UX Lead (commerce)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Lead (commerce)

Company: VML

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience (UX) / Customer Experience (CX) Operations

Date Posted: May 07, 2026

Experience Level: Senior / Lead

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the definition and execution of UX strategy for large-scale eCommerce initiatives, driving innovation and shaping the agency's UX offering.

• Manage, mentor, and scale a team of UX designers, ensuring functional excellence, fostering collaboration, and promoting career development within the Customer Experience (CX) team.

• Oversee the end-to-end UX design process, from qualitative and quantitative research, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing to Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) strategy.

• Develop and champion a strong user-centric and conversion-led design culture across the business, impacting client bottom lines through enhanced customer experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Lead" within the "Customer Experience team," indicating a significant level of responsibility for strategic direction, team management, and operational excellence in UX delivery, particularly within the eCommerce domain. The emphasis on "scaling our UX offering" and "defining a compelling Experience Design & Optimisation strategy" points towards a strong focus on process development and operational efficiency.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and articulate a compelling UX strategy, actively shaping and scaling VML's overall UX offering for commerce clients.

• Lead and manage UX design teams, ensuring functional excellence, fostering seamless collaboration, and maintaining alignment with client objectives and agency standards.

• Strengthen all phases of the design process, including qualitative and quantitative user research, detailed wireframing, interactive prototyping, rigorous usability testing, and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) initiatives.

• Cultivate a robust experience design culture and develop impactful experience models and packages that demonstrably improve customer experiences and client profitability.

• Drive continuous improvements in user experience, research methodologies, and optimization strategies across client projects.

• Advocate for user experience best practices, establishing and enforcing quality processes within the UX team and across relevant departments.

• Develop conversion-led UX approaches and embed a customer-focussed design culture throughout the organization.

• Actively participate in attracting, retaining, and hiring top UX design talent to scale the team and meet growing business demands.

• Serve as a dedicated coach and mentor to the UX design team, fostering knowledge sharing, skill development, and individual career progression.

• Collaborate closely with the Analytics team to build and enhance the CRO offering, synthesizing customer insights from diverse data sources.

• Design and facilitate product definition and UX requirements workshops with clients and internal stakeholders.

• Present and clearly articulate experience maps, wireframes, user flows, and final designs to various audiences, from working groups to C-suite executives.

• Direct the production of key UX artifacts, including journey maps, personas, scenarios, process flows, and information architecture diagrams, to define and evolve product strategies and user experiences.

• Oversee the delivery of low and/or high-fidelity wireframes, effectively communicating the rationale behind design decisions to both clients and internal teams.

• Collaborate effectively with Account Leads, Head of CX, Analytics, Optimisation, Consultancy, program managers, developers, and clients to ensure integrated and successful project delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, team management, and hands-on UX execution. The emphasis on "scaling our UX offering," "defining WoW," and "automating for efficiencies and scale" strongly suggests a need for process optimization and operational rigor beyond traditional UX design.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Extensive experience in developing and executing UX strategies, particularly within the eCommerce sector, with a preference for agency environments.

• Proven track record of leading large-scale redesign transformation projects, demonstrating the ability to manage complex initiatives from inception to completion.

Required Skills:

• eCommerce UX Expertise: Deep understanding of user experience principles specifically applied to online retail, D2C, B2B, and marketplace platforms.

• Research & Discovery: Proficiency in designing and conducting a wide range of qualitative (e.g., user interviews, usability testing) and quantitative (e.g., surveys, analytics analysis) research methods.

• Information Architecture & Wireframing: Ability to structure complex information logically and create clear, effective wireframes that communicate user flows and functional requirements.

• Prototyping & Usability Testing: Skill in developing interactive prototypes and conducting usability testing to validate designs and gather user feedback.

• Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Understanding of CRO principles and methodologies to drive measurable improvements in conversion rates for eCommerce clients.

• Workshop Facilitation: Experience in designing and leading workshops for product definition, UX requirements gathering, and stakeholder alignment.

• Team Leadership & Mentoring: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and manage a team of UX designers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.

• Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with clients, internal teams (Account Leads, Analytics, Development), and present solutions to C-suite executives.

