Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: DC Thomson (Findmypast)

Location: Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, or London, UK

Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: April 16, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (1 day/month in London office)

🚀 Role Summary

• This Product Designer role focuses on end-to-end product design, encompassing discovery, research, and delivery for complex, data-rich digital products.

• The position involves creating intuitive, scalable user experiences across web, app, and platform interfaces, directly impacting user activation, engagement, and retention.

• A key aspect of the role is collaborating closely with Product, Engineering, Data, and Research teams to shape product direction and solve ambiguous problems.

• The designer will contribute to and evolve the company's design system, ensuring consistency and scalability across B2C and B2B product offerings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Product Designer" title, coupled with responsibilities spanning "discovery and research through to delivery," "product direction," and "user needs, product strategy, and business outcomes," strongly indicates a role focused on strategic product development and user-centered design principles. The mention of "data-rich products" and "impact activation, engagement, and retention" positions this within a GTM (Go-To-Market) and Product Operations context, where design directly influences commercial success. The emphasis on "design system" and "shared systems and components" suggests a need for scalable, consistent design solutions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and shape ambiguous design problems, translating high-level objectives into actionable design tasks and clear work plans.

• Own and drive end-to-end design processes for specific features or product areas, from initial user and business needs assessment through to polished, production-ready solutions.

• Design intuitive, scalable, and user-centric experiences across web and mobile applications, considering full user journeys and cross-platform consistency.

• Collaborate strategically with Product Managers, Engineers, Data Analysts, and User Researchers to inform product strategy and contribute to key product decisions.

• Leverage qualitative and quantitative insights from user research and data analysis to inform design decisions, form hypotheses, and evaluate the impact of implemented solutions.

• Explore and iterate on multiple solution directions, balancing the need for speed and quality with the long-term coherence and maintainability of the product.

• Contribute directly to improving core product outcomes, such as user activation, ongoing engagement, and customer retention, through thoughtful design interventions.

• Design across a variety of product areas including core search and discovery workflows, user onboarding and activation funnels, subscription management and value proposition communication, and rich content/storytelling experiences.

• Actively contribute to the development, maintenance, and evolution of the company's design system, ensuring adherence to and promotion of scalable and consistent design patterns.

• Proactively share design work with the team, provide constructive feedback to peers, and actively participate in fostering a strong, collaborative design culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic product thinking and hands-on execution. The focus on "defining design problems," "shaping product direction," and "balancing user needs with business goals" indicates a need for a designer who can operate at a strategic level, not just execute visual designs. The mention of "activation, engagement, and retention" directly links design work to key business and GTM metrics.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 5-10 years of professional experience in digital product design, with a proven track record of end-to-end design ownership.

• Experience working within or significantly contributing to a mature design system, understanding its principles and application for scalability and consistency.

• Demonstrated experience in using data and/or user research to inform design decisions, validate hypotheses, and measure outcomes.

• Proven ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams, contributing to product strategy and direction, not just execution.

Required Skills:

• Product Thinking: Ability to balance user needs with business goals, understanding how product decisions impact commercial outcomes like activation, engagement, and retention.

• End-to-End Design: Proficiency in navigating the entire design process, from problem definition and user research to high-fidelity prototyping and delivery to engineering.

• Interaction Design: Strong skills in creating intuitive user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes that effectively solve user problems.

• Visual Design: A keen eye for detail, aesthetics, and usability, ensuring polished and professional interfaces.

• Design Systems: Experience working with, contributing to, or implementing design systems for consistency and scalability.

• Data & Research Utilization: Comfort and skill in using qualitative and quantitative data to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Collaboration: Excellent ability to partner effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, and other stakeholders.

• Problem Solving: Adept at breaking down complex problems into manageable parts and developing clear, user-centered solutions.

• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and influence stakeholders.

• AI Tool Proficiency: Familiarity with leveraging AI tools in design processes.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for subscription-based models, rich content platforms, or complex data-intensive products.

• Experience working on both B2C and B2B products, or on platform-based products serving diverse user types.

• Background in a SaaS or platform-based business environment.

• Experience mentoring junior designers and contributing to design team growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "5-10 years" experience level suggests a mid-to-senior role, implying expectations for independence, strategic input, and potential mentorship. The emphasis on "data and research" and "product thinking" beyond just execution is crucial for operations-minded candidates. The mention of "AI tools" is a forward-looking requirement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 end-to-end product design case studies. Each case study should clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process followed, the solutions developed, and the quantifiable outcomes achieved.

