At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead design for the Foods Connected platform and build a high-impact design team.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking company focused on modernising design with AI.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous holidays, and a flexible hybrid working model.
- Other info: Opportunity to shape the future of design in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by simplifying complex workflows and enhancing user experience.
- Qualifications: Proven product design experience and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
As a senior member of the Engineering leadership team, you'll report to the Head of Product and lead design across the Foods Connected platform. Much of the impact comes through influence rather than headcount. You'll build and develop a small, effective design team, lift the quality and consistency of the experience our customers rely on, and give design a real say in how Product and Engineering make decisions. Our users work in compliance, procurement, and quality roles, where a wrong call can carry real regulatory and commercial cost, so much of the craft is making difficult work feel clear and under control. This role will suit someone with strong design craft, as we modernise the platform and bring AI into the workflows where it counts.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Strategic design leadership
- Own the product design vision and keep it aligned with the roadmap and our commercial goals.
- Make design quality and customer experience something that sets us apart, working with the Head of Product and wider leadership.
- Set the design principles, standards and ways of working that fit a growing business with demanding customers.
- Speak for design and the customer in strategy discussions, and shape what we build and why.
- Track the measures that matter — task success, adoption, satisfaction — and keep the team focused on outcomes, not output.
- Cross-functional partnership & customer insight
- Build strong relationships with Product, Engineering and Customer Success, and turn real customer problems into good design.
- Make genuinely complex areas — audits, supplier management, compliance, costings — straightforward to use.
- Bring customer insight into roadmap and prioritisation, and focus the business on the problems worth solving.
- Design craft, system & AI
- Set the quality bar across the platform's applications and the shared design system, and evolve it alongside Engineering.
- Lead how we embed AI into the way users interact with the platform, bringing automation and efficiency with the right guardrails in place.
- Put AI tooling to practical use day-to-day, from prototyping to pulling research together.
- Lead design through the platform's modernisation, making considered, high-impact decisions that protect continuity and trust for customers.
- Make confident, well-judged calls on what's worth adopting as AI capability moves at pace.
- People leadership
- Build and develop a small, effective team, leading from the front by doing the work as well as directing it.
- Create a culture where craft, curiosity and learning are the norm.
- Coach people, give honest feedback and a clear path to grow.
- Hire when it genuinely adds capability, not to grow the team for its own sake.
- Keep the team connected to how the business performs commercially.
QUALIFICATIONS: EDUCATION, TRAINING, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES
- Bachelor's degree in Design, Business, Technology, or related field.
- Solid product design experience, including a senior design role (Head, Director or Lead) at a B2B SaaS or product company.
- A track record in complex, workflow-heavy or regulated areas — compliance, fintech, healthtech, supply chain — winning the trust of expert users where mistakes carry real cost.
- Evidence you can simplify complex systems, shown through results such as task completion, adoption and fewer support tickets, not a portfolio of screens.
- People leadership experience, focused on developing individuals rather than adding headcount.
- Happy to get hands-on and lead from within the team, with the craft depth to guide, advise and set the quality bar.
- Confident with modern design and AI tooling (Figma a given), comfortable prototyping in or close to code with engineers.
- Recent, hands-on experience shipping AI-assisted features, able to talk concretely about designing for uncertainty.
- An AI-first approach: you build AI into your everyday design process and think ahead as AI capability moves at pace.
- Bonus: the food industry or a similarly regulated environment, a legacy-to-modern platform migration, being the first senior design hire, or a PE-backed or growth-stage business.
BENEFITS
- Competitive base salary.
- Generous holiday package — 25 days + 10 public holidays.
- Private medical, dental & vision.
- Employee wellness programme and classes.
- Flexible model of hybrid working.
LOCATION
Derry or Belfast (Hybrid)
Lead Product Designer in Derry employer: Foods Connected
At Foods Connected, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, fostering a vibrant work culture that prioritises employee happiness and collaboration. Our Derry or Belfast location offers a dynamic environment where team members can engage closely with colleagues, benefiting from generous holiday packages, private medical care, and a flexible hybrid working model. We are committed to the growth of our employees, providing opportunities for professional development while ensuring they play a vital role in driving compliance excellence within our innovative SaaS platform.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Product Designer in Derry
✨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 Foods Connected for a Lead Product Designer, 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 Foods Connected before they go live!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Product Designer in Derry
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Design Process:When you're applying for a UX/UI Design role like Lead Product Designer at Foods Connected, 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 Foods Connected 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 Foods Connected. 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 Foods Connected.
How to prepare for a job interview at Foods Connected
✨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 Foods Connected, 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. Foods Connected 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 Foods Connected!
✨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 Foods Connected is looking for.
