Director of Design in Southampton

Director of Design in Southampton

Southampton Full-Time Home office (partial)
Benifex Limited

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead a dynamic design team to create exceptional user experiences for millions.
  • Company: Join Benifex, a fast-growing tech leader in online rewards and benefits.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work options, and comprehensive benefits package.
  • Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace committed to equal opportunities.
  • Why this job: Shape the future of design in a company recognised as a Best Place to Work.
  • Qualifications: Experience in scaling design functions and collaborating in B2B SaaS environments.

Benifex is a fast‑moving technology company and one of the most successful providers of online reward and benefits solutions in the world. We believe that everyone deserves an exceptional experience at work, every day, and build workplace technology that makes this happen. Benifex’s mission is to build remarkable experiences that employees love. Today Benifex supports more than five million employees in over 3,000 organisations across more than 100 countries.

Why should you apply? You’ll shape a complex, multi‑product experience, bringing clarity and coherence to a suite used by millions. You’ll build and elevate the design function, creating the team, standards and processes that define how great design happens at Benifex. You’ll have real influence, acting as a key voice in product leadership and helping set direction, priorities and quality. You’ll work on meaningful design challenges, from modernising legacy systems to launching new products at pace. You’ll drive modern, AI‑powered design practices that raise quality and accelerate delivery.

Great Benefits: Salary depends on experience and locations. The range that is open is SEK 83,000 – 102,000 per month / £100,000 – 136,000 annually. Flexible work – choose a working setup that works for you. Full access to our comprehensive benefits package, which varies by location. We will discuss the details which relate to your location when you meet the Talent team. Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship.

Role Overview: We’re hiring a Director of Design to lead our growing team of product designers and researchers who are spread across the UK and Sweden. Along with our great team, you'll prove that great design is the difference between a product people tolerate and one they truly love! You’ll elevate the craft, create clarity in how we work, strengthen product coherence across our suite, and significantly influence what we build and how quickly we ship it. You’ll be a senior voice in product leadership, ensuring we stay focused on real user pain while embracing modern tooling (especially AI) to drive both quality and speed. This is a role for a design leader who understands B2B SaaS complexity, collaborates deeply with engineering, and knows how to turn insights into product direction, not just pixels.

Responsibilities:

  • Building the design function: hiring, coaching, setting clear quality standards, and establishing processes that enable designers to do their best work.
  • Owning product coherence across our suite — ensuring customers feel the value of a unified experience, not disconnected parts.
  • Acting as the design voice in product leadership: shaping priorities, highlighting user problems, and advocating for quality while engaging with trade‑offs.
  • Grounding the team in real user problems using research, analytics, support data and customer conversations — not just usability testing.
  • Driving the adoption of modern design tools and AI‑aided workflows that accelerate both quality and delivery.
  • Partnering closely with product and engineering to scope work, make decisions quickly, and keep momentum high.

What are we looking for?

  • You’ve built or significantly scaled a design function, hiring designers and establishing processes that stuck.
  • You’ve worked in complex B2B SaaS environments with multiple user types, legacy constraints and configuration‑heavy problems.
  • You collaborate deeply with product and engineering, understand technical constraints, and know how to help teams move decisively.
  • You start with user problems, not interfaces and have examples to show this.
  • You value pace, helping your team avoid rabbit holes and ship high‑quality work regularly.
  • You have strong visual taste and have previously elevated an aesthetic in a grounded, enterprise‑appropriate way.
  • You measure design impact through analytics, NPS, task data or customer signals.
  • You’ve built and shipped a design system adopted by engineering that improved consistency and velocity.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome and respected. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are a proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage during the recruitment process, please let us know with your application.

Director of Design in Southampton employer: Benifex Limited

At Benifex, we pride ourselves on being a fast-moving technology company that champions exceptional workplace experiences. As a Director of Design, you'll not only lead a talented team but also have the opportunity to shape innovative design practices in a collaborative environment that values diversity and inclusion. With flexible working arrangements and a comprehensive benefits package tailored to your location, Benifex is committed to fostering employee growth and ensuring that every day at work is meaningful and rewarding.

Benifex Limited

Contact Details:

Benifex Limited Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Director of Design in Southampton

Show Off Your Portfolio

In the world of UX/UI design, your portfolio speaks volumes! Make sure it's packed with your best work and showcases your process, not just the final product. We want to see how you tackle design challenges, so consider adding case studies that reflect your thought process and user-centric approach.

Get Involved in Design Communities

Jump into local or online design meetups and workshops! Places like UXPA or local design events can be goldmines for networking and learning. Plus, mingling with fellow designers can introduce you to potential job openings that might not be listed elsewhere.

Tailor Your Applications

When you find a role that excites you, like the one at Benifex Limited for a Director of Design, make your application count! Highlight specific projects and skills that directly relate to the job description. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who fit into their specific team, so show them you’re the one!

Leverage Social Media

Don't underestimate the power of social media in finding a UX/UI design job! Follow design leaders on platforms like Twitter or Instagram, share your work, and engage in conversations. It’s a great way to get noticed by recruiters and even catch wind of openings at companies like Benifex Limited before they go live!

We think you need these skills to ace Director of Design in Southampton

Design Leadership
B2B SaaS Expertise
Team Building
Coaching
Quality Standards Establishment
User-Centric Design
Collaboration with Engineering

Some tips for your application 🫡

Showcase Your Design Process:When you're applying for a UX/UI Design role like Director of Design at Benifex Limited, make sure to include examples that clearly highlight your design process. We want to see not just the final product but also the journey that led you there—wireframes, user personas, and iterations demonstrate your thought process and user-centric approach!

Tailor Your Portfolio:A tailor-made portfolio is crucial for a full-time design role! Curate your best projects that align with the kind of work Benifex Limited does. We suggest including 3-5 case studies that showcase a variety of skills such as wireframing, prototyping, and user testing to really make your application pop.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter should not just be a summary of your CV. Use it to express why you’re excited about UX/UI Design and what draws you specifically to Benifex Limited. Mention any relevant experience, tools you’re proficient in (like Sketch or Figma), and how you can contribute to their projects.

Highlight Collaboration Skills:In the world of UX/UI Design, teamwork is crucial. Make sure to highlight any past experiences where you worked in cross-functional teams. Illustrate how you communicated design decisions and listened to feedback, as this will resonate well with the culture at Benifex Limited.

How to prepare for a job interview at Benifex Limited

Show Off Your Portfolio

When you're gunning for a full-time UX/UI design role, your portfolio is your best friend! Make sure you've got a solid selection of your work, showcasing not just the final designs, but the process behind them—think wireframes, user flows, and any user research you've conducted. During the interview with Benifex Limited, be prepared to discuss your design decisions and how they solve specific user problems.

Prepare for Design Challenges

Expect to face some practical design tasks during your interview. Benifex Limited might ask you to tackle a quick design challenge or critique an existing interface. Brush up on your problem-solving skills and try to articulate your thought process as you work through these scenarios. Showing how you approach a design problem is just as important as the final output!

Know the Tools of the Trade

Familiarise yourself with the tools commonly used in the industry—figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch should be second nature to you. Be ready to discuss your preferred tools during the interview and how they've shaped your design process at previous positions. This knowledge could give you an edge at Benifex Limited!

Show Passion for User Experience

In a full-time UX/UI design role, having a genuine passion for improving user interactions can set you apart. Be prepared to share instances when you went above and beyond to ensure a great user experience in your previous projects. This will demonstrate that you’re not just a designer, but a user advocate, which is exactly what Benifex Limited is looking for.