• Portfolio: A strong, comprehensive portfolio showcasing extensive UX design background across various projects, sectors, and audiences, with a focus on eCommerce and significant redesign transformations.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with specific eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce, or similar.

• Familiarity with A/B testing tools and methodologies for continuous optimization.

• Knowledge of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) in UX design.

• Experience with agile development methodologies and working within cross-functional product teams.

• Understanding of SEO principles as they relate to UX and content strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a "strong portfolio" is paramount for this role, especially given the emphasis on eCommerce expertise and large-scale transformation projects. The portfolio should clearly demonstrate the candidate's ability to lead the full UX process and drive measurable business impact through design.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Demonstrate end-to-end UX process ownership for at least 2-3 large-scale eCommerce redesign or transformation projects. Each case study should detail the problem, your role, the methodologies used (research, design, testing), key decisions made, and quantifiable outcomes (e.g., conversion rate uplift, user satisfaction scores, task completion rates).

• Strategic Impact: Showcase examples of defining and implementing UX strategies that align with business objectives and drive significant client growth or efficiency.

• Team Leadership Examples: Include evidence of mentoring junior designers, managing project teams, or overseeing the quality of UX deliverables.

• Workshop Outputs: Present examples of workshop outputs (e.g., process maps, personas, journey maps) and how they informed design decisions.

• CRO Integration: Highlight projects where UX strategy was directly integrated with CRO efforts to achieve measurable conversion improvements.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design: Provide examples or descriptions of how you have documented and optimized UX workflows, including research, design, and testing phases, to improve efficiency and scalability.

• Quality Assurance: Showcase your approach to ensuring quality and consistency in UX deliverables, including the implementation of design systems or style guides.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Illustrate how you have established efficient collaboration processes with analytics, development, and client teams to ensure seamless project execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role's emphasis on "scaling our UX offering," "defining WoW," and "automating for efficiencies and scale" implies that a candidate's portfolio should not only showcase design work but also their ability to streamline processes and implement scalable operational frameworks within UX delivery.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for a Lead UX role with extensive eCommerce experience in London, UK, a competitive salary range is estimated between £70,000 - £95,000 per annum. This estimate considers the seniority of the role, the specific expertise required in eCommerce, and the agency environment.

Benefits:

• Discretionary Bonus Scheme: Performance-based financial rewards.

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

• Competitive Pension: Contribution towards retirement savings.

• Medical Insurance: Comprehensive health coverage for employees.

• Life Assurance: Financial protection for beneficiaries.

• Social Events: Opportunities for team building and networking.

• Holiday Buy and Sell Options: Flexibility in managing annual leave.

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

Working Hours:

• Standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week.

• The role operates on a hybrid model, with teams generally expected in the office an average of four days a week. Flexibility may be discussed during the interview process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on typical London market rates for senior UX leadership roles in agency settings. Actual compensation may vary based on the candidate's specific experience, qualifications, and negotiation. The benefits listed are directly from the provided text and are presented to highlight the comprehensive package offered.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Marketing & Advertising, Digital Experience, Commerce Solutions. VML operates within the broader WPP ecosystem, a global leader in marketing and communications services. The company focuses on integrating brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to drive growth for its clients.

Company Size: VML is a large global agency with over 26,000 employees across 55+ markets. This scale offers opportunities for diverse project work and career progression.

Founded: VML was founded in 1992, and its merger with Wunderman in 2020 created a significant force in the industry. Its Enterprise Solutions division, where this role sits, is a key part of its global network, focusing on delivering digital experiences across various market channels.

Team Structure:

• Customer Experience (CX) Team: This role reports into the Head of CX and works alongside Leads in UI Design, Optimisation, and Consultancy, indicating a structured CX department.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The UX Lead will collaborate extensively with Account Leads, Analytics, Optimisation, Consultancy, Program Managers, Developers, and clients, emphasizing a highly integrated and collaborative working environment.

• Global Network: As part of VML's global network, the UX team likely collaborates with colleagues in other regions, contributing to a diverse and international team dynamic.

Methodology:

• Human-First & Data-Driven: VML emphasizes a human-first approach combined with data-driven insights to create award-winning work. This role requires synthesizing customer insights from multiple sources.

