Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer

Company: Cancer Research UK (CRUK)

Location: Stratford, London, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full time

Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Digital Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-08-08

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

Remote Status: Hybrid (1-2 days per week in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead user research and experience design for a variety of strategic internal and external products and services.

• Mentor and line manage 2-3 junior UX designers, fostering their development and growth.

• Drive the development and execution of medium to long-term UX strategy, enhancing the organization's UX maturity.

• Act as a key UX specialist, influencing stakeholders and sharing knowledge across the organization.

• Apply user-centered design principles to solve complex problems and identify opportunities for UX impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the provided input is for a UX Designer role, this enhancement will frame it within an "operations" context by focusing on the process, strategy, and team enablement aspects critical to operations roles. This includes how UX design contributes to operational efficiency, stakeholder alignment, and the successful delivery of digital products that serve organizational goals. The emphasis is on the process of design and its operational impact, rather than just the creative output.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and execute comprehensive user research studies, employing methodologies such as interviews, competitor analysis, contextual inquiry, and surveys to gather actionable insights.

• Develop and refine user personas, archetypes, and user journey maps to represent diverse audience needs and pain points.

• Design and prototype innovative user experiences using tools like Figma, ensuring alignment with business objectives and user requirements.

• Conduct rigorous usability testing (remote, in-person, guerrilla), A/B testing, and multivariate testing to validate design decisions and optimize user flows.

• Analyze data from various sources, including Google Analytics (GA), Hotjar, and other analytics platforms, to inform design iterations and measure impact.

• Champion accessibility and inclusive design principles, ensuring digital products are usable by all, including marginalized user groups.

• Facilitate design workshops and sprints, collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams to foster innovation and co-create solutions.

• Manage stakeholder relationships across the organization, effectively communicating UX concepts, research findings, and design rationale through compelling storytelling.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability of digital products.

• Mentor junior UX team members, providing guidance, feedback, and support to enhance their skills and career progression.

• Continuously research and integrate new advancements in UX design, technology, and user-centered methodologies to drive organizational UX maturity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities have been expanded to detail specific UX methodologies and their application, aligning them with operational best practices for product development and stakeholder engagement. This includes emphasizing data analysis for decision-making and the strategic role of UX in organizational maturity.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

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

• 5-10 years of demonstrated experience in User Experience (UX) design, with a strong track record of independently leading and delivering multiple UX projects from conception to completion.

• Proven experience working within multidisciplinary product teams, ideally in an Agile environment.

• Experience in a senior or lead capacity, including mentoring and guiding junior designers. Required Skills:

• UX Research Expertise: Proficient in a wide range of user research methodologies including user interviews, contextual inquiry, surveys, heuristic evaluations, and competitor analysis.

• Design & Prototyping: Advanced skills in creating user journeys, personas, wireframes, and interactive prototypes using industry-standard tools such as Figma.

• Usability & Testing: Extensive experience conducting various forms of usability testing (remote, in-person, guerrilla), A/B testing, and multivariate testing.

• Data Analysis & Insights: Ability to analyze data from tools like Google Analytics (GA) and Hotjar to derive actionable insights and inform design decisions.

• Accessibility & Inclusive Design: Deep understanding and practical application of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and inclusive design principles.

• Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to build and manage strong relationships with diverse internal stakeholders, effectively communicating UX value and design decisions.

• Agile Methodologies: Experience working within Agile frameworks and collaborating effectively in cross-functional, multidisciplinary teams.

• Storytelling & Communication: Exceptional ability to articulate complex UX concepts, research findings, and design rationale through clear, compelling narratives and presentations.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Demonstrated experience in mentoring, coaching, and supporting junior team members.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with charities, healthcare, or organizations dealing with sensitive topics in user research.

• Proficiency in design system management and contribution.

• Familiarity with specific testing tools like Optimizely.

• Experience with SEO principles as they relate to UX and content strategy.

• Knowledge of Lean UX principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: Educational requirements have been inferred based on typical industry standards for senior UX roles. The experience level has been clarified, and specific UX processes and tools have been detailed under required skills. Preferred skills highlight areas that would further enhance a candidate's fit for Cancer Research UK's specific context.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 significant UX projects, demonstrating end-to-end design process from research to implementation.

• Projects should highlight your ability to lead, independently manage, and successfully deliver complex UX initiatives.

