At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape and scale design operations for innovative automotive and digital projects.
- Company: Join Toyota Connected Europe, a leader in automotive design.
- Benefits: Hybrid work model, competitive salary, and impactful project involvement.
- Other info: Opportunity to work with senior stakeholders and drive meaningful change.
- Why this job: Influence design processes and tackle complex challenges in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in Design Ops and strong data skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
We’re hiring a Design Operations expert to build and scale the operational backbone of Toyota Experience Design (TxD). Our design teams work across digital products, in-car experiences, and strategic initiatives, partnering with product, engineering, and business stakeholders across Europe and globally. As the organisation grows, we’re looking for someone to bring clarity, structure, and performance visibility to how design operates and scales.
This is a systems-focused role, responsible for improving how we plan, prioritise, deliver, and measure design work, ensuring our design teams can operate efficiently while maintaining high quality.
What you’ll be doing:
- Define and evolve a lightweight design operating model across various design teams.
- Improve how work is planned, scoped, and delivered.
- Support quarterly planning, prioritisation, and roadmap alignment.
- Improve visibility of capacity, demand, and dependencies.
- Build and maintain clear reporting frameworks.
- Track key design performance metrics.
- Reduce waste, duplication, and coordination overhead.
- Facilitate communication across distributed teams.
What we’re looking for:
- Experience in Design Ops operating in complex, cross-functional organisations.
- Track record of improving ways of working and operational efficiency.
- Strong data and reporting skills (Excel, Jira dashboards, etc).
- Comfortable working with tools like Jira, Confluence, Airtable, Figma, and AI.
- Ability to manage multiple workstreams and dependencies.
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Strong commercial awareness: understands cost, budget, efficiency, trade-offs, etc.
- Systems thinker with a pragmatic, outcome-focused approach.
- Comfortable working in ambiguity and driving clarity.
- Focused on enabling teams, not controlling them.
What this role is not:
- Not a tooling rollout or transformation programme.
- Not a people management position.
Why join us:
- Work on complex, large-scale design challenges across automotive and digital.
- Partner directly with senior stakeholders and influence how design operates within Toyota Connected Europe.
- Opportunity to shape and scale a high-impact design function.
- Time-boxed role with clear outcomes and visibility of impact.
Design Ops Architect — 12-Month FTC (Hybrid London) employer: Tesla
At Toyota Connected Europe, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. As a Design Ops Architect, you will have the unique opportunity to influence large-scale design challenges while working in a hybrid environment in London, where employee growth is supported through direct partnerships with senior stakeholders and a focus on operational efficiency. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team that values clarity, structure, and high-quality outcomes in the dynamic automotive and digital landscape.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Design Ops Architect — 12-Month FTC (Hybrid London)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the design ops space, especially those at Toyota Connected Europe. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that a job description just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Prepare a portfolio or case studies that highlight your experience in improving operational efficiency and managing complex projects. This is your chance to shine and demonstrate how you can bring clarity and structure to design teams.
✨Tip Number 3
Be ready for the interview! Brush up on your knowledge of tools like Jira and Figma, and think about how you've used data to drive decisions in past roles. We want to see how you can make an impact right from the start!
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're serious about joining our team and making a difference in design operations.
We think you need these skills to ace Design Ops Architect — 12-Month FTC (Hybrid London)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in Design Ops. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t be shy about showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Systems Thinking:Since this role is all about improving operational efficiency, we’d love to see examples of how you’ve tackled complex challenges in the past. Share specific instances where you’ve made a difference in design processes or team collaboration.
Be Data-Driven:We’re looking for someone with strong data and reporting skills. Include any relevant metrics or tools you’ve used in previous roles, like Excel or Jira dashboards, to demonstrate your ability to track performance and improve workflows.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensure you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Tesla
✨Know Your Design Ops Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the principles of Design Operations. Brush up on how to define and evolve design operating models, as this will be crucial for the role. Be ready to discuss your past experiences where you've improved operational efficiency and how you can bring that expertise to Toyota Connected Europe.
✨Showcase Your Data Skills
Since strong data and reporting skills are key for this position, prepare to demonstrate your proficiency with tools like Excel, Jira, and Confluence. Bring examples of how you've used these tools to track performance metrics or improve visibility in previous roles. This will show that you can hit the ground running.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
This role requires strong stakeholder management and communication skills. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and confidently, especially when discussing complex ideas. Think about how you can facilitate communication across teams and be prepared to share examples of how you've done this in the past.
✨Embrace Ambiguity and Drive Clarity
The job description mentions working comfortably in ambiguity. Prepare to discuss situations where you've navigated uncertainty and brought clarity to a project. Highlight your pragmatic, outcome-focused approach and how it has helped teams operate more efficiently.
