Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Faculty

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations Technology

Date Posted: 2026-04-29

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

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end design of user-centered solutions for groundbreaking AI-driven platforms, with a strong emphasis on user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design.

• Drive strategic design decisions by integrating autonomous user research insights with key business goals, ensuring product development is deeply informed by user needs and market opportunities.

• Evolve and maintain robust design systems, providing strategic guidance on their implementation to engineering teams and ensuring consistency across all product touchpoints.

• Champion accessibility and inclusive design principles across all product development phases, ensuring products are usable by a diverse range of users.

• Foster cross-functional collaboration, acting as a key liaison between design, engineering, product management, and client-facing teams to ensure cohesive product development.

• Mentor junior designers and peers, contributing to the growth of the design team and elevating the overall design maturity within the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is Senior Product Designer, the emphasis on AI, client-facing solutions within the Energy Transition and Environment unit, and the need for strategic design leadership positions this role within the broader GTM Operations Technology ecosystem. The successful candidate will contribute to products that enable business growth and client success through AI.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the creation of complex, high-impact user interfaces that adhere to rigorous accessibility and inclusion standards, ensuring a seamless user experience for all.

• Plan, conduct, and oversee autonomous user research activities to synthesize actionable insights that directly inform and drive strategic design decisions and product roadmaps.

• Own the end-to-end development and delivery of wireframes, prototypes, and detailed design specifications for challenging and complex problem spaces.

• Take ownership of evolving the design system to meet evolving project and organizational needs, providing strategic guidance on its implementation to engineers and design peers.

• Facilitate effective cross-functional collaboration, clearly and persuasively communicating design rationale and user insights to diverse stakeholders, including senior leadership and external clients.

• Lead iterative design processes, encouraging experimentation and validation efforts to continuously improve product usability, user satisfaction, and business outcomes.

• Contribute to identifying future design-led opportunities, actively shaping the trajectory and innovation pipeline of Faculty's product offerings.

• Mentor and guide junior designers and team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning, skill development, and design excellence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design execution and strategic leadership, typical of a senior role. The emphasis on client impact and AI solutions within a specific business unit suggests a need for understanding business objectives and translating them into user-centric design strategies.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience and mastery of design principles is paramount. Candidates with degrees in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, or related fields will find their academic background highly relevant.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in product design, with a significant portion focused on leading design initiatives for complex software platforms, preferably within a technology or AI-focused company. Experience in a client-facing or consultancy environment is highly advantageous.

Required Skills:

• Advanced expertise in design tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite) and methodologies for creating high-quality user experiences.

• Proven ability to conduct and synthesize user research autonomously, translating findings into strategic design decisions and actionable insights.

• Deep understanding and practical application of accessibility (WCAG) and inclusive design principles in complex projects.

• Exceptional collaboration and communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to facilitate cross-functional teamwork and articulate design rationale clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders, including senior leadership.

• Experience leading iterative design processes, embracing experimentation, and employing validation techniques to enhance product usability and user satisfaction.

• Proficiency in contributing to the development, maintenance, and strategic evolution of design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability across products.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the AI, machine learning, or data science technology space.

• Familiarity with the energy, transition, or environmental sectors, understanding the unique challenges and opportunities within these industries.

• Experience mentoring junior designers or leading small design teams.

• Skills in user journey mapping, service design, or experience strategy.

• Knowledge of front-end development principles (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to better collaborate with engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of 5-10 years, coupled with the emphasis on leadership, research autonomy, and design system evolution, indicates a need for a candidate who can operate independently and strategically. The preferred skills suggest a strong advantage for candidates with domain-specific knowledge or experience in related technical fields.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating end-to-end product design ownership, showcasing your ability to solve complex problems with user-centered solutions.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the problem statement, your design process, the user research conducted, design iterations, and the final solution's impact.

• Evidence of your contribution to or leadership in evolving design systems, including examples of component libraries, style guides, and their application.

