Senior/ Lead Product Designer (Contract) - Salary £400-£500 inc VAT

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior/Lead Product Designer (Contract)

Company: Napo

Location: London, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time Contract

Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX)

Date Posted: 2026-08-21

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

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead complex, customer-facing product design initiatives from conception to delivery, focusing on enhancing user experience and driving business outcomes.

• Drive design projects independently, demonstrating ownership over the entire design process, including research, prototyping, and final implementation.

• Collaborate extensively with cross-functional teams, including Engineering, Product Marketing, Product Management, Data, and Compliance, to translate business requirements into intuitive and effective user interfaces.

• Ground design decisions in robust market research, user testing, and established product principles to ensure customer-centricity and measurable impact.

• Focus on improving key business metrics such as conversion rates, customer retention, and overall profitability through strategic design interventions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a contract position for 3-4 months, emphasizing immediate impact and hands-on execution. The "Senior/Lead" title suggests a need for significant autonomy and the ability to mentor or guide design efforts, even if working as a sole designer. The focus on "customer-facing design" and specific business metrics like "conversion, retention or profitability" clearly places this role within a GTM (Go-To-Market) and customer lifecycle operations context, where design directly influences revenue generation and customer loyalty.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Independently own and deliver end-to-end design projects that directly contribute to improving conversion rates, customer retention, and business profitability.

• Conduct and synthesize market research, user testing, and usability studies to inform design decisions and validate proposed solutions.

• Collaborate closely with Product Management to translate business requirements and product strategies into detailed design specifications and user flows.

• Partner with Engineering teams to ensure accurate and high-quality implementation of designs, providing clear specifications and support throughout the build phase.

• Work with Product Marketing and Data teams to understand customer journeys, identify pain points, and develop features that enhance the overall customer experience.

• Develop and present compelling design concepts, prototypes, and user flows to stakeholders across various departments, building alignment and securing buy-in.

• Champion user-centric design principles and best practices throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Proactively identify design risks and challenges, surfacing them early and proposing mitigation strategies to keep projects on track.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of Napo's product design processes and methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on outcome-driven design, directly linking design work to tangible business improvements in conversion and retention. This aligns with the GTM and Revenue Operations focus on optimizing the customer journey for commercial success. The need to "transform customer journeys" implies a deep understanding of user funnels and lifecycle marketing principles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Graphic Design, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Experience:

• 5-10 years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record of leading and delivering complex customer-facing design projects.

• Demonstrated experience in working as the primary or sole designer on a product or feature set.

• Experience in the insurance or pet care industry is a plus, but not strictly required. Required Skills:

• End-to-End Design Process Ownership: Ability to independently manage the entire design lifecycle, from initial research and ideation through to prototyping, user testing, and final delivery.

• Strong Design Craft: Excellent visual design skills, with a keen eye for detail, typography, color theory, and layout. Proficiency in creating high-fidelity mockups and prototypes.

• User Research & Testing: Expertise in conducting user interviews, usability testing, and market research to gather insights and validate design hypotheses.

• Prototyping: Proficiency with prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) to create interactive prototypes for user testing and stakeholder presentations.

• Stakeholder Management & Communication: Exceptional ability to communicate design decisions clearly and persuasively to diverse stakeholders, including non-designers, engineers, and executive leadership.

• Outcome-Focused Mindset: A strong understanding of how design impacts business metrics such as conversion rates, retention, and profitability.

• Customer-Centricity: Deep commitment to understanding and advocating for the user's needs and experience.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with data analysis and using data insights to inform design decisions.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies.

• Knowledge of accessibility standards (WCAG).

• Experience working in a fast-paced startup environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "clear communicator, able to frame design decisions with various stakeholders, including engineers" and "outcome-focused and customer-centred, connecting design work to business goals" are critical for this role, as it bridges design with the operational goals of revenue generation and customer lifecycle management. The emphasis on "Comfortable working as the primary or sole designer" indicates a need for self-sufficiency and strong self-management skills, common in smaller, agile teams.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Project Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 significant projects that demonstrate your ability to manage the full design process, from problem identification and user research to solution design and final delivery.

