Senior/ Lead Product Designer (Contract)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior/Lead Product Designer (Contract)

Company: Napo

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-21

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end customer-facing design projects, from initial concept through to prototyping, build, and release, with a focus on improving key business metrics.

• Drive significant improvements in conversion rates, customer retention, and overall product profitability through innovative design solutions.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Engineering, Product Marketing, Product Management, Data Analytics, and Compliance to deliver cohesive and impactful user experiences.

• Act as the primary or sole designer on critical product initiatives, demonstrating ownership and proactive problem-solving capabilities.

• Ground design decisions in rigorous market research, user testing, and established product principles to ensure user-centricity and business alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the GTM Operations category due to its direct impact on conversion and retention metrics, which are critical for Go-To-Market success. The contract nature and emphasis on independent project leadership suggest a need for experienced professionals who can integrate quickly and drive tangible outcomes without extensive oversight.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own and deliver complex, customer-facing design projects that demonstrably improve conversion, retention, or profitability metrics for Napo's pet insurance products.

• Conduct and leverage market research, user testing, and analysis of product principles to inform and validate design decisions, ensuring a user-centered approach.

• Partner effectively with Engineering, Product Marketing, Product Management, Data, and Compliance teams to translate customer insights and business requirements into seamless user journeys and successful new feature launches.

• Independently manage the entire design process, from initial business requirements and user research to final prototyping, build support, and release, ensuring milestones are met and risks are proactively identified.

• Serve as the lead or sole designer on specific product areas, taking full ownership of the design strategy, execution, and quality of the final output.

• Frame and communicate design decisions clearly and persuasively to a diverse range of stakeholders, including technical teams, product managers, and leadership, building consensus and alignment.

• Transform customer journeys by redesigning existing flows or creating new ones that enhance user experience and drive desired business outcomes.

• Proactively seek feedback from across the business to ensure designs are fit for purpose, technically feasible, and align with Napo's strategic objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize end-to-end ownership and cross-functional collaboration, typical of senior/lead roles in fast-paced environments. The focus on measurable impact (conversion, retention, profitability) highlights the GTM operations aspect of this design role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating a deep understanding of design principles and user-centered methodologies is paramount. Equivalent practical experience and demonstrated success in a product design role will be highly valued.

Experience: Minimum of 5-10 years of professional experience in product design, with a significant portion focused on customer-facing digital products, preferably within regulated industries or direct-to-consumer services.

Required Skills:

• Proven ability to independently run the design process end-to-end, from user research and discovery through to high-fidelity prototyping and delivery support.

• Exceptional design craft, including proficiency in visual design, interaction design, and information architecture.

• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate and defend design decisions to diverse stakeholders, including engineers, product managers, and leadership.

• Experience leading customer-facing design projects with a measurable impact on business metrics such as conversion rates, user retention, or customer lifetime value.

• Demonstrated comfort and effectiveness working as the primary or sole designer on a product, taking full ownership of the design output.

• Proficiency in user research methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative research, user interviews, and usability testing.

• Expertise in creating detailed user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and final visual designs using industry-standard design tools. Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the FinTech or InsurTech sectors, particularly with pet insurance or similar consumer financial products.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and experience working effectively within cross-functional Agile teams.

• Understanding of data analysis principles and how to leverage data insights to inform design decisions and measure design impact.

• Experience with A/B testing and experimentation to optimize user interfaces and drive performance improvements.

• Familiarity with design systems and their implementation to ensure brand consistency and design efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level and emphasis on end-to-end ownership and measurable impact suggest a need for seasoned professionals who can operate with autonomy and directly influence business outcomes. The "5-10 years" AI-derived experience level aligns with a Senior/Lead designation.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated selection of 3-5 comprehensive case studies showcasing end-to-end product design projects.

• Each case study must clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the design process followed, key challenges encountered, and the final outcomes/impact.

• Emphasis on projects that demonstrate measurable improvements in business metrics (e.g., conversion, retention, engagement, profitability) and user satisfaction.

• Clear visualization of your design process, including user research findings, wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and final UI designs.

• Evidence of collaboration with engineering and product teams, and how design decisions were validated and iterated upon. Process Documentation:

• Case studies should detail the specific research methodologies employed (e.g., user interviews, surveys, competitive analysis).

• Documentation of the prototyping tools and techniques used to test and validate design concepts.

