Head of Product Design and Research

MORTGAGE ADVICE BUREAU LIMITED; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Learning & Development support

Hybrid working

Job summary

MORTGAGE ADVICE BUREAU LIMITED is seeking a Product Design Leader to evolve the design capability and shape product development across the organisation.

You will inherit a strong foundation team and define what great looks like, working with Product, Tech and senior stakeholders to deliver customer-centred experiences at pace. The role blends strategic leadership with hands-on delivery and coaching of designers and researchers.

Qualifications

• Leadership across product design, UX and user research.
• Transforming teams, operating models and design capabilities.
• Experience in fast-paced Digital, SaaS, Fintech, Marketplace or tech orgs.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and evolve design capability and operating model.
• Create clear vision for Product Design, UX, UI, Research and Service Design.
• Build a high-performing, collaborative team culture.
• Develop modern model embedding design across lifecycle.
• Lead evolution of design system for consistency and speed.
• Improve customer and colleague experiences across digital products.
• Establish a research strategy informing product decisions.
• Coach designers and researchers and shape function structure.
• Partner with Product, Engineering, Marketing and leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Product Design

UX

User Research

Design Systems

Stakeholder Management

Strategy

Collaborative Leadership

Job description

Our design and research capability has grown organically over time. We have talented people, ambitious products and a clear appetite for change - we're now ready for a leader who can bring everything together. In this newly created role, you'll lead the evolution of our design capability and help shape the future of product development across MAB. You'll inherit a team with strong foundations and the opportunity to define what great looks like. Working closely with Product, Tech and wider stakeholders, you'll evaluate our current operating model, establish best practice, strengthen the partnership between Product and Design and create a scalable design function capable of delivering exceptional customer experiences at pace. This is a role for someone who enjoys rolling up their sleeves. While you'll provide strategic leadership and develop people, you'll also remain close to the work; facilitating discovery, shaping user journeys, reviewing design solutions, championing research and helping teams solve meaningful customer problems. You'll be empowered to challenge existing approaches, introduce modern design practices, leverage AI where it adds value and establish a culture where design, research and product work together from concept through to delivery. If you're excited by creating clarity from complexity, building high-performing teams, and embedding customer-centered thinking within a growing technology-led organisation, we'd love to hear from you.

What You'll Be Doing

• Evaluating our current design and research capability, identifying opportunities to improve structure, ways of working and effectiveness.
• Creating and implementing a clear vision for Product Design, UX, UI, Research and Service Design.
• Building a high-performing, collaborative and accountable team culture.
• Developing a modern operating model that embeds Design and Research throughout the product life-cycle.
• Leading the evolution of our design system to improve consistency, accessibility and delivery speed.
• Raising the quality of customer and colleague experiences across our digital products and services.
• Establishing a research strategy that ensures customer insight directly informs product decisions.
• Coaching and developing designers and researchers while helping shape the future structure of the function.
• Acting as a trusted partner to Product, Engineering, Marketing and senior leadership teams.
• Exploring how AI can enhance design and research practices while maintaining customer focus and quality., Flexible working hours with hybrid working for Head Office roles (as agreed with your line manager)

A wide range of Learning & Development offers, from 121 coaching to qualification support, helping you to grow and thrive in your career A supportive, inclusive culture with forums you're welcome to join from day 1, using your voice to make MAB an even better place to work

As a product design leader who combines strategic thinking with operational delivery, you'll bring:

• Leadership experience across Product Design, UX and User Research.
• A track record of transforming teams, operating models and/or design capabilities.
• Experience managing and developing teams within fast-paced Digital, SaaS, Fintech, Marketplace or Technology-led organisations.
• Strong hands-on expertise across UX, UI, customer research, discovery and service design.
• Experience creating and embedding design systems at scale.
• A collaborative leadership style and the ability to build credibility across Product and Engineering teams.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of how great customer experiences drive engagement, adoption and business performance.
• Confidence operating in ambiguity, influencing stakeholders and leading change initiatives.
• An interest in AI and emerging technologies and how they can improve design workflows and outcomes.