At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and innovate product design strategies for a global educational platform.
- Company: Join Twinkl, a supportive and fun-loving team dedicated to empowering educators.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and opportunities for personal growth.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with a focus on innovation and user-centric design.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in EdTech while shaping the future of learning experiences.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in UI/UX design with leadership experience; passion for education is a plus.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 110000 £ per year.
Location: Remote UK, with occasional travel to the Sheffield HQ.
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 37.5 hours (Core hours 10:00am - 2:00pm Monday - Friday)
We're here to help those who teach. It's what brings us to work every day. At Twinkl, we’ve been providing educators across the world with high quality, trusted teaching and learning resources for over a decade now. The product team is dedicated to creating innovative and engaging experiences for educators and children. We are committed to enriching the lives of users through our website which enables teachers, schools, and parents to access millions of downloadable resources, and interactive and educational applications that inspire creativity, learning, and fun.
Ongoing projects/how you’ll spend your day:
- Scaling a Mature Design Culture: Standardise and advocate for a deeply integrated, user-centric product design philosophy across the entire global organisation.
- Strategic & Operational Leadership: Define, articulate, and execute the long-term design and research vision aligned with Twinkl’s multi-year business strategy.
- Design Governance: Establish the quality benchmarks and operational standards (DesignOps) for all design initiatives.
- Enterprise Design Systems: Champion the evolution and adoption of a unified, functional design system and toolkit.
- Executive Collaboration & Influence: Act as a peer to senior leadership across Engineering, Product, Data, Marketing, and Education teams.
- Organisational Team Development: Strategically recruit, structure, and scale a multi-tiered and multi-disciplinary product design function.
- Executive Customer Advocacy: Serve as the ultimate champion for the customer at the leadership table.
To succeed in the role, you will:
- Be an Executive Visionary: Possess a forward-looking perspective on the future of EdTech, gamification, and digital learning.
- Be a High-Impact Communicator: Master the art of translating complex design and research methodologies into compelling business outcomes.
- Be Business-Minded & User-Centric: Seamlessly balance deep empathy for educators, students, and parents, with a sharp understanding of subscription business metrics.
- Be an Organisational Connector: Excel at cross-functional diplomacy, building alignment across distinct departments.
- Be Strategically Detail-Oriented: Focus on the systemic quality of our product experiences.
- Be an Innovation Catalyst: Cultivate an environment where safe experimentation is encouraged.
- Be a Change Leader: Display exceptional resilience and a growth mindset in a fast-paced, scaling environment.
We're interested in people that have:
- 10+ years of experience in UI/UX product design, with at least 4+ years in a senior leadership/management role.
- Desirable experience leading teams of UX researchers.
- Proven track record of scaling design organisations, implementing DesignOps, and delivering complex, multi-platform ecosystem solutions.
- A sophisticated portfolio or case studies demonstrating strategic design leadership.
- Exceptional executive presence, storytelling, and negotiation skills.
- Deep understanding of global accessibility standards (WCAG) and inclusive design frameworks.
- Experience navigating the EdTech landscape, scalable gamification, or integrating emerging technologies like AI into user experiences is highly desirable.
Benefits:
- A friendly, welcoming and supportive culture.
- Flexible working with fully remote and hybrid working options.
- 33 days annual leave per year, pro rata.
- An additional day of annual leave, a Me Day, to take time for yourself.
- Charity day to volunteer and support a registered charity of your choice.
- Westfield Health (including Health Club discount and Westfield Rewards discount and cashback).
- Learning and Development opportunities.
- 4 x annual salary death in service life assurance.
- Enhanced pension after long service.
- Enhanced parental and adoption leave after long service.
- Quarterly awards designed to reward and recognise our wonderful Twinkl employees.
- Seasonal events for all UK employees.
Director of Product Design employer: Twinkl
At Twinkl, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant and inclusive work culture that prioritises employee well-being and growth. With a focus on professional development, our team enjoys flexible working arrangements, generous annual leave, and a supportive environment that fosters collaboration and innovation. Join us in making a meaningful impact in education while enjoying the benefits of a dynamic and rewarding workplace.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Director of Product Design
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
In the world of UX/UI design, your portfolio speaks volumes! Make sure it's packed with your best work and showcases your process, not just the final product. We want to see how you tackle design challenges, so consider adding case studies that reflect your thought process and user-centric approach.
✨Get Involved in Design Communities
Jump into local or online design meetups and workshops! Places like UXPA or local design events can be goldmines for networking and learning. Plus, mingling with fellow designers can introduce you to potential job openings that might not be listed elsewhere.
✨Tailor Your Applications
When you find a role that excites you, like the one at Twinkl for a Director of Product Design, make your application count! Highlight specific projects and skills that directly relate to the job description. Hiring managers are looking for candidates who fit into their specific team, so show them you’re the one!
✨Leverage Social Media
Don't underestimate the power of social media in finding a UX/UI design job! Follow design leaders on platforms like Twitter or Instagram, share your work, and engage in conversations. It’s a great way to get noticed by recruiters and even catch wind of openings at companies like Twinkl before they go live!
We think you need these skills to ace Director of Product Design
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Design Process:When you're applying for a UX/UI Design role like Director of Product Design at Twinkl, make sure to include examples that clearly highlight your design process. We want to see not just the final product but also the journey that led you there—wireframes, user personas, and iterations demonstrate your thought process and user-centric approach!
Tailor Your Portfolio:A tailor-made portfolio is crucial for a full-time design role! Curate your best projects that align with the kind of work Twinkl does. We suggest including 3-5 case studies that showcase a variety of skills such as wireframing, prototyping, and user testing to really make your application pop.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter should not just be a summary of your CV. Use it to express why you’re excited about UX/UI Design and what draws you specifically to Twinkl. Mention any relevant experience, tools you’re proficient in (like Sketch or Figma), and how you can contribute to their projects.
Highlight Collaboration Skills:In the world of UX/UI Design, teamwork is crucial. Make sure to highlight any past experiences where you worked in cross-functional teams. Illustrate how you communicated design decisions and listened to feedback, as this will resonate well with the culture at Twinkl.
How to prepare for a job interview at Twinkl
✨Show Off Your Portfolio
When you're gunning for a full-time UX/UI design role, your portfolio is your best friend! Make sure you've got a solid selection of your work, showcasing not just the final designs, but the process behind them—think wireframes, user flows, and any user research you've conducted. During the interview with Twinkl, be prepared to discuss your design decisions and how they solve specific user problems.
✨Prepare for Design Challenges
Expect to face some practical design tasks during your interview. Twinkl might ask you to tackle a quick design challenge or critique an existing interface. Brush up on your problem-solving skills and try to articulate your thought process as you work through these scenarios. Showing how you approach a design problem is just as important as the final output!
✨Know the Tools of the Trade
Familiarise yourself with the tools commonly used in the industry—figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch should be second nature to you. Be ready to discuss your preferred tools during the interview and how they've shaped your design process at previous positions. This knowledge could give you an edge at Twinkl!
✨Show Passion for User Experience
In a full-time UX/UI design role, having a genuine passion for improving user interactions can set you apart. Be prepared to share instances when you went above and beyond to ensure a great user experience in your previous projects. This will demonstrate that you’re not just a designer, but a user advocate, which is exactly what Twinkl is looking for.
