As a Principal Design Consultant, you will steer user strategy and design standards across programmes or organisations, shaping outcomes at scale. You’ll lead complex design efforts, influence executive stakeholders, and champion user-centred thinking across disciplines. You’ll mentor practitioners, strengthen Hippo’s design capability, and drive growth while integrating AI into practice. This role offers high-impact leadership at the intersection of strategy, design, and technology.
Pay / Benefits
Contributory Pension Scheme
25 Days Holiday plus UK Public Holidays
Perkbox discounts
Life assurance and death in service cover
Volunteer days
Cycle-to-work scheme
Responsibilities
Lead design in complex, high-impact client engagements across programmes or accounts
Advise senior client stakeholders to shape long-term service strategy with data, insight, and design methods
Ensure services meet user needs and adhere to GDS standards and accessibility
Co-lead Hippo’s design practice, growing internal capability during rapid growth
Evolve practices with AI integration to maintain high-quality, user-centred delivery
Recruit, mentor, and develop Senior/Lead designers to strengthen capability
Support pre-sales activities, shaping propositions and illustrating the value of UX-led delivery
Represent Hippo’s design capability externally through thought leadership and industry engagement
Key requirements
Extensive principal-level design experience across complex environments and multiple clients
Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary, user-centred design throughout product/service lifecycles
Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear design directions with measurable outcomes
Expert consultancy and leadership skills with client-facing problem exploration
Comfort operating in complex, ambiguous environments and managing multiple workstreams
Proven track record of mentoring designers and building team capability
Working knowledge of the GDS Digital Standard or delivering private-sector design projects
Practical experience applying AI tools and workflows to improve outcomes
Continuous thought leadership in the design profession
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