• Connected Brands: The agency's core mission is to create connected brands, suggesting a focus on holistic customer journeys and consistent experiences across all touchpoints.

• Agile & Iterative: The nature of agency work and the focus on CRO implies an agile and iterative approach to design and optimization.

• Process Optimization: The role's emphasis on "scaling our UX offering," "defining WoW," and "automating for efficiencies and scale" points to a strong focus on process improvement and operational efficiency within the UX function.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's size and global presence, combined with its focus on integrated CX and commerce solutions, mean this role is situated within a complex, dynamic, and client-centric operational environment. The emphasis on "Enterprise Solutions" and partnerships with major technology providers (Adobe, SAP, Salesforce) suggests a high level of technical integration and strategic project delivery.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Lead UX position, signifying a senior role responsible for strategic direction, team management, and the operational excellence of UX delivery within the eCommerce domain. It's a step beyond individual contribution, requiring leadership in shaping processes, mentoring talent, and driving business impact for clients.

Reporting Structure: The UX Lead reports directly to the Head of CX. This structure places the role in a key leadership position within the Customer Experience department, with direct influence on the UX offering and team development. Collaboration will extend across various departments, including UI Design, Optimisation, Consultancy, Analytics, and Development.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on client success by defining and implementing strategies that enhance customer experiences, increase conversion rates, and drive business growth for major global brands. The UX Lead is instrumental in translating business objectives into tangible, user-centered digital solutions that deliver measurable ROI. The focus on "automating for efficiencies and scale" highlights an operational impact beyond just design output.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to grow into a senior directorial role within the CX or broader agency structure, overseeing larger teams or multiple service lines.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to significantly influence the agency's UX and CX strategy, contributing to its market positioning and service development.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in eCommerce UX, CRO, and experience design leadership, becoming a recognized authority in the field.

• Mentorship & Talent Development: Develop strong leadership and coaching skills by nurturing the next generation of UX talent within VML.

• Client Relationship Management: Enhance skills in client engagement, strategic consulting, and presenting to C-suite audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The description emphasizes "shaping and scaling our UX offering" and "automating for efficiencies and scale," indicating that growth opportunities within this role are not just about individual contribution but also about improving the operational framework of the UX department.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: VML operates on a hybrid work model. While specific details about the physical office environment (e.g., open plan, dedicated quiet zones) are not provided, the hybrid approach suggests a dynamic workspace designed to accommodate both collaborative team sessions and focused individual work. The company emphasizes that "the best work happens when we're together."

Office Location(s): The role is based in London, England, United Kingdom. The company has principal offices in various global locations, facilitating international collaboration.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is likely designed to foster creativity and collaboration, with teams coming together an average of four days a week. This facilitates brainstorming, client workshop facilitation, and team synergy.

• Access to Tools & Technology: As a leading digital agency, VML likely provides access to industry-standard UX design and research tools, as well as robust IT infrastructure to support complex project delivery.

• Cross-functional Interaction: The hybrid model and emphasis on collaboration mean frequent interaction with diverse teams (UI, Optimisation, Analytics, Dev) both in person and virtually.

Work Schedule:

• The standard working hours are 40 hours per week.

• The hybrid model requires an average of four days per week in the office, balancing in-person collaboration with remote flexibility. Specific arrangements may be discussed during the interview process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with a requirement for 4 days in the office indicates a strong emphasis on in-person collaboration for key activities like workshops, team syncs, and client engagements, which is typical for senior roles involving team leadership and client-facing responsibilities in an agency setting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess experience, qualifications, and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Typically with the Head of CX, focusing on your experience, leadership style, strategic thinking, and understanding of eCommerce UX.

• Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with other Leads (UI, Optimisation, Consultancy) and potentially senior UX designers to assess collaboration skills, cultural fit, and technical depth.

• Case Study Presentation/Challenge: You may be asked to present a case study from your portfolio or tackle a specific UX problem relevant to VML's clients, demonstrating your process, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior agency leader to discuss overall fit and strategic vision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to clearly showcase your UX leadership journey, focusing on eCommerce projects. Use a consistent structure for each case study: Problem, Your Role, Process/Methodology, Solutions, Results (quantifiable metrics are crucial).