• Measurable Impact: Clearly articulate the business goals of each project (e.g., improving conversion, retention, profitability) and provide specific, quantifiable results or metrics achieved through your design solutions.

• Problem-Solving Approach: Detail your process for understanding complex user problems, defining requirements, and iterating on design solutions based on feedback and data.

• Collaboration Examples: Include examples of how you collaborated with cross-functional teams (engineering, product marketing, product management) to bring designs to life.

• Prototyping & User Testing: Demonstrate your proficiency in creating interactive prototypes and how you leveraged user testing to refine designs.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of designing and implementing efficient design workflows, including how you manage feedback, conduct reviews, and ensure design quality.

• Documentation or examples of how you have translated business requirements into actionable design specifications and user stories.

• Showcase how you have used research findings and data analysis to drive design iterations and improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a contract role focused on immediate impact, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to clearly demonstrate not just design skills, but the ability to drive business results. This means highlighting the "why" behind design decisions and the "what" in terms of impact, directly relevant to operations professionals who measure success by KPIs.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• £400 - £500 per day (inc. VAT) Benefits:

• Contract Role: Opportunity to work on impactful projects for a 3-4 month duration.

• Direct Impact: See your work go live quickly and directly influence customer experience and business outcomes.

• Lifetime Pet Insurance Cover: As an employee of Napo, you will be eligible for lifetime cover for your pet.

• Free 24/7 Vet Video Calls: Access to free virtual vet consultations through FirstVet.

• Direct Vet Payments: Napo pays vets directly, alleviating financial stress for owners during critical times.

• Dynamic Environment: Work in a small, agile team with minimal bureaucracy, allowing for fast-paced execution and visible contributions.

Working Hours:

• Full-time, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected to meet project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The daily rate of £400-£500 for a contract position in London aligns with market rates for experienced Senior/Lead Product Designers. The inclusion of "inc. VAT" is important for contractors to understand their net earnings. The benefits are unique and tied to Napo's core mission, highlighting the company's commitment to pets and their owners. The "40 hours per week" is a standard assumption for full-time, but the contract nature and startup environment may imply occasional need for extended hours to meet project milestones.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Pet Insurance / Insurtech / Financial Services

Company Size: Small Team (Likely under 50 employees, based on description)

Founded: Post-2015 (Founded by JP after his dog Napoleon passed away, implying a relatively recent establishment focused on modernizing pet insurance).

Team Structure:

• The Product Design role reports directly to the Head of Product, indicating a lean hierarchy.

• Collaboration is expected across Engineering, Product Marketing, Product Management, and Data teams.

• Being a small team means high visibility and direct impact; less bureaucracy, more autonomy. Methodology:

• Customer-Centricity: A core philosophy, evident in the founding story and mission.

• Outcome-Focused: Emphasis on delivering work that achieves specific business goals (conversion, retention, profitability).

• Agile & Fast-Paced: "Work goes live fast, no bureaucracy, no waiting around" suggests an agile or lean methodology.

• Data-Informed: Designs are "grounded in market research, user testing and our product principles," implying a blend of qualitative and quantitative inputs.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Napo positions itself as a modern, customer-focused company in the pet insurance sector. The small team size and emphasis on speed and direct impact are key cultural indicators. For a designer, this means a high degree of ownership and the ability to see the immediate effects of their work, which is crucial for roles supporting GTM and operational efficiency.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior/Lead Individual Contributor (Contract)

• This contract role is positioned at a senior individual contributor level, requiring significant autonomy and leadership in design execution. While not a permanent leadership role, it demands the strategic thinking and execution capability of a lead. Reporting Structure:

• Reports to the Head of Product, a common structure in lean product organizations. This provides a direct line of communication and strategic alignment. Operations Impact:

• The role has a direct and measurable impact on customer acquisition (conversion) and customer loyalty (retention), both critical components of revenue operations and GTM strategy. Design choices directly influence the customer journey and, by extension, Napo's revenue and profitability. Growth Opportunities:

• For this contract: Deep experience in a rapidly growing, mission-driven startup; opportunity to build a strong portfolio with demonstrable business impact.