• Examples of how design decisions were communicated and justified to cross-functional teams and stakeholders, potentially including workshop outputs or review meeting summaries.

• Metrics and data points used to define success and measure the impact of design interventions on business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a contract role emphasizing measurable impact, a portfolio demonstrating a structured design process and quantifiable results is crucial. The focus on conversion and retention directly links to GTM operations, requiring candidates to showcase how their design work drives business performance.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £400 - £500 per day (Contract Rate)

Benefits: As this is a contract position, standard employee benefits may not apply. However, candidates can expect:

• The opportunity to work on impactful projects for a growing and mission-driven company in the pet insurance sector.

• Direct involvement in shaping the future of a product that genuinely helps pet owners.

• A fast-paced, agile environment with opportunities for rapid iteration and seeing work go live quickly.

• Potential for extension or future contract opportunities based on performance and business needs.

• Exposure to a small, dedicated team with a strong focus on quality and customer outcomes.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected to meet project deadlines and collaboration needs. The contract duration is estimated at 3-4 months.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is a daily rate typical for contract roles in London, reflecting the experience level and the demand for specialized skills. The benefits are framed around the intrinsic rewards of the contract role and the company's mission, common for temporary positions.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Pet Insurance / InsurTech / FinTech. Napo operates within the highly regulated but rapidly evolving pet insurance market, leveraging technology to improve customer experience and operational efficiency. This sector demands a strong focus on trust, clarity, and regulatory compliance.

Company Size: Small team (implied by "small team building something people notice," "no bureaucracy," and "see their work go live fast"). This suggests an agile, hands-on environment where individual contributions have a significant and visible impact.

Founded: The company was founded by JP, who was inspired by personal experience to create a better pet insurance solution. This founder-led ethos likely permeates the company culture, emphasizing passion for the mission and a drive to solve real customer problems.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design role reports into the Head of Product, indicating a structured product development hierarchy.

• Collaboration is expected across Engineering, Product Marketing, Product Management, Data, and Compliance teams, highlighting a cross-functional, integrated approach to product development.

• The team is small and agile, meaning designers will likely work closely with individuals from various disciplines, fostering a collaborative and dynamic work environment. Methodology:

• Outcome-focused and customer-centered approach, directly linking design work to business goals and user needs.

• Emphasis on rapid iteration and seeing work go live quickly, suggesting an agile or lean methodology.

• Data-driven decision-making is implied through collaboration with the Data team and the focus on measurable metrics like conversion and retention.

• Proactive problem-solving and risk identification are key, indicating a culture that values initiative and accountability.

Company Website: https://careers.napo.pet

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is characterized by agility, mission-driven passion, and a hands-on approach. For a designer, this means an opportunity to have a significant impact, work closely with stakeholders, and contribute directly to business success, particularly in driving customer acquisition and retention.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior/Lead Product Designer (Contract). This role is for an experienced individual contributor who can lead design initiatives independently. While a contract role, it offers the opportunity to operate at a senior level, influencing product strategy and execution. The focus is on delivering immediate business impact rather than long-term career progression within Napo, though successful contractors may be considered for future roles.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Head of Product, implying a clear line of accountability and a direct channel for strategic input and feedback. This structure allows for efficient decision-making and alignment with product leadership.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct and significant impact on Go-To-Market operations by focusing on improving conversion rates and customer retention. Successful design interventions will directly contribute to Napo's ability to acquire and retain customers, driving revenue growth and market share. The emphasis on measurable business metrics underscores this impact.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Development: Deepen expertise in designing for conversion optimization and customer retention in the InsurTech/FinTech space. Gain experience in a fast-paced, agile startup environment with rapid product deployment cycles.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Build a strong case study for this contract, showcasing end-to-end ownership, measurable business impact, and successful cross-functional collaboration, which can be leveraged for future roles.

• Leadership Experience: Gain experience leading complex design projects independently and influencing product direction, even within a contract capacity. This can be valuable for aspiring lead or management roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a contract role, the "growth" is primarily focused on skill enhancement and portfolio building rather than traditional internal career progression. The impact on GTM operations is a key selling point for ambitious designers.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. The role is based in London, with an expectation of working from the office to facilitate close collaboration with the team. This suggests a blend of in-office days for focused collaboration and potentially remote days for independent work.