• Case studies must clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the methodologies employed (research, design, testing), key decisions made, and the measurable impact or outcomes achieved.

• Evidence of applying user research, prototyping (e.g., Figma), usability testing, and data analysis to drive design solutions.

• Demonstrations of collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and effective stakeholder engagement. Process Documentation:

• Within portfolio case studies, clearly document the application of the double diamond process or similar iterative design frameworks.

• Showcase how user research insights were translated into design artifacts and validated through testing.

• Detail the process of iterating on designs based on feedback and data analysis, including any A/B or multivariate testing performed.

• Illustrate how accessibility and inclusive design principles were integrated into the design and development workflow.

• Provide examples of how you have contributed to or maintained design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is tailored to operations professionals by emphasizing the process and documentation of UX work. The portfolio requirements focus on demonstrating project lifecycle management, data-driven decision-making, and the tangible impact of UX initiatives, aligning with the operational rigor expected in such roles.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £45,000 - £50,000 per annum.

Benefits:

• Substantial Retirement Plan: Comprehensive pension scheme to support long-term financial security.

• Generous Leave Allowance: Flexible and ample holiday entitlement to promote work-life balance.

• Discounts: Access to a wide range of discounts, including travel and technology, offering cost savings.

• Gym Membership: Support for physical well-being through gym membership benefits.

• Flexible Working Culture: Encouragement of flexible working arrangements to accommodate personal needs and enhance productivity.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for career and personal development, including training and upskilling.

• Well-being Support: Access to resources and initiatives focused on employee well-being.

Working Hours:

• Full-time, 35 hours per week.

• High flexibility with office-based work, requiring 1-2 days per week in the Stratford, London office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is directly stated from the job description. Benefits have been elaborated to highlight their value proposition for professionals. The working hours and flexibility are detailed to reflect a modern work environment that respects work-life balance, a key consideration for operations professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Healthcare / Non-profit / Charity (specifically focused on Cancer Research).

Company Size: Approximately 4,000 professionals, indicating a large, established organization with structured processes and significant operational capacity.

Founded: Cancer Research UK (CRUK) is a leading cancer charity, implying a mission-driven culture focused on impact, innovation, and collaboration to achieve its goals.

Team Structure:

• The Senior UX Designer reports to the Lead UX Designer, indicating a clear hierarchy within the UX function.

• The role involves line managing 2-3 direct reports, suggesting a leadership and mentorship component within the team.

• UX team members are part of larger, multidisciplinary product teams, emphasizing cross-functional collaboration.

• The UX team operates within the Marketing, Fundraising & Engagement department, highlighting the connection between digital user experience and organizational outreach and revenue generation. Methodology:

• Adherence to the "double diamond process" for design work, a standard iterative approach for innovation and problem-solving.

• Emphasis on user research, co-design, and data analysis to inform user-centered solutions.

• Focus on increasing the organization's overall "UX maturity," indicating a strategic approach to embedding user-centricity across all digital initiatives.

• Continuous learning and staying at the forefront of design and technology trends.

Company Website: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/

📝 Enhancement Note: Contextualizing CRUK within the charity sector provides insight into the organization's mission-driven culture and the importance of digital engagement for fundraising and awareness. The team structure and methodologies highlight a structured, collaborative, and iterative approach to product development, which is crucial for operations professionals to understand.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Senior level, requiring significant independent leadership and project delivery experience. It involves strategic input, process improvement, and team management, bridging individual contribution with team enablement.

Reporting Structure: Reports to the Lead UX Designer, indicating a clear path for mentorship and strategic alignment within the UX discipline. Also involves line management of junior designers, adding a leadership dimension.

Operations Impact: The UX team's work directly impacts how Cancer Research UK engages with its diverse audiences (donors, researchers, patients, public). Effective UX design is critical for driving engagement, facilitating fundraising, supporting research communication, and ultimately advancing the organization's mission to beat cancer. This role ensures that digital products and services are user-friendly, accessible, and impactful, contributing directly to operational efficiency and organizational success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to hone management and mentorship skills through line managing junior designers.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to the development and execution of organizational UX strategy, influencing how the company approaches digital product development.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific UX areas through diverse project work, including accessibility, research methodologies, and data analysis.

