Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Carmoola

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: 2026-08-12

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the creation of exceptional, visually stunning product experiences for Carmoola's core app and web platforms, focusing on customer delight and intuitive user flows.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineering teams throughout the entire design lifecycle, from ideation and user research to final implementation and iteration.

• Champion the Carmoola brand aesthetic, ensuring consistency across all customer touchpoints, from initial marketing campaigns to the in-app experience.

• Leverage advanced design tools like Figma and animation software to develop dynamic prototypes and interactive elements that enhance user engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a critical contributor to a fast-growing fintech company, requiring a strong emphasis on user-centric design, visual appeal, and measurable impact on customer satisfaction (indicated by high NPS and TrustPilot scores). The hybrid model with specific office days suggests a need for strong in-person collaboration alongside remote flexibility.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and iterate on core product features within the Carmoola app, focusing on creating "wow" moments through exceptional visual design and seamless user flows, aiming to surpass existing high customer satisfaction metrics.

• Conduct and utilize user research, including user research groups and online tools, to gather insights that inform design decisions and drive continuous improvement in the user experience.

• Develop and maintain high-fidelity interactive prototypes using Figma and other relevant tools to effectively communicate design concepts and user interactions to stakeholders and development teams.

• Create compelling visual assets and campaign templates for marketing and growth teams, ensuring brand consistency and a seamless transition from external touchpoints to the core product.

• Act as a brand guardian, ensuring all visual elements and user interfaces align with Carmoola's brand guidelines and contribute to a cohesive and delightful customer journey.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on core product design and supporting marketing efforts, indicating a need for versatility. The emphasis on "wow" moments and leveraging user research suggests a proactive approach to design innovation aimed at exceeding customer expectations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for roles requiring 5+ years of experience. A strong portfolio can often substitute for formal education.

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record of designing and shipping successful digital products.

Required Skills:

• A robust portfolio showcasing expertise in graphic design, UI/UX design, and the ability to create visually stunning and user-centric product experiences.

• Proficiency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design.

• Demonstrated experience in user research methodologies, including conducting user interviews, usability testing, and synthesizing findings into actionable design improvements.

• Strong understanding of user-centered design principles and behavioral design concepts, with the ability to apply them to enhance customer experiences.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions effectively and incorporate feedback from cross-functional teams.

• Proficiency in illustration and animation tools to create dynamic and engaging user interfaces.

• A keen eye for detail and a commitment to design consistency across all product touchpoints. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI-driven design solutions and an awareness of emerging design trends and tools.

• Familiarity with design systems and their implementation.

• Experience in the fintech industry or a fast-paced startup environment.

• Knowledge of web design principles and responsive design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "at least 5 years of experience" and a "strong portfolio" indicates that this role is for a mid-to-senior level designer. The emphasis on both visual design ("stunning visuals") and user-centricity ("user-centered design principles") suggests a well-rounded designer is sought.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating end-to-end product design projects, highlighting the applicant's role, design process, and the impact of their work.

• Case studies should clearly articulate the problem, the design process undertaken (including user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing), and the final solution.

• Visual examples of "wow" moments or delightful interactions designed by the applicant.

• Demonstrations of proficiency in Figma, including complex layouts, interactive prototypes, and component-based design.

• Examples of illustration and animation work integrated into product designs. Process Documentation:

• Showcase an understanding of user-centered design methodologies, from initial concept generation through to iterative refinement based on user feedback and data.

• Present a clear and logical design process that emphasizes problem-solving, user empathy, and data-informed decision-making.

• Demonstrate how design decisions contribute to measurable business outcomes, such as increased customer satisfaction, engagement, or conversion rates.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's focus on creating "wow" experiences and the company's high NPS, the portfolio should emphasize not just the aesthetic quality of designs but also the strategic thinking behind them and their direct impact on user satisfaction and business goals.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £70,000 - £90,000 per annum. This range is competitive for a Product Designer with 5-10 years of experience in London's tech and fintech sector.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary with yearly performance-based pay reviews.