• Potential for future opportunities: Successful contract performance could lead to further engagements or permanent roles if Napo expands its design team.

• Skill Development: Enhanced skills in independent project leadership, cross-functional collaboration in a lean environment, and outcome-driven design.

📝 Enhancement Note: While a contract role, its "Senior/Lead" designation and direct impact on business metrics (conversion, retention) are significant. This experience is highly valuable for operations professionals as it demonstrates an ability to influence commercial outcomes through design, a key skill for GTM strategy and revenue operations. The fast-paced environment offers rapid learning and portfolio-building opportunities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid (Implied by the London location and common practice, though not explicitly stated as mandatory office days).

Office Location(s): Jubilee House, London, SW3 3TQ, United Kingdom. This is a central London location, suggesting a professional and accessible work environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect close collaboration with product, engineering, and marketing teams, likely involving workshops and regular check-ins.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard design software and collaboration tools will be provided. The focus is on effective execution rather than extensive tooling setup for this role.

• Agile Operations: The "no bureaucracy, no waiting around" ethos suggests an environment where processes are streamlined for efficiency and quick decision-making.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) are expected. Flexibility may be required to meet project deadlines, especially given the contract nature and the need for rapid iteration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature implies a need for self-discipline and effective remote collaboration skills, alongside the ability to be present in the London office when required for critical team interactions or workshops. This balance is typical for roles supporting operational efficiency through product development.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: Review of CV and portfolio to assess experience and alignment with requirements.

2. Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A key stage where you will present 1-2 case studies from your portfolio, detailing your process, decision-making, and impact. This will be followed by questions about your approach to design, collaboration, and problem-solving.

3. Cross-Functional Interview: Discussion with members of the Product and Engineering teams to assess collaboration style, technical understanding, and cultural fit.

4. Final Interview (Potentially with Head of Product): To discuss the role in detail, expectations, and offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: For each case study, clearly state the problem, your solution, your role, and most importantly, the measurable business impact (e.g., X% increase in conversion, Y% reduction in churn).

• Show Your Process: Walk through your design thinking, from research and ideation to iteration and final delivery. Explain why you made certain decisions.

• Highlight Collaboration: Detail how you worked with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders. Show examples of overcoming challenges through collaboration.

• Be Concise & Clear: Given the contract nature, focus on the most relevant projects and articulate your contributions efficiently.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about how you handle ambiguity, feedback, and difficult stakeholders.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential design exercise or a deeper dive into a specific problem Napo is facing. Focus on demonstrating your problem-solving approach, user-centricity, and ability to think strategically about business goals.

• Understand Napo's business model, customer base, and competitive landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is critical. Candidates must demonstrate not only design expertise but also a clear understanding of how design drives business operations, particularly conversion and retention. This requires articulating the ROI of design decisions, a key skill for operations professionals.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, as it's the industry standard for collaborative design), Sketch, Adobe XD.

• User Research: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or internal survey tools.

• Collaboration: Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a direct responsibility, familiarity with how design impacts metrics tracked in tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, or similar product analytics platforms is beneficial. CRM & Automation:

• Familiarity with CRM concepts (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and marketing automation platforms can be helpful for understanding the broader customer journey, though direct hands-on experience is not explicitly required for this design role.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern collaborative design tools like Figma is essential. Understanding how design interfaces with analytics and CRM systems provides valuable context for this role, as it directly influences the data used in operational decision-making and performance tracking.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: Deep care for pets and their owners, driving all decisions.

