Principal UX Designer

ENGINEERINGUK; London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job description

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View more categories | View less categories | Sector: Creative and Design | Contract Type: Permanent | Hours: Full Time

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios is a world-renowned content studio and channels & streaming business, powered by British creativity, with a reach that touches audiences in every corner of the globe.

We work with outstanding creative talent responsible for platform-defining shows from Strictly Come Dancing to Bluey, Prehistoric Planet to Planet Earth III.

The range and quality of our content are unsurpassed, creating critical and commercial successes and global phenomena.

From BAFTAs to RTS Awards, BBC Studios is Britain's most awarded production company and the only producer with three of the top ten shows on IMDB; we're the home of bbc.com, the widest-read English language news website in the world; and the UK's largest distributor of British content.

Digital News and Streaming

At BBC Global Digital News & Streaming, part of BBC Studios, we aim to help people understand the world around them, make informed choices, and participate actively in society and democracy. As we expand our footprint to meet increasing demand for our quality, impartial journalism and unscripted content in North America, we seek motivated, passionate individuals across various skillsets to join our global team. Our primary locations are New York, Washington DC, and London; candidates should be able to work hybrid from any of these offices.

Join us and be part of one of the world's most recognized brands and trusted news organizations!

Purpose of the Role

As the Principal UX Designer, you will shape how a global audience experiences content from one of the world's largest news organizations. Working within the BBC Studios global product division across countries and time zones, you will lead the design of intuitive, inclusive, and impactful user experiences that make complex stories accessible, helping to build the future of the BBC product suite outside the UK. Your work will define and drive the UX vision, strategically aligned with business goals.

You will collaborate closely with product, editorial, and engineering teams, balancing short-term and long-term UX strategies, hands-on execution, mentoring team members, and communicating ideas to improve our products' discoverability, trustworthiness, and ease of consumption. Your work will ensure high-quality journalism reaches millions worldwide, adapting to diverse cultural contexts, devices, and accessibility needs.

Principal Accountabilities

• Responsible for the overall UX and end-to-end product experiences for a global audience consuming our world-class news and factual content across existing and future products.
• Analyze user problems and oversee the design of delightful and intuitive solutions that meet measurable business goals and strategic objectives.
• Deep understanding of UCD principles and ability to apply expertise across responsive websites, mobile apps, and digital products for a global product suite.
• Empathize with user needs, providing solutions through wireframes, complex user flows, and prototypes.
• Map complex user journeys across multiple touchpoints (web, mobile, etc.), illustrating IA and organizing content meaningfully, identifying pain points and optimizing flows.
• Balance user needs, business needs, and commercial revenue opportunities to extend the brand, meet commercial ambitions, and enhance user experience.
• Create low- to high-fidelity wireframes to explore and communicate design solutions and interaction patterns.
• Create interactive prototypes to simulate real user behavior.
• Work with stakeholders, product managers, business analysts, and engineers to understand requirements and communicate UX strategies confidently.
• Collaborate with research & insights teams, conducting analysis and testing to validate design decisions and translate findings into actionable insights.
• Facilitate cross-functional workshops and brainstorming sessions.
• Work in agile design sprints to continuously improve and iterate on our products.
• Document and communicate design work to development teams through prototypes, design systems, and handoff materials.
• Champion accessibility best practices, ensuring inclusive, usable, and WCAG-compliant digital experiences.
• Provide guidance and feedback to junior team members, fostering their growth.
• Promote a collaborative environment, communicating ideas clearly across departments.

Scope & Impact

• Reports to the Head of Product Design, Digital News & Streaming
• Leads UX initiatives, contributing to principles and creative vision for current and future product experiences, ensuring alignment and adherence.
• Owns individual projects or tasks.
• Mentors junior team members.

Knowledge, Skills, and Professional Experience

• 10+ years experience in digital product design/UX, with 4+ years in a leadership role.
• Experience in news media is a plus.
• Portfolio demonstrating multiple projects and contributions.
• Proficiency in industry tools like Figma, prototyping, and design systems.
• Familiarity with remote collaboration tools such as Slack, Miro, Dropbox, Zoom, Teams.
• Strong presentation skills for stakeholders and teams.
• Up-to-date with latest design trends and technology developments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Solid understanding of WCAG accessibility standards.

Behaviors

• Ability to work efficiently under pressure.
• Meticulous and detail-oriented.
• Creative problem solver with ambitious ideas.
• Strong stakeholder management, diplomatic, and collaborative skills.
• Self-motivated and team-oriented.
• Interest in cultural trends and digital content consumption habits.

Candidate Fit & Diversity

We encourage highly skilled candidates from underrepresented groups to apply, even if they do not meet every criterion. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is central to our success.

Life at BBC Studios

We value how we do things as much as what we do. Our values and behaviors are integral to our culture. Learn more about our values and behaviors here.

We are committed to a diverse workforce and equal opportunity. Details of our D&I plan are here.

BBC Studios prioritizes sustainability, aiming to meet Net Zero targets. More info here.

We are a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer. If you meet the minimum criteria and declare yourself disabled, we will support your application process. For adjustments, contact [e-mail].

Benefits

• Flexible 35-hour workweek
• 26 days holiday plus options to buy extra days
• Defined pension scheme, discounts on health and wellness services
• Career development opportunities

Package

Salary: Up to £82,500 based on skills and experience.

Contract: Permanent

Location: London, Television Centre. Hybrid work model.