Product Design Director

Product Design Director

Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Wise

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead a talented design team to create simple, human financial experiences for millions.
  • Company: Wise, a global tech company on a mission to revolutionise money management.
  • Benefits: Inclusive culture, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Join a diverse team committed to building a fair financial system for everyone.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact by simplifying complex financial concepts for users worldwide.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in leading design teams, ideally in fintech or regulated industries.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

This job is with Wise, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Wise is a global technology company, building the best way to move and manage the world’s money. Min fees. Max ease. Full speed. Whether people and businesses are sending money to another country, spending abroad, or making and receiving international payments, Wise is on a mission to make their lives easier and save them money. As part of our team, you will be helping us create an entirely new network for the world's money. For everyone, everywhere.

Your mission: You'll lead designers of all crafts working across the cross-functional teams that make up the Grow squad at Wise. We're rethinking how people can earn a return on all of their money — no matter the currency, goal or risk appetite. In this role, you'll own the vision and strategy for design in Grow, and direct your team to deliver a world-class investment experience for consumer and business customers around the world. You'll make complex processes — choosing an investment product, understanding gains, paying tax — feel easy and effortless. And you'll build the design systems and leadership structures that help the squad scale across new markets without losing what makes the experience great.

Here’s how you’ll be contributing:

  • Partnering with your Product and Engineering leadership partners to provide unified leadership for the Grow squad — setting the vision, defining strategy and coaching your teams to deliver it
  • Owning the design strategy for the Grow Squad — shaping the design agenda across consumer and business investment experiences, and defining what Great looks like across every surface
  • Staying hands-on in the most important design challenges — leading through the work itself, shaping the highest-stakes experiences directly and setting the creative standard by example
  • Leading, mentoring and helping to develop all Designers in the squad, across product design, content design and research — accountable for their performance, growth and the quality of their work
  • Proactively integrating AI into the team's design workflow and operational practices — identifying where it accelerates craft, reduces friction, and creates new possibilities, and driving adoption across the squad
  • Creating compelling, empirically supported narratives that influence the Grow roadmap and shape perspectives at the most senior levels of the business
  • Building systems and frameworks that help the squad scale intelligently — across markets, currencies, regulatory environments and customer types, balancing a global vision with local nuance
  • Working with Design Directors from other squads to create a single, seamless experience for customers across the Wise product
  • Evangelising Grow's design strategy across the tribe and wider business — connecting great design decisions to business outcomes and company mission

This role will give you the opportunity to:

  • Build and lead a talented, multi-disciplinary design team — and be the best, most hands-on leader they've ever had
  • Stay deep in the craft on a genuinely hard and important design challenge: making complex financial concepts feel simple and human for millions of people
  • Define what 'great' looks like for investment experience design, and elevate your team to deliver it
  • Shape how AI changes the way a world-class design team works — not as an experiment, but as a core part of how the squad operates
  • Set the standard for quality, creativity and accountability in one of Wise's highest-impact squads
  • Be part of a positive change in the world. We're fixing a broken, greedy system, and putting people and businesses in control of their money.

About you: You're an accomplished Design Leader with deep experience leading multi-disciplinary teams to ship world-class consumer products — ideally with experience in fintech or other complex, regulated domains. You're still hands-on. You lead through the work, not above it — and your team knows the difference. You have a strong track record of owning and delivering design strategy — not just contributing to it — and can point to clear evidence of design having driven measurable business outcomes. You're already using AI tools in your design practice, and you have a genuine point of view on how they change the way design teams should operate. You create compelling, evidence-backed narratives that build conviction at senior levels of a business, without losing the nuance that matters to customers. You have a sharp eye for quality across all design crafts, and the leadership skills to coach others to achieve it. You're influential and inspiring — able to lead effectively in a culture that values autonomy and empowerment. You're highly empathetic, both to customers and the people you work with. You're a trusted partner, building strong, collaborative relationships with Product, Engineering and other business functions. Your work, presence and thought leadership attracts top design talent.

For everyone, everywhere. We're people building money without borders — without judgement or prejudice, too. We believe teams are strongest when they are diverse, equitable and inclusive. We're proud to have a truly international team, and we celebrate our differences. Inclusive teams help us live our values and make sure every Wiser feels respected, empowered to contribute towards our mission and able to progress in their careers.

Product Design Director employer: Wise

Wise is an exceptional employer that champions inclusivity and diversity, making it a fantastic place for talented individuals to thrive. With a strong focus on employee growth, you will have the opportunity to lead a multi-disciplinary design team while tackling meaningful challenges in the fintech space. Our collaborative work culture, commitment to innovation, and mission to create a fair financial system for everyone make Wise a rewarding environment for those looking to make a real impact.

Wise

Contact Details:

Wise Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Product Design Director

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 Wise for a Product Design Director, 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 Wise before they go live!

We think you need these skills to ace Product Design Director

Design Leadership
Multi-disciplinary Team Management
Design Strategy Ownership
Hands-on Design Experience
AI Integration in Design
Narrative Creation
Quality Assurance in Design

Some tips for your application 🫡

Showcase Your Design Process:When you're applying for a UX/UI Design role like Product Design Director at Wise, 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 Wise 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 Wise. 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 Wise.

How to prepare for a job interview at Wise

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 Wise, 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. Wise 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 Wise!

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 Wise is looking for.