• Getting Things Right: Commitment to quality and accuracy in insurance products and customer service.

• Speed & Agility: Ability to move quickly, iterate, and deliver value without unnecessary delays.

• Ownership: Taking responsibility for problems and seeing them through to resolution.

• Collaboration: Working effectively across teams to achieve shared goals.

Collaboration Style:

• Hands-on & Proactive: Team members are expected to take initiative, surface risks, and drive progress without constant oversight.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Close working relationships with Product, Engineering, and Marketing are essential for successful product development.

• Open Communication: Encourages reaching out across the business for feedback and alignment, with clear communication through reviews and workshops.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes a blend of strong customer advocacy with a pragmatic, results-oriented approach to execution. This is ideal for operations professionals who value efficiency and measurable impact. The "hands-on" and "proactive" style means designers are expected to be self-starters who can navigate ambiguity and drive projects forward, a trait highly valued in operations roles.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Independent Execution: Operating as the primary or sole designer requires strong self-management, prioritization, and the ability to solve problems autonomously.

• Balancing Design Excellence with Business Needs: Ensuring user needs are met while also driving conversion and profitability requires careful navigation and strategic compromise.

• Fast-Paced Environment: The need for rapid iteration and quick delivery can be demanding, requiring efficient workflows and decision-making.

• Contract Duration: Working within a defined 3-4 month period requires immediate impact and efficient project completion.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Portfolio Enhancement: A significant opportunity to build a portfolio with demonstrably impactful projects that directly influenced business metrics.

• Agile Design Practice: Gaining hands-on experience in a lean, fast-paced product development environment.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Deepening understanding of how design integrates with product management, engineering, marketing, and data operations.

• Industry Insight: Gaining exposure to the pet insurance and insurtech industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge is the need for immediate, high-impact contributions within a limited timeframe. This is a common characteristic of contract roles supporting operational initiatives. The growth opportunity lies in gaining experience that directly translates to improved business outcomes, a key aspect of operational excellence.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

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

• "How do you balance user needs with business objectives like conversion and profitability?" (Prepare examples of trade-offs and successful integrations).

• "Walk me through a time you had to influence stakeholders (e.g., engineers, product managers) to adopt your design vision. What was your approach?"

• "How do you ensure your designs are grounded in market research and user testing? Can you provide an example?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Napo and the pet insurance market?" (Research Napo's mission, values, and competitive positioning).

• "How do you approach working as the sole designer on a project?"

• "Describe your ideal collaboration style with engineering and product teams."

• "How do you define success for a design project beyond aesthetics?" (Connect to business KPIs). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Select 2 Key Projects: Choose projects that best showcase end-to-end ownership, measurable business impact (conversion, retention), and collaboration.

• Structure Each Case Study: Problem -> Your Role -> Process -> Solution -> Impact (Quantified).

• Be Ready to Deep Dive: Anticipate questions about specific design decisions, trade-offs, and how you handled challenges.

• Demonstrate Outcome Focus: Consistently link your design work to business outcomes and operational goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily emphasize the ability to articulate design decisions in terms of their impact on key business operations metrics like conversion, retention, and profitability. This demonstrates an understanding of the commercial context of design work, crucial for this role.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-aligned design position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Napo's careers page.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features 1-2 case studies that highlight your experience in leading customer-facing design projects with a clear, measurable impact on business metrics such as conversion, retention, or profitability.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize your experience in end-to-end design ownership, stakeholder collaboration, and driving business outcomes. Use keywords such as "product design," "UX," "conversion optimization," "retention strategy," and "cross-functional collaboration."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and outcomes, focusing on how your work directly contributes to business goals. Prepare specific examples of how you've worked with product and engineering teams.

• Company Research: Understand Napo's mission, values, and its position in the pet insurance market. Be ready to discuss how your design philosophy aligns with their customer-centric and outcome-focused approach.

⚠️ 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.