Principal UX Designer

Hippo is recruiting for principal consultants in UX design. UX designers ensure that people using a service can do what they need to do, when they need to do it, in a way that is easy for them. Working with user researchers, they identify what users need from a service and use that information to inform their design decisions. Champions of user-centred design, they work with other Agile team members to test and iterate designs, and advise clients on how to get the best from interaction design.

Hippo’s principal consultants in UX design are experts in their field, supporting teams and clients at a strategic level. In return, we offer exciting opportunities to support clients at a senior level and to play an important part in the expansion of Hippo business. Please note, we are looking for candidates who are looking for growth at this level (principal), therefore the advertised salary band is the lower end of our full banding for this level of position, allowing for progression in the role.

What you’ll do:

• Develop strong relationships with clients and provide expertise in interaction design, people-centred design and Agile methodologies.
• Lead teams to design services that meet the needs of all users and adhere to GDS standards.
• Evolve Hippo’s approach to UX design, promoting the profession internally and externally.
• Lead Hippo’s UX design community of practice and provide thought leadership in your profession.
• Recruit, line manage and mentor other interaction designers.
• Support Hippo business strategy by leading on recruitment, resourcing, training, bid writing or other Hippo-related business activities.

Skills and experience that you need:

• Extensive experience in UX design across a range of environments, and with a range of clients.
• Experience of leading multidisciplinary Agile teams to design and deliver people-centred services (from Discovery to live).
• Advanced communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience educating stakeholders and team members in the value of interaction design and Agile ways of working.
• Experience of line-managing or mentoring other UX designers.
• Working knowledge of the GDS Digital Standard and how to prepare for a GDS assessment.
• Experience providing continuous thought leadership within your profession.
• An understanding of other design disciplines such as content design and service design.
• Advanced consultancy and leadership skills, and confidence in exploring problem spaces with clients to determine most appropriate way forward.

What makes us great:

As well as a competitive salary which we’re transparent about from the outset, you can also expect a range of benefits:

• Contributory pension scheme (Hippo 6% with employee contributions of 2%).
• 25 days holiday plus UK public holidays.
• Perkbox access for a wide range of discounts.
• Critical illness cover.
• Life assurance and death in service cover.
• Volunteer days.
• Cycle-to-work scheme for the avid cyclists.
• Salary sacrifice electric vehicles scheme.
• Season ticket loans.
• Financial and general wellbeing sessions.
• Flexible benefits scheme with options of private health cover, private dental cover, additional company pension contributions, additional holidays (up to an extra 2 days), wellbeing contributions, charity contributions, tree planting.

Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at Hippo:

At Hippo, we’re dedicated to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace that works for everyone. We understand that having a diverse team unlocks our capacity for innovation, creativity and problem solving. Only by building a community of diverse perspectives, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds can we create an environment where all can contribute and thrive.

We actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups including women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent and people with disabilities. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process that reflects our workplace culture. We are a registered Disability Confident Employer, Mindful Employer, Endometriosis Friendly Employer and a member of the Armed Forces Covenant. Hippo continually strives to remove barriers, provide accommodations and offer reasonable adjustments to ensure equity throughout our practices.

Hi, we’re Hippo:

At Hippo, we design with empathy and build for impact. We do this by combining data-informed evidence, human-centred design and software engineering. We’re a digital services partner who is genuinely invested in helping our clients thrive as modern organisations. Our delivery methodology is truly agile, from concept to reality, supporting innovation and continuous improvement to achieve your desired outcomes.

We firmly believe that technology should serve humanity, not the other way around. We take a human-centred approach to everything we do because we understand that complex problems require a service design approach. This means understanding how users behave and ensuring our solutions work for them in the real world.

Our combination of data, design, and engineering delivers bespoke digital services that make a positive and meaningful impact on organisations and society. We’re confident in our abilities, authentic in our approach, and passionate about what we do. If you’re looking for a digital services partner that can deliver real results, let us help you build for the future and make a lasting impact.

Hippo locations:

We are headquartered in Leeds and located across the UK in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, London and Bristol. We’re on the lookout for top talent nationwide, so don’t let location hold you back from applying. We welcome candidates from all over the UK who possess the flexibility to work from any of our locations. Plus, we offer a generous relocation support package of up to £8k to help make your move a smooth one. It’s worth noting that, given the dynamic nature of our business, you may be required to work on-site at client locations or from your own home.