At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead user-centred design and strategy across impactful projects while mentoring fellow designers.
- Company: Join Hippo, a forward-thinking company at the intersection of design and technology.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, a contributory pension scheme, and perks like volunteer days.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team with opportunities for growth and thought leadership.
- Why this job: Make a real difference by shaping design standards and integrating AI into practice.
- Qualifications: Extensive design experience and strong leadership skills in complex environments.
The predicted salary is between 54000 - 66000 £ per year.
As a Principal Design Consultant, you will steer user strategy and design standards across programmes or organisations, shaping outcomes at scale. You’ll lead complex design efforts, influence executive stakeholders, and champion user-centred thinking across disciplines. You’ll mentor practitioners, strengthen Hippo’s design capability, and drive growth while integrating AI into practice. This role offers high-impact leadership at the intersection of strategy, design, and technology.
Pay / Benefits
- Contributory Pension Scheme
- 25 Days Holiday plus UK Public Holidays
- Perkbox discounts
- Life assurance and death in service cover
- Volunteer days
- Cycle-to-work scheme
Responsibilities
- Lead design in complex, high-impact client engagements across programmes or accounts
- Advise senior client stakeholders to shape long-term service strategy with data, insight, and design methods
- Ensure services meet user needs and adhere to GDS standards and accessibility
- Co-lead Hippo’s design practice, growing internal capability during rapid growth
- Evolve practices with AI integration to maintain high-quality, user-centred delivery
- Recruit, mentor, and develop Senior/Lead designers to strengthen capability
- Support pre-sales activities, shaping propositions and illustrating the value of UX-led delivery
- Represent Hippo’s design capability externally through thought leadership and industry engagement
Key requirements
- Extensive principal-level design experience across complex environments and multiple clients
- Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary, user-centred design throughout product/service lifecycles
- Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear design directions with measurable outcomes
- Expert consultancy and leadership skills with client-facing problem exploration
- Comfort operating in complex, ambiguous environments and managing multiple workstreams
- Proven track record of mentoring designers and building team capability
- Working knowledge of the GDS Digital Standard or delivering private-sector design projects
- Practical experience applying AI tools and workflows to improve outcomes
- Continuous thought leadership in the design profession
- Leadership and mentorship
- Stakeholder influence at executive level
- Communication of complex concepts clearly
- User-centred design methods
- Design leadership in strategic projects
- AI tools and workflows in design
Principal Designer employer: Hippo Digital
Hippo is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and agile work culture, empowering employees to make a meaningful impact through innovative digital solutions. With a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Hippo offers extensive benefits including a contributory pension scheme, flexible working options, and professional development opportunities, making it an ideal place for talented individuals to thrive in their careers. The fully remote nature of the Principal Software Engineer role allows for flexibility while still being part of a dynamic team dedicated to delivering high-quality services to both public and private sector clients.