• Demonstrations of your proficiency in accessibility and inclusive design, with specific examples of how these principles were integrated into your work.

• Examples of wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups that illustrate your design capabilities and attention to detail.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should detail your approach to user research, including methodologies used, participant recruitment, and insight synthesis.

• Clearly outline your iterative design process, including how feedback was incorporated and how designs were validated through testing or stakeholder reviews.

• Document your process for collaborating with engineering and product teams, highlighting communication strategies and conflict resolution approaches.

• Showcase your methodology for contributing to or maintaining design systems, including processes for new component creation, version control, and documentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior product designer role, the portfolio is critical. It should not just showcase visual design but also the strategic thinking, research methodology, and collaborative processes behind the work. Emphasis on impact and system thinking will be key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in London with 5-10 years of experience, particularly within tech/AI companies, a competitive salary range is estimated between £70,000 - £100,000 per annum. This range accounts for the seniority, specialized skills (AI, accessibility), and the strategic nature of the role within a growing company.

Benefits:

• Unlimited Annual Leave Policy: Offers flexibility and trust, allowing employees to take time off as needed for rest and rejuvenation.

• Private Healthcare and Dental: Comprehensive medical coverage ensuring employee well-being.

• Enhanced Parental Leave: Supportive policy for new parents, promoting work-life balance.

• Family-Friendly Flexibility & Flexible Working: Accommodates diverse personal needs and promotes a healthy work-life integration.

• Sanctus Coaching: Access to mental health and well-being support, demonstrating a commitment to employee welfare.

• Hybrid Working: Combines the benefits of in-office collaboration with the flexibility of remote work.

• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI technologies and contribute to meaningful environmental impact projects.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are estimated at 40 hours per week. The hybrid working model and flexible working policies offer considerable autonomy in managing work schedules within this framework, accommodating personal needs while ensuring operational effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on current market data for similar roles in London, factoring in the specialized nature of AI and the company's industry. The benefits package is comprehensive, emphasizing employee well-being and flexibility, which are attractive to senior-level candidates.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Faculty operates at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Technology, and Consulting, with a specific focus on delivering human-centric AI solutions to clients. The company is actively involved in sectors such as government, finance, retail, energy, life sciences, and defense, with a dedicated business unit focused on Energy, Transition, and Environment. This focus positions Faculty at the forefront of innovation in clean energy and sustainability.

Company Size: Faculty is a growing company, likely falling into the medium-sized category (50-250 employees), characterized by rapid expansion and a dynamic, entrepreneurial spirit. This size often means individuals have a significant impact and can influence direction, while still benefiting from structured processes and a professional environment.

Founded: Faculty was established in 2014, indicating a company with a solid foundation and substantial experience in the AI landscape. Its longevity suggests a mature understanding of the technology, market, and client needs, combined with an agile approach to innovation.

Team Structure:

• The design team is likely a specialized unit within product development, working closely with product managers, AI engineers, researchers, and client-facing consultants.

• Reporting structures would typically involve a Head of Design or Design Lead, with Senior Designers mentoring more junior members.

Methodology:

• Faculty employs a human-centric approach to AI, prioritizing responsible innovation and measurable impact.

• Design processes are likely agile and iterative, incorporating user research, rapid prototyping, and continuous feedback loops.

• There's a strong emphasis on data-driven decision-making, using insights from user behavior and business metrics to refine products.

• The company values intellectual curiosity, a desire to build a positive legacy, and a commitment to delivering tangible results for clients through technology.