• Demonstrations of your ability to define and solve ambiguous problems, not just execute on pre-defined briefs.

• Examples of how you’ve used user research and data to inform your design decisions and iterate on solutions.

• Evidence of designing for scalability and consistency, ideally referencing experience with design systems or component-based design.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should detail your process for each project, including:
  • Discovery & Research: How you understood user needs, business goals, and the problem space (e.g., user interviews, competitive analysis, data analysis).
  • Ideation & Design: Exploration of different solutions, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and iteration cycles.
  • Delivery & Collaboration: How you worked with engineering and product teams to ensure successful implementation, including handover processes and design system integration.
  • Impact & Measurement: How you measured the success of your designs against defined metrics (e.g., conversion rates, engagement levels, retention improvements).

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Product Designer role with GTM impact, the portfolio is critical. It needs to demonstrate not just design craft but also strategic thinking, problem-solving ability, and a data-driven approach to achieving business objectives like activation and retention. The emphasis on "end-to-end" and "quantifiable outcomes" is key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Pension Scheme: Generous company pension contributions to support long-term financial planning.

• Health and Wellbeing: Comprehensive private medical insurance, potentially including dental and optical coverage.

• Annual Leave: Generous holiday allowance, likely starting around 25 days plus public holidays, with potential for increases based on tenure.

• Professional Development: Budget or allowance for training, conferences, workshops, and resources to support continuous learning and skill enhancement in design and related fields.

• Hybrid Working: Flexibility to work remotely with a requirement for occasional office presence, promoting work-life balance.

• Life Assurance: Coverage providing financial security for dependents.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential support services for personal and professional challenges.

• Potential for Bonuses: Performance-related bonuses may be offered, tied to individual and company success.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are typically around 37.5 to 40 hours per week. While the role is hybrid, core working hours will likely be established for effective team collaboration, with flexibility around start and end times where feasible. The requirement for 1 day per month in the London office should be factored into the weekly schedule.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for mid-to-senior Product Designers in the UK, considering London's higher cost of living and salary expectations. Benefits are typical for a company of DC Thomson's size and industry.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Media & Publishing, Genealogy & Family History, Digital Services. DC Thomson operates across a diverse range of sectors including publishing, media, and data services, with Findmypast being a significant player in the family history and genealogy market. This blend offers opportunities to work with rich content and complex data.

Company Size: DC Thomson is a large, established organization. While the specific size of the Findmypast design team isn't stated, the overall company is substantial, suggesting a structured environment with established processes and resources.

Founded: DC Thomson was founded in 1905, indicating a long-standing heritage and a stable, established business. Findmypast itself has a history of innovation in the digital genealogy space.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer will report to a Design Manager, indicating a clear reporting line and a structured design leadership.

• The role emphasizes close collaboration with Product, Engineering, Data, and Research teams, suggesting a cross-functional, agile team environment where design is integrated throughout the product development lifecycle.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The role explicitly states the importance of using qualitative and quantitative insights to inform decisions and evaluate outcomes. This points to a methodology grounded in user research, A/B testing, and performance analytics.

• Agile Development: The cross-functional team structure and focus on iterative delivery suggest an agile or lean development methodology.

• User-Centered Design: The core of the role revolves around understanding and meeting user needs while balancing them with business objectives.

• Design System Integration: A systematic approach to design ensures consistency, scalability, and efficiency in product development.

Company Website: https://www.dcthomson.co.uk/ and https://www.findmypast.co.uk/

📝 Enhancement Note: DC Thomson's long history suggests a stable employer, while Findmypast's focus on data and user discovery provides an interesting domain for a Product Designer. The emphasis on cross-functional collaboration and data-driven decision-making aligns well with operations-focused roles.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-to-senior level Product Designer (5-10 years of experience). It requires independent ownership of design problems, strategic input into product direction, and the ability to mentor others. This level typically involves taking on more complex projects and having a significant impact on product outcomes and user experience.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer reports to a Design Manager. This suggests a clear hierarchy within the design team, with opportunities for guidance and career development from a senior design leader. Collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers, and Researchers is also a key component of the daily working structure.

