Product Designer (6 months)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer (6 months)

Company: RBS

Location: London, United Kingdom (Remote First with potential for Hybrid in other listed locations)

Job Type: Full time, Temporary

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: 2026-08-11

Experience Level: Mid-level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Remote First (with potential for hybrid in Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh)

🚀 Role Summary

• Own the end-to-end product design process for small to medium-scale projects, ensuring user-centered and inclusive outputs align with business and enterprise strategies.

• Define scope, approach, and timelines for product design initiatives, executing clearly defined tasks that balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (including researchers, developers, and product managers) to understand requirements, iterate on designs, and support strategic initiative delivery.

• Contribute to raising consistency, quality, accessibility, and inclusion in product design by consistently applying and improving guidelines and standards.

• Act as a key contact for stakeholders, managing expectations, fostering understanding, and influencing decisions through clear communication of design rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is explicitly stated as a 6-month temporary position. While "Remote First" is indicated, the inclusion of multiple UK locations (Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh) suggests potential for hybrid work arrangements or team presence in these offices, which candidates should clarify. The "Product Designer" title, coupled with responsibilities like UX/UI, information architecture, and prototyping, firmly places this role within the User Experience and Product Design domain, not typically within Revenue or Sales Operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Drive the complete product design lifecycle for assigned projects, from initial concept to final handover, focusing on user needs, business objectives, and enterprise experience design strategy.

• Translate insights from user research and data analysis into actionable, data-led design decisions and user experience enhancements.

• Develop comprehensive user experiences, information architecture, and interactive prototypes, ensuring seamless engineer handover.

• Apply and advocate for established design guidelines and standards, while also identifying and contributing to improvements that enhance overall product design quality, accessibility, and inclusivity.

• Proactively manage stakeholder expectations, foster clear understanding of design rationale, and influence project decisions through effective communication and presentation of design work.

• Support the development of broader program-level design activities when required, contributing to larger strategic initiatives within RBS.

• Continuously enhance personal product design craft, domain knowledge, and technical skills, while actively mentoring and sharing best practices with colleagues.

• Operate effectively within multidisciplinary teams, collaborating closely with product managers, researchers, developers, and other designers to deliver high-quality, objective-aligned work.

• Manage and deliver product design projects efficiently using Agile delivery methodologies, adapting to project pace and requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a hands-on approach to design, requiring proficiency in UX/UI, information architecture, and prototyping. The mention of "data-led informed design decisions" and "insights from research" highlights the importance of a data-driven and user-centric approach. The temporary nature of the role suggests a focus on specific project delivery and potentially rapid iteration.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: No specific educational requirements are listed, suggesting that practical experience and a strong portfolio are prioritized over formal degrees. However, a background in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is often beneficial.

Experience: 2-5 years of demonstrable experience in Product Design, with a focus on User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design. Experience delivering end-to-end design projects in an Agile environment is essential.

Required Skills:

• Product Design & UX/UI: Deep understanding and practical application of user-centered design principles, UX methodologies, and UI design best practices.

• Design Systems: Proficiency in utilizing and contributing to design systems to ensure consistency and scalability across products.

• Accessible & Inclusive Design: Strong knowledge of accessible design principles (e.g., WCAG standards) and a commitment to creating inclusive user experiences for all.

• Wireframing & Information Architecture: Expertise in creating clear wireframes and defining intuitive information architecture to structure user flows and content.

• Prototyping: Skill in developing interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and test user interactions.

• Design Thinking: Application of design thinking methodologies to solve complex user problems and drive innovation.

• Agile Delivery: Proven experience working within Agile development frameworks (Scrum, Kanban) and managing design deliverables in fast-paced environments.

• Stakeholder Management: Ability to effectively communicate design decisions, rationale, and progress to diverse stakeholders, managing expectations and influencing outcomes.

• Data-led Design: Capability to draw insights from user research and data to inform design decisions and validate solutions.

• Engineer Handover: Proficiency in preparing and communicating design specifications and assets for smooth handover to development teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in financial services or a related regulated industry.

• Familiarity with specific design and prototyping tools beyond the standard (e.g., advanced Figma plugins, specialized animation tools).

• Experience contributing to or leading design reviews and critiques.

• Mentorship or team lead experience, demonstrating ability to support colleagues.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills are heavily weighted towards core design competencies. The emphasis on "data-led informed design decisions" suggests a need for analytical thinking and comfort with user research outputs. The "2-5 years" experience level indicates a need for candidates who can work independently on defined projects but may still benefit from guidance on larger strategic initiatives.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: A curated portfolio showcasing 2-4 distinct projects that demonstrate the end-to-end product design process. Each case study should clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process followed, key decisions made, and the final outcome/impact.

