.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, learnings, and insights across the design team and wider organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: UX-Republic's culture emphasizes expertise, collaboration, and user advocacy. As part of Smile Group, there's likely a blend of specialized consulting culture with the broader professional environment of a larger tech services company.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Industry Specificity: Navigating the unique requirements, regulations, and user needs within the nuclear energy sector requires careful research and adaptation.

• Legacy Systems & Technical Constraints: Redesigning applications that may have underlying technical debt or legacy system integrations can present significant challenges.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Managing diverse stakeholder expectations and ensuring buy-in across different departments and levels within a large client organization.

• Design System Adoption: Ensuring widespread adoption and effective use of the design system across multiple teams and applications.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunities to become a subject matter expert in BtoE design for critical industries.

• Industry Conference & Certification Participation: Potential support for attending relevant design or industry-specific conferences and obtaining certifications.

• Operations Mentorship & Leadership: Access to mentorship from senior leaders within UX-Republic/Smile Group and opportunities to develop leadership capabilities through managing a significant program.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for large-scale enterprise digital transformation projects, especially in regulated industries. The growth opportunities are substantial for a designer looking to move into senior leadership and specialize.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you define and communicate the UX/UI strategy for a complex BtoE application suite in the nuclear industry, balancing user needs with stringent regulatory requirements?" (Focus on strategic frameworks, user research methodologies, and stakeholder engagement.)

• "Describe your approach to leading and mentoring a team of UX/UI designers. How do you foster a culture of quality, collaboration, and continuous improvement?" (Prepare examples of team management, conflict resolution, and skill development.)

• "Walk us through a challenging situation where you had to arbitrate design decisions between conflicting user needs, business goals, and technical limitations. How did you reach a resolution?" (Use the STAR method to structure your response, highlighting your problem-solving and decision-making process.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What attracts you to UX-Republic and Smile Group, and how do you see yourself contributing to our culture and values?" (Research the company's mission, values, and recent news.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with Product Managers, Developers, and Business Analysts? Can you provide an example of a successful cross-functional partnership?" (Emphasize your understanding of agile workflows and integrated product development.)

• "How do you measure the impact of design on business objectives and user satisfaction in an enterprise context?" (Prepare to discuss relevant KPIs and metrics you've used.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Process Improvement Case Study Structure: For each case study, clearly articulate the business problem, user needs, your specific role, the design process undertaken, key decisions, and quantifiable outcomes. Focus on the "why" and "how" behind your work.

• Metrics Presentation and ROI Demonstration: Be ready to discuss how your design efforts have led to measurable improvements in user adoption, efficiency, task completion rates, or stakeholder satisfaction. If possible, quantify the impact.

• Interactive Demonstration: Be prepared to present 1-2 key projects in detail, walking through prototypes and explaining your design rationale, user flows, and interaction design choices.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, deep understanding of the design process, and specific relevance to the BtoE/energy sector. Expect questions that probe your ability to manage complex projects and diverse teams.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Designer position:

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

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience in UX/UI leadership, design strategy, design system management, and any experience within enterprise, BtoE, or the energy/nuclear sectors. Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Portfolio Customization: Prepare a portfolio that showcases your most relevant work, focusing on strategic impact, leadership, and detailed process. Ensure case studies clearly articulate problem, solution, role, and outcome.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your leadership philosophy, design process, and how you handle cross-functional collaboration. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method for behavioral questions. Research UX-Republic and Smile Group's work and culture.

• Company Research: Understand UX-Republic's position in the market, their client base, and their integration with Smile Group. Familiarize yourself with the challenges and opportunities within the BtoE and energy sectors.

⚠️ 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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