Operations Impact: The role directly influences key business metrics such as activation, engagement, and retention. By designing intuitive and rewarding user experiences, the Product Designer plays a crucial role in customer acquisition, user adoption, and long-term customer value, which are critical components of GTM and revenue operations success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Senior Product Designer role, taking on more complex and strategic projects, or moving into a Design Lead or Management position over time.

• Specialization: Opportunity to develop deep expertise in specific areas like data visualization, subscription models, or complex user workflows within the family history domain.

• Mentorship: Developing leadership and mentoring skills by supporting and guiding more junior designers within the team.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gaining broader experience in product strategy, agile development, and data analysis through close collaboration with other departments.

• Industry Influence: Contributing to the evolution of design practices within the family history and digital publishing sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for growth from a mid-level to a senior position, with opportunities for leadership and specialization within a reputable company. The impact on key business metrics is a strong selling point for operations-minded candidates.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is described as "Hybrid" with the requirement for "1 day per month in Fleet Street, London office." This suggests a modern approach to work, balancing remote flexibility with in-person collaboration and team connection. The company likely maintains well-equipped office hubs in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, and London.

Office Location(s): Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, or London, UK. Candidates can choose their primary hub, with a mandatory monthly visit to the London office.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on cross-functional teams and design culture suggests an environment that values open communication, feedback, and shared problem-solving.

• Tools & Technology: Expect access to standard design software (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite), collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Teams), and project management software. The role also specifically mentions AI tools.

• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with designers, product managers, engineers, and researchers will be integral to the role, fostering a dynamic and collaborative workspace.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours, with flexibility likely available. The hybrid model allows for remote work, with the understanding that specific days or minimum office attendance might be required for team meetings and collaborative sessions. The monthly London visit is a fixed requirement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role, with a clear, infrequent office requirement, is a significant draw for candidates seeking work-life balance while still valuing in-person collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV, cover letter, and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience.

• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where you will present 1-2 key case studies from your portfolio, explaining your process, decisions, and outcomes. Be prepared to discuss your role in detail.

• Skills-Based Interview: Interviews with the Design Manager and potentially other designers, focusing on your design thinking, problem-solving abilities, and technical skills.

• Cross-functional Interview: A conversation with a Product Manager and/or Engineer to assess your collaboration style, communication, and ability to work within a cross-functional team.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a more senior leader to discuss cultural fit, strategic thinking, and overall alignment with the company's vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the business and user outcomes of your projects. Quantify success wherever possible (e.g., "increased conversion by X%", "reduced task completion time by Y%").

• Show Your Process: Don't just show final screens. Detail your journey: research, ideation, iteration, and how you overcame challenges.

• Highlight Collaboration: Explain how you worked with stakeholders (Product, Engineering, etc.) and how their input shaped your designs.

• Design System Integration: If applicable, showcase how you've used or contributed to a design system.

• Tailor Your Presentation: Select case studies that best align with the requirements of this role, particularly those involving data, subscriptions, or complex user journeys.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a design challenge, which might involve analyzing a problem statement, sketching out solutions, or discussing how you would approach a specific design task relevant to Findmypast's products.

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely. Focus on demonstrating your problem-solving methodology rather than just a polished final output.

• Think about how you would apply AI tools to enhance the user experience or your own design process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio presentation is a critical part of the interview process for product designers. Candidates should prepare thoroughly to demonstrate not only their design craft but also their strategic thinking and impact on business goals.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma is highly probable given its industry prevalence for collaborative design and prototyping. Sketch and Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop) are also common.

• Design Systems: Experience with established design system tools and methodologies (e.g., Storybook, Zeroheight, or internal documentation platforms).

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence for team communication, project tracking, and documentation.

• AI Tools: Proficiency or familiarity with AI-powered design assistants or tools that can aid in research, content generation, or workflow optimization.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar platforms for understanding user behavior and tracking key metrics.

• Product Analytics: Tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Pendo for in-depth product usage analysis, funnel tracking, and user segmentation.

• Data Visualization: Familiarity with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for interpreting data and presenting insights.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a designer's tool, understanding how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms integrate with the user experience and impact customer journeys can be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job description doesn't explicitly list tools, industry standards for product design roles, especially those focused on data and GTM impact, point towards a modern tech stack. Familiarity with design systems and analytics tools is crucial.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving user needs as the primary driver of design decisions.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Valuing evidence from research and analytics to guide product development and measure success.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an environment where ideas are shared openly, feedback is constructive, and teams work together seamlessly.

