Product Designer - Mortgages

The Design Project; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - GBP 80,000; Full time

Job description

Job Title: Product Designer - Mortgages Company: ClearScore Technology Limited Location: London, England, United Kingdom Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design / UX/UI Date Posted: 2026-02-11T12:54:27 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years) Remote Status: Hybrid

• Design innovative and user-centric mortgage products from concept to launch, focusing on simplifying complex financial journeys.
• Drive early-stage product discovery, translating user needs and market insights into tangible design solutions.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, and Data Analysts to define and deliver exceptional user experiences.
• Utilize user research and data analysis to inform design decisions, validate hypotheses, and iterate on product features.
• Champion design excellence and contribute to the evolution of design culture and processes within the Upstream (Mortgages) team.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive user research, including discovery interviews, ethnographic studies, and usability testing, to deeply understand user needs, motivations, and pain points within the mortgage market.
• Translate research findings and business objectives into compelling user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs for both native mobile and web platforms.
• Lead ideation sessions and workshops with cross-functional stakeholders to explore creative solutions and define product strategy for the mortgage journey.
• Develop and maintain end-to-end design deliverables, ensuring consistency, scalability, and global adaptability of solutions.
• Partner effectively with Product Managers to define product roadmaps, with Engineers to ensure feasible implementation, and with Data Analysts to track and measure design impact.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of design processes, advocating for best practices in user-centered design and iterative development.
• Champion a data-driven approach to design, leveraging analytics and A/B testing results to optimize user experiences and drive key performance indicators.
• Maintain and contribute to the company's design system, ensuring consistency and efficiency across all product touchpoints.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience in product design.

Experience: 2-5 years of professional experience in product design, with a strong focus on UX/UI design for digital products, preferably within the FinTech or financial services industry.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in user-centered design methodologies, including user research, journey mapping, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.
• Mastery of design tools such as Figma (or equivalent like Sketch, Adobe XD) for creating high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and design specifications.
• Strong visual design skills, with a keen eye for detail, typography, color theory, layout, and hierarchy to create aesthetically pleasing and functional interfaces.
• Experience designing for both native mobile applications (iOS/Android) and responsive web platforms.
• Demonstrable experience working with and contributing to design systems and established component libraries to ensure UI consistency and efficiency.
• Ability to effectively frame complex problems, synthesize insights from research, and articulate design rationale clearly to diverse audiences.
• Experience facilitating ideation workshops and co-creation sessions with cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with product managers, engineers, researchers, and other stakeholders.
• A proactive, self-starting attitude with the ability to take initiative, experiment, and adapt in a fast-paced, agile environment.
• Strong curiosity and a willingness to challenge assumptions to drive innovation.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience specifically within the mortgage or broader financial services industry.
• Familiarity with data analysis tools and methodologies to inform design decisions.
• Experience with content strategy and collaboration with content designers.
• Understanding of front-end development principles to facilitate communication with engineers.

Showcase a minimum of 2-3 comprehensive case studies demonstrating end-to-end product design process for complex digital products, ideally within FinTech or a regulated industry.

• Clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the discovery and research methodologies employed, and the design solutions developed.
• Highlight how you translated user insights and data into design decisions and measurable outcomes.
• Include examples of user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and final UI designs.
• Demonstrate experience with user research, including discovery and validation phases.

Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of how you have documented design processes, including user journey maps, personas, and design system documentation.
• Showcase your ability to define and optimize workflows for design execution and collaboration.
• Include evidence of how you have used data and user feedback to iterate on and improve existing processes or product features.

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Product Designer with 2-5 years of experience in London, UK, the estimated salary range is £50,000 - £75,000 per annum. This estimate considers the cost of living in London, the demand for skilled product designers in FinTech, and ClearScore's position as a leading FinTech company.

• Hybrid Work Environment with clear expectations for in-office days.
• Private health and dental cover, including mental health support via Bupa.
• Access to GP office visits for convenient healthcare.
• Life assurance scheme for financial security.
• Up to 6% matched pension contributions.
• Regular Lunch and Learns featuring guest speakers to foster continuous learning.
• Dog-friendly office environment.
• Daily breakfast and complimentary snacks to keep you fueled.
• Access to exclusive discounts through Cobens Extras.
• Free sports and social clubs for team building and well-being.
• Continued investment in learning and development opportunities.
• Leadership-led training programs for career advancement.
• Access to an in-house psychotherapist for mental well-being support.
• Financial coach to assist with personal financial planning and goal achievement.
• A culture that values outcomes over clock-watching, promoting autonomy.
• Generous maternity and paternity plans to support work-life balance.
• Active participation from Culture and Inclusion representatives.
• Transparent pay structure and a defined career growth plan.

