Design Systems Lead: Cross‑Platform UX at Scale

Zebra People; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Zebra People is seeking a Design Systems Lead in the UK to steer a mature cross‑platform design system across web and native mobile. You’ll be a hands‑on leader, balancing strategy with hands‑on work, and manage a small team to drive tokens, components and documentation with governance.

The role partners with Product and Engineering to improve design‑to‑code workflows and scalability. Two days per week in the Canary Wharf office, with a collaborative, product‑led environment and opportunities to

Qualifications

• Experience leading or owning a design system within a product organization.
• Strong understanding of design systems, tokens, components, patterns, documentation and governance.
• Experience partnering closely with Engineering to translate design systems into code.
• Experience designing for native mobile products (iOS and Android).
• Previous people management or player‑coach leadership experience.
• Strong systems thinking with the ability to balance strategic direction and hands‑on delivery.
• Excellent stakeholder management with the confidence to influence at all levels.
• A data‑informed approach to prioritisation and decision‑making.
• Desirable: design tokens, Storybook or design‑to‑code workflows.
• Desirable: accessibility standards in design systems.
• Desirable: AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT, Figma MCP) to improve workflows.
• Desirable: experience in high‑growth consumer tech/fintech/digital products.
• Desirable: scaling design systems across multiple product teams.

Responsibilities

• Leading the evolution of a cross‑platform design system across web and native mobile products.
• Mentoring and developing a small team of Product Designers.
• Defining and evolving design tokens, components, patterns and documentation.
• Driving design system governance, adoption and contribution models across teams.
• Partnering with Engineering to improve design‑to‑code workflows and implementation.
• Collaborating with Product and Design leadership to influence strategy and prioritisation.
• Championing accessibility, consistency and scalability across customer experiences.
• Exploring how AI can enhance design workflows and improve system efficiency.

Skills

Design systems leadership

People management

Stakeholder management

Systems thinking

Prioritisation

Hands-on delivery

Tools

Storybook

Design tokens

Design-to-code workflows

Claude

ChatGPT

Figma MCP

Job description

Zebra People is seeking a Design Systems Lead in the UK to steer a mature cross‑platform design system across web and native mobile. You’ll be a hands‑on leader, balancing strategy with hands‑on work, and manage a small team to drive tokens, components and documentation with governance.

The role partners with Product and Engineering to improve design‑to‑code workflows and scalability. Two days per week in the Canary Wharf office, with a collaborative, product‑led environment and opportunities to