• Continuous Improvement: A mindset of always seeking to learn, adapt, and refine products and processes for better outcomes.

• Ownership & Accountability: Taking responsibility for design problems and driving them to successful resolution.

• Curiosity & Innovation: Encouraging exploration of new technologies (like AI) and innovative approaches to product design.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Expect a highly collaborative style, working hand-in-hand with Product Managers, Engineers, Data Analysts, and Researchers. Design is integrated into the entire product lifecycle.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: A culture that embraces regular feedback, design critiques, and iterative refinement of solutions.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of insights, best practices, and learnings across the design team and with other departments.

• Experimentation: A willingness to experiment thoughtfully, using insights and evidence to guide decisions and learn from outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on data, collaboration, and continuous improvement aligns strongly with the principles of effective Revenue and Sales Operations. Candidates who demonstrate these values will likely fit well within the team.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Ambiguity: Navigating complex, ill-defined problem spaces and translating them into clear design solutions requires strong problem-solving skills and initiative.

• Data Integration: Effectively synthesizing and acting upon diverse data sources (user behavior, market trends, business metrics) to inform design.

• Scalability Across Platforms: Designing consistent and scalable experiences across web, app, and potentially B2C/B2B products, while managing a design system.

• Driving Adoption: Influencing product direction to ensure designs not only meet user needs but also effectively drive key business outcomes like activation and retention.

• Keeping Pace with Technology: Integrating emerging technologies like AI thoughtfully and effectively into product experiences.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Deepening expertise in areas like user research methodologies, complex information architecture, or advanced prototyping techniques.

• Product Strategy: Gaining exposure to and contributing to higher-level product strategy discussions and roadmapping.

• Mentorship and Leadership: Developing leadership capabilities through mentoring junior designers and potentially leading design initiatives.

• Industry Trends: Staying abreast of advancements in UX, product design, AI, and the genealogy sector through conferences, courses, and internal knowledge sharing.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Expanding knowledge in areas like data analytics, product management, and agile development through collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a senior product role in a dynamic tech environment and offer significant opportunities for professional growth and skill development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for an ambiguous problem. How did you define it, and what was your process?" (Focus on problem definition, research, and iterative solutions.)

• "How do you balance user needs with business objectives, especially when they conflict?" (Prepare examples demonstrating how you've achieved win-win outcomes or made trade-offs with clear reasoning.)

• "Tell me about a project where data and/or user research significantly influenced your design decisions. What were the key insights and outcomes?" (Highlight your ability to be data-informed, not just data-validated.)

• "How would you approach designing a new feature for a subscription service to improve retention?" (Demonstrate your understanding of user journeys, value proposition, and key metrics.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Findmypast and the family history domain?" (Research the company's mission, products, and recent news.)

• "How do you typically collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers?" (Prepare examples of effective cross-functional teamwork.)

• "How do you approach giving and receiving feedback on design work?" (Emphasize a constructive and growth-oriented mindset.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each case study, use a clear narrative: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Outcomes.

• Quantify Impact: Use specific metrics and data points to demonstrate the success of your designs.

• Showcase Thinking: Explain the why behind your design decisions and the alternatives you considered.

• Highlight Collaboration: Mention how you worked with others and incorporated their feedback.

• Be Concise: Respect the time allotted and focus on the most impactful aspects of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing specific examples that align with the job description's emphasis on data, business outcomes, and cross-functional collaboration will be key to success.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workable application link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating end-to-end design thinking, data-informed decision-making, and impact on metrics like activation, engagement, and retention. Choose 1-2 strong case studies for potential presentation.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience in product design, highlighting achievements relevant to the role's responsibilities and required skills. Use keywords from the job description naturally.

• Cover Letter Crafting: Write a concise cover letter that expresses your enthusiasm for Findmypast and DC Thomson, explains why you are a strong fit for this specific Product Designer role, and briefly touches upon your most relevant experience.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research DC Thomson and Findmypast. Understand their mission, target audience, key products, and recent developments. Consider how your design philosophy aligns with 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.

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