• User-Centered Solutions: Evidence of designing user-centric solutions that address specific user needs and business objectives.

• Clear Rationale: Articulate the "why" behind design decisions, demonstrating a thoughtful and logical approach informed by research, user feedback, or data.

• Visual Design & UX: Showcase a strong blend of effective user experience (UX) and compelling user interface (UI) design.

• Accessibility & Inclusivity: Highlight examples where accessibility and inclusive design principles were considered and implemented.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Demonstrate experience in mapping out user flows, information architecture, and interaction designs.

• Implementation & Automation: While this role is design-focused, show how your designs facilitate smooth implementation by developers and how design systems contribute to efficiency.

• Measurement & Analysis: Include examples of how designs were validated (e.g., through user testing, A/B testing) and how their success was measured against project objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is critical for this role, serving as the primary evidence of a candidate's design craft and problem-solving abilities. Candidates should focus on quality over quantity, selecting projects that best represent their skills in user-centered design, data-informed decision-making, and effective stakeholder communication. Highlighting the "why" behind design choices is paramount.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is a temporary 6-month contract role, salary is likely to be quoted on a daily or hourly rate, or a pro-rata annual equivalent. Based on industry benchmarks for mid-level Product Designers in London with 2-5 years of experience, and considering the "Remote First" aspect which can sometimes command a premium or be benchmarked against national averages, a competitive range could be estimated.

• Estimated Daily Rate: £350 - £550 per day (PAYE or Umbrella Company)

• Estimated Pro-Rata Annual Equivalent: £70,000 - £110,000 per annum

Benefits:

• Temporary Contract: Opportunity to gain experience within a large, established financial institution (RBS) for a defined period.

• Remote First: Flexibility to work from home, reducing commute time and enhancing work-life balance.

• Potential Hybrid Work: Access to office facilities in London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, or Edinburgh if desired or required for specific team interactions.

• Professional Development: Opportunity to grow product design skills through hands-on experience and exposure to diverse projects and multidisciplinary teams.

• Contribution to Impactful Projects: Work on initiatives that aim to create simple, accessible, and inclusive experiences for customers.

• Standard Contractual Benefits: Typically includes statutory holiday pay and pension contributions as per UK employment law for temporary workers.

Working Hours: 35 hours per week. The "Remote First" arrangement suggests flexibility in daily start and end times, provided core collaboration hours and project deadlines are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the temporary nature and location, a daily rate is common. The range provided reflects typical market rates for skilled contract designers in the UK, with London often commanding higher rates. The specific benefits for a temporary role are often less extensive than permanent positions but the opportunity to work with a major bank and gain experience is a significant draw.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Banking & Financial Services. RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland, now part of NatWest Group) operates in a highly regulated and competitive industry, emphasizing trust, security, and customer focus. This means design work must be robust, compliant, and prioritize user safety and ease of use.

Company Size: RBS is a large, established financial institution, part of the NatWest Group. This implies a structured environment with established processes, a significant employee base, and a wide range of potential projects and career paths.

Founded: The Royal Bank of Scotland was founded in 1727, giving it a long history and deep roots in the UK financial landscape. This heritage suggests a culture that values stability and tradition, but also one that is actively undergoing digital transformation to remain competitive.

Team Structure:

• Multidisciplinary Teams: The role emphasizes collaboration within multidisciplinary teams, typically comprising Product Designers, UX Researchers, UI Designers, Product Managers, Developers, and potentially Business Analysts or Subject Matter Experts.

• Reporting: While not explicitly stated, a Product Designer in a temporary role would likely report to a Design Lead, Senior Product Designer, or a Product Manager responsible for the project.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Strong emphasis on working collaboratively across various departments to ensure design solutions are aligned with business, technical, and user requirements.

Methodology:

• User-Centred Design: A core methodology, ensuring that user needs are at the forefront of all design decisions.

• Agile Delivery: Projects are managed using Agile frameworks, promoting iterative development, flexibility, and rapid feedback loops.

• Data-Informed Decisions: Insights from user research, analytics, and A/B testing are used to guide and validate design choices.

• Inclusivity & Accessibility: A commitment to building products that are usable and accessible by everyone, adhering to relevant standards.

Company Website: https://www.rbs.co.uk/

📝 Enhancement Note: Working for a large bank like RBS means navigating a complex organizational structure and regulatory environment. Design work must balance innovation with compliance and security. The "Remote First" approach, while offering flexibility, is within the context of a historically office-centric industry, indicating a modernizing work culture.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a mid-level Product Designer role (2-5 years experience) focused on project-specific delivery. It's not directly in Revenue or Sales Operations but contributes to the user experience of products that may support these functions. The role offers hands-on design experience rather than strategic operational oversight.

