Midweight Product Designer (UI/UX)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Midweight Product Designer (UI/UX)

Company: Old Queen Street Media

Location: Westminster, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-08

Experience Level: Midweight (2-5 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design for a new publishing technology platform, encompassing user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design.

• Translate product vision and user needs into intuitive user journeys, wireframes, prototypes, and polished visual designs.

• Collaborate closely with the CEO and development teams to define product scope, challenge complexity, and ensure timely delivery.

• Develop and maintain a practical design system to ensure consistency and scalability across the product.

• Drive product refinement through user feedback, testing, and ongoing analysis post-launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is framed around product design but has significant operational aspects, particularly in coordinating design delivery with development and contributing to product prioritization. It requires a blend of creative design skills and operational execution. The "Midweight" title suggests a need for demonstrated experience beyond junior levels, with a focus on taking ownership and driving projects.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Partner directly with the CEO to transform the product vision into actionable user journeys, interactive prototypes, and comprehensive design specifications.

• Conduct user research and gather feedback from publishers and end-users to inform design decisions and ensure product-market fit.

• Establish and consistently apply the product's visual identity, ensuring a cohesive and engaging user interface.

• Own the UI/UX, creating accessible, intuitive, and detail-oriented experiences that prioritize usability.

• Design, build, and manage a practical design system that supports product evolution and scalability.

• Contribute to defining the initial product scope, identifying key features for launch, and optimizing for efficiency.

• Liaise with developers to articulate design requirements, resolve technical constraints, and review implementation quality.

• Assist in coordinating project priorities, milestones, and feedback loops to maintain development momentum.

• Iterate on the product design based on user testing, post-launch feedback, and continuous usage analysis.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on approach to design, with an emphasis on direct collaboration with leadership and development teams. The inclusion of "help shape the initial product scope," "challenge unnecessary complexity," and "help coordinate priorities" indicates a need for operational thinking beyond pure design execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio and practical experience are paramount. Candidates with backgrounds in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or related fields may have a foundational advantage.

Experience: Proven experience in taking digital products from initial concept through to development and successful launch. A minimum of 2-5 years of dedicated product design experience is expected for a midweight role.

Required Skills:

• Comprehensive portfolio showcasing strong UI design, thoughtful UX methodologies, and tangible contributions to real digital products.

• Demonstrated experience in managing design projects from initial brief to development handover and final delivery.

• Proficiency in Figma or comparable advanced design and prototyping tools (e.g., Sketch, Adobe XD).

• Ability to create detailed user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity interface designs.

• Deep understanding of visual hierarchy, typography, layout principles, and maintaining design consistency.

• Solid grasp of accessibility standards and usability best practices.

• Capability to articulate design rationale clearly, balancing user needs with business objectives and technical limitations.

• Excellent organizational and communication skills, enabling effective collaboration with C-suite executives and development teams.

• Proactive and independent work ethic, with the ability to bring structure to ambiguous briefs and drive project progression.

• Interest and ability to contribute to product prioritization and delivery coordination. Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience in the publishing, media, SaaS, or workflow management tool industries.

• Experience in product management or project coordination, including managing priorities, milestones, and developer handoffs.

• Experience in developing a product's visual identity from inception and building robust design systems.

• Experience conducting user research, usability testing, and synthesizing findings into actionable design improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a blend of creative design talent and operational acumen. The requirement for a portfolio demonstrating "contribution to real digital products" and experience in "taking designs from an initial brief through to development and delivery" points to a need for practical, results-oriented candidates. The "desirable" skills further reinforce the operational aspect of this role, suggesting that candidates with project management or product ownership experience will be highly regarded.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least one end-to-end product design project, detailing your specific role and contributions from discovery to launch.

• Include examples of user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and final UI designs, illustrating your design process.

• Demonstrate the creation and application of a design system or style guide to ensure visual consistency and scalability.

• Highlight how user feedback and research informed your design decisions and iterative improvements.

