Lead UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead UX Designer

Company: HSBC

Location: Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-09-29

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end user experience design process for internal enterprise platforms, focusing on operational efficiency and data-rich applications.

• Conduct comprehensive user research, including interviews, usability testing, and data analysis, to deeply understand user needs and pain points within the Dhub portal.

• Translate complex business and technical requirements into intuitive, scalable, and accessible user interfaces and workflows.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, business analysts, and operations teams to ensure seamless design implementation and continuous improvement.

• Champion design standards, reusable components, and a consistent user experience across the platform to minimize manual effort and reduce errors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is positioned as a "Lead UX Designer" within the "CTO Data Technology" business unit at HSBC. This suggests a significant level of responsibility, requiring not just design execution but also strategic input, mentorship, and driving design best practices within a critical technology area. The emphasis on "internal enterprise platforms," "workflow tools," and "operational systems" indicates a focus on B2E (Business-to-Employee) design, where efficiency, clarity, and robust functionality are paramount for users performing critical business operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct user research and discovery activities, including user interviews, workshops, usability testing, surveys, and analysis of operational feedback and usage data to identify opportunities for enhancement.

• Develop key UX artifacts such as personas, journey maps, and service blueprints to represent diverse user perspectives and inform design decisions.

• Design intuitive end-to-end user experiences for critical portal functions including campaign configuration, journey creation and management, global settings, operational monitoring, data entry, validation, and exception handling.

• Translate complex business and technical requirements into simple, usable interfaces, creating user flows, information architectures, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs.

• Ensure designs prioritize usability, efficiency, accessibility, consistency, and scalability, while proactively anticipating user errors and designing effective guidance, validation, and recovery experiences.

• Establish clear design patterns for complex forms, rules, dependencies, status indicators, and workflow states, ensuring support for operational controls, auditability, and appropriate user permissions.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, business analysts, operations teams, and subject-matter experts, facilitating design workshops and problem-solving sessions.

• Communicate design decisions, rationale, trade-offs, and expected user/operational impacts clearly to stakeholders and development teams.

• Partner with engineering teams to ensure accurate implementation of designs and maintain their fitness for purpose throughout the product lifecycle.

• Support agile delivery through design planning, backlog refinement, reviews, and iteration, contributing to design standards and a consistent portal experience.

• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, reduce manual effort, and minimize errors through thoughtful UX design.

• Validate concepts and prototypes with representative users before development and conduct usability testing against agreed success measures.

• Utilize feedback, analytics, and service data to refine the user experience post-launch, tracking outcomes such as task completion, time on task, error rates, support demand, and user satisfaction.

• Promote a culture of continuous improvement driven by evidence-based insights rather than assumptions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a deep dive into operational workflows, campaign management, and data handling within an enterprise context. This indicates the need for a UX professional who can not only create aesthetically pleasing interfaces but also deeply understand and optimize complex business processes. The emphasis on "auditability," "user permissions," and "operational controls" points to a need for meticulous design that ensures compliance and security in a regulated financial environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, Psychology, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for a Lead UX Designer role, providing a foundational understanding of design principles and user behavior.

Experience: 5-10 years of proven experience as a UX Designer, Product Designer, or Interaction Designer, with a strong track record in designing internal enterprise platforms, workflow tools, or operational systems. Demonstrable experience across the full UX lifecycle, from discovery and research through to delivery and continuous improvement.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience designing complex, data-rich, or rules-based applications.

• Strong knowledge of information architecture, interaction design, prototyping methodologies, and usability testing techniques.

• Expertise in simplifying complex processes and designing efficient, low-friction workflows.

• Ability to effectively collaborate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Proficiency in design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Axure, or equivalent.

• Ability to produce clear design specifications and collaborate closely with developers for accurate implementation.

• Solid understanding of responsive design, accessibility (WCAG compliance), and inclusive design principles.

• Strong communication, facilitation, and presentation skills, capable of articulating design rationale and impact.

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating relevant enterprise, workflow, or platform design work. Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing campaign management, customer engagement, marketing operations, or journey orchestration platforms.

• Experience with administration portals, configuration tools, workflow management, or content management systems.

• Experience designing role-based access controls, approval workflows, audit trails, and operational dashboards.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and participation in backlog refinement and design reviews.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Desirable experience" section strongly suggests that candidates with a background in marketing technology (MarTech) or specific enterprise content/workflow systems will have a significant advantage. This indicates the Dhub portal likely integrates with or supports these functions, making prior experience in these domains highly valuable for understanding the user context and design challenges.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 comprehensive case studies demonstrating the full UX lifecycle for enterprise-level applications, workflow tools, or operational systems.

• For each case study, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the research methodologies employed, design decisions made, and the iterative process followed.

