Lead, UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead, UX Designer

Company: Pearson

Location: Madrid, Spain

Job Type: Full time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design Leadership

Date Posted: 2026-06-22

Experience Level: 12+ Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (2 days per week in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and scale a global UX organization of 15-20 individuals, encompassing design managers and individual contributors across product UX, user research, service design, and design systems for English Language Learning (ELL) products.

• Define and drive the overarching UX strategy for Pearson's ELL portfolio, translating business objectives into cohesive and impactful digital learner and teacher experiences.

• Foster a culture of customer obsession and design excellence, ensuring that deep customer insights, pedagogical understanding, and operational efficiency are embedded in product development.

• Partner closely with Product Management, Engineering, Content, Marketing, and Sales leadership to ensure design execution aligns with ELL priorities and the broader Pearson design system.

• Operationalize and mature the ELL design system, UX operations, and user research practices to deliver consistent, high-quality, and accessible experiences at scale.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a senior leadership position, equivalent to a Head of role, with significant strategic influence over Pearson's global English Language Learning product suite. The focus is on scaling design impact through leadership, systems, and process optimization rather than direct execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design Leadership & Direction: Set the strategic UX vision for ELL products, translating overarching product strategy into actionable design strategies and clear execution priorities for multiple teams. Ensure a cohesive and connected user experience across all ELL digital touchpoints.

• Customer Insight & Design Strategy: Lead and mature user research and customer discovery practices to generate deep, repeatable insights into learner and teacher needs. Define design strategies and value propositions grounded in research, pedagogical principles, and behavioral data, while considering regional localization needs.

• Design Systems, Craft & Operations: Own and evolve the ELL design system and UX operations, ensuring frictionless delivery of interaction, usability, and accessibility patterns. Develop and maintain a comprehensive UX playbook for best-in-class workflows, AI design integration, and content strategy.

• Cross-Functional Partnership & Operating Model: Act as a strategic thought partner to the ELL Product Leadership Team, collaborating closely with Product, Engineering, and Program leaders. Establish clear frameworks for decision-making, alignment, and escalation (e.g., RACI) to ensure efficient collaboration and roadmap alignment.

• Leadership & Team Development: Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing global team of design managers and senior individual contributors. Own hiring, talent development, and succession planning for the ELL UX organization, fostering an inclusive and accountable environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a strategic, leadership-focused approach to UX within a complex educational technology (EdTech) environment. The role requires a significant focus on scaling design capabilities through people, systems, and optimized processes, ensuring consistent quality and impact across a global product portfolio.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Essential: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Cognitive Science, or a related discipline (or equivalent professional experience).

• Preferred: Master's degree in Design, HCI, UX, or a related discipline. Experience:

• 12+ years of experience in UX, product design, or design leadership.

• 5+ years of experience leading multi-team design organizations or managing managers.

• Proven success in setting design direction across complex, multi-product portfolios and delivering scalable digital experiences.

• Demonstrated track record of building and operating mature design systems, research practices, and UX operating models.

• Experience partnering with senior Product and Engineering leaders in matrixed, global organizations.

• Familiarity with the English language learning, EdTech, or adjacent education markets is strongly preferred. Required Skills:

• Design Leadership (Experienced): Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop design teams, including managers.

• Design Strategies (Experienced): Expertise in developing and executing comprehensive design strategies aligned with business goals.

• Product Design (Experienced): Deep understanding of the end-to-end product design process for digital products.

• User Experience Design (UX) (Experienced): Mastery of UX principles, methodologies, and best practices.

• Strategic Thinking (Experienced): Ability to connect portfolio vision to team-level execution and long-term impact.

• Customer Discovery (Experienced): Proficiency in user research, needs analysis, and translating insights into actionable design.

• Design Systems (Experienced): Experience in creating, implementing, and scaling design systems.

• Service Design (Intermediate): Understanding of designing end-to-end customer journeys and service ecosystems.

