At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the evolution of a design system that enhances usability and adoption.
- Company: Join a global consumer tech company with a focus on impactful design.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, annual bonus, equity options, and hybrid work model.
- Why this job: Shape a design system that improves experiences for millions of users worldwide.
- Qualifications: Senior Product Designer with strong systems mindset and proven design skills.
- Other info: Collaborate with talented teams in a dynamic environment with growth opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 ÂŁ per year.
Location: London
Work model: Hybrid – 2 to 3 days per week in Central London
Annual bonus: 15%
Equity: £30–40k (long-term incentives, based on level and experience)
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.
Principal Product Designer employer: Good Maven
Contact Detail:
Good Maven Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Product Designer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at design meetups. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your portfolio! Make sure it’s up-to-date and highlights your design systems experience. When you get the chance, walk potential employers through your work and explain your thought process.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common design questions and scenarios. Think about how you’d explain your design decisions and how they impact usability and adoption.
✨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 are proactive!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Product Designer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Design System Experience: Make sure your portfolio highlights your experience with design systems. We want to see how you've taken a system from concept to execution, so include examples that demonstrate your impact and the clarity you bring to design.
Tailor Your Application: When applying, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific requirements of the Principal Product Designer role. Use the job description as a guide to emphasise your relevant skills and experiences that align with what we’re looking for.
Communicate Clearly: Your written application should reflect your strong communication skills. We value clear storytelling, so make sure your application is well-structured and easy to read, showcasing your ability to convey complex ideas simply.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It helps us keep track of applications and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates regarding your application status.
How to prepare for a job interview at Good Maven
✨Showcase Your Design System Experience
Make sure to bring a well-organised portfolio that highlights your experience with design systems. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you’ve led the evolution of a design system, focusing on how you ensured usability and clarity.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Since this role involves influencing cross-functional stakeholders, practice articulating your design decisions and processes. Use storytelling techniques to convey your ideas effectively, ensuring you can adapt your messaging for both designers and engineers.
✨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 communicate your design needs more effectively during the interview.
✨Demonstrate Your Process-Driven Mindset
Be prepared to discuss how you establish and refine design patterns and guidelines. Share examples of how you’ve productised a design system through documentation and decision rationale, showcasing your process-led approach to design.