• Hybrid working model with 3 days per week in the London office (Primrose Hill).

• Generous holiday allowance: 30 days plus bank holidays, with an additional day off on your birthday.

• Flexibility to work from anywhere for 15 days per year.

• Comprehensive private healthcare coverage.

• Pension scheme with a 5% employer matched contribution.

• Opportunity to join a high-performing, talented team in a fast-growing fintech company.

Working Hours: While not explicitly stated, a standard full-time role in the UK typically involves 35-40 hours per week. The hybrid model suggests flexibility in daily scheduling, with core hours likely expected for team collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is explicitly provided and aligns with industry benchmarks for experienced Product Designers in London. The benefits package is robust, emphasizing work-life balance, employee well-being, and professional growth opportunities within a dynamic fintech environment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech (Car Finance). Carmoola operates within the rapidly evolving financial technology sector, specifically disrupting traditional car financing with a digital-first approach. This industry is characterized by innovation, a focus on customer experience, and a high degree of regulatory awareness.

Company Size: Carmoola is a fast-growing scale-up, evidenced by its significant funding (£540m raised) and its ranking as the UK's 6th fastest-growing company. This implies a dynamic, agile, and potentially resource-rich environment where individual contributions have a visible impact.

Founded: Carmoola was founded with the mission to revolutionize car finance. Its rapid growth since launch suggests a strong product-market fit and an effective business strategy.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer will report directly to the Director of Product, indicating a clear reporting line within the product department.

• The role involves close collaboration with Product Managers and Engineering teams, suggesting a cross-functional, agile team structure common in tech companies.

• The design team likely includes other designers or specialists, fostering a collaborative environment for design critique and knowledge sharing. Methodology:

• Carmoola emphasizes a customer-centric approach, as evidenced by its high NPS and TrustPilot scores, suggesting that user feedback and satisfaction are core to their product development methodology.

• The company operates in a fast-paced environment, likely employing agile methodologies for product development, emphasizing rapid iteration, testing, and continuous improvement.

• Data-driven decision-making is implied by the focus on performance reviews, user research, and the desire to "surprise and delight" customers, suggesting a blend of quantitative and qualitative insights.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Carmoola's culture appears to be driven by innovation, customer obsession, and rapid growth. The fintech sector context means a strong focus on user experience, security, and compliance. The company's success metrics (funding, growth ranking) suggest a high-performance environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This Product Designer role is positioned at a mid-to-senior level, indicated by the 5+ years of experience requirement and direct reporting to the Director of Product. The role is expected to take ownership of significant product areas and contribute strategically to the overall user experience.

Reporting Structure: The designer will report directly to the Director of Product, providing a clear path for mentorship, feedback, and career development. This close relationship allows for direct influence on product strategy and design direction.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer will have a direct and significant impact on Carmoola's success by shaping the core customer experience. By creating "wow" moments and intuitive flows, the designer will contribute to customer acquisition, retention, satisfaction (NPS), and ultimately, the company's growth and market position in the competitive fintech landscape.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas such as animation, user research, or behavioral design, potentially becoming a subject matter expert within the team.

• Leadership Potential: With proven success, there's potential to move into a Senior Product Designer role, lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, or even transition into a Product Design Lead or Manager position as the team scales.

• Cross-Functional Development: Exposure to product strategy, marketing campaigns, and engineering processes provides a broader understanding of the business, fostering holistic professional growth.

• Fintech Expertise: Gaining specialized knowledge and experience within the fast-growing fintech sector, a highly valuable and in-demand area.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant growth potential within a high-growth fintech company. The direct reporting line and impact on core product experience suggest a fast track for motivated designers who can demonstrate tangible results and strategic thinking.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Carmoola operates a hybrid working model, with 3 days per week required in their London office. This suggests a blend of focused individual work at home and collaborative in-office sessions. The office is located in Primrose Hill, London.

