UX Design Associate

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Design Associate

Company: IRIS Software Group

Location: United Kingdom

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX Design

Date Posted: 2026-09-02

Experience Level: 0-2 Years (Entry-Level/Junior)

Remote Status: Fully Remote (within the UK)

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on contributing to the design and enhancement of digital experiences for accounting professionals, leveraging user-centred design principles.

• The position involves the creation of user journeys, wireframes, and interactive prototypes to improve customer satisfaction and product usability.

• Collaboration is key, as the Associate will work closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and QA teams to translate insights into actionable design solutions.

• The role offers an excellent opportunity for early-career UX designers to develop within a supportive design community and contribute to a leading SaaS provider.

📝 Enhancement Note: The job title "UX Design Associate" and the description of "launch your UX career" strongly indicate an entry-level or junior position, suitable for candidates with 0-2 years of experience. The focus on supporting user research and turning insights into solutions further supports this. The role is firmly within the Product Design and UX Design domain.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and develop user journeys, wireframes, and interactive prototypes to visualize and refine product concepts.

• Actively support user research initiatives and conduct usability testing to gather critical feedback and validate design decisions.

• Translate customer insights and research findings into practical, user-friendly design solutions that address business needs.

• Collaborate effectively with Product Managers to understand product strategy and with Engineering and QA teams to ensure design feasibility and implementation accuracy.

• Contribute to the maintenance and evolution of design systems, ensuring consistency, scalability, and adherence to accessibility best practices.

• Drive improvements in customer experiences across a portfolio of software products, with a particular focus on the accountancy sector.

• Participate in design critiques and provide constructive feedback to peers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities are derived from the "What you'll do" section, expanded with operations-relevant keywords like "refine product concepts," "validate design decisions," "address business needs," and "implementation accuracy" to align with an operations-focused enhancement.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While specific educational requirements are not detailed, a degree or equivalent practical experience in UX Design, Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Graphic Design, or a related field is typically expected for UX roles.

Experience: 0-2 years of experience in UX/Product Design, with a demonstrated understanding of user-centred design principles and methodologies. Experience in a SaaS environment or with business/finance software is a plus.

Required Skills:

• Proficient understanding of core UX design principles and user-centred design methodologies.

• Familiarity with industry-standard design and prototyping tools, particularly Figma.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills for effective collaboration and presentation.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills to interpret user needs and technical constraints.

• A genuine passion for creating intuitive and engaging user experiences.

• Ability to work effectively within a collaborative product team environment. Preferred Skills:

• Practical experience conducting user research, including interviews and surveys.

• Experience supporting or conducting usability testing sessions.

• Knowledge of accessibility standards, such as WCAG guidelines.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and working within Scrum teams.

• Exposure to or experience with building and maintaining design systems.

• An online portfolio that effectively showcases UX design projects, design process, and problem-solving abilities.

• An interest in or foundational knowledge of business, finance, or accounting software.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Required Skills" and "Nice to have" sections from the raw description have been categorized and expanded. "Familiarity with design tools such as Figma" is listed as required, while "An online portfolio showcasing your work" is a preferred skill, but crucial for a UX role and therefore emphasized in the portfolio section. The educational background is an inference based on industry standards for UX roles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive online portfolio is essential for demonstrating your UX design capabilities.

• Showcase a range of projects that highlight your understanding of the end-to-end design process, from discovery to delivery.

• Clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process undertaken, key decisions, and the final outcomes or impact of your work.

• Include examples of user journeys, wireframes, and interactive prototypes to illustrate your design thinking.

• Demonstrate your ability to incorporate user feedback and iterate on designs. Process Documentation:

• While not explicitly stated as a deliverable for this role, understanding and documenting design processes is inherent to UX work.

• Candidates are expected to articulate their design process clearly during interviews and portfolio reviews.

• Familiarity with documenting design decisions, user flows, and interaction specifications is beneficial.

• Understanding how to contribute to and utilize design systems aligns with process standardization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is synthesized from the "Nice to have" skills, particularly "An online portfolio showcasing your work," and general industry expectations for UX roles. The emphasis is on demonstrating process and outcomes, crucial for evaluating a junior designer's potential.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is a junior UX Designer role within the UK, the expected salary range is approximately £25,000 - £35,000 per annum. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for entry-level UX/Product Designers in the UK tech sector, considering the company's size and the remote work option. The exact salary will depend on the candidate's experience, portfolio, and interview performance.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive training and professional development opportunities to support career growth.

• Mentoring programs to guide learning and skill development from experienced professionals.

• Access to modern tooling and collaborative work environments.

• A culture that celebrates diversity and empowers individuals, fostering a sense of belonging.

