Senior UX/UI Designer - Flex Team

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX/UI Designer - Flex Team

Company: VML Enterprise Solutions

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: 2026-05-12T11:57:08

Experience Level: 5-10 Years (Senior)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end digital product and service design for a major automotive client within a dynamic, flexible team.

• Craft best-in-class user experiences and interfaces for in-car infotainment, companion apps, digital customer portals, and online retail.

• Drive user-centricity, engagement, customer journey enhancement, and loyalty in the evolving automotive sector.

• Collaborate within a cross-functional team to deliver delightful and impactful digital solutions across diverse projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a Senior Product Designer position with a significant focus on UX/UI within the automotive sector. The "Flex Team" designation implies a client-embedded, agile working model. The role requires a blend of strategic design thinking, hands-on execution, and strong stakeholder management, typical of senior-level product design roles in enterprise environments.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the complete design lifecycle for digital products, from initial discovery, user research, and experience definition to high-fidelity UI execution.

• Develop user journeys, interaction models, and wireframes for complex automotive applications, including vehicle configuration tools and connected services.

• Design and refine visual interfaces for in-car displays, mobile companion apps, and web-based customer portals, ensuring consistency and brand alignment.

• Create detailed interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts, user flows, and micro-interactions to stakeholders and development teams.

• Translate user research findings, data analytics, and market insights into actionable design strategies that inform product direction and enhance user satisfaction.

• Collaborate closely with product managers, engineers, marketers, and brand specialists to ensure design solutions are technically feasible, strategically aligned, and meet business objectives.

• Champion user-centered design principles and best practices throughout the product development process, advocating for the user at every stage.

• Contribute to and leverage complex, tokenized design systems, ensuring scalability, consistency, and efficient component architecture across multiple platforms and brands.

• Adapt design approaches for multi-brand environments within an automotive group, maintaining quality and adherence to specific brand guidelines.

• Produce high-quality supporting design artifacts, including presentations, user guides, and visual assets, to facilitate stakeholder alignment and internal communications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities emphasize end-to-end ownership and strategic influence, moving beyond just executing design tasks to actively shaping product direction. The automotive sector focus is critical, requiring an understanding of specific user needs and industry challenges.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 5-10 years of professional experience in UX/UI design, product design, or a closely related field, with a proven track record of delivering exceptional digital products.

Required Skills:

• UX/UI Design Expertise: Comprehensive knowledge of user experience and user interface design principles, methodologies, and best practices.

• Product Design Acumen: Ability to lead the design of digital products and services from concept to completion.

• Figma Proficiency: Advanced, expert-level command of Figma for creating scalable design files, interactive prototypes, and supporting collaborative workflows.

• Design System Mastery: Deep understanding of component architecture, variants, properties, and scalable design patterns within complex, tokenized design systems.

• Interaction Design: Skill in defining and designing intuitive user interactions, animations, and micro-interactions.

• User Research & Data Translation: Proven ability to conduct user research, analyze findings, and translate data into actionable design insights.

• Stakeholder Management & Leadership: Strong experience in influencing, aligning, and challenging senior stakeholders across diverse disciplines within large organizations.

• Responsive & Adaptive Design: Solid understanding of designing for various devices and platforms, including web, mobile, and in-car interfaces.

• Problem Framing & Strategic Thinking: Demonstrated ability to identify, frame, and define complex problems and shape product direction.

• Communication & Storytelling: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design rationale and present compelling narratives to technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferred Skills:

• Automotive Sector Experience: Prior experience working within the automotive industry, understanding its unique design maturity and stakeholder dynamics.

• Multi-Brand Design Experience: Experience designing for multiple brands or sub-brands, particularly within a large enterprise context.

• Prototyping Expertise: Advanced skills in creating high-fidelity, interactive prototypes using Figma or other relevant tools.

• Agile/Lean Methodologies: Familiarity with working in agile or lean development environments.

• Information Architecture: Experience in organizing and structuring content and navigation for complex digital products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills emphasize advanced technical proficiency (Figma, Design Systems) and strategic capabilities (stakeholder leadership, problem framing), aligning with a senior-level role. Automotive sector experience is highly preferred, indicating a specialized client focus.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design projects demonstrating a clear problem, your process, and impactful solutions.

