At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead user experience design for cutting-edge AI applications and mentor a growing design team.
- Company: Whitespace, an innovative AI company focused on Defence and Government sectors.
- Benefits: Flexible working, EMI share options, 25 days leave, and a 4-day week during holidays.
- Other info: Join a close-knit team dedicated to continuous learning and high-quality user experiences.
- Why this job: Shape impactful AI products and work in a creative, agile environment.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in product design with leadership experience and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 € per year.
At Whitespace, we’re an AI company for Defence, Government and Regulated Industries. We build the technology, operating model and mission-ready applications needed to move AI from proof-of-concept into real operational use. Collective connects governed data, domain context, reasoning and action with full audibility, security and control. Whitespace combines this platform with a structured Solutions Engineering approach that ensures AI is delivered safely, quickly and in line with government and defence assurance requirements.
We’re looking for a Product Design Team Lead to drive best-in-class user experience and interaction design. You will maintain a strong, hands-on presence while providing crucial leadership and management to the team. The role's primary focus will be on our leading-edge Collective AI Operating System, while maintaining design oversight across our portfolio of platform applications.
This is a high-impact role reporting directly into our Head of Product and Design, focused on shaping the design for Collective's AI application builder, orchestration, and natural language interfaces and the design framework for our solutions engineering applications. You will set the design strategy, deliver exceptional user experience, and define how our AI-first products help solve real-world problems for critical industries.
Hands-on and customer-facing, you will also own our Springboard design system, shape our design direction, and define our team’s work - choosing the best of next-gen AI-tooling to supercharge our design processes. Highly collaborative, you’ll join a close-knit, cross-functional team of product managers, designers, researchers and engineers who work together to build AI-powered applications for high impact industries.
Act as a player-coach, providing leadership, direction, and management to a growing team of product designers in a well funded and rapidly growing Series A startup. Drive a healthy and high-quality design culture through hands-on design mentorship and peer review. Build processes and supporting materials that ensure our design system and guidelines are adopted across all teams, delivering our vision of best-in-class user experience for intent driven, AI rendered user interfaces.
Actively identify and evaluate AI tooling and approaches that improve velocity, quality, and collaboration with product/engineering.
Design Ownership & Execution
- Lead the user experience and interface design across our flagship Collective Operating System, providing design oversight for the wider portfolio of platform applications.
- Own the end-to-end design process—from early discovery and flows to final UI, prototypes, handoff and iteration.
- Create clear, user-centred design artefacts including wireframes, flows, journey maps, and interactive prototypes for conversational design and intent-driven UI.
- Run design workshops and partner with discovery researchers to facilitate user research and understand the why.
- Support early product framing by translating research, technical insight, and feedback into clear design direction.
- Present design decisions clearly to internal stakeholders—both technical and non-technical.
- Be willing to travel to customer sites on occasion, if required.
8+ years of hands-on product design experience, ideally including enterprise, B2B environments and complex data-heavy environments. Proven experience in line management, mentorship, or leadership of a product design team. Evidence of designing and shipping real, complex digital products used in production. Comfortable moving across multiple fidelity levels—from conceptual design and structure to detailed UI. Deep skills in modern design tools and prototyping practices, but with an eagerness and adaptability to identify and use next-gen tooling – No strong allegiance to ways of working or specific tooling, you are motivated by shipping high quality user experiences. Strong design communication and stakeholder engagement skills. Due to UK Government and Defence customers, it is preferable that applications are willing and eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC), or hold active SC.
Work on impactful, cutting-edge products powered by artificial intelligence. Be part of an agile, close-knit team that values creativity, quality, and continuous learning. Influence to shape and lead design across our flagship Collective Operating System. EMI Share Options in a fast growing series A startup. A flexible working environment, with typically 2 days of hybrid working in our Belfast office, and one of the best work-life balances you’ll find: A 4-day week during the holidays - July, August and December. Early finish every working Friday at 3pm. 25 days of annual leave, plus all NI bank holidays.
If you're a designer who loves solving complex problems through thoughtful, validated, hands-on design — and you're ready to lead by doing — drop us a line.
Design Management Team Lead in Belfast employer: Whitespace
Whitespace is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture, where creativity and quality are at the forefront of our mission to deliver cutting-edge AI solutions for Defence and Government sectors. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, we offer flexible working arrangements, a 4-day week during holidays, and EMI Share Options in a rapidly growing Series A startup environment, ensuring that our team members thrive both personally and professionally while making a meaningful impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Design Management Team Lead in Belfast
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend design meetups, workshops, or even online webinars. You never know who might have a lead on that perfect role at Whitespace!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best work, especially projects that align with AI and user experience. Make sure to include case studies that explain your design process and impact.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common design questions and scenarios. Be ready to discuss your design philosophy and how you approach problem-solving, especially in complex environments like those at Whitespace.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Whitespace team and contributing to our mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Design Management Team Lead in Belfast
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in product design, especially in AI and complex environments. We want to see how your skills align with our mission at Whitespace!
Showcase Your Work:Include a portfolio that demonstrates your hands-on design process and the impact of your work. We love seeing real examples of your design artefacts, like wireframes and prototypes, so don’t hold back!
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your passion for design and leadership shines through without unnecessary fluff.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity to join our team at Whitespace!
How to prepare for a job interview at Whitespace
✨Know Your Design Tools
Make sure you're well-versed in modern design tools and prototyping practices. Be ready to discuss your experience with various tools and how you've adapted to new ones. This shows your flexibility and eagerness to deliver high-quality user experiences.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Product Design Team Lead, you'll need to demonstrate your leadership abilities. Prepare examples of how you've mentored or managed a design team in the past. Highlight specific instances where your guidance led to successful project outcomes.
✨Prepare for User-Centric Discussions
Since the role focuses on user experience, be ready to talk about your approach to user research and how you translate findings into design decisions. Bring along examples of user-centred design artefacts you've created, like wireframes or journey maps.
✨Understand the AI Context
Whitespace operates in the AI space for Defence and Government. Brush up on how AI can be integrated into design processes and be prepared to discuss how you've tackled complex, data-heavy environments in your previous work.
