Lead Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer

Company: Cleo

Location: London, United Kingdom (Remote/Hybrid options available for UK & Spain)

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design (Fintech, AI)

Date Posted: 2026-09-09

Experience Level: Senior+ (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Remote/Hybrid (with potential for office presence in London)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end product design process for key Cleo pillars, focusing on AI-driven financial assistance and consumer fintech experiences.

• Drive product strategy and innovation by identifying new opportunities through deep user understanding, market trends, and Cleo's unique AI capabilities.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Developers, and cross-functional stakeholders to translate user needs and business goals into polished, high-fidelity mobile app designs.

• Champion a data-driven and experiment-led approach to product development, optimizing existing features and validating new concepts through lean research and testing.

• Craft compelling visual and verbal narratives to communicate product vision, potential, and business cases for new initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is framed as a Lead Product Designer (Individual Contributor) within a "Growth-focused" and "product-led" environment. The emphasis on AI, fintech, and mobile app design, coupled with a "fast-paced" and "experiment-led" methodology, suggests a strong need for designers who can not only create exceptional UIs but also deeply understand business drivers and user behavior to directly impact growth metrics. The "Experience Chapter" mentioned by the VP of Design indicates a structured approach to design operations and team growth.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Identify and deeply understand user problems, industry trends, and Cleo’s unique strengths to uncover new product opportunities within assigned pillars (e.g., Borrow, Subscribers).

• Lead early-stage ideation, explore bold product directions, and prototype innovative concepts that push the boundaries of AI-driven financial assistance.

• Design and execute lean research and testing processes to rapidly validate or de-risk assumptions, ensuring product-market fit and user desirability.

• Foster a shared vision within your squad, effectively communicating product direction and design rationale to Product Managers, engineers, and other stakeholders.

• Execute polished UI designs in close collaboration with developers, ensuring high-quality visual execution and seamless user experiences on mobile platforms.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing and tech, to shape product direction and ensure alignment with business objectives and growth targets.

• Craft compelling visual and verbal narratives to articulate the value and potential of new product ideas, influencing buy-in and strategic decision-making.

• Build strategic business cases for promising concepts by leveraging customer insights, data analysis, and market understanding to demonstrate potential ROI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic thinking, user advocacy, and hands-on design execution. The emphasis on "identifying new product opportunities," "sketching bold product directions," and "building strategic business cases" points to a role that requires a proactive, entrepreneurial mindset, not just reactive design tasks. The mention of "fully agentic financial assistants" indicates a focus on advanced AI integration into user workflows.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for senior design roles. A strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: Several years of relevant experience at a senior+ level, with a demonstrated passion for growth-focused work in fast-paced, product-led businesses.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Expertise: Proven ability to lead the design of complex consumer-facing mobile applications from concept to launch.

• UX/UI Design: Strong proficiency in creating intuitive, engaging, and visually appealing user interfaces and user experiences.

• Prototyping & Ideation: Skill in rapid prototyping, sketching, and generating innovative product concepts.

• User Research & Testing: Experience designing and conducting lean research and validation processes to inform design decisions.

• Data-Driven Design: Ability to thrive on getting deep into data and details to optimize existing features and journeys.

• Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving: Proactive problem-solving skills, with the ability to bring structure to ambiguous problems and generate stakeholder buy-in.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong ability to partner successfully with Product Management, Engineering, and Marketing stakeholders to drive growth.

• Fintech/Consumer Finance Experience: Experience in consumer-facing fintech or personal finance products is highly preferred.

• High-Growth Environment Experience: Proven track record of high-quality execution in high-growth, fast-paced, and product-led businesses.

Preferred Skills:

• AI/ML Product Design: Experience designing products that leverage Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

• Growth Design Methodologies: Deep understanding of growth loops, experimentation, and optimizing for key growth metrics.

• Visual Storytelling: Ability to craft compelling narratives to communicate product value.

• Design Systems: Experience working with or contributing to design systems for scalability and consistency.

• Agile Methodologies: Familiarity with Agile development processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "several years of relevant experience and passion for growth focused work at a senior+ level" implies a need for a candidate who is not just proficient but also has a strategic mindset and a proven ability to drive business outcomes through design. The mention of "small, quick, incremental experiment led impact" is a key indicator of the desired work style.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Mobile App Focus: Showcase a portfolio of mobile app-focused design work that demonstrates a proven track record of high-quality execution.

• Growth-Oriented Projects: Include case studies that highlight your contribution to growth metrics and business objectives.

• End-to-End Design Process: Detail your involvement in the entire design lifecycle, from user research and ideation to prototyping, testing, and final UI execution.

• Problem-Solving & Impact: Present projects that clearly articulate the problem you solved, your design process, and the measurable impact (quantitative and qualitative) of your solutions.