• Highlight Strategic Thinking: Emphasize how you defined UX strategy, how your decisions aligned with client business goals, and how you drove innovation.

• Demonstrate Process Ownership: Clearly articulate your involvement in the full UX lifecycle, from research and discovery through to design, testing, and optimization.

• Showcase Leadership & Collaboration: Include examples of how you've led teams, mentored designers, and collaborated effectively with cross-functional partners and clients.

• Quantify Achievements: Wherever possible, present data and metrics that demonstrate the positive impact of your work on conversion rates, user satisfaction, or business KPIs.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand VML's Business: Research VML's clients, their industries (e.g., FMCG, automotive, retail, B2B), and the types of commerce solutions they offer.

• Prepare for Strategy Questions: Be ready to discuss how you would approach defining a UX strategy for a specific client type or challenge, how you'd scale a UX offering, and how you'd measure success.

• Practice Presentation Skills: Rehearse presenting your portfolio case studies and any potential challenge responses clearly, concisely, and engagingly. Focus on storytelling and articulating your rationale.

• Anticipate Operational Questions: Be prepared to discuss your approach to defining "Ways of Working" (WoW), implementing process improvements, and fostering efficiency within a UX team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize your portfolio for evidence of strategic leadership, end-to-end process ownership, and measurable impact, particularly within the eCommerce context. Preparing a compelling narrative around your leadership and operational approach to UX delivery is key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• UX Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision (for wireframing, prototyping, and design collaboration).

• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Optimal Workshop, Hotjar (for heatmaps, session recordings), Qualtrics or SurveyMonkey (for surveys).

• Information Architecture: Miro, Lucidchart, Whimsical (for diagrams, user flows, journey maps, personas).

• Project Management: Jira, Asana, Trello (for task management, workflow tracking, agile processes).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics (for understanding user behavior, traffic sources, conversion funnels).

• CRO Platforms: Optimizely, VWO, Google Optimize (for A/B testing, multivariate testing, personalization).

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI (potentially used by analytics teams to present insights).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM: Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics (understanding CRM data is crucial for customer journey mapping and personalization).

• Marketing Automation: Hubspot, Marketo (awareness of how UX integrates with marketing automation workflows).

• Integration Platforms: Experience with how different platforms (CRM, e-commerce, analytics) integrate to provide a holistic customer view.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the specific stack isn't detailed, a UX Lead in an agency environment, especially one focused on commerce and optimization, would be expected to be proficient with industry-standard UX/UI design tools, research platforms, and have a strong understanding of how to leverage analytics and CRO tools to inform design decisions and measure impact. Familiarity with common enterprise CRM and e-commerce platforms is also highly beneficial.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Heart: Empathy and trust are central, fostering genuine connections and human-centric work. This translates to understanding user needs deeply and building strong relationships within the team and with clients.

• Brains: Relentless curiosity and collaborative intelligence are valued for solving complex challenges. This means a proactive approach to learning, sharing knowledge, and seeking innovative solutions through teamwork.

• Courage: Encouraging individuals to speak up, embrace experimentation, and advocate for bold solutions that push boundaries. This supports a culture of continuous improvement and challenging the status quo in UX and operations.

• Impact-Driven: A focus on delivering measurable results for clients, aligning UX efforts with business objectives and driving growth.

• Efficiency & Scale: A drive to optimize processes, improve efficiency, and build scalable solutions, as indicated by the role's mandate to "scale our UX offering" and "automate for efficiencies."

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: A highly collaborative style that integrates UX with UI, Optimisation, Consultancy, and Analytics to create cohesive customer experiences.

• Client-Centric Partnership: Working closely with clients to understand their needs, co-create solutions, and present findings and strategies effectively.

• Knowledge Sharing & Mentorship: A culture that encourages sharing best practices, learnings, and providing mentorship to foster team growth and collective expertise.

