Location(s): London, Amsterdam, or Madrid (with flexibility)

Reports to: Chief Product Officer

Visa Sponsorship: Location dependant

About the Role

We’re looking for an exceptional VP of Design to lead and elevate the Product Design function at a high-growth, consumer technology company.

This is a transformational leadership role: you’ll set the vision for design across all digital products, raise the craft and ambition of the team, and ensure customer experiences are world-class, innovative, and impactful. You’ll partner closely with Product, Engineering, Research, Data, and Commercial stakeholders to deliver customer-centric, differentiated product experiences.

The design team is evolving from a support function into a strategic, embedded organisation, this is your opportunity to shape that shift and leave a lasting mark on the business and industry.

What You’ll Do

Strategic Leadership

• Define and communicate a bold, inspiring vision for Product Design across a complex consumer product ecosystem.
• Position design as a core strategic partner to Product and Engineering.
• Champion customer-centred thinking in product strategy, prioritisation, and execution.

Team Leadership & Operations

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing, globally distributed design organisation.
• Establish scalable processes, standards, and practices that drive consistency, quality, and operational excellence.
• Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and proactive contribution.

Craft & Innovation

• Elevate design quality across interaction, UX, UI, motion, and systems.
• Lead reimaginings of core journeys and product surfaces to unlock step-change improvements.
• Promote strong first-principles thinking, challenging convention and driving creative innovation.
• Introduce modern design tools and workflows to improve efficiency and impact.

Collaboration & Influence

• Act as a trusted partner to senior leaders in Product, Technology, and Commercial teams.
• Influence strategy through the lens of exceptional customer experience.
• Align design goals with business objectives and compliance or regulatory needs.

What You Bring

• 15+ years of experience in product design, including 7+ years in senior leadership roles.
• A track record of scaling and transforming design teams in fast-paced, product-led environments.
• Demonstrated excellence in UX, interaction, and systems design, with a strong product portfolio.
• Experience in consumer-facing, complex, or regulated digital products (e.g. fintech, gaming, media, or marketplaces).
• Strong collaboration skills: able to influence and align cross-functional teams in dynamic organisations.
• Resilient, high-agency leadership style; thrives in fast-moving, founder-led companies.
• Experience leading distributed teams and designing for diverse international markets.

Why This Role

• Opportunity to lead a high-impact, high-visibility function during a pivotal growth phase.
• A chance to redefine an entire category and shape how millions of customers experience a complex digital product.
• Competitive compensation, benefits, and relocation/visa support where applicable.