Product Design Lead

Join Mintel and help shape the future of global consumer insights through world-class design. 

We’re looking for a Design Lead to join our growing Global Product Development team — someone who is a master of their craft and thrives in the early stages of product definition. You will blend hands-on execution with strategic thinking, translating complex, ambiguous problems into intuitive experiences. 

This role is for a high-impact individual who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty. You will be "in the room" with clients and sales teams, sketching solutions in real-time, and partnering intimately with engineering to build solutions that shape entire industries. 

Why This Role Matters 

As Design Lead focused on our CPG Proposition & Roadmap, you’ll: 

• Be the voice of the user: You won’t just rely on second-hand reports; you will tag along with sales teams and lead client conversations to hear the Voice of Customer (VOC) directly. 

• Solve for the business: You focus on Product and Commercial goals first, using design to drive outcomes rather than just aesthetic output. 

• Thrive in ambiguity: You excel at taking loose, complex requirements and whipping up early-stage flows that bring clarity to the conversation. 

• Facilitate alignment: You encourage exploration by visualizing multiple options, helping cross-functional teams debate trade-offs and agree on the best path forward. 

• Connect the dots: You work across the business—bridging the gap between the "what" (Product), the "how" (Engineering/Data), and the "why" (Commercial). 

What You’ll Be Doing 

Embed Data & AI Innovation 

• Design for the future of intelligence: leverage your experience with AI and data to create conversational interfaces (e.g., chat experiences) that help users interpret complex data sets. 

• Simplify the complex: Turn dense data interpretation challenges into clear, digestible, and valuable user experiences. 

Drive Strategic Definition 

• Translate very early, often abstract concepts into tangible prototypes. Use these not as final deliverables, but as tools to spark debate and socialize ideas across the business. 

• Develop a keen understanding of Mintel’s unique content and insights ecosystem, ensuring the user experience amplifies the value of our insights. 

Facilitate Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Bring different teams together (Engineering, Data, Product, Sales) to solve problems collectively. You will use design to frame the conversation and guide the group toward a solution. 

• Partner closely with Engineering to explore design options. You understand technical constraints and work together to find solutions that balance user value with feasibility. 

Shape Commercial Impact 

• Join the frontline: Shadow sales calls and facilitate client feedback sessions to deeply understand customer needs and pain points. 

• Ensure every design decision is anchored in commercial reality—focusing on how the experience drives adoption, retention, and value for the client. 

Validate & Socialize 

• Avoid the "big reveal." Instead, you will constantly validate concepts with customers and senior stakeholders, socializing your work early to ensure buy-in. 

• Produce multiple design approaches to solve a single problem, allowing the team to evaluate different routes based on data and strategy. 

Cultivate Design Excellence 

• Lead the Design Team by example, setting up best practice through modelling high-quality design behavior and execution. 

• Define and implement scalable design processes and contribute actively to mentoring and growing the skills of junior and mid-level team members. 

What We’re Looking For 

Essential: 

• AI & Data Expertise: Specific experience designing for LLM interfaces, chat experiences, and tools that facilitate complex data interpretation and visualization.
• Experience & Mastery: 10+ years in Product Design, with a strong portfolio of B2B products. 
• Modern Workflow: Experience experimenting with AI prototyping tools (to rapidly visualize concepts) combined with a mastery of standard design tooling.
• Ambiguity & Execution: Proven ability to solve highly ambiguous problems by quickly "whipping up" flows and concepts, focusing on commercial and product goals.
• Collaboration & Validation: Exceptional skill in facilitating cross-functional teams (Engineering, Data, Sales) to align on solutions and validate concepts with customers and senior stakeholders. 

Nice to have: 

• Exposure or experience in the FMCG or Market Intelligence sectors. 
• Experience of leading and mentoring a team

We hope you’ll like our…

• Culture that supports true collaboration whilst embracing remote working
• Generous holiday allowance with the opportunity to buy additional holiday
• Approach to personal development where we encourage individuals to grow and share what they’ve learned
• Frequent social events, both within the department and across the company
• Blend of home and office working (1-2 days in the office) 

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