Office Location(s): The primary office is in Primrose Hill, London, England. This location offers a vibrant city environment with good transport links.

Workspace Context:

• The office environment is likely designed to foster collaboration and creativity, supporting the hybrid model with facilities for team meetings, design sprints, and focused work.

• As a tech-focused fintech company, expect access to modern design tools, high-speed internet, and a technologically advanced workspace.

• The emphasis on a "mega-talented and high performing team" suggests an environment where designers can learn from and be inspired by their peers.

Work Schedule: While a standard full-time schedule is implied, the hybrid model and the 15 days "work from anywhere" benefit suggest a degree of flexibility. Core working hours are likely expected for effective team collaboration, especially on office days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key feature, balancing the benefits of in-office collaboration with the flexibility of remote work. The Primrose Hill location offers a desirable London working environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio by the hiring team to assess qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: An in-depth session where you will present your portfolio, walk through key case studies, and discuss your design process, decision-making, and impact. Expect questions on your approach to user research, visual design, and collaboration.

• Skills-Based Assessment: This might involve a design challenge or a practical exercise, either take-home or conducted during an interview, to evaluate your Figma skills, problem-solving abilities, and approach to a specific design problem relevant to Carmoola.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other stakeholders to assess your collaborative skills, cultural fit, and ability to communicate effectively within a cross-functional team.

• Final Interview: Potentially with the Director of Product or a senior leader to discuss overall fit, career aspirations, and finalize the offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your skills in UI/UX, graphic design, animation, and user-centered design, ideally with examples of "wow" moments or significant user impact.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, the challenges faced, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes. Use visuals effectively to illustrate your journey.

• Highlight Process: Emphasize your thought process, how you incorporated user feedback, and how you collaborated with teams. Show your understanding of user-centered and behavioral design principles.

• Showcase Visuals & Interactions: Include high-quality mockups, interactive prototypes (links or embedded videos), and examples of animations or illustrations that demonstrate your creative flair and technical ability.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, include metrics (e.g., increased conversion, improved user satisfaction, reduced task completion time) to demonstrate the business value of your designs.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business: Research Carmoola's mission, target audience, competitors, and recent news to understand their business context and product challenges.

• Practice Figma Skills: Be ready to demonstrate proficiency in Figma for rapid prototyping, component usage, and potentially design system application.

• Think User-Centric: Approach any design challenge by first defining the user problem, then ideating solutions with a focus on user needs and business goals.

• Articulate Your Rationale: Be prepared to clearly explain why you made specific design decisions, referencing user research, design principles, and business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to thoroughly assess both design craft and strategic thinking. A strong portfolio that clearly demonstrates a user-centered approach and measurable impact, coupled with excellent communication skills, will be key to success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design tool for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is essential.

• Animation Tools: Software such as After Effects, Principle, or Lottie for creating dynamic micro-interactions and animated elements to enhance user experience.

• Illustration Software: Tools like Adobe Illustrator for creating custom graphics, icons, and visual assets.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly used by designers, understanding how design impacts key metrics tracked by tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or Amplitude is beneficial for demonstrating ROI.

• Familiarity with customer feedback platforms like TrustPilot and NPS survey tools will help in understanding user sentiment. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to the Product Designer role, but awareness of how design integrates with user journeys managed by CRM systems can be helpful.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily focused on design execution and prototyping. Proficiency in Figma is paramount, and experience with animation and illustration tools will be highly valued for creating engaging and "wow" experiences.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: A relentless focus on understanding and delighting customers, as evidenced by high NPS and TrustPilot scores. Designers are expected to prioritize user needs and strive for "wow" moments.

• Innovation & Growth: Operating in a fast-paced fintech environment, Carmoola values continuous improvement, embracing new trends (like AI-driven solutions), and driving rapid growth.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: The role emphasizes working closely with Product Managers and Engineers, suggesting a culture of shared responsibility and open communication.