Preferred Skills:

• Artificial Intelligence (Intermediate): Understanding of AI applications in design and product development.

• Prompt Engineering (Capable): Basic understanding or ability to leverage AI tools effectively.

• Business Acumen (Intermediate): Ability to understand and contribute to business objectives and financial outcomes.

• Pedagogy (Implied): Understanding of educational principles and learning effectiveness is highly beneficial.

• Accessibility (Implied): Commitment to designing inclusive and accessible digital experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of deep UX expertise, extensive leadership experience, and strategic thinking, particularly within the EdTech sector. The "Future/Emerging" skills highlight Pearson's forward-looking approach to integrating AI into their design processes.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Leadership Impact: Showcase instances where you led design teams to achieve significant product or business outcomes, detailing your role in strategy and execution.

• Design System Maturity: Provide examples of how you've built, scaled, or significantly improved design systems, highlighting adoption rates and efficiency gains.

• Scalable UX Operations: Illustrate your experience in establishing or refining UX operating models, research practices, or workflow efficiencies that enable consistent delivery across multiple teams.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Case Studies: Present scenarios where you successfully partnered with Product, Engineering, and other stakeholders to align on complex product roadmaps and deliver cohesive user experiences.

• Impactful Learner/Teacher Experience Design: Showcase projects that directly improved learner engagement, satisfaction, or learning effectiveness, supported by data and customer insights.

Process Documentation:

• Strategic Planning & Execution: Document how you translate high-level business and product strategies into actionable design roadmaps and team priorities.

• User Research & Insights Integration: Detail methodologies for conducting user research, synthesizing findings, and embedding customer insights into the product development lifecycle.

• Design System Governance & Evolution: Outline processes for maintaining, updating, and expanding a design system to ensure its relevance and adoption.

• UX Operating Model Design: Describe frameworks for team structure, collaboration, decision-making, and performance measurement within a distributed UX organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: Applicants should prepare to present case studies that highlight their ability to lead, strategize, and scale design operations within a complex, global organization. The emphasis will be on demonstrating impact, process maturity, and effective leadership through examples of building and scaling design functions and systems.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for a Lead UX Designer role with 12+ years of experience, managing multi-team organizations, in a major European capital like Madrid, the estimated salary range would be €90,000 - €130,000 per annum. This estimate accounts for the senior leadership scope, global responsibility, and the specific demands of the EdTech sector.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Work Model: Flexibility with 2 days per week in the Madrid office, balancing in-person collaboration with remote work.

• Global Impact: Opportunity to shape the user experience for millions of English language learners worldwide.

• Professional Development: Access to learning and development opportunities, including conferences, training, and potential certifications.

• Leadership Growth: Role offers significant potential for career advancement within Pearson's global organization.

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness: Standard benefits package likely includes health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.

• Collaborative Environment: Work within a dynamic Product Leadership Team and a large central design community.

Working Hours:

• The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week. While the role is hybrid, specific team schedules and meeting coordination will be expected to facilitate global collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on general market data for similar senior UX leadership roles in Western Europe. Specific compensation will depend on the candidate's exact experience, qualifications, and negotiation. The benefits are inferred from typical offerings for large, multinational corporations in the technology and education sectors.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education Technology (EdTech), Publishing

Company Size: Pearson is a large, global organization, employing over 20,000 people worldwide. This scale implies robust processes, a wide array of resources, and opportunities for cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: 1844. Pearson has a long history, evolving from a construction company to a leading global education company, indicating a capacity for adaptation and innovation.

Team Structure:

• Reporting: Reports to the Product Officer, English Language Learning.

• Team Scope: Leads a global UX organization of approximately 15-20 individuals, including design managers and individual contributors.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Plays a key role within the Product Leadership Team, working closely with Product Management, Engineering, Content, Marketing, and Sales. Also engages with Pearson's central design community.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on customer insight, behavioral data, and measurable outcomes to inform product and design strategy.

