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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 work arrangements.
- Why this job: Shape the future of design and engineering while making a real impact.
- Qualifications: Experience owning a design system and expert-level Figma skills required.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace committed to respect and dignity for all.
The predicted salary is between 42000 - 56000 £ 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.
Locations
Design Systems Lead in Sheffield, Yorkshire employer: Rebel Recruitment
Contact Detail:
Rebel Recruitment Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Design Systems Lead in Sheffield, Yorkshire
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the design and engineering communities, especially those who work with design systems. Attend meetups or webinars, and don’t be shy about sliding into DMs on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your experience with design systems. Include case studies that demonstrate how you’ve made an impact in previous roles. This is your chance to shine, so make sure it’s easy for potential employers to see what you can bring to the table.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on both design and engineering concepts. Since this role sits at the intersection of both, being able to speak the language of both designers and engineers will set you apart. Practice explaining your design decisions and how they align with engineering needs.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining us. Tailor your application to highlight your experience with design systems and how you can help us create order and clarity at scale. Let’s build something amazing together!
We think you need these skills to ace Design Systems Lead in Sheffield, Yorkshire
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Design Systems: When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for design systems shine through! Share specific examples of how you've owned or evolved a design system in the past. We want to see your love for creating order and clarity at scale.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to describe your experience with Figma and component-based architectures. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see your skills and fit for the role.
Highlight Collaboration Skills: Since this role involves working closely with engineers, make sure to mention any collaborative projects you've been part of. Talk about how you’ve partnered with others to create reusable components and ensure design consistency. We value teamwork!
Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic application! Tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the specifics of our job description. Mention your experience with accessibility standards and user-centred design. We want to know why you’re the perfect fit for us!
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 how that experience can benefit the team.
✨Showcase Your Figma Skills
Since expert-level Figma skills are crucial for this role, prepare to demonstrate your proficiency. Bring examples of reusable components or design tokens you've created in Figma. This will not only highlight your technical abilities but also show your understanding of design consistency and scalability.
✨Bridge the Gap Between Design and Engineering
This role sits at the intersection of design and engineering, so be prepared to discuss how you've collaborated with engineers in the past. Share specific examples of how you ensured design components mapped cleanly to coded components, and how you’ve tackled challenges in that collaboration.
✨Emphasise User-Centred Design
Make sure to highlight your grounding in user-centred design and evidence-based decision making. Discuss how you approach design problems with the end-user in mind and provide examples of how your designs have solved real issues in complex products.
