Principal Product Designer, Hotels.com in London

Principal Product Designer, Hotels.com in London

London Full-Time 43200 - 72000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
Expedia, Inc.

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead design for world-class user experiences at Hotels.com, shaping travel for millions.
  • Company: Join Expedia Group, a leader in global travel innovation and community.
  • Benefits: Enjoy travel perks, flexible work, generous time-off, and career development resources.
  • Other info: Inclusive culture that celebrates diversity and fosters personal growth.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on travel experiences while collaborating with a talented team.
  • Qualifications: 10+ years in UX or product design with a strong portfolio and communication skills.

The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.

Expedia Group brands power global travel for everyone, everywhere. We design cutting-edge tech to make travel smoother and more memorable, and we create groundbreaking solutions for our partners. Our diverse, vibrant, and welcoming community is essential in driving our success.

To shape the future of travel, people must come first. Guided by our Values and Leadership Agreements, we foster an open culture where everyone belongs, differences are celebrated and know that when one of us wins, we all win.

We provide a full benefits package, including exciting travel perks, generous time-off, parental leave, a flexible work model, and career development resources, all to fuel our employees' passion for travel and ensure a rewarding career journey.

The Product Team creates high-quality end-to-end experiences for travellers, partners, and Expedia Group. Our customer-first mindset focuses on developing products that encourage loyalty and repeat business from our travellers and partners. We partner closely with teams across Expedia Group to achieve growth and results for our customers and company.

Are you a multi-disciplinary designer who thrives at the intersection of strategy, craft, and technology? Do you want to shape end-to-end experiences that help millions of people explore and enjoy the world? Are you passionate about solving complex problems, prototyping bold ideas, and bringing elegant, scalable solutions to life?

Within Expedia Group, the Experience Design (XD) organisation is a global, cross-disciplinary team uniting user experience design, content design, and research to create innovative, relevant, and cohesive experiences for travellers, partners, and agents.

We’re looking for a Principal Product Designer who can flex across visual, strategic, and interaction design and who thrives in owning end-to-end experiences. You’ll be part of a world-class team working across brands, platforms, and devices in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

As a Principal Product Designer at Hotels.com, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping world-class user experiences for one of our flagship brands. Embedded within our product and technology organisation, you’ll lead collaboration with cross-functional teams - including brand, marketing, and design systems - to evolve and elevate the Hotels.com product experience. You will set the bar for exemplary visual, strategic, and interaction design—while mentoring and inspiring others to elevate their craft and storytelling capabilities.

You’ll bring a broad range of skills to the table: from strategic thinking and systems design to high-fidelity visual design and prototyping. With a strong emphasis on design craft and a sharp eye for detail, you’ll help elevate the brand across the entire user journey. By championing simplicity, innovation, and consistency, you’ll shape how the brand comes to life across digital touchpoints - making it easier, more intuitive, and more enjoyable for users to book their next trip.

In this role, you will:

  • Problem Definition and Product Strategy: Develop, drive and teach best practice for problem framing work and synthesis of customer and business insights. Lead the definition of customer experience vision and strategy across complex problem spaces. Use a range of methods to gather and synthesize insights, driving clarity in ambiguous contexts. Translate business goals and user needs into actionable design strategies.
  • Design Craft and Execution: Define, drive and teach exemplary visual, strategic and interaction design practice. Own end-to-end experiences, from discovery and ideation to delivery and iteration. Champion elegant, scalable design solutions with a high-quality bar for execution. Create and iterate on prototypes to explore ideas, validate concepts, and communicate intent.
  • Systems Thinking: Collaborate across disciplines to align goals and drive organisational efficiency. Contribute to major evolutions in the design system and platform-level capabilities, with a focus on flexibility, reusability, and brand consistency. Apply advanced concepts in modularity, progressive enhancement, and conditional logic.
  • Communication and Collaboration: Develop persuasive storytelling and communication materials to build trust and alignment, connecting vision, strategy and goals at an organizational level. Model effective feedback practices and mentor others in clear, concise communication. Partner with product, engineering, and research to co-create solutions.
  • Customer Centricity: Apply and adapt design and research processes to large, complex problem areas. Use qualitative and quantitative insights to inform and validate design decisions. Consistently advocate for user needs and deliver solutions that solve real problems.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in UX Design, Graphic Design, Visual Design or equivalent experience.
  • 10+ years of experience in UX or product design, ideally in a product-driven environment.
  • Strong portfolio demonstrating a wide range of design skills - from strategy and systems thinking to visual design polish and advanced prototyping.
  • Proficient in tools like Figma & Adobe Creative Suite.
  • Strong prototyping skills using tools like Figma or code-based approaches.
  • Experienced in responsive web and mobile app design.
  • Comfortable working with and contributing to design systems.
  • Familiar with user research methodologies and usability testing.
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
  • Experience in travel or e-commerce is a plus.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Knowledge of accessibility standards and inclusive design practices.
  • Familiarity with front-end development technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
  • Experience with data-driven design and A/B testing.
  • Experience using AI to optimize workflow and process.