• Include at least one significant project showcasing experience within the automotive sector or a similarly complex industry with regulated environments.

• Highlight examples of designing for responsive and adaptive interfaces across different devices and screen sizes.

• Demonstrate proficiency in using and contributing to complex design systems, including examples of component usage and customisation.

Process Documentation:

• Clearly outline the design process followed for each featured project, including discovery, research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration phases.

• Provide evidence of how user research and data were integrated into the design process to inform decisions.

• Illustrate how you collaborated with cross-functional teams (product, engineering, marketing) throughout the project lifecycle.

• Include examples of how you managed stakeholder feedback and navigated design challenges to achieve alignment and project success.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is crucial for this role, with a specific emphasis on demonstrating end-to-end process, automotive sector relevance, design system expertise, and measurable impact. This aligns with the expectation that senior designers can articulate their value through tangible work.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The estimated salary range for a Senior UX/UI Designer in London, UK, with 5-10 years of experience is typically between £60,000 and £85,000 per annum. This can vary based on specific skills, portfolio, and the exact scope of responsibilities within client engagements.

Benefits:

• Discretionary Bonus Scheme: Performance-based bonus opportunities.

• Training Opportunities: Access to professional development programs and learning resources.

• Competitive Pension: Employer contribution to a pension fund.

• Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance coverage.

• Life Assurance: Financial protection for beneficiaries.

• Social Events: Company-sponsored social gatherings and team-building activities.

• Holiday Buy and Sell: Flexibility to purchase additional leave or sell unused days.

• Family Friendly Policies: Support for employees with family responsibilities.

• Retailer Discounts: Access to discounts with a wide range of retailers.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are typically 40 hours per week. The role is described as "Flex Team" and "Hybrid," suggesting a degree of flexibility in scheduling and location, but requiring presence in the London office.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific salary figures were not provided, industry benchmarks for senior UX/UI designers in London with this experience level have been estimated. The listed benefits are comprehensive and standard for a large agency environment. The "Hybrid" nature suggests a balance between remote work and office-based collaboration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Marketing and Advertising / Enterprise Solutions. VML is part of WPP, a global leader in marketing communications. The Enterprise Solutions division focuses on delivering digital experiences across various routes to market for major global organizations.

Company Size: VML, as part of WPP, is a very large global organization (26,000+ employees worldwide). The Enterprise Solutions division itself is substantial, with over 4,200 experts across 55 operational centers. This indicates a structured, resource-rich environment with opportunities for diverse project involvement.

Founded: VML was founded in 1992, and WPP has a long history. The Enterprise Solutions division leverages this extensive experience to serve leading brands. This history suggests a stable, established company with a mature approach to client service and innovation.

Team Structure:

• The role is part of a "Flex Team" embedded directly with a leading automotive client, implying a dedicated, agile, and cross-functional unit working on specific client projects.

• This team likely comprises various specialists (e.g., UX/UI designers, product managers, developers, strategists) working collaboratively.

• Reporting structure will likely involve a direct lead within the Flex Team and potentially further up the VML Enterprise Solutions hierarchy.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decisions: Emphasis on translating user research and data into actionable insights to drive design.

• User-Centricity: Core to the design philosophy, ensuring digital experiences are human-first.

• Agile & Flexible Delivery: Operating within various delivery models, balancing pace and quality, suggesting adaptability and iterative workflows.

• Connected Brands: Creating integrated brand experiences across customer touchpoints.

Company Website: https://www.vml.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context highlights VML's global scale and WPP's extensive network, providing a stable and resource-rich environment. The "Flex Team" model suggests a dynamic, client-focused operational structure where collaboration and adaptability are key.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, signifying a level of expertise and autonomy. Senior designers are expected to lead projects, mentor junior team members, and contribute strategically to design solutions and client relationships.

Reporting Structure: The role is part of a "Flex Team" embedded with an automotive client. This implies reporting to a Lead Designer or Project Manager within the VML team, while also collaborating closely with client-side product owners and stakeholders.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the client's digital presence, customer engagement, and potentially revenue through enhanced user experiences for critical automotive digital products like infotainment systems and customer portals. The success of these digital touchpoints directly influences brand perception and customer loyalty.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into Lead Designer, Design Manager, or specialized UX/UI Architect roles within VML or client organizations.