• Excellence & Detail: A commitment to high-quality design, with an impressive attention to detail and drive for consistency across all touchpoints.

• Proactiveness & Initiative: Encouraging individuals to take ownership, explore new ideas, and contribute to the company's success.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to work seamlessly with product management and engineering to translate ideas into functional, user-friendly products.

• Open Feedback Culture: Thriving in an environment where designs are tested and evolved through user feedback and constructive critique from team members.

• Shared Vision: Contributing to a unified vision for the product experience, ensuring that design efforts align with business objectives and customer needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is built around high performance, customer focus, and innovation. Designers are expected to be proactive, collaborative, and driven by a passion for creating exceptional user experiences within a dynamic fintech setting.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Maintaining "WOW" Factor: Continuously innovating to deliver delightful and surprising user experiences in a competitive market, going beyond standard usability.

• Balancing Design & Business Needs: Effectively translating user needs and aesthetic desires into solutions that also meet business objectives and technical constraints within a fast-paced fintech environment.

• Brand Consistency Across Channels: Ensuring a seamless and cohesive brand experience from initial marketing touchpoints (web, social) through to the core app, requiring strong visual guardianship.

• Adapting to Rapid Growth: Navigating the evolving demands and processes of a rapidly scaling company, requiring adaptability and a proactive approach to workflow optimization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Mastering Advanced Design Techniques: Deepening skills in animation, micro-interactions, and potentially exploring AI-assisted design tools.

• Fintech Product Expertise: Gaining specialized knowledge in car finance and the broader fintech landscape, understanding its unique user needs and regulatory considerations.

• Strategic Design Impact: Developing a stronger understanding of how design directly influences business metrics, customer acquisition, and long-term brand loyalty.

• Mentorship and Leadership: Opportunities to learn from senior leaders like the Director of Product, and potentially mentor junior designers as the team grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a high-growth, customer-centric fintech company. The opportunities focus on deepening design craft, expanding industry knowledge, and developing strategic product thinking.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you designed a 'wow' moment for a user. What was the impact?" - Prepare a specific example from your portfolio that showcases your ability to go above and beyond standard UX.

• "How do you incorporate user research into your design process, especially when dealing with behavioral design principles?" - Be ready to discuss your methodology for gathering and acting on user insights, linking them to behavioral outcomes.

• "How would you approach designing a new feature for Carmoola's app, considering our high NPS and TrustPilot scores?" - Think about how you would balance innovation with maintaining existing satisfaction levels and potentially exceeding them. Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Carmoola and the fintech industry?" - Research Carmoola's mission, recent achievements, and the current landscape of car finance.

• "How do you handle constructive criticism or differing design opinions from product managers or engineers?" - Demonstrate your collaborative spirit and ability to integrate feedback effectively.

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across different platforms, from marketing to the core product?" - Discuss your approach to brand guardianship and visual alignment. Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly state the problem, your solution, and the measurable results or impact on users and the business.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and videos of animations to bring your designs to life.

• Explain Your 'Why': Articulate the rationale behind your design decisions, referencing user research, design principles, and business objectives.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Practice your presentation to ensure it flows well and fits within the allocated time, keeping your audience engaged.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on showcasing a blend of creative design talent, strategic thinking, a deep understanding of user needs, and strong collaboration skills, all within the context of a fast-paced fintech environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight your 5+ years of product design experience, specific achievements in UI/UX and graphic design, and proficiency with Figma and animation tools. Quantify your impact wherever possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your ability to create "wow" experiences, your user-centered design process, and your visual design skills. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., via a link) and clearly showcases your work.

• Prepare Your Case Studies: For each selected portfolio project, be ready to articulate the problem, your design process, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes or impact. Practice presenting these concisely and engagingly.

• Research Carmoola: Understand their mission, product, target audience, and recent successes. Familiarize yourself with their brand aesthetic and customer feedback (NPS, TrustPilot).

⚠️ 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.