Working Hours: While the company promotes a "no clock-watching culture," standard full-time working hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for flexibility in how these hours are structured, with a requirement for a minimum of 2 days per week in the office for employees at this level.

Industry: Financial Technology (FinTech), specifically credit scoring and financial management services. ClearScore operates in a highly regulated but rapidly evolving sector, aiming to simplify financial decisions for consumers.

Company Size: ClearScore employs over 500 people globally, indicating a mid-to-large-sized organization with established processes but still retaining elements of a dynamic, growth-oriented culture.

Founded: ClearScore was founded in 2015, positioning it as a relatively young but well-established player in the FinTech space, having achieved significant user growth and market presence quickly.

Team Structure

• The Product Design team is part of a broader Product and Technology function. The "Upstream (Mortgages)" team is a specialized unit focused on a key product area.
• Designers work in close collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, and Data Analysts, forming agile, cross-functional product teams.
• Reporting lines likely involve a Head of Design or Design Lead, with designers having direct input into product strategy and execution.

Methodology

• Data-Driven Design: Decisions are informed by user research, analytics, and A/B testing to ensure product effectiveness and user satisfaction.
• User-Centricity: A strong focus on understanding and addressing user needs and pain points is fundamental to their product development.
• Agile Development: The company operates in a fast-paced environment, likely using agile methodologies to iterate and deliver features quickly.
• Collaborative Innovation: Encourages cross-functional collaboration and open idea sharing to drive creative solutions.

Operations Impact

Operations Impact: The Product Designer plays a crucial role in shaping the user experience of ClearScore's mortgage products. By simplifying complex financial journeys, they directly impact user acquisition, engagement, and satisfaction, contributing to ClearScore's mission of empowering financial decision-making. Successful designs can lead to increased user adoption of mortgage services, improved financial outcomes for users, and revenue growth for the company.

Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in FinTech product design, complex financial product design (mortgages), and advanced UX research techniques.

Leadership Development: Potential to move into Senior Product Designer roles, lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, or transition into product management or design leadership positions.

Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain experience working across various product areas and with diverse teams, enhancing understanding of the broader business strategy.

Learning & Development: Access to company-sponsored training, workshops, conferences, and mentorship programs focused on career advancement.

Workspace Context

• Collaborative Spaces: Offices are equipped with facilities designed to promote interaction and productivity, encouraging team building and collaborative projects.
• Technology & Tools: Employees will have access to the necessary design software (e.g., Figma), hardware, and collaborative platforms required for their roles.
• Team Interaction: Dedicated in-office days are structured to maximize team synergy, learning, and mentorship opportunities, facilitating direct interaction with colleagues.

Work Schedule: The hybrid model provides flexibility, but the company emphasizes commitment to the schedule. Standard full-time hours are expected, with a focus on outcomes rather than strict time-tracking. The minimum 2 days in the office are coordinated to optimize team collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Interview Process

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio by the Talent team to assess suitability for the role.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion focused on your experience, design philosophy, and alignment with the role's requirements, likely including a review of your portfolio.
• Design Challenge/Workshop: A practical exercise, potentially a take-home challenge or an in-office workshop, to evaluate your problem-solving skills, design process, and ability to work collaboratively.
• Cross-Functional Interview: An opportunity to meet with potential team members (e.g., Product Manager, Engineer, Researcher) to assess collaboration style and fit.
• Final Interview: Often with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Design, CPO) to discuss overall fit, career aspirations, and company alignment.
• Curate Thoughtfully: Select 2-3 strong case studies that best represent your skills in discovery, problem-solving, and end-to-end design for complex products, ideally related to financial services or regulated industries.
• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role and contributions, the process you followed (discovery, research, ideation, iteration), the design solutions, and the measurable impact or outcomes.
• Showcase Process: Emphasize your thinking and decision-making process, not just the final visuals. Include sketches, wireframes, user flows, and research insights.
• Highlight Collaboration: Mention how you worked with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Be Concise and Clear: Ensure your portfolio is easy to navigate and your explanations are clear and to the point.
• Understand the Brief: If given a take-home challenge, thoroughly understand the problem statement, constraints, and deliverables.
• Simulate the Environment: For in-office workshops, be prepared to brainstorm, sketch, and articulate ideas under time pressure. Practice presenting your thought process.
• Focus on Process: Demonstrate a structured approach to problem-solving, even if you don't reach a "perfect" solution. Show how you would gather information and iterate.
• Communicate Effectively: Practice explaining your design rationale clearly and concisely, and be ready to receive and incorporate feedback.