• Agile & Iterative Development: Likely follows agile methodologies, balancing iterative delivery with long-term vision and experience quality.

• Design System-Centric Approach: Focus on operationalizing scalable design systems and UX operations to ensure consistency and efficiency.

• Holistic Customer Journey Focus: Encourages service design thinking to map and improve multi-product, multi-touchpoint experiences for learners and teachers.

Company Website: https://www.pearson.com

📝 Enhancement Note: Pearson's established presence in the EdTech sector, combined with its global reach and long history, suggests a company that values both innovation and operational excellence. The UX team's structure emphasizes leadership, scale, and deep integration with core product development functions.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role, equivalent to a "Head of" function within the English Language Learning division. It represents a significant step in career progression for UX professionals, moving from individual contribution or team management to leading a global function.

Reporting Structure: The role reports directly to the Product Officer, English Language Learning, placing it at a strategic level within the product organization. This provides visibility and direct influence on product direction and business outcomes.

Operations Impact: The Lead, UX Designer has a direct and measurable impact on the success of Pearson's English Language Learning products. By ensuring high-quality, user-centered experiences, the role influences learner engagement, satisfaction, learning effectiveness, and ultimately, business revenue and market position. The role is critical in translating pedagogical goals into digital realities that drive educational outcomes.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into broader divisional or group-level UX leadership roles within Pearson.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the future of digital learning experiences for a global audience.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in EdTech, AI in education, and global product strategy.

• Mentorship & Development: Ability to mentor and develop a team of design leaders and practitioners, contributing to the broader growth of design talent within Pearson.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Exposure to diverse areas like product management, engineering, content development, and sales within the education sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for experienced UX leaders to make a substantial impact on a global scale within the education sector. The emphasis on leadership, strategic thinking, and operational scaling provides a strong foundation for further career progression.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as Hybrid, requiring 2 days per week in the Madrid office. This suggests a modern office environment designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and team connection.

Office Location(s): Madrid, Spain. This location offers a vibrant European hub with access to a diverse talent pool and a significant market for educational products.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The hybrid model implies that office days will be utilized for team meetings, workshops, brainstorming sessions, and strategic planning, leveraging shared physical spaces.

• Technology & Tools: As a global tech company, Pearson likely provides a robust technology stack, including necessary hardware, software, and collaboration tools (e.g., video conferencing, project management software) to support both in-office and remote work.

• Team Interaction: The 2-day in-office requirement is crucial for building team cohesion, fostering direct communication with design managers and key stakeholders, and promoting a shared culture within the ELL UX organization.

Work Schedule:

• The standard work schedule is approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid nature allows for some flexibility in managing work hours, with specific coordination required for global team synchronization and in-office days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model in Madrid is designed to balance the benefits of in-person collaboration and team building with the flexibility afforded by remote work. This setup is typical for senior roles in multinational companies aiming to foster a strong team culture while accommodating diverse working styles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review applications, focusing on leadership experience, strategic impact, and relevant industry background.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the Product Officer (or designated hiring manager) to assess strategic thinking, leadership philosophy, and alignment with the role's scope.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A dedicated session where candidates present their work, focusing on leadership examples, design strategy, system building, and team development. Expect detailed questions about their process, impact, and decision-making.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with key partners from Product Management, Engineering, and potentially other business units to evaluate collaboration style, communication, and ability to influence across functions.

• Team/Leadership Panel Interview: Potentially an interview with design managers or senior individual contributors within the ELL UX team, or with other senior leaders in Pearson's design community, to assess leadership style, team-building capabilities, and cultural fit.

• Final Round: May involve senior leadership or HR for final assessment and offer discussion.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Leadership & Scale: Highlight examples where you led teams to achieve significant outcomes, rather than just showcasing individual design projects. Demonstrate your ability to scale design impact through others and through systems.

