About The Role
Hippo is a rapidly growing AI‑enabled digital consultancy that builds transformative digital solutions for public and private sector clients.
We are hiring a Principal Design Consultant to lead strategy, design, and technology across complex programmes and organisations, shaping user strategy, defining design standards, and driving successful delivery at scale.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead user‑centred design across the most complex and strategically important client engagements.
* Act as a trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders, using data and design methodologies to influence decision‑making.
* Lead teams to design services that meet the needs of all users and adhere to GDS and accessibility standards.
* Evolve Hippo’s design approach, promoting the profession internally and externally.
* Recruit, lead and mentor senior and lead designers, strengthening capability within Hippo’s community.
* Support business growth through pre‑sales activity, shaping product propositions, and contributing to bids.
* Represent Hippo’s design capability internally and externally, contributing to thought leadership and community engagement.
About The Candidate
* Extensive experience as a principal designer in complex delivery environments.
* Experience 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.
* Advanced consultancy and leadership skills, exploring problem spaces with clients to determine the best approach.
* Ability to manage multiple work streams and dependencies while maintaining clarity of design direction.
* Proven ability to lead and mentor designers, building team capability.
* Working knowledge of the GDS Digital Standard and related assessment, or extensive delivery experience in the private sector.
* Experience providing continuous thought leadership within your profession.
Benefits
* Competitive salary and contributory pension scheme (Hippo 6% with 2% employee contributions).
* 25 days holiday plus UK public holidays.
* Perkbox access for a wide range of discounts.
* Critical illness cover, life assurance, and death in service cover.
* Volunteer days and cycle‑to‑work scheme.
* Salary‑sacrifice electric vehicle scheme and season ticket loans.
* Financial and general wellbeing sessions.
* Flexible benefits scheme with options: private health cover, private dental cover, additional company pension contributions, additional holidays (up to 2 days), wellbeing contribution, charity contributions, tree planting.
Locations
* Leeds (Headquarters)
* Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, London, Bristol
Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging
We actively encourage applications from under‑represented groups and are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Hippo is a registered Disability Confident Employer, Mindful Employer, Endometriosis Friendly Employer and a member of the Armed Forces Covenant. We strive to remove barriers, provide accommodations, and offer reasonable adjustments to ensure equity across our practices.
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