• Data-Informed Decision-Making: A collaborative approach where design decisions are informed by data insights and user research, and findings are shared transparently.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicitly stated core values of "Heart, Brains, and Courage" are crucial for understanding the agency's operational ethos. For a UX Lead, this means demonstrating empathy in user understanding, innovative problem-solving, and the bravery to advocate for user needs and bold design solutions, all while maintaining a focus on operational efficiency.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scaling UX Operations: Developing and implementing processes and frameworks to efficiently scale the UX offering across a growing number of clients and projects without compromising quality.

• Balancing Client Demands with Innovation: Managing diverse client expectations and project timelines while pushing for innovative and breakthrough UX solutions.

• Integrating UX with CRO & Analytics: Effectively bridging the gap between user experience design, conversion rate optimization, and data analytics to deliver demonstrably impactful results.

• Leading and Mentoring Diverse Talent: Guiding and developing a team of UX designers with varying levels of experience and specializations, fostering a cohesive and high-performing unit.

• Adapting to Evolving Commerce Landscape: Staying ahead of emerging trends in eCommerce, digital experience, and user behavior to ensure VML's offerings remain cutting-edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic CX Leadership: Deepen expertise in developing and executing CX and UX strategies for large global brands.

• Operational Excellence in Design: Gain advanced skills in process optimization, workflow automation, and team scaling within a creative agency setting.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Opportunities to attend relevant industry events and pursue certifications in UX, CRO, or related fields.

• Mentorship Program: Access to senior leadership for guidance and development, as well as opportunities to mentor junior team members.

• Exposure to Diverse Technologies & Platforms: Work with a wide array of eCommerce platforms (Shopify, BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce) and partner technologies (Adobe, SAP, Salesforce).

📝 Enhancement Note: The role's challenges are directly tied to its operational mandate: scaling processes, integrating disciplines, and leading teams effectively in a fast-paced agency environment. The growth opportunities are geared towards developing a well-rounded leader in both strategic UX and operational management.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach defining and scaling a UX offering for large eCommerce clients, and what key operational processes would you implement?" (Focus on process documentation, WoW definition, and resource management).

• "Describe a time you had to balance aggressive client demands with the need for innovative UX solutions. How did you manage stakeholder expectations and ensure quality?" (Highlight communication, negotiation, and strategic prioritization).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What does VML's 'Heart, Brains, Courage' ethos mean to you in the context of a UX Lead role, and how would you embody these values in your daily work?" (Connect values to user empathy, innovative problem-solving, and advocating for bold solutions).

• "How would you foster a strong UX culture and ensure collaboration within a hybrid team structure, especially when working with other disciplines like UI, Optimisation, and Development?" (Discuss communication strategies, team engagement, and process alignment).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your presentation around a compelling story for each case study, emphasizing your journey from problem identification to solution delivery and impact.

• Visual Clarity: Use high-quality visuals of wireframes, prototypes, and final designs. Ensure they are easy to understand and support your narrative.

• Focus on Process & Rationale: Clearly explain why you made certain design decisions, linking them back to user research, business goals, and operational considerations.

• Quantify Impact: Dedicate specific slides or sections to clearly present the measurable results achieved. Use charts and graphs to illustrate data effectively.

• Leadership & Collaboration Evidence: Integrate examples of your leadership, mentoring, and cross-functional collaboration within your case study walk-throughs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to articulate not just your design skills but also your operational approach to leading UX teams, scaling services, and driving measurable business outcomes for eCommerce clients. Your portfolio presentation should clearly demonstrate your strategic thinking and leadership capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Lead (commerce) position at VML:

• Submit Your Application: Click the "Submit Application" button and complete the required fields on the VML careers portal.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful eCommerce UX projects that best showcase your leadership, end-to-end process ownership, and quantifiable results. Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, visually appealing, and clearly articulates your contributions, methodologies, and the business impact achieved.

• Optimize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords related to UX leadership, eCommerce, CRO, strategy, team management, and operational process improvements. Quantify achievements wherever possible.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, clear articulation of your rationale, and highlighting your strategic and operational approach. Practice delivering this within a reasonable timeframe.

• Research VML & WPP: Familiarize yourself with VML's client roster, their approach to CX and commerce, and WPP's broader capabilities. Understand their core values (Heart, Brains, Courage) and how they apply to agency operations and client work.

⚠️ 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.