At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead design initiatives to enhance member experiences and elevate brand standards.
- Company: Join Virgin Active, a leader in wellness and fitness services.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, private healthcare, and discounts across Virgin brands.
- Why this job: Shape the future of wellness through innovative design and impactful leadership.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading design for consumer digital products and mentoring designers.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for professional growth and collaboration.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
Join to apply for the Lead Product Designer role at Virgin Active. Virgin Active are committed to changing people's lives for the better through wellness. Our team delivers a unique leisure and relaxation experience throughout all our clubs, ensuring the highest brand standards and a worldâclass member experience.
The Role
- Lead and elevate the design practice by defining standards, rituals, tools and ways of working.
- Set the vision for exceptional member experience across the digital ecosystem.
- Own the strategy and direction of the design system to scale quality and consistency globally.
- Balance leadership with handsâon craft, using Figma to set the bar for clarity, simplicity and coherence.
- Define experience vision and design principles across core journeys to ensure unified, intuitive experiences.
- Ensure the Virgin Active brand is expressed consistently and recognisably across markets.
- Use research, insight and behavioural understanding to guide design direction.
- Mentor and develop designers to build capability, craft and progression.
- Shape feedback loops and rituals that protect quality and focus.
- Partner with Product, Engineering and Brand to create feasible, scalable, highâquality solutions.
- Communicate direction and rationale clearly to senior stakeholders to support confident decision making.
- Support delivery through prototyping, validation and iteration beyond launch.
Experience
- Deep experience leading design for consumer digital products at scale, with a portfolio showing systems thinking and behaviour change.
- Experience guiding and elevating the craft of other designers while remaining highly skilled handsâon.
- Ability to evolve and scale a design system as a core product asset for alignment and delivery efficiency.
- Strong capability in interaction, visual and systems design, with consistently high standards for clarity and detail.
- Strong capability in research insight, behavioural understanding and shaping confident design direction.
- High proficiency with Figma and contemporary design tools, plus comfort exploring with AI and emerging tech.
- Ability to create clarity in complex spaces and frame direction across Product, Engineering, Research and Brand.
- Skilled stakeholder communicator with influence at senior levels.
- Thrives in ambiguity, drives alignment and momentum, and models excellence in craft and culture.
Benefits
- 25 days (excluding bank holidays) annual leave, plus a Celebration Day.
- Scottish Widows Pension with matching contributions up to 5%.
- Complimentary Virgin Active membership for you and a buddy.
- Private Dental and Healthcare Insurance.
- Life Assurance 4x your salary.
- Discounts across Virgin Active â including guest passes and 50% off PT sessions.
- Access to Virgin Family discounts across Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Holidays and Virgin Media/O2.
- 20% off food and drink at KAUAI club branches.
- Salary Finance support for loans and savings plans.
- BUPA employer assistance programme â 4 free counselling sessions.
- Partnering with Dexters for complimentary corporate letting services.
- Access to ePoints for online retailer discounts.
- VA Academy course discounts.
Seniority level: MidâSenior level
Employment type: Fullâtime
Job function: Product Management
Industries: Wellness and Fitness Services
Lead Product Designer in London employer: Virgin Active
Contact Detail:
Virgin Active Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice đ¤Ť
We think this is how you could land Lead Product Designer in London
â¨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Virgin Active on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
â¨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Prepare a portfolio that highlights your best design work, especially projects that demonstrate systems thinking and behaviour change. Make sure itâs easy to navigate and visually appealingâjust like the experiences you aim to create!
â¨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to discuss your design philosophy and how youâve led teams in the past. Use examples that showcase your ability to balance hands-on craft with leadershipâthis is key for the Lead Product Designer role.
â¨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! Itâs the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us. Donât miss out on this opportunity!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Product Designer in London
Some tips for your application đŤĄ
Show Off Your Design Skills: Make sure your portfolio shines! Include projects that highlight your experience with consumer digital products and your ability to create intuitive experiences. We want to see how youâve used Figma and other tools to elevate design standards.
Tailor Your Application: Donât just send a generic application. Take the time to align your experience with the job description. Highlight your leadership in design, your mentoring skills, and how youâve successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams. We love seeing that connection!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, clarity is key. Use straightforward language to communicate your design vision and principles. Remember, weâre looking for someone who can articulate their ideas clearly to senior stakeholders, so show us you can do that right from the start!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. Itâs the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us youâre genuinely interested in joining our team at Virgin Active!
How to prepare for a job interview at Virgin Active
â¨Know Your Design Principles
Before the interview, brush up on your design principles and be ready to discuss how they apply to creating exceptional member experiences. Think about how you can articulate your vision for a unified and intuitive experience across digital platforms.
â¨Showcase Your Portfolio
Make sure your portfolio is up-to-date and highlights your best work in consumer digital products. Be prepared to walk through specific projects that demonstrate your systems thinking and ability to drive behaviour change, especially using Figma.
â¨Prepare for Stakeholder Communication
Practice how you would communicate design direction and rationale to senior stakeholders. Think of examples where you've influenced decision-making and how you can convey complex ideas clearly and confidently.
â¨Emphasise Mentorship Experience
Since mentoring is key in this role, come prepared with examples of how you've guided other designers. Discuss the feedback loops and rituals you've established to maintain quality and focus within your team.