• Fintech/AI Relevance: Prioritize projects within the fintech, personal finance, or AI product spaces if available.

Process Documentation:

• User-Centric Workflows: Demonstrate your ability to map and optimize user journeys, ensuring seamless and intuitive interactions.

• Experimentation & Iteration: Showcase how you've used data and user feedback to iterate on designs and drive continuous improvement.

• Collaboration & Communication: Evidence of how you've collaborated with Product Managers and Engineers to bring designs to life, including clear communication of design rationale.

• Business Case Development: Examples of how you've built business cases for design initiatives, using insights and data to advocate for product directions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "high quality execution in high-growth, fast-paced and product-led businesses" and being "strongly outcome-focused" suggests that the portfolio should not just be a collection of pretty screens but a demonstration of strategic thinking, problem-solving, and measurable impact. The "lean research and testing processes" and "incremental experiment led impact" point to a need for candidates who can move quickly and iterate based on data.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Lead Product Designers in London with 5-10 years of experience in a high-growth fintech/AI company, the estimated salary range is £70,000 - £100,000 per annum. This range accounts for the senior-level expertise, the strategic nature of the role, and the cost of living in London.

Benefits:

• Meaningful equity options.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Mental health support.

• Paid one-month sabbatical after four years of service.

• Access to a learning and development platform.

• Pension or retirement contributions.

• Location-specific leave entitlements.

• Opportunities for AI-assisted tools to support work.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week), with flexibility offered to support remote and hybrid work arrangements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on typical compensation for senior design roles in London's tech/fintech sector, considering the company's unicorn status and growth phase. The benefits are directly listed from the job description, emphasizing comprehensive support for employees. The mention of "AI-assisted tools" in the benefits section is a unique differentiator for this role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology, specifically AI-powered Financial Technology (Fintech). Cleo operates at the intersection of AI, personal finance, and consumer mobile applications.

Company Size: Cleo is a unicorn company with significant growth, indicated by its $300M+ ARR and millions of users. This suggests a company that is well-funded, scaling rapidly, and likely has established processes while still maintaining agility.

Founded: While the founding date isn't explicitly stated, Cleo is presented as a mature, fast-growing company that has achieved unicorn status, implying a history of innovation and market traction.

Team Structure:

• Experience Chapter: The Design team is referred to as an "Experience Chapter," led by a VP of Design. This suggests a structured approach to design, potentially with specialized roles and a focus on professional development.

• Squad-Based Work: Designers work within "squads" alongside Product Managers and Developers, indicating a collaborative, cross-functional team structure focused on specific product areas or pillars.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Designers are expected to collaborate closely with Product Managers, Developers, and Marketing stakeholders to shape product direction and deliver business impact.

Methodology:

• AI-First: Cleo is building the "world's first AI financial assistant," with AI deeply integrated into its product and processes.

• Experiment-Led Growth: The company emphasizes "small, quick, incremental experiment led impact" and a "data-driven approach" to product development and optimization.

• High-Quality Execution: A strong emphasis is placed on "creating exceptional end-to-end experiences" and "delivering high-quality work at every stage."

• Agile & Fast-Paced: The environment is described as "fast-growing," "fast-paced," and requiring movement "between big picture thinking and the detail of making something incredibly good."

Company Website: https://web.meetcleo.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is characterized by innovation, speed, and a strong focus on both user experience and business outcomes. The "Experience Chapter" and squad structure suggest a mature design organization that values collaboration and professional growth. The "AI-First" and "experiment-led" approach are key cultural pillars.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a "Lead Product Designer (IC)" – an Individual Contributor role with significant leadership responsibilities. It sits at a senior+ level, indicating a focus on strategic impact, ownership, and mentorship rather than direct people management. The role requires someone who can "get genuinely close to the business, take real ownership of problems, and move comfortably between big picture thinking and the detail of making something incredibly good."

Reporting Structure: The Lead Product Designer will report to the VP of Design and work within cross-functional "squads" led by Product Managers. This structure allows for close collaboration with product leadership and direct contribution to squad objectives.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on Cleo's revenue and business decisions through the identification of new product opportunities, the design of features that drive user engagement and retention (especially for "Borrow" and "Subscribers"), and the creation of business cases for new initiatives. The focus on "growth-focused work" and "bottom line impact on growth" underscores this influence.

Growth Opportunities:

• Product Strategy Leadership: Opportunity to shape the product vision and strategy for key Cleo pillars, influencing the direction of AI financial assistance.

• Deep Domain Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge in consumer fintech, AI product design, and growth methodologies within a rapidly evolving market.

• Innovation & First-Mover Advantage: Contribute to building "so much of this for the first time," offering a unique opportunity to innovate and establish best practices.

• Skill Development: Leverage the "learning and development platform" and work with "latest tools and models built into our process," including potential work with code and custom design tools.

