[Hiring] Head of Product Design @Arbor Education

Role Description

Arbor's product design team works in a centralised capacity at the centre of the business: we set the standards, systems and ways of working for design across a growing portfolio of products, and we embed designers into product teams for focused periods to help them do their most ambitious work. We're looking for a Head of Product Design to lead this team and be the driving force for design across Arbor.

• Set design strategy and direction, and bring a clear point of view on the role design should play as our R&D organisation evolves.
• Line-manage the product design team, giving them the senior backing and clear direction.
• Focus on building and evolving a design system that can scale across an expanding portfolio.
• Embrace agentic workflows and construct a model in which anyone can contribute to our product.

Core Responsibilities

• Set and own design strategy, direction and standards for Arbor.
• Be a confident, collaborative advocate for design at leadership level.
• Line-manage the product design team, setting priorities across the portfolio.
• Define the standards, systems and ways of working that all design work follows.
• Collaborate with the product leadership team to build long-term product strategy.
• Lead the integration of design practice, standards and systems as new products join the portfolio.
• Champion best practice in usability through user research, testing and feedback analysis.
• Collaborate with product managers, engineers and other stakeholders to implement UX and UI improvements.
• Foster a culture of innovation and close collaboration between product design, product management and engineering.
• Stay current on industry trends and best practice in UX/UI design.

Qualifications

• Proven experience designing within B2B SaaS products.
• Experience operating as part of a product leadership team.
• Experience running a central or agency-style design function.
• Experience integrating teams, products or ways of working following acquisitions.
• Genuine enthusiasm for agentic and AI-augmented ways of working.
• Strong experience of, and empathy for, product management practices.
• Proficiency in tools such as Figma, Storybook, Cursor, Claude, etc.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Experience leading and mentoring a team of designers.
• Deep understanding of user research methodologies, information architecture, and interaction design principles.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Benefits

• A dedicated wellbeing team who champion initiatives such as mindfulness and mental health support.
• 32 days holiday (plus Bank Holidays).
• Life Assurance paid out at 3x annual salary.
• Comprehensive wellness benefit provided by AIG Smart Health.
• Private Dental Insurance with Bupa.
• Salary sacrifice Pension provided by Scottish Widows.
• Enhanced maternity and adoption leave (20 weeks full pay) and paternity (6 weeks full pay) pay.
• 5 free return to work maternity coaching sessions.
• Access to services such as Calm and Bippit.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Social committees that plan team and company-wide events.
• Dedicated professional development training budget.
• Volunteer with a charity of your choice for a day each year.

Interview Process

• Phone screen
• 1st stage Interview - 40 minutes
• 2nd stage interview - 60 minutes
• Take Home Task - Video Presentation
• Final interview