Design Lead (Maternity Cover)

Help us use technology to make a big green dent in the universe! Kraken powers some of the most innovative global developments in energy. We’re a technology company focused on creating a smart, sustainable energy system. From optimising renewable generation, creating a more intelligent grid and enabling utilities to provide excellent customer experiences, our operating system for energy is transforming the industry around the world in a way that benefits everyone. It’s a really exciting time in energy. Help us make a real impact on shaping a better, more sustainable future.

What we do: build the most AI-driven, innovative, forward-thinking platform for energy management. From optimising resources to delivering cost-effective, exceptional customer experiences through advanced Customer Information Systems (CIS), billing, meter data management, CRM, and AI-driven communications, Kraken is powering the next wave of innovation in the energy industry.

Why we do it: future energy will not look like energy as we know it today. We need to not just think about our future, but build for it. Now. Kraken is the tech platform accelerating the global green transition. We power utilities and innovators around the world with AI-driven systems that manage billing, communication, lifecycle journeys, and operations at a global scale.

Now we’re looking for a Design Lead for Kraken Customer to join us on a fixed term/ freelance basis. Someone who is passionate about human-centered design, building strong teams, and ready to shape the experiences millions of people (and thousands of operators) rely on every day, and make them feel coherent, intuitive, and unmistakably Kraken. You’ll lead a talented team of UX/UI designers and own the evolution of Kraken’s customer-facing experiences. Working closely with stakeholders across the business to balance strategic initiatives with client and operational needs, while ensuring our products are inclusive, consistent, and high-quality.

Why this role matters: If we get customer experience right, trust in energy providers increases. If billing, communication, and lifecycle management become intuitive, renewable adoption accelerates. If operational and enterprise workflows become clearer and more powerful, our clients succeed faster. We’re developing “Experience as Infrastructure” to create global impact.

What you'll do:

• You’ll lead design across:
• Communications – high-volume, high-stakes messaging that builds trust and drives action
• Customer Lifecycles – onboarding, servicing, retention, and key inflection moments
• Financials & Commercials – billing, payments, tariffs, credits, and complex commercial workflows
• Frontend platform experiences – the shared foundations that make consistency and speed possible

Beyond developing great and intuitively designed products, you’ll ensure the entire ecosystem makes sense across end customers, enterprise users, and operational teams. Coherence at scale (without turning into the design police). You’ll partner with our Frontend Engineering team to build foundations that allow teams to move faster because of them.

Strengthen Kraken’s design system:

• Increase reuse across product lines
• Embed accessibility from the start
• Reduce fragmentation and improve governance without slowing teams

Scaling clarity in how design operates: We’re looking for someone with strong systems thinking and strong ways of working, to sharpen:

• Rituals and critique culture
• Documentation standards
• Collaboration patterns with Product & Engineering

A team that grows sharper under your leadership: You’ll lead and mentor a talented group of UX/UI designers. Your impact will be visible in:

• Designers stepping confidently into Senior and Staff scope
• Stronger design judgment across teams
• Clear quality standards that people respect

What you'll need:

• Significant experience leading design across complex, multi-domain SaaS products
• Immersed but pragmatic use of AI to accelerate research, prototyping, and design with modern design tools and workflows (Figma is our primary design tool).
• Human-centred design processes, and knowing when to go deep vs. move fast.
• Proven design systems experience in live, scaled environments (governance, adoption, dev collaboration)
• Accessibility-first design embedded in production environments (WCAG and beyond)
• Experience operating in regulated or high-stakes domains
• Clear evidence of developing high-performing designers

Things you'll love in this role:

• Your team: leading a group of thoughtful, talented, and supportive UX/UI designers.
• The wider Tech team: friendly, collaborative, and deeply knowledgeable people.
• Our users: close access to Ops and customer teams for research, testing, and real-world feedback.
• Level-up days: one full day each month dedicated to learning and personal development.
• Design talks: share ideas, experiments, and learnings or just enjoy and be inspired.
• Spa days: monthly time to focus on small improvements, experiments, or quick wins for users (plus free lunch!).

Join us and help shape the future of design at Kraken.

Accommodations and Inclusion: Are you ready for a career with us? We want to ensure you have all the tools and environment you need to unleash your potential. If you have any specific accommodations or a unique preference, please contact us at inclusion@kraken.tech and we’ll do what we can to customise your interview process for comfort and maximum magic!

Equal Opportunity Employer: Studies have shown that some groups of people, like women, are less likely to apply to a role unless they meet 100% of the job requirements. Whoever you are, if you like one of our jobs, we encourage you to apply as you might just be the candidate we hire. Across Kraken, we’re looking for genuinely decent people who are honest and empathetic. Our people are our strongest asset and the unique skills and perspectives people bring to the team are the driving force of our success. As an equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute. We consider all applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.