• Highlight specific examples of how you simplified complex processes, designed efficient workflows, and incorporated user feedback and data into your designs.

• Quantify the impact of your designs where possible, using metrics related to user efficiency, error reduction, task completion rates, or stakeholder satisfaction.

• Include examples of wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and final high-fidelity designs, along with any design specifications provided to developers. Process Documentation:

• Evidence of creating and iterating on user research plans, including methodologies for user interviews, usability testing, and data analysis.

• Examples of designing and documenting user flows, information architecture, and interaction models for complex systems.

• Documentation of design specifications and collaboration with engineering teams to ensure accurate implementation of UX designs.

• Demonstrations of how you have used analytics and feedback to refine designs post-launch and drive continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead UX Designer role, the portfolio should not just showcase final designs but also the strategic thinking and process behind them. Emphasis should be placed on how the candidate identified problems, applied appropriate UX methodologies, collaborated with stakeholders, and measured the impact of their work, especially in complex enterprise environments.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Lead UX Designer in Guangzhou, China, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is typically between ¥350,000 to ¥600,000 CNY. This estimate is based on regional market data for senior design roles in multinational corporations, factoring in the cost of living and demand for specialized UX skills in Tier 1 cities like Guangzhou.

Benefits:

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning, training programs, and skill enhancement relevant to UX design and technology.

• Flexible Working: HSBC offers flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance, accommodating various personal needs.

• Inclusive Environment: A commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees are valued, respected, and their opinions count.

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive health insurance and wellness programs.

• Retirement Planning: Contributions to pension or retirement plans.

• Career Advancement: Opportunities for growth within HSBC's global network.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, aligning with typical full-time employment in China. While flexibility is offered, core business hours and team collaboration needs will necessitate regular presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the location in Guangzhou, China, and the emphasis on a multinational corporation like HSBC, the salary range is estimated based on local market benchmarks for senior tech and design roles. Benefits are inferred from standard offerings at large financial institutions and the explicit mention of "professional development," "flexible working," and an "inclusive environment" in the provided text.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Banking and Financial Technology). HSBC operates as a global leader in banking and financial services, with a significant focus on leveraging technology and data to drive innovation and customer experience. The "CTO Data Technology" business unit specifically indicates a strong emphasis on data-driven strategies and technological advancement within the bank's operations.

Company Size: HSBC is a globally recognized multinational corporation with a very large employee base, likely numbering in the hundreds of thousands worldwide. This scale implies a structured, process-oriented environment with extensive resources and opportunities for cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: HSBC was founded in 1865. This long history suggests a stable, established organization with deep roots and a well-defined corporate culture, though it also embraces modern technological advancements and digital transformation initiatives.

Team Structure:

• The Lead UX Designer will be part of the "CTO Data Technology" business unit, indicating a close alignment with IT and data strategy teams.

• The role involves working with product managers, engineers, business analysts, and operations teams, suggesting a matrixed or project-based team structure common in large tech-focused organizations.

• As a "Lead" role, there's an expectation of contributing to design standards and potentially mentoring junior designers, implying a growing or established design practice within the technology division. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The emphasis on "CTO Data Technology" and "continuous improvement based on evidence" points to a strong reliance on data analytics, user metrics, and A/B testing to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Agile Development: Collaboration with engineering teams and support for agile delivery indicate that design processes will be integrated within agile frameworks, involving iterative development cycles, backlog refinement, and regular reviews.

• User-Centricity: Despite the enterprise focus, the core responsibilities emphasize understanding user needs, conducting research, and validating concepts with users, highlighting a commitment to user-centric design principles.

Company Website: hsbc.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The context of HSBC as a global financial institution means that UX design for internal platforms will likely be highly regulated, data-sensitive, and focused on security, compliance, and operational efficiency. The "Dhub portal" likely serves critical internal functions, making the Lead UX Designer's role pivotal in ensuring these systems are usable and effective for employees.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a "Lead" position, signifying a senior individual contributor role with significant responsibility. It's beyond a standard UX Designer role, requiring a blend of deep design expertise, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence product direction and team practices. The scope includes designing complex systems that directly impact business operations and data management.

Reporting Structure: The Lead UX Designer will report into a Product Management or Technology leadership role within the "CTO Data Technology" business unit. They will work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers and Engineering leads, and may have informal or formal mentorship responsibilities for other UX designers.

Operations Impact: The role's impact is centered on enhancing the efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness of internal operations through superior UX design. By improving usability for critical systems like the Dhub portal (handling campaign configuration, data entry, approvals, etc.), the Lead UX Designer will directly contribute to reducing operational costs, minimizing errors, improving employee productivity, and ensuring compliance within the financial services context.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunity to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and contribute to the strategic direction of UX within the CTO Data Technology division.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in designing complex enterprise platforms, data-rich applications, and MarTech-related systems, becoming a subject matter expert within HSBC.