• Present case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your solution, and the impact or outcomes achieved. Process Documentation:

• Document your approach to user research and how insights were translated into design requirements.

• Illustrate your workflow for creating and iterating on wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs.

• Detail your method for collaborating with developers, including handoff procedures and implementation reviews.

• Provide examples of how you managed design priorities and contributed to project timelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role that blends design with product ownership, a portfolio needs to go beyond just visual output. It must showcase the candidate's ability to manage a design process, collaborate effectively, and contribute to the operational aspects of product development, including prioritization and delivery coordination.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on the location (Westminster, London), experience level (Midweight, 2-5 years), and the nature of the role (leading design for a new product with significant ownership), an estimated salary range for a Product Designer is £45,000 - £65,000 per annum. This estimate accounts for London weighting and the responsibility involved.

Benefits:

• 5% Employer Contribution Pension Scheme.

• Generous Holiday Allowance: 25 days per calendar year.

• Additional Holiday Bonuses: Birthday holiday bonus and Bank Holiday Leave.

• Company Restaurant: Generous discounts, with free breakfast and fruit provided.

• Cycle to Work Scheme.

• Interest-Free Season Ticket Loan for commuting.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time role. While the role is on-site, there may be some flexibility expected to meet project milestones, especially around launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on typical midweight product designer roles in London, considering the company's industry and the level of responsibility. The benefits package is comprehensive and typical for a UK-based company. The "40 hours" is an assumption for a full-time role, but the on-site nature and product launch context might imply some occasional need for extended hours.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology/Software within the Publishing and Media sector. CoEditor, the technology arm, focuses on developing innovative solutions for publishers, indicating a niche within the broader software and media landscape.

Company Size: Old Queen Street Media is likely a medium-sized organization or a group with a dedicated tech arm (CoEditor) that operates with a lean, agile structure. This size often allows for direct access to leadership and a more impactful individual contribution.

Founded: Founded in an unspecified year, but the emphasis on developing "new" products suggests a company that is either established with a forward-thinking approach or a growing entity focused on innovation.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer will work directly with the CEO, indicating a flat or highly accessible hierarchy.

• Collaboration will be close with a team of developers, suggesting a small, integrated product development unit.

• Cross-functional collaboration is central, with the designer acting as a bridge between business vision (CEO) and technical execution (developers). Methodology:

• Design decisions will be informed by user needs, market feedback, and direct CEO input.

• Emphasis on iterative design, user testing, and continuous refinement.

• Agile development principles are likely employed, requiring close collaboration and quick adaptation.

• Focus on defining minimum viable products (MVPs) and prioritizing features for launch.

Company Website: https://jobs.workable.com/company/xmKkAPfYVRAs34kyMu9EbT/jobs-at-old-queen-street-media (Company Careers Page) and likely https://www.oqs.media/ (CoEditor/OQS Media).

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context suggests a dynamic, potentially fast-paced environment where individual contribution is highly valued. The close working relationship with the CEO is a significant aspect of the role and company culture.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Midweight Product Designer, indicating a level beyond entry-level. It requires a candidate who can operate with a significant degree of autonomy, take ownership of a product's design lifecycle, and contribute strategically to product development. The role blends core design responsibilities with operational tasks like project coordination and prioritization, offering a pathway to Product Management or Senior Design roles.

Reporting Structure: The designer reports directly to the CEO, signifying a high level of visibility and direct influence. This structure bypasses traditional layers of management, allowing for quicker decision-making and direct impact.

Operations Impact: The designer's work will have a direct and measurable impact on the success of a new publishing product. By shaping the user experience and visual identity, they will influence user adoption, engagement, and ultimately, the product's commercial viability within the publishing industry.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Senior Product Designer or Design Lead role as the product and company scale, potentially managing other designers.

• Product Management: The operational aspects of the role (prioritization, coordination, product definition) provide a strong foundation for transitioning into a Product Manager or Product Owner career path.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in publishing technology, SaaS product design, or design systems through dedicated work on the CoEditor platform.