Primary Tools

• Figma: Explicitly mentioned as required for design, prototyping, and collaboration. This will be the primary tool for UI design, wireframing, and creating interactive prototypes.
• Prototyping Tools: Figma's built-in prototyping capabilities will be heavily utilized. Experience with other prototyping tools might be a plus but not essential if Figma proficiency is high.
• User Research Platforms: While not explicitly stated, familiarity with tools for conducting remote user interviews, usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback), and survey creation (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform) is beneficial.

Analytics & Reporting

• Data Analysis Tools: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel, or internal data dashboards to understand user behavior and measure the impact of design decisions.
• Reporting Tools: Ability to interpret data reports and translate them into actionable design insights.

CRM & Automation

• Project Management Tools: Familiarity with tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for managing design tasks and collaborating with engineering teams on development sprints.
• Collaboration Platforms: Proficiency with tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams for daily communication and team collaboration.

Operations Values

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the user's needs, ensuring that design solutions solve real problems and provide value.
• Simplicity & Clarity: A drive to make complex financial processes and information easy to understand and navigate for millions of users.
• Innovation: A culture that encourages challenging assumptions, exploring new ideas, and pushing creative boundaries to develop groundbreaking financial products.
• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on teamwork, open communication, and mutual respect across all functions and levels to achieve collective goals.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Valuing evidence and insights from research and analytics to guide product development and design choices.
• Impact-Oriented: A focus on delivering tangible results that improve users' financial lives and contribute to the company growth.
• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers are embedded in agile product teams, working daily with Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, and Data Analysts.
• Open Feedback Loops: A culture where constructive feedback is encouraged and valued, facilitating iterative design improvements.
• Knowledge Sharing: Regular opportunities for sharing learnings, best practices, and design challenges through team meetings, presentations, and informal discussions.
• Empowerment and Trust: Employees are trusted to manage their time and contribute their ideas, fostering a proactive and engaged work environment.

Strategic Challenges

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working in early-stage product development ("Upstream") means dealing with undefined problems and evolving requirements, requiring adaptability and structured problem-solving.
• Complex Domain: Designing for mortgages involves understanding intricate regulations, financial products, and user behaviors, demanding continuous learning and domain expertise.
• Balancing Innovation with Feasibility: Translating creative ideas into practical, implementable solutions within technical and business constraints.
• Driving Adoption: Ensuring designed solutions are not only user-friendly but also effectively adopted by a large and diverse user base.
• FinTech Specialization: Deepen expertise in the unique challenges and opportunities of designing for financial services.
• Advanced UX Research: Opportunities to refine and expand skills in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into senior roles, lead design projects, mentor junior designers, or contribute to design strategy.
• Industry Engagement: Participation in relevant design conferences, webinars, and industry events to stay abreast of trends and network.
• Internal Training: Access to leadership-led training, lunch and learns, and mentorship programs tailored for career advancement.

Strategy Questions

• "Describe a time you had to design a product or feature for a complex financial product. What were the key challenges, and how did you approach them?" (Focus on your process, research, and decision-making.)
• "How do you approach designing for ambiguity and translating abstract concepts into tangible user experiences?" (Highlight your ideation techniques, prototyping methods, and ability to structure undefined problems.)
• "Walk me through a case study from your portfolio that demonstrates your end-to-end design process, from discovery to validation." (Be prepared to discuss your role, methodologies, and the impact of your design.)
• "How do you collaborate with product managers and engineers to ensure design feasibility and alignment with business goals?" (Provide examples of successful cross-functional collaboration.)

Company & Culture Questions

• "What interests you about ClearScore and our mission to empower users financially?" (Research ClearScore's values, products, and recent news.)
• "How do you contribute to a positive and collaborative team culture?" (Share examples of how you support colleagues and build relationships.)
• "How do you ensure your designs are user-centric and data-informed?" (Discuss your research methods and how you use data to validate designs.)
• "What are your thoughts on our hybrid work model and how do you ensure productivity and collaboration within it?" (Show understanding of the balance between flexibility and in-office collaboration.)
• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, the solutions, and the measurable outcomes. Use a consistent structure.
• Focus on ‘Why’: Explain the reasoning behind your design decisions, referencing user research, data, or business objectives.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (sketches, wireframes, prototypes, final UIs) to illustrate your process and solutions effectively.
• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs, and challenges encountered.
• Highlight Impact: Quantify the success of your designs where possible (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved user satisfaction scores).

Application Requirements

The ideal candidate should have strong experience in early-stage design and user research, with proven ability to translate concepts into tangible designs. Excellent visual design skills and experience with design systems are also required.

Paid Holidays, Hybrid Work Environment, Private Health and Dental Cover, Life Assurance Scheme, Matched Pension, Lunch and Learns, Dog-Friendly Office...