UX Design Principal (Mat Cover)

UX Design Principal (Fixed-Term Contract, 10 Months)

Location: Manchester / Leeds (Hybrid, 3 days office based) Salary: £64,000 - £78,000 per annum (10-month FTC) Working Pattern: Hybrid Experience Required: 8+ years UX Design experience, including Principal, Lead, Staff or equivalent senior-level roles Domain Experience: Complex digital products and customer journeys. Financial services experience beneficial but not essential.

About the Business

Our client is a leading UK-based digital platform operating within a regulated environment. Serving hundreds of thousands of customers nationwide, the organisation is undergoing a significant digital transformation focused on improving customer experiences, accessibility, and product innovation.

With an established UX function comprising designers, researchers, and design system specialists, the business has built a collaborative culture centred around continuous learning, knowledge sharing, inclusivity, and user-centred design.

The Role

This is a 10-month maternity cover position for an experienced UX Design Principal to join a mature and highly regarded UX team.

Reporting into the UX Design Manager, you will operate as one of the most senior individual contributors within the design function, providing strategic design leadership while remaining hands-on in delivery. You will work across multiple product squads, champion accessibility and design system adoption, mentor designers, and help shape the future direction of complex digital experiences.

The successful candidate will be expected to make an immediate impact, confidently influencing stakeholders, advocating for user-centred design, and driving high-quality UX outcomes from day one.

Key Responsibilities

UX Leadership & Strategy

Lead the design of complex, business-critical customer experiences across multiple products and platforms.

Partner with senior stakeholders to influence product direction and customer experience strategy.

Champion UX best practice across the organisation.

Advocate for user-centred thinking and evidence-based decision making.

Support the ongoing evolution and maturity of the UX function.

Design Delivery

Drive end-to-end UX design activities from discovery through to delivery and optimisation.

Create journey maps, wireframes, prototypes and high-fidelity designs.

Solve complex interaction and information architecture challenges.

Contribute to major transformation and re-platforming initiatives.

Ensure design solutions balance customer needs with commercial objectives.

Accessibility & Design Systems

Champion accessibility and inclusive design principles across all workstreams.

Promote adherence to WCAG standards and accessibility best practice.

Support the continued rollout and adoption of the organisation's design system.

Drive consistency and scalability across customer experiences.

Mentoring & Influence

Coach and mentor designers across the wider UX team.

Act as a trusted advisor and role model for UX excellence.

Communicate design rationale clearly to stakeholders at all levels.

Influence decision making through insight, empathy and strategic thinking.

Support a collaborative culture of learning and knowledge sharing.

Required Skills & Experience

Significant experience in a Principal, Lead, Staff or equivalent senior UX Design role.

Proven track record designing complex digital products, platforms and customer journeys.

Strong portfolio demonstrating strategic thinking, design leadership and measurable outcomes.

Expertise in UX Design, Interaction Design, Information Architecture and complex problem solving.

Experience leading large-scale or strategically important design initiatives.

Excellent stakeholder management, communication and presentation skills.

Strong understanding of accessibility, inclusive design and WCAG standards.

Experience championing and working with Design Systems.

Ability to operate independently whilst collaborating across multiple teams and disciplines.

Strong mentoring and coaching capability.

Desirable Experience

Experience working within regulated industries.

Experience supporting transformation programmes and strategic change initiatives.

Experience influencing organisational design maturity.

Understanding of end-to-end customer journeys across multiple channels.

Experience using AI-powered tools to support research, ideation and design delivery.

Personal Attributes

Empathetic and customer-focused.

Confident communicator and stakeholder manager.

Collaborative and approachable.

Comfortable operating in fast-paced, complex environments.

Able to influence through expertise rather than authority.

Passionate about accessibility, inclusion and delivering meaningful customer outcomes.

What's on Offer

Salary of £64,000 - £78,000 pro rata.

10-month fixed-term contract.

Hybrid working model with flexibility where required.

Opportunity to play a key role in a large-scale digital transformation programme.

Collaborative and inclusive culture with strong investment in UX and design.

Exposure to complex, high-impact digi