• Influence: Direct access to the CEO offers unparalleled opportunities to influence product strategy and business direction.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique growth trajectory by integrating core design skills with product strategy and operational management. The direct reporting line to the CEO is a significant factor in its growth potential and the candidate's ability to influence outcomes.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is explicitly "On-site," indicating a traditional office-based work environment. This suggests a collaborative setting where in-person interaction with the CEO and development team is expected and valued.

Office Location(s): Westminster, England, United Kingdom. This is a central London location, offering good transport links and access to amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The on-site nature and close working relationships with the CEO and developers foster a highly collaborative and communicative atmosphere.

• Tools & Technology: Access to necessary design software (Figma or equivalent) and development tools. The company provides the infrastructure for design and product development.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for spontaneous brainstorming, design critiques, and direct feedback loops with key stakeholders.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time schedule (approximately 40 hours/week) is expected. Given the product launch context and on-site requirement, a degree of flexibility may be needed to meet critical deadlines, though the core expectation is a structured work week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Westminster points to a company that values in-person collaboration and a defined work structure. This environment is conducive to the close working relationships described in the role summary.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess fit with UI/UX requirements and demonstrated experience.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Candidates will likely present their portfolio to the CEO and/or lead developer, discussing specific projects, design decisions, and their role in bringing products to life. Expect questions about problem-solving, user-centric design, and collaboration.

• Practical Exercise/Case Study: A design challenge or case study may be presented, requiring candidates to demonstrate their approach to a specific product problem, potentially involving wireframing, user flows, or UI mockups. This may also include evaluating their ability to prioritize and coordinate.

• Cultural Fit & CEO Interview: A final interview, likely with the CEO, to assess communication skills, initiative, cultural alignment, and strategic thinking regarding product development and business goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase End-to-End Projects: Prioritize projects that demonstrate your full design process, from understanding requirements to delivering a polished product.

• Highlight Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, especially in areas beyond pure UI design, such as product definition, prioritization, or developer collaboration.

• Tell a Story: Frame your case studies with a clear narrative: the problem, your approach, the challenges, your solutions, and the impact. Use visuals effectively to support your story.

• Demonstrate Operational Thinking: Include examples of how you managed trade-offs, prioritized tasks, or collaborated with non-design stakeholders to ensure project success.

• Prepare for Figma/Tool Questions: Be ready to discuss your proficiency with Figma and how you leverage its features for prototyping, design systems, and collaboration.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Publishing Context: Familiarize yourself with common challenges and user needs in the publishing industry.

• Practice Prioritization: Be prepared to discuss how you would prioritize features for an MVP or new product launch under constraints.

• Articulate Trade-offs: Practice explaining the rationale behind design decisions, especially when balancing user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility.

• Focus on Collaboration: Prepare to discuss how you would work with a CEO and developers, including communication strategies for feedback and implementation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process likely emphasizes practical design skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to operate autonomously. The portfolio review will be critical, and candidates should prepare to showcase not just design output but also their process, problem-solving abilities, and operational contributions.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as a required tool for design and prototyping. Proficiency is essential for creating user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UI designs.

• Design System Tools: While not explicitly named, the requirement to build and maintain a design system implies familiarity with tools or methodologies for component management, style guides, and documentation within Figma or a similar platform.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly specified, a strong candidate would be familiar with analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude) to understand user behavior and inform design iterations.

• Experience with data visualization tools or dashboards may be beneficial for presenting user insights. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the core design responsibilities, but an understanding of how design integrates with CRM systems or marketing automation platforms could be a plus if the product has such integrations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary technical requirement is proficiency in Figma. The role's emphasis on product development also implies a need for understanding how design integrates with broader product lifecycles and potentially analytics.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Ownership & Initiative: The role demands taking responsibility for the design process from start to finish, proactively identifying next steps and driving the project forward.