Company Website: https://faculty.ai

📝 Enhancement Note: Faculty's positioning as an AI consultancy with a strong focus on real-world impact and responsible innovation provides a unique context for a Product Designer. The specific business unit's mission in clean energy adds a layer of purpose to the role, attracting candidates who want their work to contribute to significant global challenges.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a "Senior" level within the Product Design discipline. For operations professionals, this translates to a role with significant autonomy, strategic input, and leadership responsibilities. It signifies a move beyond execution to shaping product direction, influencing team processes, and mentoring others. In a GTM or RevOps context, this level would be equivalent to a Senior Operations Analyst or Manager who designs and optimizes processes and systems.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead or Head of Design. However, due to the cross-functional nature of product development, they will collaborate extensively with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, AI Researchers, and potentially client-facing Consultants or Account Managers. This structure allows for both specialized design leadership and broad exposure to business strategy.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is significant, though indirect, within the operations framework. By designing user-centered, efficient, and accessible AI platforms, the Senior Product Designer directly influences:

• Client Adoption & Success: Intuitive interfaces lead to faster user onboarding and greater utilization of AI solutions, driving client ROI.

• Internal Efficiency: Well-designed internal tools and platforms can streamline workflows for sales, customer success, and implementation teams.

• Product Scalability: Evolving design systems ensures that new features and products can be launched quickly and consistently, supporting business growth.

• Brand Perception & Trust: High-quality, reliable, and responsible AI products enhance Faculty's reputation and build trust with clients and partners.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Progression to Lead Product Designer, Head of Design, or Design Director roles, managing larger teams and influencing overall design strategy.

• Specialization: Deepening expertise in specific AI product areas, user research methodologies, or design system architecture.

• Cross-Disciplinary Expansion: Moving into Product Management, UX Research leadership, or even strategic consulting roles within Faculty, leveraging design expertise in broader business contexts.

• Mentorship & Training: Formalizing mentorship programs and contributing to the development of design talent within the company and the broader industry.

• Industry Influence: Speaking at conferences, publishing articles, or contributing to open-source design initiatives related to AI and accessibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" designation in a design role requires demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership, and a deep understanding of how design contributes to business objectives. For operations professionals, understanding this level of influence in product development is key to appreciating how design supports GTM strategies.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Faculty operates a Hybrid Working model. This means the office is a hub for collaboration, in-person meetings, and team-building activities, while remote work offers flexibility for focused individual tasks and personal needs. The office environment is likely designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and a strong sense of community.

Office Location(s): The primary location is London, England. This central hub provides access to a vibrant tech ecosystem, talent pool, and client base. Specific office details would typically be provided during the interview process, but a London office suggests a modern, well-equipped workspace conducive to professional development and collaboration.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office space is designed to encourage interaction, brainstorming, and spontaneous problem-solving sessions among design, engineering, product, and other teams.

• Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma, Sketch, etc.), research tools, and collaborative platforms is expected. The company's focus on AI implies a technologically advanced environment.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities to engage with colleagues through team meetings, design critiques, cross-functional syncs, and social events, fostering a strong team dynamic.

• Flexibility: The hybrid model allows designers to choose their work environment based on the task at hand, balancing deep work with collaborative sessions.

Work Schedule: While the core working hours are around 40 per week, the hybrid and flexible working policies allow for significant autonomy in structuring the workday. This is beneficial for operations-minded individuals who value efficiency and may need to align with global client time zones or personal commitments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and focus on collaboration are key aspects of Faculty's work environment. For operations roles, understanding how a company balances in-office synergy with remote flexibility is crucial for assessing work-life integration and team effectiveness.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Talent Team Screen (30 minutes): An initial conversation to assess cultural fit, general experience alignment, and basic qualifications. Prepare to discuss your career trajectory, motivations for applying to Faculty, and high-level understanding of AI and their mission.

• Portfolio Review (60 minutes): This is a critical stage. Be prepared to present 2-3 of your strongest case studies. Focus on your process, the problem you solved, your role, the impact, and what you learned. Clearly articulate your contributions, especially in collaborative projects. Ensure your portfolio highlights your expertise in user research, design systems, and accessibility.

• Case Study Interview (60 minutes): You will likely be given a design challenge or asked to delve deeper into one of your portfolio pieces. This assesses your problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and ability to articulate design rationale under pressure. Focus on your approach, not just the final visuals.