Reporting Structure: The designer will likely report to a Design Lead or Product Manager overseeing the specific project. They will collaborate extensively with developers, researchers, and other cross-functional team members.

Operations Impact: While not a direct "operations" role, the Product Designer's work directly impacts the usability and effectiveness of digital products. Improved user experience can lead to increased adoption, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, indirectly supporting operational goals by making tools easier to use and customer interactions smoother.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Enhancement: Deepen expertise in UX/UI, design systems, accessibility, and Agile methodologies through practical application on real-world projects.

• Portfolio Development: Gain significant new case studies for your portfolio by contributing to projects within a large financial institution.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Learn to collaborate effectively with diverse professional roles (developers, product managers, researchers) within a structured corporate environment.

• Industry Experience: Acquire valuable experience within the banking and financial services sector, understanding its unique design challenges and compliance requirements.

• Potential for Future Opportunities: Successful completion of this temporary role could open doors for future contract or permanent positions within RBS or the wider NatWest Group.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities are centered on design craft and project experience rather than operational strategy. For candidates interested in operations, this role provides insight into how product design impacts user adoption and efficiency of business tools, but it doesn't offer direct experience in revenue or sales operations management.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The "Remote First" designation indicates that remote work is the primary mode of operation. However, the listing of multiple UK locations (London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh) suggests that RBS maintains physical office spaces in these cities. These offices likely offer collaborative workspaces, meeting rooms, and potentially hot-desking facilities for employees who choose to work from the office occasionally or for specific team events.

Office Location(s): London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh. These are major cities across the UK, offering accessibility for potential in-person meetings or hybrid work arrangements.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect to collaborate digitally using various communication and design tools. When in an office, expect modern, potentially open-plan workspaces designed for team interaction.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard design software, collaboration platforms, and potentially company-specific internal systems. The emphasis on "Remote First" implies robust digital infrastructure.

• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with your immediate project team (designers, developers, product managers) through virtual meetings, stand-ups, and digital collaboration tools. Opportunities for in-person interaction may arise if hybrid work is utilized.

Work Schedule: 35 hours per week. The "Remote First" policy generally implies flexibility in scheduling, allowing individuals to manage their workday around core meeting times and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Remote First" policy is a key aspect, offering significant flexibility. However, candidates should be aware that RBS is a large, traditional organization, and while embracing remote work, there might be expectations for occasional office presence for key meetings or team-building events, especially if based near one of the listed office locations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and portfolio. Be prepared to discuss your experience and suitability for a temporary, remote-first design role.

• Portfolio Presentation: A key stage will involve presenting your portfolio to the hiring team. Be ready to walk them through 1-2 of your strongest case studies, explaining your process, decisions, and the impact of your work.

• Technical/Design Interview: Expect questions related to design thinking, UX/UI principles, accessibility, and your experience with Agile methodologies. You may be asked to solve a hypothetical design problem or discuss your approach to specific design challenges.

• Stakeholder/Team Fit Interview: You'll likely meet with potential team members (e.g., a Product Manager, a Senior Designer) to assess your collaborative skills, communication style, and cultural fit within the multidisciplinary team.

• Final Interview: Potentially a final discussion with a hiring manager or senior leader to confirm your fit and discuss terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the business value and user benefits of your design solutions. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., "increased conversion by X%", "reduced task completion time by Y%").

• Showcase Process: Don't just show final screens. Detail your thought process, research methods, iteration cycles, and how you arrived at your solutions.

• Highlight Collaboration: Explain how you worked with developers, researchers, and stakeholders.

• Tailor to RBS: If possible, research RBS's current digital products and consider how your skills align with their user experience goals.

• Accessibility & Inclusivity: Ensure your portfolio demonstrates a strong understanding and application of these principles.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Scenario: Be prepared for a short design challenge that might involve identifying a user problem, sketching out a solution, or critiquing an existing design.

• Agile Context: Understand how design fits into an Agile workflow and how you would manage design sprints and handoffs.

• Communication: Practice articulating your design decisions clearly and concisely, especially when addressing potential constraints or feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio presentation is a critical component. Candidates should prepare to articulate their design process and rationale in detail, demonstrating their ability to deliver user-centered solutions within a corporate and Agile framework.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Highly likely to be the primary tool for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration, given its industry prevalence.

• Sketch: Potentially used, especially if there's legacy work or specific team preferences.

• Adobe Creative Suite: Applications like Photoshop and Illustrator may be used for asset creation or specific graphic design tasks.

• Prototyping Tools: InVision, Marvel, or Figma's built-in prototyping capabilities for creating interactive user flows.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Google Analytics / Adobe Analytics: While not directly used by designers, understanding how these tools measure user behavior is crucial for data-led design.

• User Testing Platforms: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, or Maze for conducting remote user research and gathering feedback.