• Skill Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas like automotive UX, connected car technologies, or advanced design system management.

• Client Relationship Management: Developing skills in managing high-level client relationships and strategic design consulting.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to mentor junior designers and contribute to VML's design community.

• Cross-Industry Exposure: As part of a large agency, potential to work on diverse projects across different sectors beyond automotive.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth analysis focuses on career progression typical for senior design roles within a large agency, emphasizing leadership, specialization, and client-facing capabilities. The impact is framed around tangible business outcomes for the client.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as Hybrid, with a primary office location in central London. This suggests a blend of remote work flexibility and in-office collaboration. The VML office likely offers modern collaborative spaces, meeting rooms, and amenities conducive to creative work.

Office Location(s): Central London, England, United Kingdom. This prime location offers excellent transport links and access to a vibrant urban environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The "Flex Team" and hybrid model encourage collaborative working sessions, both in person and remotely. Expect a mix of focused individual work and team brainstorming.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools, likely including advanced Figma capabilities, collaboration software, and potentially client-specific platforms.

• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with a dedicated VML team and direct engagement with client counterparts, fostering a dynamic and fast-paced work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour week is typical, the "Flex Team" and "Hybrid" nature may allow for some flexibility in daily scheduling, provided project deadlines and client needs are met. Regular team syncs and client meetings will define the core work rhythm.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description points to a modern, hybrid work environment in a major city, emphasizing collaboration and access to necessary tools. The "Flex Team" aspect suggests a dynamic workflow tailored to client project needs.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will assess your resume and portfolio against the core requirements. Be prepared to briefly highlight relevant automotive or complex industry experience.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A dedicated session where you will walk through 2-3 key projects from your portfolio. Focus on your process, design decisions, challenges, and measurable outcomes. Be ready to discuss your experience with design systems, Figma, and stakeholder management.

• Technical/Skills Assessment: This might involve a design exercise or a deeper dive into your Figma proficiency, design system knowledge, or problem-solving approach.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with potential team members and client stakeholders to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and ability to influence.

• Final Interview: A conversation with senior leadership to discuss your overall fit and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase end-to-end design, automotive relevance (if applicable), design system contributions, and problem-solving skills. Prioritize quality over quantity.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the key decisions you made, the challenges you overcame, and the impact of your solution. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Figma & Design Systems: Explicitly demonstrate your advanced Figma skills and your understanding of complex design system principles and implementation.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrate the success and business value of your designs.

• Be Prepared for "Why": Be ready to explain the rationale behind every design decision and trade-off.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: If a design exercise is given, focus on understanding the brief, defining the problem, outlining your approach, and presenting your solution clearly, even if it's a work-in-progress. Time management is key.

• Stakeholder Scenarios: Prepare for questions about how you would handle conflicting stakeholder feedback, manage challenging client conversations, or advocate for user needs against business pressures.

• Automotive Context: Brush up on current trends, challenges, and user expectations within the automotive digital space.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process emphasizes practical demonstration of skills through a portfolio and potential design challenges. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their design process and strategic thinking, particularly concerning client needs and complex systems.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design and prototyping tool. Advanced proficiency is mandatory. Expect to use it for wireframing, high-fidelity UI design, interactive prototyping, and collaborative workflows.

• Design System Tools: Familiarity with tools or methodologies for managing and contributing to design systems (e.g., Storybook, specific design system platforms, token management).

• Prototyping Tools: Deep expertise within Figma's prototyping capabilities; potentially exposure to other tools like Principle or After Effects for micro-interactions.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Research Platforms: Experience with tools for conducting user interviews, surveys, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Qualtrics).

• Data Analytics Tools: Familiarity with understanding data from platforms like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or client-specific dashboards to inform design decisions.

• Presentation Software: Proficiency in tools like PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Keynote for creating compelling design presentations and reports.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how design integrates with customer journeys managed by CRM systems is beneficial.

• Awareness of how digital products connect with backend systems and potential for automation in user workflows.

• Collaboration Tools: Proficiency in tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence for team communication and project management.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is highlighted as a critical tool. The emphasis is on design execution, prototyping, and leveraging data/research. While not a direct operations role, understanding how design impacts customer journeys managed by CRM and other enterprise systems is implied.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values: VML operates under core values of Heart, Brains, and Courage.