• Meet the Team (30 minutes): An opportunity to interact with potential colleagues from the design, product, or engineering teams. This assesses team fit and allows you to ask questions about team dynamics, culture, and day-to-day work.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Frame each case study as a narrative. Start with the problem, explain your journey of discovery and design, and conclude with the impact and learnings.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, prototypes, final designs, research artifacts) to illustrate your process and outcomes.

• Highlight Your Role: Clearly define your specific contributions, especially in team projects. Use "I" for your individual work and "We" for team efforts, but be precise about your part.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify results whenever possible (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time, improved user satisfaction scores). If quantitative data isn't available, use qualitative feedback and insights.

• Demonstrate Process: Showcase your understanding of user research methodologies, iterative design, and how you leverage data and feedback.

• Accessibility & Inclusion: Explicitly call out how you incorporated these principles and provide examples of your implementation.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: Thoroughly read and understand the design challenge. Ask clarifying questions if needed.

• Define the Problem: Clearly articulate the problem you are trying to solve and the target users.

• Outline Your Approach: Detail your planned steps, including research, ideation, prototyping, and validation.

• Prioritize: Given time constraints, focus on the most critical aspects of the problem and your proposed solution.

• Communicate Your Thinking: Talk through your decisions, assumptions, and trade-offs. This is as important as the final output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes a deep dive into your design process, strategic thinking, and collaboration skills. A strong, well-documented portfolio that showcases impact and a systematic approach is crucial for success at this senior level.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly likely as industry standard), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).

• User Research: Tools for surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform), user interview platforms (e.g., Zoom, Lookback), and potentially specialized UX research platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze).

• Design Systems: Figma, Storybook (for documentation and component libraries), or custom-built systems.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Google Analytics to track user behavior, feature adoption, and conversion funnels.

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for creating dashboards and reporting on key product metrics.

• A/B Testing Platforms: Optimizely, VWO, or in-house tools for experimentation.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot (though less likely for a design role, understanding the CRM’s impact on user data is beneficial).

• Project Management/Collaboration: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello for managing design tasks and cross-functional workflows.

• Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams for daily team interaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the Senior Product Designer role primarily focuses on design tools, a strong understanding of the broader technology stack, especially analytics and collaboration platforms, is essential for effective cross-functional work and understanding product performance.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Intellectual Curiosity: A drive to understand complex problems, explore new technologies (like AI), and continuously learn. This translates to a proactive approach to design challenges and a desire to seek truth in user needs and data.

• Drive for Measurable Positive Impact: A commitment to creating solutions that deliver tangible results for clients and contribute to a better world (e.g., clean energy transition). Design work should be tied to clear outcomes and value creation.

• Responsibility & Ethics: A focus on building responsible AI, which includes ethical considerations in design, accessibility, and inclusivity. Designers are expected to advocate for user well-being and fairness.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Faculty emphasizes working together to achieve common goals. Design is viewed as an integral part of a larger team effort, requiring strong partnerships with engineering, product, and client-facing roles.

• Seeking Truth: A core principle likely influencing how data is interpreted, research is conducted, and decisions are made – aiming for objectivity and evidence-based approaches.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Design is deeply integrated with product management and engineering teams from concept to launch. Open communication and shared ownership are encouraged.

• Process Review & Feedback: A culture that values constructive feedback on design work and processes. Regular design critiques and reviews are likely standard practices.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging team members to share learnings, best practices, and insights, fostering a collective growth environment. This could include internal workshops, lunch-and-learns, or documentation.

• Client-Centricity: While internally focused, the ultimate goal is client success. Collaboration often involves understanding client needs and translating them into product solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Faculty's values are strongly aligned with purpose-driven innovation and ethical technology development. For operations professionals, understanding these values helps in assessing cultural fit and how decisions are made within the company, particularly regarding the impact and responsibility of AI solutions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for AI Complexity: Translating sophisticated AI capabilities into intuitive and understandable user experiences for a diverse range of users, some of whom may have limited technical backgrounds.