• Strategic Storytelling: For each case study, clearly articulate the business problem, your strategic approach, the design process, the role of your team, and the measurable business/customer impact (e.g., increased engagement, improved learning outcomes, efficiency gains).

• Design System & Operations Depth: Be prepared to discuss your experience in building, implementing, and governing design systems and UX operating models. Explain the challenges, solutions, and the impact on delivery speed and quality.

• Data & Insight Integration: Show how you use customer insights, data analysis, and pedagogical principles to inform design strategy and measure success.

• Collaboration & Influence: Provide examples of how you effectively partnered with Product, Engineering, and other departments, navigating complex organizational structures.

Challenge Preparation:

• Strategic Vision Exercise: You might be asked to outline your approach to developing a UX strategy for a specific ELL product area or to address a hypothetical challenge related to global product coherence.

• Team Leadership Scenario: Be ready to discuss how you would address common team challenges, such as motivating a distributed team, resolving cross-team conflicts, or developing underperforming individuals.

• System Design/Optimization: Prepare to discuss how you would approach the further development or adoption of Pearson's ELL design system or UX operational processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to thoroughly assess leadership capabilities, strategic acumen, and practical experience in scaling design functions. Candidates should prepare a portfolio that clearly demonstrates impact at a leadership level and be ready to articulate their strategic thinking and operational approach.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop) are standard industry tools.

• User Research & Testing: Tools like UserTesting.com, Optimal Workshop, Maze, Qualtrics, or in-house solutions for qualitative and quantitative user research.

• Design Systems Management: Tools for managing design tokens, component libraries, and documentation (e.g., Zeroheight, Storybook, or custom solutions).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Slack, Microsoft Teams for workflow management, documentation, and communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web & Product Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude for tracking user behavior, engagement, and conversion metrics.

• Data Visualization & Dashboards: Tableau, Power BI, Looker for creating reports and dashboards to communicate UX performance and insights to stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• While not primary UX tools, familiarity with how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms inform customer understanding and segmentation can be beneficial. Emerging Technologies:

• AI/ML Tools: Familiarity with AI-powered design tools, generative AI for content creation or ideation, and understanding how AI can enhance user experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role requires proficiency in industry-standard UX design and research tools, with a strong emphasis on collaborative platforms and data analytics for informed decision-making. Experience with design system management tools and an awareness of AI integration in design are increasingly important.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of learners and teachers, making them the central focus of all design decisions.

• Data-Driven & Insightful: Utilizing data, research, and pedagogical understanding to inform strategy and measure the impact of design initiatives.

• Excellence & Craftsmanship: Upholding high standards for design quality, usability, accessibility, and consistency across all products.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Fostering strong working relationships with Product, Engineering, Content, and other departments to achieve shared outcomes.

• Innovation & Adaptability: Embracing new technologies (like AI) and approaches to continuously improve user experiences and learning effectiveness.

• Empowerment & Accountability: Encouraging team members to take ownership, make decisions, and be accountable for their contributions to the team's success.

Collaboration Style:

• Strategic Alignment: Working closely with product and engineering leadership to ensure design strategy is integrated with overall product roadmaps and business objectives.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Proactively engaging with stakeholders across departments to build consensus, gather input, and ensure a unified approach to product development.

• Transparent Communication: Maintaining open lines of communication, providing clear rationale for design decisions, and actively seeking feedback.

• Process Optimization Focus: Continuously looking for ways to improve workflows, design systems, and research practices to enhance team efficiency and output quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: Pearson's culture, particularly within its product and design teams, likely emphasizes a blend of educational mission, data-informed decision-making, and collaborative execution. The values are geared towards driving measurable impact for learners while fostering a high-performing and inclusive team environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling Global Design Consistency: Ensuring a cohesive and high-quality user experience across a diverse range of ELL products and global markets.