• Support for well-being initiatives.

• Inclusion in career development programs and a clear UX career framework.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are expected, likely around 37.5-40 hours per week. The remote nature of the role offers flexibility, but core working hours for team collaboration within the UK time zone (Europe/London) will likely apply.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on typical UK junior UX designer salaries. The benefits are directly extracted from the provided text ("Great Place to Work® certified employer," "commitment to well-being, inclusion and development," "Access mentoring, training, and career development opportunities," "Clear career progression through our UX career framework") and framed for operations relevance. Working hours are inferred from "FULL_TIME" employment type and typical industry standards.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Software (SaaS) and Technology, with a strong focus on providing solutions for accountancy, business, and education sectors. IRIS is a significant player in the UK market, trusted by a large number of businesses and institutions.

Company Size: IRIS Software Group is one of the UK's largest privately held software companies. While an exact employee count isn't provided, "100,000+ businesses" served and being a "largest privately held software companies" indicates a substantial organization, likely with hundreds to thousands of employees.

Founded: IRIS Software Group has a history, implied by its scale, though the exact founding date isn't provided. It's a well-established entity in the UK software market.

Team Structure:

• The UX Design Associate will join a growing Product team, working within a collaborative design community.

• This role is part of a product team that includes Product Managers, Engineers, and QA specialists, indicating cross-functional team structures.

• The presence of a "UX career framework" suggests a structured approach to design team organization and career progression. Methodology:

• The team operates with a user-centred design approach, focusing on translating customer insights into practical solutions.

• Collaboration with Product Managers and Engineers suggests an Agile or Lean development methodology.

• Contributions to design systems and accessibility best practices point towards a focus on scalable, maintainable, and inclusive design processes.

Company Website: https://www.iris.co.uk/

📝 Enhancement Note: Company culture details are drawn from the "About IRIS" section and the "Why You’ll Love Working Here" and "Why join IRIS?" sections. The scale of operations and market penetration are highlighted to contextualize the impact of the role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is an entry-level (Junior) UX Designer position, suitable for individuals beginning their career in UX/Product Design. It offers foundational experience in a professional software development environment.

Reporting Structure: The UX Design Associate will report into a Product Design Lead or Manager, working within a product-specific team. They will collaborate closely with Product Managers, UX/UI Designers, and Engineers.

Operations Impact: The work of the UX Design Associate directly impacts the usability and effectiveness of IRIS's software products for accounting professionals. By improving user journeys and interfaces, they contribute to customer satisfaction, efficiency gains for users, and ultimately, the success and adoption of IRIS's solutions in the market.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in areas like user research, usability testing, interaction design, or accessibility.

• Career Advancement: Clear progression through IRIS's UX career framework, potentially moving to a UX Designer, Senior UX Designer, or specialized roles.

• Mentorship and Training: Access to experienced professionals for guidance, structured training programs, and professional development resources.

• Project Exposure: Work on impactful products used by a significant customer base, gaining experience with complex SaaS solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career path and growth opportunities are inferred from the "Why join IRIS?" section, specifically mentioning "Learn from experienced UX and Product professionals," "Access mentoring, training, and career development opportunities," and "Clear career progression through our UX career framework."

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is advertised as "TELECOMMUTE" and "Fully Remote," indicating a remote-first or remote-friendly work environment within the United Kingdom.

Office Location(s): While the company is UK-based, the specific office locations are not detailed as the role is remote. IRIS Software Group has a significant presence across the UK.

Workspace Context:

• Remote work setup, requiring self-discipline and effective time management.

• Access to modern digital collaboration tools and design software (e.g., Figma) for seamless remote teamwork.

• Opportunities for virtual interaction and collaboration with product teams, fostering a connected remote culture.

• The role emphasizes working within a supportive design community, even in a remote setting, suggesting regular virtual check-ins and team activities.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours, with flexibility inherent in a remote role. Adherence to UK time zones (Europe/London) for meetings and collaborative sessions is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Work Environment" is primarily derived from the "Remote OK" and "TELECOMMUTE" classifications, along with inferences about the tools and collaboration needed for a remote UX role.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Review: Initial screening of applications and resumes, with a strong emphasis on the candidate's portfolio.

• Initial Call: A brief introductory conversation with a recruiter or hiring manager to discuss experience, motivations, and the role in more detail.

• Skills Assessment: This is a critical stage, likely involving a portfolio review where candidates present their work and design process. It may also include a design exercise or case study tailored to UX challenges relevant to IRIS's products.

• Final Interview: A meeting with the broader team and potentially senior stakeholders to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, and how the candidate will "make an IMPACT."

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Select Projects: Focus on 2-4 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your UX skills and process.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, your design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), key decisions, and the impact or outcome. Use visuals effectively.

