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- Tasks: Lead the creation and maintenance of a design system that enhances product development.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking company in Sheffield with a hybrid working model.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £70,000 and flexible working arrangements.
- Why this job: Shape the future of design and engineering while making a real impact.
- Qualifications: Experience in owning a design system and expert-level Figma skills required.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace with opportunities for growth.
The predicted salary is between 42000 - 84000 £ per year.
Location: Sheffield
Working Model: Hybrid - 2 days a week in the office
Salary: Up to £70,000 Dependent on experience
Build the system that powers everything else. This role is for someone who loves creating order, clarity, and momentum at scale. As a Design Systems Lead, you'll take ownership of an established (or evolving) design system and shape it into something teams genuinely rely on. Your work will sit at the intersection of design and engineering, creating the foundations that help products ship faster, stay consistent, and scale with confidence. This is a high-impact individual contributor role where your decisions will influence how designers design and how engineers build.
What you'll be doing:
- Designing, building, and maintaining a design system that spans both design and code
- Creating reusable components, patterns, and guidelines in Figma
- Defining and managing design tokens (colour, spacing, typography, motion)
- Working closely with engineers to ensure design components map cleanly to coded components
- Setting clear standards for accessibility, responsiveness, and theming
- Producing clear documentation so teams know when and how to use the system
- Reducing UI and design decision fatigue so teams can move faster
- Evolving the system as the product, team, and complexity grow
What we're looking for:
- You don't need to have done everything, but you must have real experience owning a design system.
- Proven experience designing, scaling, or maintaining a design system in a product environment
- Expert-level Figma skills (components, variants, variables)
- Strong understanding of modern frontend development and component-based architectures (e.g. React)
- Experience partnering closely with engineers on shared component models
- A product-led mindset—you design to solve real problems, not just to make things look good
- Comfort working in complex, data-heavy products
- A solid grounding in user-centred design and evidence-based decision making
Nice to have (but not essential):
- Hands-on experience contributing to or implementing a coded design system
- Familiarity with tools like Storybook, Tailwind, or token-based theming
- Background in B2B, industrial, or technically complex products
We welcome diverse applicants and are dedicated to treating all applicants with dignity and respect, regardless of background.
Design Systems Lead employer: Rebel Recruitment
Contact Detail:
Rebel Recruitment Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Design Systems Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at local meetups. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can help you land that Design Systems Lead role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your experience with design systems, especially your work in Figma and collaboration with engineers. We want to see how you’ve made an impact in previous roles!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your knowledge of component-based architectures and user-centred design. We suggest practising common interview questions related to design systems so you can confidently showcase your expertise.
✨Tip Number 4
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 the initiative to connect directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Design Systems Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Design Systems: When you're writing your application, let us see your enthusiasm for design systems! Share specific examples of how you've owned or evolved a design system in the past. We want to know what makes you tick and how you can bring that passion to our team.
Be Clear and Concise: We appreciate clarity, so make sure your application is easy to read. Use bullet points where possible to highlight your skills and experiences. Remember, we’re looking for someone who can create order and clarity, so show us you can do that right from the start!
Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic application! Take the time to tailor your CV and cover letter to the role of Design Systems Lead. Highlight your Figma skills and any experience with frontend development. We want to see how your unique background fits into our vision.
Apply Through Our Website: Make it easy for us to find your application by applying through our website. It helps us keep everything organised and ensures your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it’s super straightforward—just follow the prompts!
How to prepare for a job interview at Rebel Recruitment
✨Know Your Design System Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the design system you'll be working with. Familiarise yourself with its components, patterns, and guidelines. Be ready to discuss how you've previously owned or evolved a design system, and think about specific examples that showcase your expertise in Figma and component-based architectures.
✨Showcase Your Collaboration Skills
This role requires close collaboration with engineers, so be prepared to talk about your experience working alongside technical teams. Share examples of how you've partnered with engineers to ensure design components map cleanly to coded components. Highlight any successful projects where your teamwork led to improved efficiency or product quality.
✨Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Mindset
As a Design Systems Lead, it's crucial to have a product-led mindset. Be ready to discuss how you've designed solutions to real problems rather than just focusing on aesthetics. Prepare to share specific challenges you've faced in complex, data-heavy products and how your design decisions helped overcome them.
✨Prepare Thoughtful Questions
Interviews are a two-way street, so come armed with insightful questions about the company's design philosophy, team dynamics, and future plans for the design system. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you assess if the company aligns with your values and career goals.
