Lead Designer

CO-OP; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

28 days holiday

Pension up to 10% employer

Private healthcare

Onsite gym access at Manchester HQ

30% product discount

Pay as you earn (Stream)

Virtual healthcare and counseling

24/7 support service

Training and development

Cycle-to-work

Job summary

CO-OP is hiring a Lead Designer to join the Experience and Product Design team in Manchester. You will lead design for our Quick Commerce initiatives, shaping end-to-end journeys and driving usability and accessibility improvements.

The role involves coaching other designers, partnering with product, engineering and delivery teams, and contributing to design practice across our organisation. Hybrid working supports workshops and events in Manchester.

Qualifications

• Portfolio demonstrating complex digital product design.
• Experience leading end-to-end design in multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Lead design activity across complex product initiatives within Quick Commerce.
• Shape accessible, user-centred digital experiences with a focus on interaction and usability.
• Drive design practice across product ecosystems and workshops.
• Facilitate workshops and present design work to diverse audiences.
• Coach, mentor and support designers across interaction, research and service design.
• Collaborate with product managers, engineers and stakeholders to deliver value.

Skills

Interaction design

Usability

Communication

Stakeholder management

Prototyping

Cross-disciplinary design

Leadership coaching

Discovery workshops

Design critique

AI ideation

Tools

Figma

Adobe Creative Cloud

Job description

From £60,000 plus private healthcare, pension with up to 10% employer contributions and more great benefits (Work Level 5) Manchester city centre - in this role you'll work in a hybrid way splitting your time between home and the office when required for workshops, team meetings and events (find out more about our hybrid working policy at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/hybrid-working-policy). We're open to applications from people who may require flexible working arrangements. There'll be an opportunity to discuss your flexible working requirements during the interview process, and at offer stage We're reshaping our Digital, Technology and Data function for the future. We're creating new opportunities, strengthening our capability, and building clearer, more resilient ways of working so we can deliver even better services for our Co‑op, our colleagues, members and customers. We're looking for a Lead Designer to join our Experience and Product Design team and help us create simple, inclusive and effective digital experiences for our customers. This is a generalist design role with a strong focus on interaction design, requiring the confidence to work across disciplines including research, content, service design and accessibility. Initially supporting our Quick Commerce Value Stream, you'll work across product teams to solve complex customer problems, improve customer journeys and deliver outcomes that make a measurable difference to both customer experience and business performance. Why this role matters This is an exciting opportunity to lead and influence the future of one of Co‑op's fastest‑evolving digital products. Quick Commerce is a growing area with plenty of opportunities to innovate, experiment and improve how customers shop with us online. You'll work alongside a talented team of designers, collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, and have the freedom to shape solutions from discovery through to delivery. It's a role that offers variety, ownership and the chance to develop your leadership skills by coaching and supporting other designers, while continuing to grow your own craft. Based within a supportive and collaborative design community, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on both customer experience and the wider design practice across our Co‑op.

What you'll do

• Lead design activity across complex product initiatives, initially within our Quick Commerce team
• Shape and deliver intuitive, accessible and user-centred digital experiences, with a strong focus on interaction design and usability
• Drive broader design practice across the product ecosystem, leading research, content, optimisation and service design to shape cohesive, end-to-end customer journeys
• Facilitate workshops, present design work and confidently communicate decisions to a range of audiences
• Coach, mentor and support designers across interaction, research, content and service design, helping to develop capability across the team
• Use research, insight and data to inform design decisions and improve customer outcomes
• Work closely with product managers, engineers and other stakeholders to identify opportunities, solve problems and deliver value
• Champion high standards of design quality, accessibility and user-centred thinking
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of our design practices, tools and ways of working across our Co‑op
• Proven experience in interaction design and usability, with a portfolio that demonstrates solving complex customer problems for digital products
• Strong design craft skills, with the ability to rapidly explore, prototype and communicate ideas using tools and techniques such as Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud, sketching, paper prototyping and AI-assisted ideation
• Excellent communication, facilitation and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence decisions, build alignment and work effectively through ambiguity
• The ability to work confidently across a range of design disciplines, including user research, service design, content design and accessibility
• Experience working within multidisciplinary product teams alongside engineering, product and delivery colleagues
• Experience leading end-to-end design activities, from identifying opportunities and understanding problems through to delivering solutions and measuring impact
• Experience coaching, mentoring and supporting the development of other designers, alongside a pragmatic and collaborative approach to problem solving
• The confidence to balance competing priorities and lead design activity from discovery through to delivery

Benefits

At Co‑op, we're owned by our members. And because we're owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you're not just taking a job, you're joining a movement. We're an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we're powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you'll also receive:

• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• Private healthcare
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
• 30% discount on Co‑op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream - early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle-to-work scheme

Company culture

A place you'll belong We're building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.