Lead Designer (AI)

Location: United Kingdom; candidates must live within reasonable travelling distance of a hirify.global office and be able to work at a hirify.global office or client site at least 2 days per week. Offices are located in Leeds, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, London and Bristol. Relocation support of up to £8,000 is available.

Company

hirify.global is an AI-enabled digital consultancy combining data-informed evidence, human-centred design and software engineering to deliver bespoke digital services for public and private sector clients.

What you will do

• Lead design on complex client engagements and across programmes, applying user-centred approaches throughout delivery.
• Advise senior client stakeholders using data, insight and design methodologies to shape service direction and improve user outcomes.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams in designing products and services that meet the needs of all users and comply with GDS, accessibility and other relevant standards.
• Contribute to the evolution of hirify.global’s design practice, particularly in relation to AI, agile ways of working and wider delivery models.
• Recruit, lead and mentor Intermediate and Senior design practitioners while strengthening design capability and continuous learning.
• Support bids, client accounts, thought leadership and the internal and external representation of hirify.global’s design capability.

Requirements

• Extensive lead-level design experience across complex delivery environments and a range of clients.
• Experience working effectively within and leading multidisciplinary teams using user-centred design throughout the product or service lifecycle.
• Confidence operating in technical environments and translating complex concepts into clear design direction with measurable outcomes.
• Strong consultancy and leadership skills, including exploring problem spaces with clients and determining an appropriate way forward.
• Confidence operating within complex organisations and adapting quickly to new environments and ambiguous requirements.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams and dependencies while maintaining clarity of design direction.
• Proven ability to lead and mentor designers, build team capability and support long-term growth.
• Practical experience implementing AI tools and workflows to improve outcomes for users, clients and hirify.global.

Nice to have

• Working knowledge of the GDS Digital Standard and preparing for a GDS assessment.
• Alternatively, extensive experience delivering design projects in the private sector.

Culture & Benefits

• Collaborative, agile and human-centred working environment focused on inclusion, accessibility and continuous improvement.
• Contributory pension scheme with 6% employer and 2% employee contributions.
• 25 days of holiday plus UK public holidays, with up to 2 additional holidays available through the flexible benefits scheme.
• Critical illness cover, life assurance, death-in-service cover, private health and dental options.
• Perkbox discounts, volunteer days, cycle-to-work scheme, electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme and season ticket loans.
• Financial and general wellbeing sessions, wellbeing and charity contributions, and tree planting options.