• Heart: Fosters empathy, trust, and human-centric connections in work and collaboration. Expect a supportive team environment where genuine relationships are valued.

• Brains: Encourages relentless curiosity, innovation, and collaborative intelligence to solve complex problems. This means a culture of learning, experimentation, and intellectual rigor.

• Courage: Inspires speaking up, embracing experimentation, and advocating for bold solutions. Be prepared to voice opinions, challenge the status quo, and drive impactful change.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Strong emphasis on working seamlessly with product, engineering, marketing, and client teams.

• Process Review Culture: Expect iterative design processes with regular feedback loops and constructive critique sessions.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that encourages sharing best practices, insights, and learnings across the team and within VML's broader design community.

• Client-Embedded: Working closely with the client means a collaborative style that prioritizes client success and alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicitly stated values (Heart, Brains, Courage) provide a clear framework for understanding the desired team culture. The emphasis is on a blend of empathy, intellectual rigor, and proactive boldness, all within a highly collaborative, client-focused setting.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Automotive Industry Complexity: Navigating the specific design maturity, regulatory landscape, and user expectations within the automotive sector.

• Client-Embedded Dynamics: Managing relationships and design expectations within a large, established client organization, potentially with evolving requirements.

• Balancing Pace & Quality: Operating within a "Flex Team" model requires delivering high-quality work at a pace that meets client project timelines.

• Multi-Brand Consistency: Ensuring brand consistency across potentially diverse sub-brands within a large automotive group while maintaining a unified user experience.

• Evolving Technology: Staying current with rapid advancements in automotive technology (e.g., EV charging, autonomous features, connected services) and translating them into user-friendly designs.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Automotive UX Specialization: Deepen expertise in user needs and design patterns specific to the automotive sector.

• Design System Advancement: Opportunities to contribute to or lead the evolution of complex, enterprise-grade design systems.

• Client Leadership Skills: Develop stronger capabilities in managing senior client relationships and acting as a strategic design consultant.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gain exposure to product management, engineering challenges, and marketing strategies within the automotive context.

• Mentorship Programs: Benefit from guidance from senior designers and leaders within VML.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the specialized nature of the role, particularly the automotive client context and the demands of an agency environment. Growth opportunities are geared towards deepening expertise and advancing into leadership within design and client management.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to influence a senior stakeholder who disagreed with your design direction. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on communication, data, empathy, and finding common ground.)

• "Walk us through a complex product design project from your portfolio. What was the problem, your process, the key decisions, and the measurable impact?" (Be prepared to discuss your entire design thinking process, not just the UI.)

• "How do you approach designing for a complex, tokenized design system? What are the key considerations for scalability and consistency?" (Demonstrate your understanding of system architecture and best practices.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do VML's values of Heart, Brains, and Courage resonate with your personal work philosophy?" (Connect your experiences and approach to their stated values.)

• "How do you stay updated on design trends and emerging technologies, particularly within the automotive sector?" (Show your commitment to continuous learning.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Start with a high-level overview of the project and its business goals. Then, dive into the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), key challenges, and finally, the results and learnings.

• Visual Storytelling: Use mockups, prototypes, and diagrams to visually communicate your ideas and process. Avoid text-heavy slides.

• Focus on "Why": For every design decision, be ready to explain the rationale behind it, referencing user needs, business goals, or technical constraints.

• Demonstrate Figma & Systems: If showcasing Figma work, highlight file structure, component usage, and prototyping features. For design systems, explain how you contributed or utilized them effectively.

• Quantify Outcomes: For each project, aim to present quantifiable results (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time, improved user satisfaction scores).

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation advice focuses on demonstrating strategic thinking, process articulation, and alignment with VML's values. The emphasis on portfolio presentation underscores its importance in evaluating senior candidates.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX/UI Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Greenhouse.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in product design, UX/UI, Figma, design systems, and any automotive or complex industry projects. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, showcases relevant projects (especially end-to-end, automotive-related, and design system work), and clearly articulates your process and impact. Have a concise walkthrough ready.

• Research VML and WPP: Understand their client roster, company values (Heart, Brains, Courage), and the Enterprise Solutions division's mission. Familiarize yourself with recent work or case studies.

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on clear communication, strategic rationale, and measurable outcomes. Be prepared for behavioral and situational questions.

⚠️ 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.