• Global Mobility: As part of a large multinational, potential for exposure to different regions, projects, or even international assignments within HSBC's global network.

• Skill Expansion: Opportunities to learn about financial services regulations, advanced data technologies, and enterprise-level system architecture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title in a large organization like HSBC implies a pathway to management or principal-level individual contributor roles. The focus on "CTO Data Technology" suggests growth opportunities at the intersection of design, data, and advanced technology within a critical business function.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is a hybrid role, indicating a mix of on-site work at the Guangzhou office and remote work. The office environment at HSBC is likely professional, corporate, and geared towards collaboration within a large financial institution.

Office Location(s): The role is based in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. This is a major economic hub, offering a dynamic work environment. Specific office details would typically be provided upon engagement, but it can be assumed to be a modern corporate facility.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and cross-functional team structure necessitate strong collaboration skills, utilizing digital tools for remote work and in-person meetings for brainstorming, workshops, and design reviews.

• Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard design and prototyping tools (Figma, Sketch, Axure), as well as enterprise collaboration and project management software.

• Operations Team Interaction: Frequent interaction with operations teams who are the end-users of the Dhub portal, providing direct feedback and insights for design improvements.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is approximately 40 hours per week, with a hybrid arrangement allowing for a combination of office and remote work. While flexibility exists, adherence to core business hours and team needs for synchronous collaboration is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role in a major global city like Guangzhou suggests a modern workplace accommodating both in-office collaboration and remote flexibility, typical for senior tech roles in multinational corporations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion focused on your experience, leadership capabilities, and understanding of UX principles in an enterprise context.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: A critical stage where you present your portfolio, detailing 2-3 key case studies, emphasizing your process, problem-solving, and impact. This may be followed by a practical design challenge or exercise related to workflow optimization or data-rich interfaces.

• Cross-functional Team Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially Operations team members to assess collaboration skills and domain understanding.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader in CTO Data Technology to discuss strategic vision and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to clearly showcase 2-3 in-depth case studies that align with the job description's focus on enterprise platforms, operational systems, and data-rich applications.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, walk through the problem, your process (research, ideation, iteration), your specific contributions, the design solutions, and the measurable outcomes or learnings.

• Highlight Complexity: Emphasize how you tackled complex business logic, data visualization, or intricate workflows. Showcase your ability to simplify these into intuitive user experiences.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Mention how you worked with stakeholders, engineers, and product managers, and how you incorporated their feedback.

• Quantify Results: Where possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the positive impact of your designs (e.g., reduced task time, fewer errors, improved satisfaction).

• Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your proficiency with tools like Figma, Sketch, or Axure and how you leverage them effectively.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If a design challenge is given, ensure you understand the business context, user needs, and any constraints provided.

• Focus on Process: Even if time is limited, clearly articulate your thought process, assumptions, and how you would approach the problem.

• Prioritize: Demonstrate your ability to prioritize features or design elements based on impact and feasibility.

• Presentation: Be prepared to present your solution clearly and concisely, justifying your design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a Lead UX Designer at a financial institution like HSBC will likely be rigorous, focusing not only on design skills but also on problem-solving, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate complex organizational structures and regulatory environments. The portfolio review is paramount.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Axure (or equivalent industry-standard tools). Proficiency in at least one is essential, with familiarity across others being a plus. These are critical for creating wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity designs.

• User Research & Testing: Tools for conducting usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze), surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Google Forms), and potentially session recording/analytics (e.g., Hotjar).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Tools like Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, and communication platforms such as Slack or Microsoft Teams will be used for agile workflows and team collaboration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/App Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or internal HSBC analytics platforms to track user behavior and measure design impact.

• Data Visualization: Tools or libraries for creating dashboards and reports to communicate UX performance to stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how UX integrates with CRM and marketing automation platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Marketo, Adobe Marketing Cloud) may be beneficial, especially given the "campaign management" and "customer engagement" desirable experience.

• Understanding of internal systems, databases, and how data flows is crucial for designing data-rich applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "CTO Data Technology" and "data-rich applications" suggests that the Lead UX Designer will need to be comfortable working with complex datasets and integrating designs with backend systems and data pipelines. Familiarity with enterprise-level systems and their integrations is key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A strong emphasis on using data, analytics, and user research to inform all design choices and measure success, rather than relying on assumptions.

• Efficiency and Optimization: A drive to continuously improve operational processes and user workflows to maximize efficiency, reduce manual effort, and minimize errors.

• Collaboration and Transparency: Open communication and close partnership with product managers, engineers, business analysts, and operations teams to ensure alignment and shared understanding.