• Balancing Strategic Vision with Delivery Pace: Managing the inherent tension between long-term strategic design goals and the need for rapid, iterative product delivery in a competitive EdTech landscape.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Navigating the opportunities and complexities of integrating AI into design processes and user experiences in a way that genuinely benefits learners and educators.

• Developing and Retaining Top Talent: Leading a large, global UX organization requires strong leadership to attract, mentor, and retain skilled design professionals.

• Navigating a Matrixed Organization: Effectively influencing and collaborating across multiple product lines, geographies, and functional departments within a large corporation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• EdTech Industry Expertise: Deepen understanding of pedagogical principles, learning science, and the evolving landscape of digital education.

• AI in Design Specialization: Gain hands-on experience and develop thought leadership in applying AI technologies to enhance UX and educational outcomes.

• Global Product Leadership: Enhance skills in managing distributed teams, understanding diverse market needs, and driving global product strategies.

• Executive Leadership Development: Opportunities for formal leadership training, executive coaching, and exposure to Pearson's broader corporate leadership initiatives.

• Cross-Functional Acumen: Expand knowledge in areas like product management, engineering methodologies, and content strategy within the education sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior leadership roles in large tech companies, particularly in the educational sector, offering significant opportunities for professional growth and impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach setting the UX strategy for Pearson's ELL products, considering our global reach and diverse learner segments?" (Prepare to discuss vision setting, user research integration, and alignment with business goals.)

• "Describe your philosophy on building and scaling design systems. What are the key components and how do you ensure adoption and impact?" (Focus on governance, maintenance, scalability, and measuring ROI.)

• "How do you foster a culture of customer obsession and design excellence within a large, distributed UX team?" (Discuss methods for embedding user research, promoting craft, and accountability.)

• "Imagine a scenario where Product and Engineering strongly disagree on a UX direction. How would you facilitate a resolution that prioritizes the user and business outcomes?" (Prepare to discuss conflict resolution, data-driven arguments, and collaborative decision-making frameworks.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about Pearson's mission in English Language Learning, and how does your UX leadership approach align with it?" (Research Pearson's mission, ELL products, and articulate your passion and relevant experience.)

• "How would you approach integrating AI into the ELL user experience, considering both opportunities and ethical implications?" (Showcase understanding of AI's potential in education and a thoughtful, user-centric approach.)

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid environment and leading global teams. What strategies do you employ to ensure effective collaboration and team cohesion?" (Highlight experience with distributed teams, asynchronous communication, and in-office engagement.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role and leadership approach, the strategic thinking involved, the process, the challenges overcome, and the quantifiable results.

• Highlight Leadership & Scale: Emphasize instances where you led teams, mentored individuals, or built systems that enabled scaled design output. Use "we" when referring to team achievements but "I" when detailing your specific leadership actions and decisions.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your initiatives (e.g., percentage increase in engagement, improvement in learning effectiveness scores, reduction in design debt, efficiency gains for development teams).

• Showcase Strategic Thinking: Articulate how your design decisions were informed by business objectives, user needs, and pedagogical principles.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your decision-making process, trade-offs made, lessons learned, and how you would apply similar approaches to Pearson's context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic leadership, operational expertise in scaling design functions, and a deep understanding of the EdTech landscape and user-centered design principles. The portfolio should be a tangible representation of these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead, UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Pearson careers portal link provided.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight leadership experience, strategic accomplishments, and experience in scaling design functions, systems, and teams, using keywords from the job description (e.g., Design Leadership, Design Systems, UX Operations, EdTech, Global).

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a selection of case studies that best demonstrate your leadership impact, strategic thinking, experience in building design systems and operations, and ability to drive measurable outcomes. Ensure it's easily accessible online.

• Research Pearson & ELL: Familiarize yourself with Pearson's mission, its English Language Learning products, and recent company news to articulate your understanding and alignment during interviews.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on clear communication, strategic storytelling, and quantifying impact. Be prepared to discuss your leadership philosophy and approach to team development.

⚠️ 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.