• Career Progression: Potential to move into more senior design leadership roles, principal design positions, or specialized areas within the growing Experience Chapter.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title for an IC role signifies high expectations for strategic contribution and problem-solving. The growth opportunities are strongly tied to the innovative nature of Cleo's AI products and its rapid scaling, offering a chance to be at the forefront of fintech design.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Cleo offers a flexible work environment with options for remote work within the UK and Spain, and potential for hybrid work in London. The "Experience Chapter" mentions designers working "directly in code, building our own design tools, creating high fidelity prototypes and shipping to production," suggesting a modern, tech-forward workspace.

Office Location(s): While remote work is supported, the company is headquartered in London, UK, and has a presence there. Specific office details are not provided, but the emphasis on collaboration implies opportunities for in-person interaction if desired or required for team events.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative & Tech-Forward: The environment fosters close collaboration within squads and across functions, utilizing "latest tools and models built into our process."

• Hands-On & Iterative: Designers are expected to be comfortable working "directly in code," building tools, and creating "high fidelity prototypes," indicating a practical, iterative approach.

• Data-Rich: Access to data and insights is crucial for optimizing existing features and validating new concepts, suggesting a data-informed design culture.

• Ownership & Autonomy: The culture encourages taking "real ownership of problems" and moving comfortably between high-level strategy and detailed execution.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time working hours (approx. 40 hours) are expected, with flexibility to accommodate remote and hybrid arrangements. The focus is on output and impact rather than strict adherence to hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment appears to be a blend of cutting-edge technology, collaborative teamwork, and individual ownership. The opportunity to work with code and custom design tools is a significant aspect for designers who enjoy being hands-on with the tools of their trade.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of your application and portfolio by a recruiter or hiring manager to assess fit with the core requirements.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: Expect a deep dive into your portfolio, focusing on your process, problem-solving skills, and impact. This may be followed by a design challenge, potentially involving a case study or a prompt related to Cleo's product areas (e.g., AI, fintech, growth).

• Hiring Manager/VP Interview: A conversation with Jack (VP of Design) or another senior design leader to discuss your experience, approach to design leadership, and cultural fit.

• Squad/Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration skills and ability to integrate into a squad.

• Final Interview/Offer: A final discussion to confirm alignment and extend an offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role and contributions, your design process, the challenges you faced, and the measurable outcomes.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals, prototypes, and data to support your narrative. Highlight iterative design processes and how you incorporated user feedback and data.

• Focus on Impact: Emphasize the business and user impact of your designs. Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., conversion rate improvements, engagement increases, user satisfaction scores).

• Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Showcase how you connected design decisions to broader business goals and user needs. Explain your rationale for design choices.

• Highlight Fintech/AI Relevance: If possible, include projects that demonstrate your understanding of the fintech landscape or experience with AI-powered products.

• Tailor to Cleo: Understand Cleo's mission and product. Be prepared to discuss how your skills and experience align with their AI-first, growth-focused approach.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand Cleo's Product: Research Cleo's app, its AI capabilities, target audience, and competitive landscape.

• Focus on AI & Fintech: If the challenge involves a hypothetical product, consider how AI can enhance the user experience and how to address common fintech user concerns (security, trust, usability).

• Structure Your Approach: For any design challenge, clearly outline your approach: problem definition, user research (even if hypothetical), ideation, solution design, and validation.

• Emphasize Iteration: Show that you can think iteratively and consider different solutions, trade-offs, and potential future iterations.

• Practice Presentation: Be ready to present your work clearly and concisely, answering questions about your decisions and thought process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process emphasizes a deep dive into the candidate's portfolio and design process, reflecting the company's focus on quality execution and measurable impact. The mention of AI-assisted tools in recruitment suggests a modern, tech-enabled hiring process.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly likely, industry standard), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite.

• Prototyping Tools: InVision, Principle, ProtoPie (for advanced interactions).

• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Maze, Lookback, Hotjar (for analytics).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello, Slack.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics (for mobile apps).

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Looker (potentially used by PMs/analysts for insights).

• A/B Testing Platforms: Optimizely, VWO, or in-house experimentation frameworks.

CRM & Automation: While not directly used by designers, understanding how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and marketing automation tools might inform user segmentation or campaign design could be beneficial. Cleo's internal systems for managing user data and AI models are core to their operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description mentions designers working "directly in code" and building "own design tools," suggesting a highly technical design team. This could imply familiarity with front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) or even working with design system components that are code-based.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Originality & Challenging the Status Quo: Cleo values "original thinkers who challenge the status quo" and is "not building another finance app."

• Transparency & Accountability: "We move fast, tell the truth, and there's nowhere to hide from good work here." This implies a culture of direct feedback and high performance expectations.

• User-Centricity & Empathy: The mission to "change the world's relationship with money... for everyone, whatever their background or balance" highlights a deep commitment to user needs and financial well-being.