• Heatmapping & Session Recording: Tools like Hotjar or FullStory to understand user interaction patterns.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this Product Designer role. This category is more relevant to Sales/Revenue Operations. However, understanding how customer data is managed and utilized can inform design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is almost a given for modern Product Designer roles. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience with these tools and how they leverage them to create effective user experiences. While CRM and automation are not core to this role, an awareness of how user data fuels product decisions is beneficial.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A strong emphasis on understanding and meeting customer needs to deliver simple, accessible, and inclusive experiences.

• Integrity: Operating with honesty and transparency, especially critical in the financial services sector.

• Collaboration: Working effectively in multidisciplinary teams, valuing diverse perspectives to achieve common goals.

• Innovation: While balancing tradition, there's a drive to innovate and improve digital experiences to stay competitive.

• Excellence: Striving for high quality in all outputs, from design execution to stakeholder communication.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect a high degree of collaboration across design, product, engineering, and research teams. Open communication and shared ownership are key.

• Feedback-Driven: A culture that encourages constructive feedback to refine designs and processes.

• Agile Mindset: Embracing iterative development, flexibility, and continuous improvement in team processes and project execution.

• Remote-First Communication: Reliance on digital tools for communication, documentation, and collaboration, requiring proactive and clear virtual interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at RBS, like many large financial institutions, will likely be a blend of traditional corporate values and modern approaches to digital product development. Candidates should demonstrate an ability to work within a structured environment while embracing agile and collaborative practices.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Innovation with Regulation: Designing user-friendly experiences within a highly regulated financial services environment requires careful consideration of compliance, security, and risk.

• Legacy Systems & Processes: Potentially working with or around older systems that may present design and technical constraints.

• Remote Collaboration: Effectively collaborating and maintaining strong team cohesion in a "Remote First" environment can be challenging, requiring proactive communication and engagement.

• Short-Term Project Focus: As a 6-month contract, the role requires quickly understanding project goals, delivering high-quality work, and potentially adapting to changing priorities within a limited timeframe.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Domain Expertise: Gain specific knowledge and experience in designing for the banking and financial services sector.

• Agile Design Practice: Hone skills in applying design principles within fast-paced Agile workflows.

• Portfolio Expansion: Add significant, high-impact projects to your professional portfolio.

• Networking: Build professional connections within a large, reputable organization like RBS.

• Remote Work Best Practices: Develop strong remote collaboration and self-management skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to working in a large, regulated industry on a temporary contract. The growth opportunities are primarily focused on gaining practical experience and expanding a design portfolio within a specific sector.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex product design challenge you faced and how you approached it, detailing your process and the outcome." (Focus on user-centered approach, data-informed decisions, and collaboration).

• "How do you ensure your designs are accessible and inclusive for all users? Can you give an example from your portfolio?" (Highlight your understanding of standards and practical application).

• "How do you collaborate with engineers and product managers in an Agile environment? How do you handle disagreements or conflicting priorities?" (Emphasize communication, compromise, and shared goals).

• "Walk me through your process for designing a new feature from initial concept to engineer handover." (Structure your answer using a clear methodology, e.g., Discover, Define, Design, Deliver). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for RBS, specifically in this temporary Product Designer role?" (Research RBS's mission, values, and recent digital initiatives).

• "How do you approach learning new design tools or adapting to a new team's workflow?" (Show your adaptability and proactive learning attitude).

• "Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders to adopt your design recommendation. What was your approach?" (Focus on your communication and persuasion skills). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each case study as a narrative – the problem, your journey to the solution, and the impact.

• Visuals: Use clear, high-quality visuals (wireframes, mockups, prototypes) to illustrate your points.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Focus on the most critical aspects of each project and be prepared to answer questions in depth.

• Highlight Your Role: Clearly define your specific contributions, especially if working in a team.

• Address Challenges: Be open about challenges faced and how you overcame them, demonstrating resilience and problem-solving skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on articulating your design process, demonstrating your problem-solving skills, and showcasing your ability to collaborate effectively within a corporate and Agile setting. Tailoring your responses to the banking industry and RBS's specific context will be beneficial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the RBS Workday jobs portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and highlights projects that best demonstrate your end-to-end design process, user-centered approach, and experience with Agile methodologies. Select 2-4 strong case studies that showcase your skills in UX/UI, information architecture, and prototyping.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your experience with product design, user experience, UI design, design systems, accessibility, and Agile delivery. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice your portfolio presentation, focusing on clear storytelling, articulating your design rationale, and demonstrating your collaborative skills. Prepare to discuss your experience with data-led design and stakeholder management.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with RBS's mission, values, and recent digital product offerings to understand their design philosophy and how your skills can contribute to their goals.

⚠️ 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.