• User-Centricity: A core value will be understanding and advocating for user needs, ensuring the product is intuitive, accessible, and valuable.

• Collaboration & Communication: Open and effective communication with the CEO and developers is crucial for success, fostering a team-oriented approach.

• Pragmatism & Efficiency: Challenging complexity and focusing on what matters most for launch reflects a value placed on delivering practical, efficient solutions.

• Quality & Attention to Detail: Maintaining a high standard for UI design, visual consistency, and usability is paramount.

Collaboration Style:

• Direct & Transparent: Working closely with the CEO implies a transparent and direct communication style.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: The designer will act as a key partner to developers, requiring a collaborative approach to problem-solving and implementation reviews.

• Iterative Feedback: The culture likely embraces continuous feedback loops, where designs are shared, reviewed, and refined iteratively.

• Proactive Engagement: Team members are expected to engage proactively, contribute ideas beyond their direct responsibilities, and help coordinate efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture appears to be one that values autonomy, collaboration, and a results-driven approach. The close working relationship with the CEO suggests a dynamic and potentially fast-paced environment where initiative is rewarded.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Ambiguity of Early-Stage Product: Defining and designing a new product from an early idea requires navigating ambiguity, making informed assumptions, and driving clarity.

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Effectively balancing the CEO's vision, developer constraints, and user needs requires strong negotiation and communication skills.

• End-to-End Ownership: Taking full responsibility for design from concept to launch, including coordination and delivery, can be demanding.

• Building from Scratch: Establishing a design system and visual identity for a new product requires foresight and meticulous execution.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Product Strategy Influence: Direct interaction with the CEO offers unparalleled opportunities to learn about product strategy, market positioning, and business decision-making.

• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Gaining experience in project coordination, developer collaboration, and product prioritization provides valuable operational skills.

• Ownership of a New Product: The opportunity to shape a product from its inception offers a unique learning experience in product lifecycle management.

• Industry Exposure: Deepening understanding of the publishing technology sector and the SaaS product landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge is the inherent complexity of launching a new product with significant individual ownership. The growth opportunities are substantial, particularly in developing strategic product thinking and leadership capabilities.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing a new feature for a publishing platform based on this brief?" (Focus on process, user research, and iterative design).

• "Describe a time you had to balance competing priorities between a stakeholder and technical constraints. How did you resolve it?" (Emphasis on communication, negotiation, and problem-solving).

• "How would you go about building a design system for a new product from scratch? What are the key considerations?" (Focus on structure, scalability, and collaboration).

• "Imagine we need to launch with a minimum viable product. How would you help define the scope and prioritize features?" (Demonstrate understanding of MVP principles and operational planning). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about working on a new product in the publishing technology space?" (Show genuine interest and research).

• "How do you prefer to collaborate with CEOs and development teams?" (Highlight your communication and teamwork style).

• "What are your thoughts on accessibility and how do you incorporate it into your designs?" (Demonstrate your commitment to inclusive design). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, your process, the challenges, your solution, and the impact.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals extensively to illustrate your design process and final output. Include user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups.

• Highlight Operational Contributions: Emphasize instances where you contributed to product scope, prioritization, or coordination, not just visual design.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, problem-solving approaches, and how you handle feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a holistic understanding of product design, including strategic thinking, operational execution, and strong collaborative skills, in addition to core UI/UX abilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight experience relevant to end-to-end product design, UI/UX, Figma proficiency, and any experience in product prioritization or coordination. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best showcase your UI/UX skills, your process, and your ability to deliver tangible results. Ensure your role and contributions are clearly defined.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design process, key decisions, and project outcomes concisely and engagingly. Be ready to discuss your approach to collaboration and problem-solving.

• Research Old Queen Street Media & CoEditor: Understand their mission, the publishing technology landscape, and any public information available about their products to demonstrate genuine interest and cultural alignment.

⚠️ 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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