Office Location(s): Jubilee House, London, SW3 3TQ, United Kingdom. This central London location offers good accessibility for team members and potential clients.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on close collaboration with Engineering, Product, and Marketing teams indicate a dynamic and interactive workspace. Expect regular team meetings, workshops, and design reviews.

• Operations Tools & Technology: While not explicitly stated, it's reasonable to assume a modern design stack will be available, including industry-standard design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite) and collaboration platforms (e.g., Slack, Jira, Confluence).

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with product managers, engineers, and marketing specialists, fostering a shared understanding of project goals and user needs. The "only designer in the room" aspect means close, hands-on work with these functions.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with an estimated 40 hours per week. While a standard schedule is expected, flexibility may be required to meet critical project deadlines or accommodate collaborative sessions with teams in different time zones, if applicable. The contract duration is 3-4 months.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature and London location are typical for contract roles in established tech hubs, offering a balance between focused work and collaborative engagement. The emphasis on collaboration is key for a designer working closely with product and engineering.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role requirements. Be prepared to highlight specific projects that demonstrate end-to-end design ownership and measurable impact.

• Portfolio Presentation/Discussion: You will likely be asked to walk through 1-2 key case studies from your portfolio, detailing your process, decision-making, and the outcomes achieved. Focus on how your design work directly influenced business metrics like conversion and retention.

• Skills & Collaboration Interview: A discussion with the Head of Product and potentially other team members (e.g., Product Manager, Lead Engineer) to assess your design craft, communication skills, problem-solving approach, and ability to collaborate effectively within a cross-functional team. Expect questions around how you handle ambiguity, manage stakeholder feedback, and drive projects independently.

• Potential Design Challenge: You might be given a small design exercise or a hypothetical problem to solve, either as a take-home assignment or during an interview session, to evaluate your design thinking and execution capabilities under pressure.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Quantify Impact: For each case study, clearly state the business problem, your specific contribution, the design solutions implemented, and the measurable results (e.g., "Increased conversion by 15%," "Reduced churn by 8%").

• Show Your Process: Don't just show final screens. Illustrate your research, ideation, prototyping, and testing phases. Explain why you made certain decisions.

• Highlight Collaboration: Demonstrate how you worked with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders. Show examples of how you incorporated feedback or navigated differing opinions.

• Tailor to Napo: Briefly explain why your skills and experience are a good fit for Napo's mission and the specific challenges of the pet insurance market.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business Context: Research Napo, their mission, their product, and their target audience. Think about the unique challenges of pet insurance.

• Focus on User Needs & Business Goals: Any design challenge will likely require balancing user experience with business objectives (conversion, retention).

• Structure Your Approach: Outline your process clearly, even if it's a short exercise. Define the problem, identify key user needs, propose solutions, and explain how you would validate them.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize the candidate's ability to translate design expertise into tangible business outcomes, aligning with the GTM operational focus of the role. A strong, results-oriented portfolio is critical.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, or similar. Figma is increasingly becoming a de facto standard for collaborative design.

• User Research: Experience with tools for conducting user interviews, surveys, and usability testing (e.g., Lookback, UserTesting.com, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello for task management and project tracking, and Slack for team communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Data Visualization: While direct responsibility may lie with the Data team, an understanding of how to interpret and leverage data from tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or Tableau is beneficial for informing design decisions and measuring impact.

• A/B Testing Platforms: Experience with platforms like Optimizely or VWO for running experiments to optimize user interfaces and conversion funnels.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how customer data is managed and flows through systems (e.g., CRM, marketing automation) can provide valuable context for designing user journeys that impact customer acquisition and retention.

📝 Enhancement Note: Specific tool requirements are not detailed, but proficiency in modern design and collaboration software is assumed for a Senior/Lead Product Designer role. Understanding how design impacts downstream operational metrics tracked by analytics and CRM systems is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of pet owners, as evidenced by Napo's mission and product offerings. This means prioritizing user experience and ensuring designs are intuitive and valuable.

• Outcome-Focused: A strong emphasis on achieving measurable business results, particularly in conversion, retention, and profitability. Design work is directly tied to these objectives.

• Efficiency & Agility: A culture that values speed, iteration, and avoiding bureaucracy. Designers are expected to be hands-on, proactive, and able to deliver work quickly.

• Quality & Craftsmanship: A dedication to doing the work well and getting things right, from the core product to the user interface. This implies attention to detail and a commitment to high standards.

