At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead design practice, shape user experiences, and mentor fellow designers at Virgin Active.
- Company: Join Virgin Active, a leader in wellness and leisure experiences.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, complimentary gym membership, and private healthcare.
- Other info: Access to discounts across Virgin Group and support for personal finance and mental health.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on member experiences while working with cutting-edge design tools.
- Qualifications: Deep experience in digital product design and strong leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Virgin Active are committed to changing people's lives for the better through wellness. Our team are dedicated to delivering a unique leisure and relaxation experience throughout all our clubs. All our team members pride themselves on incorporating Virgin Active values and ensuring the highest Brand Standards into their work, so our members can experience the finest facilities and service.
We are looking for a Lead Product Designer to join our Digital & Tech Transformation department. As Lead Product Designer, you set the vision and standard for experience design at Virgin Active. You’ll make design a strategic advantage by shaping systems, defining clarity and coherence across the digital estate, and embedding design into problem framing, not just UI execution. You will lead the design practice while remaining hands-on, crafting experiences that are behaviourally sharp, emotionally resonant and unmistakably Virgin Active.
The Role
- Lead and elevate the design practice by defining standards, rituals, tools and ways of working.
- Set the vision for what exceptional member experience looks like across the digital ecosystem.
- Own the strategy and direction of the design system to scale quality and consistency globally.
- Balance leadership with hands-on 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, high-quality 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 hands-on.
- Ability to evolve and scale a design system as a core product asset for alignment and delivery efficiency.
- Strength across 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.
Our Perks
- 25 days (excluding bank holidays) annual leave, plus a Celebration Day.
- Access to Scottish Widows Pension with us matching contributions up to 5%.
- Complimentary Virgin Active membership for you and a buddy, plus free membership for your children.
- Private Dental and Healthcare Insurance.
- Life Assurance 4x your salary.
- Discounts across Virgin Active.
- Access to ePoints, offering loads of online discounts to retailers.
- 20% off food and drink at our KAUAI branches located in clubs.
- Access to Salary Finance for loans and savings plans.
- BUPA employer assistance programme with 4 free counselling sessions.
- Complimentary corporate letting services through Dexters.
- Discount on all Academy courses.
Lead Product Designer - London employer: Virgin Active
At Virgin Active, we are dedicated to transforming lives through wellness, and as a Lead Product Designer in London, you will play a pivotal role in shaping exceptional digital experiences that resonate with our members. Our vibrant work culture fosters creativity and collaboration, offering ample opportunities for professional growth while ensuring a healthy work-life balance with generous benefits like complimentary gym memberships, private healthcare, and a supportive environment for mental wellbeing. Join us to be part of a passionate team that values innovation and excellence, making a meaningful impact in the leisure industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Product Designer - London
✨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 Virgin Active for a Lead Product Designer - London, 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 Virgin Active before they go live!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Product Designer - London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Design Process:When you're applying for a UX/UI Design role like Lead Product Designer - London at Virgin Active, 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 Virgin Active 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 Virgin Active. 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 Virgin Active.
How to prepare for a job interview at Virgin Active
✨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 Virgin Active, 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. Virgin Active 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 Virgin Active!
✨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 Virgin Active is looking for.