• Data-Driven & Outcome-Focused: The emphasis on "getting genuinely close to the business," "experiment led impact," and "balancing business goals and user experience" points to a culture that values measurable results.

• Excellence & Craftsmanship: A commitment to "clarity of thinking, creating exceptional end-to-end experiences and delivering high-quality work at every stage."

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional & Squad-Based: Designers work tightly within cross-functional "squads" with Product Managers and Developers, fostering a highly integrated approach.

• Direct Communication: The culture encourages directness and transparency, implying open communication channels and constructive feedback.

• Shared Ownership: Team members are expected to "take real ownership of problems" and contribute broadly across the product development lifecycle.

• Learning & Experimentation: The environment supports continuous learning and experimentation, creating a culture where new ideas are encouraged and tested.

📝 Enhancement Note: Cleo's values are strongly aligned with a high-performance, innovative tech culture. The emphasis on honesty, ownership, and data-driven outcomes is critical for success in this environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Pioneering AI in Fintech: Designing for "fully agentic financial assistants" is at the cutting edge, requiring innovative solutions for complex user needs and trust.

• Balancing Growth with User Well-being: As a fintech company focused on helping users manage their money, there's a delicate balance between driving growth metrics and ensuring ethical, user-supportive design.

• Fast-Paced Iteration: Thriving in a "fast-paced" environment that emphasizes "small, quick, incremental experiment led impact" requires agility and resilience.

• Ambiguous Problems: The role involves tackling "large or ambiguous problems," requiring strong analytical skills and the ability to create structure and clarity.

• Technical Integration: Working closely with developers and potentially "directly in code" means understanding technical constraints and opportunities deeply.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Product Design Specialization: Gain deep expertise in designing for AI-driven products and human-AI interaction.

• Fintech Market Insights: Develop a nuanced understanding of the consumer fintech landscape and emerging trends.

• Growth Design Mastery: Hone skills in experimentation, data analysis, and optimizing for growth metrics in a real-world product setting.

• Leadership Skills (IC Path): Develop strategic influence, mentorship capabilities, and the ability to drive complex projects without direct reports.

• Continuous Learning: Access to Cleo's learning and development platform, opportunities to work with cutting-edge tools, and exposure to innovative product development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are rooted in the innovative nature of Cleo's AI-first strategy and its position in the rapidly evolving fintech market. The growth opportunities are geared towards deep specialization in AI/Fintech design and advanced growth methodologies.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach identifying new product opportunities for Cleo's 'Borrow' pillar, considering AI capabilities and user financial health?" (Focus on user research, market analysis, and AI integration.)

• "Describe a time you had to bring structure to a large or ambiguous design problem. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight problem-solving framework, stakeholder management, and clarity of thinking.)

• "How do you balance business goals and user experience, especially in a growth-focused environment? Can you share an example where you optimized an existing feature based on data?" (Demonstrate outcome-focus, data analysis skills, and iterative design.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Cleo's mission to change the world's relationship with money?" (Showcase understanding of the company's vision and values.)

• "How do you approach collaboration within a cross-functional squad, especially with Product Managers and Developers?" (Highlight communication, teamwork, and ownership.)

• "Describe your experience working in a fast-paced, product-led company. How do you ensure high-quality execution under pressure?" (Demonstrate resilience, efficiency, and attention to detail.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Flow: Structure each case study with a clear beginning (problem/opportunity), middle (your process, decisions, iterations), and end (solution, impact, learnings).

• Quantify Impact: Use numbers and data to demonstrate the success of your designs. If exact metrics aren't available, discuss projected impact or qualitative user feedback.

• Show Your Thinking: Explain why you made certain design decisions, referencing user insights, data, or business objectives.

• Highlight Collaboration: Mention how you worked with other disciplines (PMs, engineers, marketing) and how that collaboration contributed to the outcome.

• Address AI/Fintech: Be ready to discuss your understanding of AI principles in design and the unique considerations for financial products.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, a data-driven approach, strong collaboration skills, and a deep understanding of Cleo's mission and operational ethos. The portfolio is the primary tool for showcasing these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashbyhq.com.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your skills in mobile app design, growth-focused work, and problem-solving within complex environments. Tailor your case studies to highlight your process, impact, and collaboration.

• Optimize Your Resume: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience level (5-10 years), relevant skills (Fintech, AI, UX/UI, Prototyping, Data Analysis, Stakeholder Management), and quantifiable achievements in growth-focused roles.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on telling a compelling story about the problem, your solution, and the measurable outcomes. Be ready to discuss your design philosophy and how it aligns with Cleo's values.

• Research Cleo: Thoroughly research Cleo's mission, product, AI capabilities, and recent news. Understand their target audience and the fintech landscape they operate in.

⚠️ 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.