• Balancing Innovation with Usability: Ensuring that cutting-edge AI features are not only innovative but also practical, reliable, and easy for users to adopt and benefit from.

• Evolving Design Systems: Keeping a design system up-to-date and comprehensive as the product suite and AI capabilities expand rapidly.

• Cross-functional Alignment: Effectively managing the diverse needs and priorities of stakeholders across engineering, product, sales, and client teams, ensuring design is a true partner in strategy.

• Client-Specific Needs: Adapting generalized product designs to meet the unique requirements and workflows of various clients in the energy, environment, and other sectors.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI & ML Domain Expertise: Deepening understanding of AI/ML concepts and how they are applied in real-world scenarios, enhancing design strategy.

• Advanced UX Research: Exploring more sophisticated research methodologies, qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques, and user behavior modeling.

• Design Leadership & Mentorship: Developing skills in team management, coaching, and strategic design leadership through formal training and practical experience.

• Industry Conferences & Workshops: Attending events focused on AI, UX, accessibility, and product design to stay abreast of trends and network with peers.

• Contribution to Design Systems: Playing a key role in the architecture and evolution of Faculty's core design system, potentially leading to specialized expertise.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in innovative tech companies, requiring strong problem-solving skills and adaptability. The growth opportunities are aligned with advancing a career in product design, with a strong emphasis on specialization and leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the end-to-end design of a complex feature or product. What was your process, what challenges did you face, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your methodology, research, iteration, and impact.)

• "How do you approach integrating user research into your design process, especially when working autonomously? Can you provide an example of how research insights changed your design direction?" (Highlight your research skills and ability to synthesize findings.)

• "Discuss your experience with design systems. How have you contributed to their development or evolution, and what is your strategy for ensuring adoption and consistency across a product portfolio?" (Showcase your systematic thinking and understanding of scalability.)

• "How do you ensure accessibility and inclusive design principles are embedded in your work, particularly in complex UI/UX challenges?" (Provide concrete examples of your approach and any tools/standards you employ.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Faculty's mission, particularly our work in the Energy Transition and Environment unit?" (Research Faculty's impact and tailor your answer to show genuine interest.)

• "How do you see your role as a Senior Product Designer contributing to the success of an AI-focused company like Faculty?" (Connect your skills to Faculty's business goals and AI strategy.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with engineers and product managers, especially when there are differing opinions on design or functionality?" (Emphasize your collaborative approach and problem-solving mindset.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio around 2-3 compelling case studies. For each, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, your solutions, and the measured impact.

• Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, wireframes, prototypes, and relevant research artifacts. Ensure they are well-annotated.

• Narrative: Tell a story. Explain the "why" behind your decisions and the journey from problem to solution.

• Metrics: Quantify success whenever possible. If quantitative data is unavailable, use qualitative insights and user feedback to demonstrate impact.

• Interactivity: If presenting digitally, ensure your prototypes are functional and easy to navigate. Be ready to walk through them.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Practice your presentation to ensure you cover key points effectively without rushing.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to articulate not just what you designed, but why you designed it that way, and the impact it had. Demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership, and a deep understanding of the design process is paramount for a senior role.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight experience in product design, AI/tech sectors, user research, design systems, and accessibility. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that best showcase your skills in end-to-end design, research, system thinking, and impact. Ensure it's easily accessible and well-organized.

• Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your case studies, focusing on your process, rationale, and the outcomes. Be ready to articulate your role and contributions clearly.

• Research Faculty: Understand their mission, their work in AI, and specifically their focus on Energy Transition and Environment. Familiarize yourself with their existing products and design aesthetic if possible.

• Understand the Interview Process: Be prepared for each stage, from the initial screen to the case study and team interviews, and have thoughtful questions ready to ask.

⚠️ 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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