Lead Product Designer

The Design Project; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading children’s product company is looking for a Lead Product Designer to shape their core offerings. This role involves managing a design team, driving design strategy across user experiences and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Ideal candidates will have 5-10 years of product design experience with strong people leadership skills. Flexibility is offered through hybrid working arrangements. A competitive salary of £90,000 - £100,000 is on offer based on experience.

Benefits

Hybrid working

Income protection

Private medical insurance

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of experience in product design, with a focus on leadership.
• Proven track record of leading multiple designers and projects.
• Strong experience with mobile and web platform design.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Player Experience cluster and manage a team of designers.
• Drive design strategy across user journeys and ensure high design quality.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align design intent.

Skills

Product design

People leadership

User experience design

Visual design

Interaction design

Agile methodology

Education

Strong portfolio

Degree in Design, HCI or related

Job description

Job Title: Lead Product Designer
Company: Yoto
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Product Design / UX Leadership
Date Posted: 2026-01-16
Experience Level: 5-10 Years (Mid-to-Senior Level)
Remote Status: Hybrid

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the Player Experience cluster, shaping Yoto's core product offerings for families.
• Combine hands‑on product design with people leadership, managing and coaching a team of designers.
• Drive design strategy and outcomes across critical user journeys, including player setup, playback, and content discovery.
• Foster a collaborative and high‑performing design environment, ensuring strong cross‑functional partnerships.
• Elevate the overall quality of design craft and operational maturity within the Product Design team.
• Own and drive design outcomes across the Player Experience cluster, encompassing player setup, playback experiences, core app foundations, and content discovery.
• Ensure the quality, coherence, and impact of all shipped design work, clearly linking design decisions to customer and business objectives.
• Line‑manage, coach, and develop designers across multiple squads, setting clear expectations, supporting career progression, and managing performance.
• Foster an environment of trust, focus, and psychological safety within the design team.
• Act as a player‑coach, dedicating a portion of time to hands‑on design work within the Content Discovery squad while supporting other designers.
• Collaborate closely with the Head of Design and other Lead/Principal Product Designers to set and evolve design direction, ensuring alignment across squads.
• Influence cross‑functional partners (e.g., marketing, hardware, content, customer support) to ensure design intent is understood and upheld end‑to‑end.
• Make decisive design choices in ambiguous situations, navigating competing priorities and constraints to establish clear direction.
• Partner with Heads of Product, Engineering, and Brand to prioritize effectively, resolve tensions, and translate complex problems into actionable plans.
• Elevate the standard of design craft through critique, coaching, and feedback, promoting strong usability, visual design, and interaction design.
• Contribute to long‑term capability building within design and research, identifying skill and process gaps, and shaping the perception and operation of product design across Yoto.

Skills & Qualifications

Education: No specific degree required; a strong portfolio and extensive experience in product design and leadership are paramount. A degree in Design, HCI, or a related field is often beneficial.

Experience: 5-10 years of progressive experience in product design, with a significant portion dedicated to design leadership and people management.

Required Skills:

• Extensive experience as a product designer and design leader with proven people leadership capabilities (setting direction, managing performance, supporting growth).
• Proven track record of leading multiple designers and complex problem spaces concurrently, balancing hands‑on contribution with oversight, prioritization, and decision‑making.
• Strong experience designing across native mobile applications (iOS/Android) and web platforms, understanding cross‑platform consistency and adaptation.
• High standards for visual design and interaction design.
• Robust skills in discovery, problem framing, and effective collaboration with research functions.
• Exceptional people leadership skills, including goal setting, providing constructive feedback, conducting performance conversations, and coaching through growth, uncertainty, and change.
• Ability to bring clarity to ambiguity, make impactful prioritization decisions, and guide teams towards work that delivers significant customer and business impact.
• Experience in collaborating effectively with cross‑functional teams including Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Content.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing for consumer products, particularly those used daily by families or children.
• Experience designing for hardware‑adjacent or connected products (e.g., IoT, smart devices).
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and working within product squads.

Salary Range

£90,000 - £100,000 per annum, based on experience. Yoto offers flexibility for the right candidate.

Benefits and Flexibility

• Flexibility: Hybrid working (average 1 day/week in London office), option to use office more; 'Work from Anywhere' policy (up to 6 weeks/year); Summer Hours policy (June-August).
• Financial: Income Protection (2 years coverage), Company Sick Pay (increases with service), Life Assurance, Workplace Pension (up to 3% employer contributions), Employee Referral Bonus.
• Health & Wellness: Private Medical Insurance (Aviva) or Wellbeing Allowance, 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), unlimited Dental advice via Toothfairy, Bike to Work scheme.
• Time Off: 25 days holiday + bank holidays, birthday off, 1 extra holiday day per year of service (up to 5), eligibility for a 3‑month unpaid sabbatical after 4 years of service.
• Family Support: Enhanced family‑friendly leave (maternity, paternity, adoption, fertility, pregnancy loss, carers), Workplace Nursery Scheme.
• Professional Development: Up to 2 volunteer days/year, Book Allowance (£50/year).
• Perks: Yoto player and starter pack, regular company socials and YotoFest.

Working Hours

Standard full‑time hours (approximately 40 hours/week), with flexibility offered through hybrid working and 'work from anywhere' policies.

Company Overview

Yoto operates in the growing market of screen‑free digital experiences for children, blending hardware innovation with a rich content ecosystem. The company has over 200 employees and has achieved significant growth, evidenced by its ranking in tech lists and awards.

Team Structure

• The Product Design team is responsible for the user experience of Yoto players and their digital ecosystem.
• This Lead role oversees the 'Player Experience cluster', which likely comprises multiple design squads.
• Designers collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Brand, Marketing, Content, and Customer Support teams.

Methodology

• Design‑led product development, with a strong emphasis on user experience, usability, and visual/interaction design.
• Agile methodologies are employed, with designers embedded in product squads.
• Data‑driven decision‑making and collaboration with research to understand customer needs.
• Setting clear direction, making thoughtful trade‑offs, and ensuring design intent is understood and upheld across the organization.

Interview Process

1. Initial Screening: Review of CV and portfolio to assess experience and fit.
2. Hiring Manager Interview: Conversation with the Head of Design or another senior design leader to discuss experience, leadership style, and approach to design challenges.
3. Design Challenge/Workshop: Practical exercise (take‑home or virtual) to evaluate design skills and problem‑framing abilities.
4. Cross‑Functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Content.
5. Final Interview: Discussion with a senior executive on strategic alignment and cultural fit.

Application Requirements

Candidates should have extensive experience as a product designer and design leader, with a proven track record of managing multiple designers. Strong skills in visual and interaction design, as well as the ability to navigate ambiguity and prioritize effectively, are essential.

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position: Visit the Yoto careers page (careers.yotoplay.com), submit your application, and tailor your portfolio to highlight leadership, hands‑on design, and cross‑functional collaboration.