Principal Product Designer

British Veterinary Association; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading veterinary services provider in the UK is seeking a Principal Product Designer to lead strategic design initiatives. The ideal candidate has 10+ years in digital design and will be responsible for championing user-centered practices across teams while also contributing to the company's mission of enhancing pet healthcare. The role offers flexibility with hybrid and remote working options, generous annual leave, and various wellness benefits.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Work-life balance

Dog-friendly office

24/7 Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced family-friendly leave and pay

Private medical insurance

Cycle to Work scheme

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience creating intuitive digital experiences.
• Strong communicator with clarity in product and design decisions.
• Team player who seeks to understand teammates.

Responsibilities

• Lead design strategy across multiple teams.
• Champion user-centred design principles.
• Shape strategy for new digital initiatives.

Skills

Creative design

User experience design

Prototyping

Strong communication

Team collaboration

Education

10+ years in digital design

Tools

Figma

Job description

Overview

At IVC Evidensia we're on a mission to change animal healthcare around the world. We have thousands of clinics, hospitals and specialists across the UK, Europe and Canada, serving many millions of animals every year. Our products and services are there for every moment, from those first steps at home together, great nutrition & hygienic medication, vaccinations, wellness checks and more. We are there with reassuring, trusted advice, specialist health treatments, those big emergencies and everything in between.

Our Technology teams are responsible for the systems and infrastructure that make that work - everything our healthcare professionals need to deliver world-class care. From keeping on top of patient records, health plans, client communications, diary management and dispensing, our teams have a lot to think about and need smarter ways to provide the convenience and expertise that modern Pet owners have come to expect.

We are looking for a Principal Product Designer to join us on our mission of Healthier Pets = Happier Owners. To find out if that's you, continue reading...

Who will you be working with?

This role is a Leadership role (L6) within our Customer Tribe. These teams are the ones responsible for the key touchpoints that help us acquire and keep owners on top of their pet's care. Everything from online sign-up and registration journeys, to web applications and a common-sense approach to communications, reminders, health plan benefits and more. There is an expectation as Principal to naturally work across a set of teams, or, on occasion, switch focus to new domains or opportunity areas that help us innovate our offering or services.

Our Technology teams operate from digital hubs in London, Bristol, Stockholm and Porto. We are a remote-first team working together to shape a new era in pet health. We're backed by some of the world's leading investment groups and have operations over the UK, Europe and North America. We are experts in Animal Health, Veterinary Services, and Operations, Creatives, Engineers, Designers, Product, Marketing, and Data experts, and most of all, people with a passion for pets. We're a team growing our user-centricity and specialist skills to help deliver change piece by piece within a larger organisation.

What will you be doing?

You will be a strategic leader working across a wider domain than a single squad. Working with other Heads of Technology (Product, Data, Design, Engineering) and Senior Operational Partners, you'll help bring about real change for our healthcare teams. You will need to be comfortable working with some level of ambiguity, using your skills to:

• Gain understanding: While prior knowledge of our industry (veterinary/pet healthcare) is not required for the role, you will be expected to quickly understand the world of our healthcare professionals (the vets), patients (the pets), and our customers (pet owners). This will involve gaining knowledge from our prior research and contributing to user research artefacts over time.
• Champion user-centred principles: As a Principal IC, you'll lead by example for our growing team of Product Designers—Setting context, story or service mapping, prototyping, iteration, measuring impact, and helping product teams achieve more mature practices of understanding their domain, ways of working, evaluating risks, and achieving true product ownership.
• Think Big, Test Small: Demonstrate abilities to problem solve at multiple levels, having an eye for a north star vision, and end-to-end thinking, all the while being pragmatic about feasibility and working within a digital transformation - i.e. short feedback loops to validate any given approach.
• Shape the Strategy: As Principal, you'll often be asked to lead on 0 to 1 initiatives, where we're looking to weigh up the opportunities and risks of new domains or opportunities. Working alongside other Principals or Heads of Product, Engineering, and Architecture, you'll be asked to operate in ways that help quickly evaluate value, viability and feasibility.
• Leadership: Your contributions will be valued at a Senior Leadership level for a Tribe, our Technology function and with other cross functional departments like Operations or Marketing - While mentorship of your fellow Product Designers will be encouraged, you're not expected to have management experience, nor have line management responsibilities as part of the role, however experience in evaluating individual or team skill sets will be a bonus.

What are you expected to bring to the team?

• Experience: You've spent time (~10+ years) creating and shipping intuitive digital experiences, with a portfolio to back it up. Bonus points if you have experience working in Healthcare.
• Team player: You exhibit kindness, humility and authenticity. Seeking to understand your teammates and assuming good intentions. Aiming to bring your best self to work and challenge others to do the same.
• Communication: You're an excellent communicator and demonstrate clarity of product and design decisions to partners across departments. You give honest and actionable feedback to your colleagues, and don't shy away from difficult topics.
• Growth mindset: You constantly seek opportunities to improve your craft, collaborate, and drive product outcomes. You take the initiative and ask questions about how we can improve together.
• Toolkit: You're highly proficient with Figma, have worked with a Design System, and built prototypes to bring experiences to life or validate usability or product market fit.

You Matter to Us

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. That's why we invest in you: your growth, your environment, and your well-being. Alongside a competitive salary, you'll enjoy a range of benefits designed to support your career and life beyond work, including:

• Work-life balance with hybrid and Remote working options available
• Dog-friendly office when you do come into the Chocolate Factory
• 6.6 weeks' annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays
• Additional holiday entitlement for your birthday
• Enhanced family-friendly leave and pay
• Discretionary annual bonus
• Reduced-cost veterinary care for your own pets
• Retail discounts and cashback offers
• Private medical insurance or Cash Health Plan (eligibility applies)
• Company pension with IVC Evidensia contributions
• Cycle to Work and Green Car schemes (eligibility applies)
• 24/7 confidential Employee Assistance Programme
• Wellbeing initiatives to support you at every stage

Apply now via the link below or reach out to me directly to explore this further. Alternatively, please visit our website to find out more about how we're positively impacting the lives of animals and their owners.