Senior Product Designer (Fixed-Term Contract)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer (Fixed-Term Contract)

Company: Waracle

Location: Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom; Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Operations

Date Posted: 2026-07-30

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic direction and evolution of design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability across digital products.

• Champion and embed inclusive design principles and accessibility standards throughout the entire product development lifecycle.

• Drive user-centered design initiatives by leading complex interaction design projects and defining core interaction patterns.

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement through strategic experimentation, including A/B testing, to align design with user needs and business objectives.

• Elevate team capabilities by providing mentorship and guidance to junior design professionals.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Product Designer, implying a significant level of autonomy and strategic input. The emphasis on "Journey & Pattern Leadership," "Visual Evolution & Brand Direction," and "Design System Governance" suggests a focus on establishing and refining design frameworks rather than solely executing design tasks. The "Fixed-Term Contract" nature indicates a project-based engagement, likely focused on specific strategic design initiatives or system enhancements.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the interaction design for complex digital product initiatives, translating intricate user needs into intuitive and efficient workflows.

• Define and govern core interaction patterns and guidelines within the company's design system, ensuring a cohesive and scalable user experience.

• Drive the evolution of visual languages, aligning them with brand identity and technological advancements to set creative direction for key projects.

• Champion accessibility audits and integrate inclusive design methodologies across all phases of product design, from initial concept to final delivery.

• Design and implement strategic experimentation frameworks, including A/B testing, to validate design hypotheses and measure their impact on user engagement and business outcomes.

• Mentor and coach junior designers, fostering their professional development and elevating the overall design capability of the team.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, and researchers, to ensure user-centered concepts are technically feasible and align with business goals.

• Conduct thorough user research and analysis to inform design decisions and identify opportunities for innovation and improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design leadership and hands-on execution. The emphasis on "Journey & Pattern Leadership," "Visual Evolution & Brand Direction," and "Design System Governance" indicates a need for someone who can not only design but also architect and maintain design frameworks. The inclusion of "Strategic Experimentation" and "Inclusive Design & Accessibility" points to a modern, data-driven, and user-centric approach to product design, requiring a senior-level understanding of these disciplines.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific educational requirements are listed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field is typically expected for senior-level roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in product design, with a strong focus on interaction design, UX/UI, and design systems. Experience within a digital technology consultancy is highly advantageous.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in leading complex interaction design projects and defining system-wide design patterns.

• Deep understanding and practical application of inclusive design principles and accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG).

• Hands-on experience with designing and implementing experimentation strategies, including A/B testing, and analyzing outcomes.

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and active listening skills to facilitate effective collaboration and stakeholder engagement.

• Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide junior design team members, fostering their growth and development.

• Proficiency in user research methodologies and translating insights into actionable design solutions.

• Experience in evolving visual languages and establishing creative direction for design initiatives.

• Strong understanding of technical feasibility and ability to collaborate effectively with engineering teams. Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within a digital technology consultancy environment.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and cross-functional team collaboration.

• Knowledge of brand strategy and its integration into product design.

• Experience with advanced prototyping tools and techniques.

• Familiarity with data analytics platforms to inform design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The listed requirements emphasize leadership, strategic thinking, and a commitment to best practices in inclusive design and experimentation. The "5-10 years" experience level suggests a need for seasoned professionals capable of independent work and team mentorship. The "even if you don't meet every single requirement" statement encourages a diverse range of candidates, highlighting Waracle's focus on potential and transferable skills alongside formal experience.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrations of leadership in complex interaction design projects, showcasing problem-solving methodologies and strategic decision-making.

• Case studies detailing the implementation and impact of inclusive design principles and accessibility improvements on user experiences.

• Examples of how A/B testing and experimentation were used to drive design decisions and achieve measurable business or user outcomes.

• Showcase of contributions to or leadership of design systems, including guidelines, pattern libraries, and their governance.

• Evidence of visual language evolution and setting creative direction for significant design initiatives.

• Examples of mentorship or team leadership, highlighting contributions to team growth and skill development. Process Documentation:

• Showcase how user research and analysis are integrated into the design process to inform strategy and solutions.

• Illustrate the process for defining and documenting interaction patterns and design system guidelines.

• Detail the approach to conducting accessibility audits and embedding inclusive design practices throughout the product lifecycle.

• Explain methodologies for strategic experimentation, including A/B testing design, execution, and analysis of results.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the senior nature of the role and its focus on design systems, mentorship, and strategic experimentation, a robust portfolio is critical. It should not only display visual design skills but also demonstrate strategic thinking, process ownership, and leadership capabilities. The emphasis on "Journey & Pattern Leadership" and "Design System Governance" means showcasing how the candidate has architected and maintained design frameworks is essential.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior Product Designer role with 5-10 years of experience in Glasgow/Dundee, UK, the typical salary range is approximately £55,000 - £75,000 per annum. This estimate considers the fixed-term contract nature