Expedia Group is proud to offer a wide range of benefits to support employees and their families, including medical/dental/vision, paid time off, and an Employee Assistance Program. To fuel each employee’s passion for travel, we offer a wellness & travel reimbursement, travel discounts, and an International Airlines Travel Agent (IATAN) membership.

Starting pay for this role will vary based on multiple factors, including location, available budget, and an individual’s knowledge, skills, and experience. Pay ranges may be modified in the future.

If you need assistance with any part of the application or recruiting process due to a disability, or other physical or mental health conditions, please reach out. The official website to find and apply for job openings at Expedia Group is careers.expediagroup.com/jobs.

Expedia is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or age.

Principal Product Designer, Hotels.com in London employer: Expedia, Inc.

At Expedia Group, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant and inclusive work culture that celebrates diversity and fosters collaboration. As a Principal Product Designer at Hotels.com, you'll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including travel perks and generous time-off, while having ample opportunities for professional growth in a fast-paced environment that values innovation and creativity. Join us to shape the future of travel and make a meaningful impact on millions of users worldwide.

Expedia, Inc.

Contact Details:

Expedia, Inc. Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Principal Product Designer, Hotels.com in London

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, especially those at Expedia Group. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that a job description just can't.

Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best work, especially projects that align with the role of Principal Product Designer. Make it easy for them to see how you can elevate their brand.

Tip Number 3

Prepare for interviews by practising common design challenges. Be ready to discuss your thought process and how you tackle complex problems. Remember, they want to see your strategic thinking in action!

Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in being part of the Expedia Group family.

We think you need these skills to ace Principal Product Designer, Hotels.com in London

User Experience Design
Visual Design
Interaction Design
Prototyping
Strategic Thinking
Systems Design
Design Systems

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Off Your Portfolio:Make sure to include a link to your portfolio that showcases your best work. We want to see your design skills in action, so pick projects that highlight your strategic thinking and visual design prowess.

Tailor Your Application:Don’t just send the same application everywhere! Take the time to tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect how your experience aligns with the Principal Product Designer role at Hotels.com. We love seeing candidates who understand our mission and values.

Be Authentic:Let your personality shine through in your application. We’re looking for someone who fits into our vibrant community, so don’t be afraid to share your passion for travel and design. Authenticity goes a long way!

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team!

How to prepare for a job interview at Expedia, Inc.

Know Your Design Principles

Before the interview, brush up on your design principles and methodologies. Be ready to discuss how you apply strategic thinking and systems design in your work. This will show that you understand the importance of a customer-first mindset and can contribute to creating high-quality end-to-end experiences.

Showcase Your Portfolio

Make sure your portfolio is up to date and highlights a range of skills, from visual design to prototyping. Be prepared to walk through specific projects that demonstrate your ability to solve complex problems and create elegant, scalable solutions. This is your chance to shine!

Prepare for Collaboration Questions

Since this role involves working closely with cross-functional teams, think about examples from your past where you've successfully collaborated with others. Be ready to discuss how you communicate effectively and model feedback practices, as these are key to building trust and alignment within teams.

Emphasise User-Centric Design

During the interview, highlight your experience with user research methodologies and how you've used qualitative and quantitative insights to inform your design decisions. Show that you consistently advocate for user needs and can deliver solutions that truly solve real problems.