• User Advocacy: A commitment to representing the user's needs and perspectives throughout the design process, ensuring that solutions are intuitive and effective.

• Continuous Learning: An environment that encourages ongoing development of UX skills, adoption of new technologies, and staying abreast of industry best practices.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role requires seamless collaboration across diverse teams (product, engineering, business, operations) using a mix of synchronous and asynchronous communication methods.

• Design Thinking Workshops: Facilitating and participating in collaborative sessions to define problems, brainstorm solutions, and iterate on designs.

• Feedback Loops: Establishing and maintaining robust feedback loops with end-users and stakeholders to ensure designs are validated and refined effectively.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively contributing to design standards, best practices, and shared knowledge bases within the team and broader organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: HSBC's culture, especially within a technology and data-focused unit, will likely value precision, rigor, and a methodical approach. The "Lead" aspect suggests a culture that encourages proactive problem-solving and influencing best practices.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Enterprise Systems: Designing for intricate, data-heavy internal platforms with established user behaviors and potentially legacy constraints.

• Balancing User Needs with Business/Technical Constraints: Navigating the demands of various stakeholders (product, engineering, operations, compliance) to deliver user-centered solutions that are also technically feasible and meet business objectives.

• Driving Adoption of New Designs: Encouraging users to adopt new workflows and interfaces, especially when they are accustomed to existing methods.

• Measuring Impact in Operational Contexts: Quantifying the benefits of UX improvements in terms of operational efficiency, error reduction, and productivity within a financial services environment.

• Maintaining Consistency Across a Large Organization: Ensuring a cohesive user experience across multiple internal tools and platforms within a global enterprise.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Domain Expertise: Gaining in-depth knowledge of financial services operations, campaign management, data governance, and regulatory compliance.

• Advanced UX Techniques: Mastering advanced UX methodologies for complex enterprise applications, data visualization, and workflow automation.

• Leadership and Mentorship: Developing leadership skills through guiding design efforts, mentoring junior colleagues, and contributing to design strategy.

• Exposure to Global Operations: Understanding how technology and UX support diverse global operations within HSBC.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Potential for attending relevant industry events and pursuing certifications to enhance professional development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges inherent in designing for a large, established financial institution are significant, requiring resilience, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to influence change within a structured environment. The growth opportunities are substantial, particularly for those looking to specialize in enterprise UX within a regulated industry.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to simplify a highly complex process for end-users. What was your approach, what challenges did you face, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, methodology, and quantifiable results.)

• "How do you balance the needs of different stakeholders (e.g., product managers, engineers, operations teams, compliance) when designing a new feature or system?" (Highlight your collaboration, communication, and negotiation skills.)

• "Walk us through your process for conducting user research for an internal enterprise tool. What methods would you choose and why?" (Demonstrate your understanding of user research methodologies and their application in B2E contexts.)

• "How do you ensure accessibility and inclusivity in your designs, especially for complex, data-rich applications?" (Showcase your knowledge of accessibility standards and inclusive design principles.)

• "Describe a situation where your design solution had to accommodate strict operational controls or auditability requirements. How did you approach it?" (Assess your ability to design for compliance and security.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for HSBC, particularly within the CTO Data Technology team?" (Research HSBC's recent technology initiatives, data strategy, and the company's commitment to innovation.)

• "How do you see your role as a Lead UX Designer contributing to operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making at HSBC?" (Connect your skills to the company's stated goals and the role's responsibilities.)

• "Describe your experience working in an agile environment. How do you integrate design into agile sprints?" (Show your familiarity with agile processes.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the "Why": Clearly articulate the business problem or user need your case study addresses.

• Define Your Role: Be specific about your contributions, especially if it was a team project.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, prototypes, user flows) to illustrate your design process and solutions.

• Explain Your Decisions: Justify your design choices based on research, user feedback, or business requirements.

• Quantify Impact: Present metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrates the success of your design. If direct metrics are unavailable, discuss potential impact or learnings.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your process, challenges, and alternative solutions you considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for this role should focus on demonstrating not just design craft but also strategic thinking, problem-solving capabilities, and the ability to operate effectively within a large, regulated enterprise. Case studies should highlight experience with complex workflows and data.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead UX Designer position:

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

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight experience with enterprise platforms, operational systems, data-rich applications, and workflow optimization. Ensure your portfolio is easily accessible and showcases relevant case studies.

• Resume Optimization: Use keywords from the job description (e.g., "UX Designer," "Product Designer," "workflow design," "data-rich applications," "Figma," "agile," "stakeholder management") to ensure your resume passes ATS screening and clearly communicates your qualifications.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your work using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Prepare specific examples related to complex enterprise design challenges.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research HSBC's mission, values, recent technology news, and the "CTO Data Technology" division's focus to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural alignment. Understand the financial services industry 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.