• Collaboration & Transparency: An environment where cross-functional teams work closely together, and designers are encouraged to reach out across the business for feedback and alignment.

Collaboration Style:

• Hands-on & Proactive: Designers are expected to take initiative, surface risks early, and keep projects moving without constant prompting.

• Cross-functional Integration: Close partnership with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Data teams is essential. This involves regular communication, feedback loops, and joint problem-solving.

• Data-Informed: Design decisions should be grounded in user research and data analysis, with a willingness to test and iterate based on performance metrics.

• Open to Feedback: A culture that encourages constructive criticism and learning from mistakes, fostering continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture emphasizes impact, speed, and collaboration, which are crucial for a contract role where quick integration and tangible contributions are expected. The designer needs to be comfortable operating in a lean, agile, and mission-driven environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Design Excellence with Speed: Delivering high-quality, user-centered designs rapidly within a 3-4 month contract period while meeting aggressive business goals.

• Sole Designer Autonomy: Operating effectively as the primary or sole designer, requiring strong self-management, decision-making confidence, and the ability to anticipate needs without constant direction.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Navigating potential differing priorities or perspectives across various departments (Product, Engineering, Marketing, Compliance) to ensure cohesive product development.

• Measuring Design Impact: Clearly defining and tracking the metrics that demonstrate the success of design interventions, especially in areas like conversion and retention, which can be influenced by many factors.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Domain Expertise: Gaining in-depth knowledge of the InsurTech/FinTech industry, specifically pet insurance, and the unique design challenges it presents.

• Agile Methodology Mastery: Further honing skills in working within fast-paced, agile product development cycles, emphasizing rapid iteration and continuous delivery.

• Impactful Portfolio Building: Developing strong case studies that highlight significant contributions to key business metrics (conversion, retention), which is highly valuable for future career opportunities.

• Stakeholder Management: Enhancing skills in communicating complex design ideas and driving consensus among diverse senior stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a senior contract role in a fast-moving company. The growth opportunities are primarily focused on practical application, skill refinement, and portfolio enhancement, aligning with the nature of a fixed-term engagement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex customer-facing design project you led end-to-end. What were the business objectives, your process, the key challenges, and the measurable outcomes?" (Focus on conversion/retention impact).

• "How do you approach grounding your designs in market research and user testing? Can you give an example of how research findings significantly shifted your design direction?"

• "Imagine you're the sole designer on a critical feature. How do you prioritize tasks, manage risks, and ensure quality without direct oversight?"

• "How do you collaborate with engineering and product teams to ensure your designs are not only user-friendly but also technically feasible and aligned with business goals?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Napo's mission and the pet insurance industry?" (Research Napo's "About Us" and "Why Join Us" sections).

• "How do you align your design work with business goals like conversion and retention?"

• "Describe a time you had to communicate a difficult design decision or trade-off to stakeholders. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?"

• "How do you ensure your designs are customer-centered while also meeting business objectives?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, use a clear problem-solution-outcome structure. Start with the business challenge or user need, detail your process and decisions, and conclude with the measurable results.

• Quantify Everything Possible: Use numbers and data to demonstrate impact. If exact numbers aren't available, explain the metrics you would track and why they are important.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively – sketches, wireframes, prototypes, user flows, and final UI designs. Explain the reasoning behind your visual and interaction choices.

• Highlight Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, especially if you worked in a team. Emphasize your ownership and leadership in driving the project forward.

• Practice Your Delivery: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it's concise, engaging, and within the allotted time. Be prepared to answer detailed questions about your process and decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a track record of delivering measurable business results through design, strong independent execution, and effective cross-functional collaboration, all critical for a senior contract role impacting GTM operations.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the application link provided on the Napo careers site.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature 2-3 case studies that best demonstrate your end-to-end design process, your ability to drive measurable improvements in conversion and retention, and your experience working autonomously or as the lead designer.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords and responsibilities mentioned in the job description, such as "end-to-end design process," "customer-facing projects," "conversion," "retention," "stakeholder management," and "cross-functional collaboration." Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, decision-making rationale, and the business impact of your work. Prepare to discuss how you would approach the challenges of working in a small, agile team and contributing to Napo's growth objectives.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Napo's mission, values, product offerings, and recent news. Understand their customer base and the competitive landscape of pet insurance to better align your responses with their strategic goals and culture.

⚠️ 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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