Director of Product Design

Motorway is the UK's fastest-growing used car marketplace - our award-winning, online-only platform connects private car sellers with thousands of verified dealers nationwide, ensuring everyone gets the best deal. Founded in 2017, our technology-led approach has redefined the experience of selling a car, generating thousands of monthly car sales and helping us to grow to a team of more than 400 people across our London and Brighton offices.

About the team

Hi I'm Tanya, Chief Product Officer at Motorway. I'm searching for a Director of Product Design to lead our talented team of designers in transforming the used car market. We're not just another car marketplace; we're a tech-driven company that puts the customer experience first. Our design team plays a vital role in creating a seamless and user-friendly online platform that has disrupted the traditional industry.

As Director of Product Design, you'll be the driving force behind our design strategy, inspiring a team of 12 and ensuring design excellence across all our products and services. You'll work closely with me and other leaders to shape the future of Motorway, championing user-centric design and pushing the boundaries of innovation. This role demands a strong commercial mindset; you'll be responsible for ensuring our design efforts directly contribute to Motorway's growth and success. If you're a passionate and strategic design leader with a proven track record of delivering commercially impactful design solutions, I encourage you to apply!

About the role

• Lead and Inspire: Guide and mentor a high-performing team of 12 designers, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Strategic Vision: Collaborate with key stakeholders to define and execute a design strategy that articulates and demonstrates why product design is a part of Motorway’s core value proposition to our customers.
• Commercial Impact: Drive design solutions that deliver measurable business results, demonstrating a clear understanding of commercial priorities and KPIs.
• Drive Innovation: Encourage experimentation and risk-taking within the team, pushing the boundaries of design and driving innovation in our products and services.
• Champion User-Centricity: Advocate for user-centered design and research, ensuring user needs are at the forefront of all product development.
• Operational Excellence: Oversee team performance, resource allocation, and project prioritization to ensure efficiency and productivity.
• Performance and Growth: Implement a framework for performance management and career development within the design team, providing regular feedback and opportunities for growth.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner effectively with product, engineering, and marketing teams to integrate design thinking into every stage of the product lifecycle.

About You

• Proven Leadership: Extensive experience leading and inspiring high-performing design teams, with a track record of fostering a positive and inclusive team environment.
• Strategic Thinker: Ability to translate business objectives into actionable design strategies that drive results.
• Exceptional Communication: Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to articulate complex design concepts clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences.
• Commercial Acumen: Proven ability to deliver commercially successful design solutions that contribute to business growth and profitability.
• User-Centric Approach: A deep understanding of user-centered design principles and a passion for advocating for user needs throughout the product development process.
• Creative Problem-Solver: A strong foundation in design principles and processes, with a proven ability to find innovative solutions to complex design challenges.
• Mentorship and Development: A passion for developing and mentoring designers, providing guidance and support to help them grow and thrive.
• Data-Driven Mindset: A strong understanding of data and analytics, with the ability to use data to inform design decisions and measure the impact of design work.

You could be a great fit if

• You have a strong commercial mindset and can demonstrate how your design work has driven business results.
• You are an exceptional communicator and collaborator, able to build strong relationships with stakeholders across the organisation.
• You are excited by the opportunity to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and make a real impact on the used car market.

You might not be a great fit if

• You lack a strong commercial understanding and struggle to connect design decisions to business outcomes.
• You struggle to adapt to changing priorities and prefer working in a more structured environment.
• You are not comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-growth company.

Interview Process

Our interview process contains the following stages:

• Initial Screen with Talent Team - 30 minutes
• Hiring Manager Interview with Tanya - 45 minutes
• Skills Assessment - 60 minutes
• Interview with VP Product - 60 minutes
• Interview with a member of the Executive Team - 60 minutes

You can expect to hear back from us within 2-3 business days of each interview stage. You'll have the opportunity to speak with a talent partner throughout the interview process should you have any questions or need any type of accommodations.

Benefits

• A competitive salary
• Stock options
• Annual learning budget - with your learning budget, you can pay for learning experiences to support your progression.
• BUPA health insurance
• Discounted dental through BUPA
• Discounted gym membership through BUPA
• OnHand volunteering membership and one paid volunteering day per year
• Hybrid working from home (approximately 1-2 days in the office a week)
• Pension scheme
• Motorway car leasing scheme - lease a zero-emissions electric vehicle at a significant discount
• Enhanced parental leave - We offer enhanced maternity pay (26 weeks of full pay) and enhanced paternity pay (4 weeks of full pay) to eligible employees.
• Regular social events
• Cycle to work scheme

Equal opportunities statement

We are committed to equality of opportunity for all employees. We work to provide a supportive and inclusive environment where people can maximise their full potential. We believe our workforce should reflect a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives and experiences. Our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion is evident through our constant focus on recruiting, developing and advancing individuals based on their skills and talents.

We welcome applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.