• Showcase Process: Emphasize your problem-solving approach and how you arrive at design solutions, not just the final polished screens. Include sketches, wireframes, and user flows.

• Highlight Collaboration: If possible, mention how you collaborated with stakeholders, developers, or other team members.

• Tailor to IRIS: If you can, demonstrate an understanding of IRIS's products and target audience (accounting professionals) within your portfolio or presentation.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand UX Fundamentals: Be ready to discuss core UX principles, user-centred design, and your design philosophy.

• Figma Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your experience with Figma and potentially demonstrate your skills in a brief exercise.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Anticipate questions about how you would approach specific design challenges related to improving user flows or solving usability issues.

• Accessibility Awareness: Be prepared to discuss your understanding of accessibility standards (WCAG) and how you incorporate them into your designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is heavily informed by the "What to expect from our hiring process" section and general industry best practices for UX interviews. The emphasis on portfolio review and skills assessment is a key takeaway.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as a required tool for design and prototyping. Candidates should be comfortable with its features for wireframing, UI design, and creating interactive prototypes.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other prototyping tools may be beneficial.

• Collaboration Platforms: Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or similar for daily communication and team collaboration in a remote setting.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly mentioned for this role, understanding how to use analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Hotjar, Pendo) to gather user behaviour data and inform design decisions is a valuable asset.

• Familiarity with interpreting user feedback from surveys or support channels. CRM & Automation:

• No specific CRM or automation tools are listed as direct requirements for this UX role. However, understanding the broader product ecosystem and how user data is managed may be indirectly relevant.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary tool mentioned is Figma. Other tools are inferred based on standard UX workflows and remote team collaboration needs.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Impact: A strong emphasis on making a tangible impact on millions of users globally through their software.

• Growth: A commitment to continuous learning, professional development, and career advancement for employees.

• Belonging: A culture that actively celebrates diversity, promotes inclusion, and empowers every individual.

• User-Centricity: A core value in UX design, focused on understanding and meeting the needs of accounting professionals.

• Collaboration: Working effectively within cross-functional teams to deliver integrated solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, with frequent interaction between designers, Product Managers, Engineers, and QA.

• Open to feedback and constructive critique to drive design improvements.

• Values a supportive environment where team members learn from each other.

• Embraces modern, efficient ways of working, likely incorporating Agile principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: Values and collaboration style are derived from the "Why You’ll Love Working Here" and "About IRIS" sections, interpreted through the lens of a UX role within a tech company.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Complex Requirements: Effectively translating the specific needs of accounting professionals into intuitive and efficient user interfaces.

• Remote Collaboration: Maintaining strong communication and collaboration within a remote team environment.

• Balancing User Needs and Business Goals: Finding optimal design solutions that satisfy both user experience and business objectives.

• Learning Curve: Adapting to IRIS's existing product suite, design systems, and internal processes.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Formal Training: Access to structured training programs offered by IRIS.

• Mentorship: Guidance from experienced UX and Product professionals within the company.

• Skill Expansion: Opportunities to learn about accessibility, user research methodologies, and advanced design techniques.

• Career Framework: A defined path for career progression within the UX discipline at IRIS.

• Industry Exposure: Working with products used by a significant portion of the UK market provides valuable industry experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are inferred based on the role's junior level and the industry context (SaaS for accounting). Growth opportunities are directly pulled from the "Why join IRIS?" section.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process: "Walk me through a project from your portfolio. What was the problem, your process, and the outcome?" Be prepared to discuss your specific contributions and decision-making.

• User-Centred Design: "How do you ensure your designs meet user needs? Can you give an example of how you've used user feedback to improve a design?"

• Problem-Solving: "Imagine we need to improve the reporting feature in our accounting software. How would you approach this problem from a UX perspective?" Focus on your methodology.

• Tooling: "Describe your experience with Figma. What are your favourite features for prototyping?"

• Collaboration: "How do you collaborate with Product Managers and Engineers? How do you handle design disagreements?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about IRIS and our products?" Research IRIS's mission, products, and recent news.

• "How do you contribute to an inclusive and diverse work environment?"

• "What are your career aspirations in UX design?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically: Introduction (problem, your role), Process (research, ideation, design iterations, testing), Solution (key screens, prototypes), and Outcome (impact, metrics if available).

• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals of your wireframes, prototypes, and user flows.

• Storytelling: Frame your projects as stories with a clear narrative arc.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; focus on the most impactful aspects of your work.

• Engagement: Be ready to answer questions and discuss your design choices in detail.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions are crafted based on the role's requirements, the company's stated values, and typical UX interview formats, emphasizing process, problem