Head of Design

Company Description

Depop is the community-powered circular fashion marketplace where anyone can buy, sell and discover desirable secondhand fashion. With a community of over 35 million users, Depop is on a mission to make fashion circular, redefining fashion consumption. Founded in 2011, the company is headquartered in London, with offices in New York and Manchester, and in 2021 became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Etsy. Find out more at www.depop.com 

Our mission is to make fashion circular and to create an inclusive environment where everyone is welcome, no matter who they are or where they’re from. Just as our platform connects people globally, we believe our workplace should reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. We thrive on the power of different perspectives and experiences, knowing they drive innovation and bring us closer to our users. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer, providing employment opportunities without regard to age, ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy or maternity, marriage and civil partnership, or any other protected status. We’re continuously evolving our recruitment processes to ensure fairness and are open to accommodating any needs you might have.

If, due to a disability, you need adjustments to complete the application, please let us know by sending an email with your name, the role to which you would like to apply, and the type of support you need to complete the application to [email protected]. For any other non-disability related questions, please reach out to our Talent Partners.

We’re looking for a Senior Design Manager (Head of Design) to lead design across Depop’s Demand pillar — the part of the product that helps buyers discover, fall in love with, and ultimately purchase items on Depop.

In this role, you’ll lead design across multiple product teams, shaping strategy, setting direction, and creating the conditions for designers to do their best work. You’ll work closely with Product, Engineering, Research, and Brand to ensure we’re solving the right problems, delivering high-quality experiences, and driving meaningful outcomes for both users and the business.

This is a senior leadership role focused on scaling design impact — through people, systems, and strong cross-functional partnership — rather than being the sole hands-on driver.

Depop is HQ'ed in London, and we are open to remote candidates in the UK.

Responsibilities:

• Lead, support, and develop a team of designers (and potentially design managers) working across multiple squads within the Demand pillar, creating clear growth paths and supporting progression, learning, and wellbeing.

• Set a clear design vision and strategy for Demand, aligned with Depop’s company goals and brand, and translate it into actionable direction for teams.

• Be a strong advocate for our users, building empathy across Depop and ensuring user needs are central to product and design decisions.

• Partner closely with Product and Engineering leadership to prioritise work, embed discovery-led development, and drive measurable outcomes.

• Foster a culture of discovery, experimentation, and continuous learning, with a strong focus on outcomes and understanding the impact of product changes.

• Establish and evolve ways of working that improve quality, consistency, and delivery across teams.

• Champion high standards of design craft, accessibility, and inclusivity, ensuring we’re building a world-class design practice.

• Lead and evolve Depop’s design system  system strategy, working closely with Engineering to ensure strong adoption and integration into our codebase.

• Collaborate closely with Brand to bring product design and brand design closer together, translating Depop’s brand into cohesive product experiences.

• Ensure Depop’s iOS and Android apps and Depop.com deliver a great, consistent user experience, aligned with platform standards where appropriate.

• Build strong relationships with cross-functional partners and stakeholders, influencing decisions at pillar and cross-company level.

• Provide clear, confident leadership and communication, bringing teams and stakeholders along when explaining design decisions and creative solutions.

This role might be right for you if you have the following experience;

• Have significant experience leading and developing design teams (typically 4+ designers and/or managers) within a product-led organisation, operating across multiple teams or problem spaces.

• Are a strong people manager who genuinely enjoys coaching, mentoring, and crafting designers’ careers, creating clear growth paths and helping individuals do the best work of their careers.

• Are comfortable setting strategy in complex or ambiguous environments and turning it into clear direction, priorities, and outcomes for teams.

• Can balance big-picture thinking with being close enough to the detail to ensure high standards — bringing the right mix of strategy and hands-on involvement for a high-growth environment.

• Have a strong track record of using user research, experimentation, and measurable outcomes to guide design decisions in a continuous delivery environment.

• Bring credibility in design craft and quality, with demonstrable experience shaping and scaling a design system in close partnership with Engineering and Brand.

• Excel as a cross-functional partner, with strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to influence and align Product, Engineering, and other leaders.

• Have excellent communication and storytelling skills, using them to build buy-in, motivate teams, and bring stakeholders along on the journey.

• Are adept at implementing effective product design frameworks and cross-functional ways of working that enable autonomous, high-performing teams.

• Can balance big-picture thinking with enough closeness to the work to ensure high standards and relevance in a fast-moving environment.

• Have experience working on consumer products, growth, or marketplace problems (experience in fashion or two-sided marketplaces is a bonus, but not required).

Additional Information

Health + Mental Wellbeing

• PMI and cash plan healthcare access with Bupa

• Subsidised counselling and coaching with Self Space

• Cycle to Work scheme with options from Evans or the Green Commute Initiative

• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for 24/7 confidential support

• Mental Health First Aiders across the business for support and signposting

Work/Life Balance:

• 25 days annual leave with option to carry over up to 5 days

• 1 company-wide day off per quarter

• Impact hours: Up to 2 days additional paid leave per year for volunteering

• Fully paid 4 week sabbatical after completion of 5 years of consecutive service with Depop, to give you a chance to recharge or do something you love.

• Flexible Working: MyMode hybrid-working model with Flex, Office Based, and Remote options *role dependant

• All offices are dog-friendly

• Ability to work abroad for 4 weeks per year in UK tax treaty countries

Family Life:

• 18 weeks of paid parental leave for full-time regular employees

• IVF leave, shared parental leave, and paid emergency parent/carer leave

Learn + Grow:

• Budgets for conferences, learning subscriptions, and more

• Mentorship and programmes to upskill employees

Your Future:

• Life Insurance (financial compensation of 3x your salary)

• Pension matching up to 6% of qualifying earnings

Depop Extras:

• Employees enjoy free shipping on their Depop sales within the UK.

• Special milestones are celebrated with gifts and rewards!