At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the evolution of a design system that enhances usability and adoption across teams.
- Company: Join a global consumer tech organisation with a focus on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Enjoy unlimited PTO, tuition reimbursement, and fitness allowances.
- Why this job: Shape impactful design systems that improve experiences for millions of users.
- Qualifications: Senior Product Designer with strong design systems experience and excellent communication skills.
- Other info: Work in a hybrid model with opportunities for career growth and development.
The predicted salary is between 95000 - 120000 ÂŁ per year.
Location: London
Work model: Hybrid – 2 to 3 days per week in Central London
Base salary: £95–120k
Annual bonus: 15%
Equity: £30–40k (long-term incentives, based on level and experience)
Total approximate compensation: £145–175k
About the role
We are hiring a Principal or Staff level Product Designer to join a global consumer technology organisation and take a leading role in shaping and scaling their design system. This role sits within the Design organisation, reporting to the Head of Design Operations, and works closely with Product Design, Content Design, Engineering, and Design Leadership. You’ll be part of a large, global tech company while working in small, empowered teams, tackling problems that genuinely matter to millions of people.
Design systems experience is required, and a portfolio demonstrating this work is required as part of the application process.
Mission
Take the company’s internal design system from a foundation and technical baseline to a system designers cannot live without. This is a highly visible role focused on design quality, usability, adoption, and clarity, ensuring the system is not only robust, but genuinely improves how teams design and build products.
Context
Over the past year, the team has built a strong, technical white-label foundation for the design system. The current design systems team includes highly technical designers, many with frontend engineering backgrounds. This role is a counterpoint: design-first, process-led, and deeply focused on adoption, clarity, and day-to-day usefulness for designers and product teams.
What you’ll do
- Lead the evolution of the design system from a design perspective, ensuring high standards of visual, interaction, and usability quality.
- Establish and refine patterns, guidelines, and standards that designers can confidently apply without second-guessing.
- Productise the design system through clear documentation, decision rationale, and usage guidance.
- Drive adoption through enablement and evangelism, including presentations, walkthroughs, and ongoing communication with design and engineering teams.
- Act as a strong design partner to engineering, translating system needs into practical, scalable solutions without being primarily responsible for coding.
- Influence cross-functional stakeholders through clear storytelling and thoughtful communication.
- Ensure the system supports consistent, consumer-grade experiences across mobile, native, and web platforms.
Must-haves
- Senior Product Designer with a strong systems and process mindset. Clear design judgement and “designer’s designer” craft, including polish, spacing, hierarchy, and usability patterns that reduce downstream tweaking.
- Proven ability to productise and evangelise a design system, including guidelines, patterns, decision documentation, and adoption initiatives.
- Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to adapt messaging for designers, engineers, and product partners.
- Comfortable speaking the language of frontend teams (tokens, variables, tooling evolution), without wanting to primarily write production code.
Nice-to-haves
- Experience running design system adoption programmes, including office hours, roadshows, communication cadences, or governance models.
- Experience working in large, distributed design organisations.
- Familiarity with AI-assisted design tools and workflows as part of modern design practice.
Benefits
- Unlimited PTO (paid time off)
- Tuition reimbursement
- Home equipment stipend
- Annual fitness allowance
Principal Product Designer in City of London employer: Good Maven
Contact Detail:
Good Maven Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Product Designer in City of London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at design meetups. A personal connection can often get you a foot in the door faster than a CV.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your portfolio! Make sure it’s up-to-date and highlights your design systems experience. When you land that interview, be ready to discuss your work and how it aligns with their needs.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by researching the company’s design system. Understand their challenges and think about how you can contribute. This shows you’re genuinely interested and ready to hit the ground running.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Product Designer in City of London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Design Systems Experience: Make sure your portfolio highlights your experience with design systems. We want to see how you've shaped and scaled design systems in the past, so include specific examples that demonstrate your impact.
Tailor Your Application: When applying, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the job description. Use the same language and keywords from the listing to show us you understand what we're looking for and how you fit into the role.
Be Clear and Concise: In your written application, clarity is key. We appreciate well-structured responses that get straight to the point. Avoid jargon unless it’s relevant, and make sure your passion for design shines through!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you're keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Good Maven
✨Showcase Your Design Systems Experience
Make sure to bring a well-organised portfolio that highlights your experience with design systems. Include specific examples of how you've contributed to the evolution and adoption of a design system, as this role is all about taking a design-first approach.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
During the interview, focus on your ability to communicate complex design concepts in a way that resonates with both designers and engineers. Practice explaining your design decisions and processes, as clear storytelling will be key to influencing cross-functional stakeholders.
✨Prepare for Technical Discussions
Brush up on the language of frontend teams, including tokens, variables, and tooling evolution. While you won’t be coding, understanding these concepts will help you translate system needs into practical solutions and demonstrate your capability to work closely with engineering teams.
✨Demonstrate Your Process-Driven Mindset
Be ready to discuss your approach to establishing guidelines, patterns, and standards. Share examples of how you've refined processes in previous roles to ensure usability and clarity, as this will show your alignment with the company's mission to create a robust design system.