• Organizational Impact: Drive significant improvements in user experience across a large charity, leading to measurable positive outcomes for CRUK's mission.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gain broad exposure to various departments (Marketing, Fundraising, Engagement, potentially Research) and understand their operational needs and how UX supports them.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis reframes the UX role through an operations lens, emphasizing leadership, strategic contribution, and the tangible impact on organizational goals. Growth opportunities are highlighted in terms of leadership, strategic thinking, and cross-functional understanding, which are valuable for career progression in operations-focused roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model with a London-based office (Stratford, 2 Redman Place). Employees are expected to be in the office 1-2 days per week, with high flexibility.

Office Location(s): Stratford, London. This location offers good transport links and access to amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model encourages collaboration, with dedicated office days for team meetings, workshops, and focused work sessions with colleagues.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard UX design and research tools, likely including Figma, analytics platforms (GA), and potentially prototyping/testing software. The role emphasizes staying current with technology.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to interact with UX team members, multidisciplinary product teams, and stakeholders across the organization, fostering knowledge sharing and cross-functional understanding.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (35 per week) with a strong emphasis on flexibility. This allows for better integration of work with personal life, supporting sustained productivity and well-being.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description of the work environment focuses on the operational aspects of a hybrid setup, detailing the balance between remote work and in-office collaboration, and the types of interactions and resources available to support efficient work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Stage 1: Competency-Based Interviews: Assess skills, experience, and behavioral competencies against job requirements. Preparation should focus on STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.

• Stage 2: Exercise: A practical assessment designed to evaluate UX skills, problem-solving abilities, and potentially presentation skills. This could involve a design challenge or a review of a portfolio piece.

• Stage 3: Second Interview: Likely with more senior stakeholders or hiring managers, focusing on strategic thinking, leadership potential, and cultural fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your senior-level experience, leadership, and impact. Prioritize projects that demonstrate end-to-end ownership and complex problem-solving.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the business problem, user needs, your specific role and contributions, the design process undertaken (emphasizing methodology and iteration), key challenges faced, and the tangible outcomes or impact achieved (quantify where possible).

• Highlight Process: Detail your research methodologies, design decisions, and how you leveraged data and user feedback. Explicitly mention the tools used (e.g., Figma, GA).

• Demonstrate Impact: Focus on the results. Did your work increase conversion rates, improve user satisfaction, reduce support tickets, or achieve other measurable business objectives? For CRUK, consider how your work supports the mission.

• Accessibility Focus: Ensure your portfolio highlights your commitment to and experience with accessibility and inclusive design.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, first clarify the brief, target audience, and any constraints. Understand how it relates to CRUK's mission or operational needs.

• Process Over Perfection: Focus on demonstrating your thought process, research approach, and iterative design methods rather than delivering a perfectly polished final UI.

• Time Management: Allocate time effectively for understanding the problem, ideation, sketching/wireframing, and presenting.

• Presentation Skills: Practice articulating your approach clearly and concisely, anticipating questions from interviewers about your decisions and trade-offs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice for candidates, focusing on how to best present their qualifications and prepare for the interview process, with specific guidance on portfolio content and interview strategies relevant to a senior UX role in a mission-driven organization.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Prototyping & Design: Figma (explicitly mentioned as a required skill for prototyping).

• User Research & Analysis: Tools for user interviews, surveys, contextual inquiry, usability testing (remote/in-person/Guerrilla), heuristic evaluations.

• Analytics & Monitoring: Google Analytics (GA), Hotjar (explicitly mentioned for data analysis).

• Testing Platforms: Optimizely (mentioned for A/B and multivariate testing).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Proficiency in analyzing data from web analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics) to understand user behavior and inform design iterations.

• Experience with tools like Hotjar for heatmaps, session recordings, and user feedback analysis. CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly mentioned, experience with CRM systems and marketing automation platforms might be beneficial for understanding user journeys and data flow within the broader marketing and engagement context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools and technology stack are listed based on explicit mentions in the job description and common industry practices for senior UX roles. The emphasis is on how these tools support the operational aspects of design, research, and data analysis.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to the overarching goal of beating cancer, influencing all aspects of work and decision-making.

• User-Centricity: Placing the needs and experiences of diverse audiences (donors, patients, researchers) at the forefront of all digital product development.

• Collaboration: Working effectively within multidisciplinary teams and across departments to achieve shared objectives.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Constantly seeking new and better ways to design experiences and improve UX maturity across the organization.

• Empathy & Sensitivity: A deep understanding and careful approach to working with sensitive topics and diverse user groups.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively partnering with marketing, fundraising, engagement, and potentially research teams to ensure digital solutions meet diverse needs.

• Knowledge Sharing: Proactively sharing UX expertise, research findings, and best practices with peers, stakeholders, and the wider organization.

• Mentorship & Support: Fostering a supportive environment for junior team members, encouraging growth and skill development.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: A collaborative approach to using data and research to validate ideas and guide design choices.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section translates the company's mission and the role's responsibilities into core values and collaborative practices, providing insight into how operations professionals can align their work with CRUK's ethos and achieve success through teamwork.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse Needs: Catering to a wide range of internal and external users with potentially conflicting needs and priorities across different initiatives.

• Increasing UX Maturity: Driving adoption of user-centered design practices and elevating UX standards across a large, established organization.

• Working with Sensitive Topics: Conducting research and designing solutions for users who may be navigating difficult personal circumstances, requiring high levels of empathy and ethical consideration.

• Rapidly Evolving Technology: Keeping pace with advancements in UX design tools, methodologies, and digital technologies to ensure CRUK remains at the forefront.

• Resource Allocation: Managing multiple projects simultaneously and prioritizing UX efforts where they can have the greatest organizational impact.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Leadership Skills: Developing management, coaching, and strategic planning capabilities through line management and UX strategy contributions.

• Domain Expertise: Gaining deep insights into the non-profit and healthcare sectors, understanding user needs in a mission-critical context.

• Advanced UX Methodologies: Exploring and implementing cutting-edge UX research and design techniques.

• Cross-Departmental Understanding: Broadening knowledge of how digital products support various organizational functions like fundraising, marketing, and research.

• Industry Engagement: Representing CRUK's UX offering internally and externally, potentially leading to broader industry recognition and networking.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section outlines potential operational challenges and provides a forward-looking perspective on how the role offers significant opportunities for professional growth, skill enhancement, and impactful contributions within a leading charitable organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led a complex UX project from conception to completion. What were the key challenges, how did you overcome them, and what was the measurable outcome?" (Focus on leadership, process, and impact).

• "How would you approach increasing the UX maturity of an organization that has varying levels of understanding of user-centered design?" (Focus on strategy, influence, and change management).

• "Tell us about a time you had to manage conflicting stakeholder requirements. How did you navigate this and ensure a user-centered solution was still delivered?" (Focus on stakeholder management, negotiation, and prioritization). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Cancer Research UK's mission, and how do you see your UX expertise contributing to our goal of beating cancer?" (Demonstrate alignment with mission and understanding of impact).

• "How do you approach user research when dealing with sensitive topics or marginalized user groups?" (Assess empathy, ethical considerations, and research methodology).

• "Describe your experience mentoring junior designers. What is your approach to coaching and skill development?" (Evaluate leadership and team enablement capabilities). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: For each case study, clearly outline: Problem, Your Role, Process (Research, Design, Test), Challenges, Solution, and Impact (quantified where possible).

• Storytelling: Weave a narrative that highlights your problem-solving process, decision-making rationale, and ability to collaborate effectively.

• Data & Metrics: Be prepared to discuss how you used data (e.g., GA, Hotjar) and testing results to inform your designs and demonstrate their effectiveness.

• Accessibility: Explicitly detail how you incorporated accessibility and inclusive design principles.

• CRUK Context: Tailor your examples where possible to resonate with the mission or operational needs of a large charity.

📝 Enhancement Note: This guidance provides specific, actionable preparation advice for interview candidates, focusing on common question types for senior roles and how to effectively present their experience and fit for Cancer Research UK.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday careers portal link.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your senior-level experience, leadership in UX projects, proficiency in key tools (Figma, GA, Hotjar), and experience with Agile methodologies and stakeholder management. Quantify your achievements wherever possible.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is polished, showcases 3-5 strong case studies demonstrating end-to-end UX process and impact, and clearly articulates your role, methodology, and results. Prepare to walk through 1-2 key projects in detail.

• Research CRUK: Understand Cancer Research UK's mission, current initiatives, and target audiences. Familiarize yourself with their digital presence and any recent campaigns or product launches.

• Practice Interview Responses: Prepare for competency-based questions using the STAR method and articulate your approach to UX strategy, leadership, and handling sensitive topics. Practice explaining your portfolio projects concisely and compellingly.

⚠️ 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.