Design Lead

Our Organisation

The Football Association The FA is the not-for-profit governing body of football in England. It is responsible for promoting and developing every level of the game, from grassroots through to the professional game, and generates significant revenue to support investment into English football each year.

The FA oversees England international teams across men's, women's, youth and disability football, as well as running the National League System and FA Competitions including the Emirates FA Cup, Barclays FA Women's Super League, FA Women's Championship, and Vitality Women's FA Cup, and the world-class facilities of Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park, all with a purpose to Unite the Game and Inspire the Nation.

90 minutes to change our world

Digital Technology

HAVE THE DIGITAL WORLD AT YOUR FEET

Technology is key to the FA's transformation. From supporting grassroots via our day-to-day digital presence, to using data-led insights to drive the game - to developing future focused platforms for professional football - our Digital Technology team is central to our future.

Whilst investment in technology to make the experience of all participants relevant and easy, is already at the heart of how we can serve the game, we are looking to invest even further and deliver in a more iterative way, forming product lines and fully moving towards an Agile, Product Management framework.

By 2024, we will upgrade and simplify our core football administration system (moving from Whole Game System to Platform for Football) and provide enhanced capability to England teams.

Our product lines cover all those that RUN, PLAY, LEARN as well as our responsibility to REGULATE, WIN and leverage DATA whilst also ensuring sufficient focus on the CORE BUSINESS online and PLATFORMS that support each product and service across the organisation.

Join us in helping to DECIDE THE GAME and HAVE THE DIGITAL WORLD AT YOUR FEET.

The Role

The FA's Design Lead is responsible for a small team of permanent and third-party experts who create compelling, creative, and elegant visual experiences that help us serve the millions of people who use our 50+ digital products each year. These products are a critical way for us to reach, engage and support the existing and potential football community. As such the role holder plays a critical role in delivering the FA Strategy .
The individual ensures we strike a balance between achieving the consumers' intent and needs of the FA. The role holder leads and defines visual, UX and product direction on top tier initiatives from the outset, providing thought leadership on design and creative approaches.

The Design Lead is also responsible for defining our user experience strategy (including our vision, principles, standards, and roadmap), and guiding and overseeing the work of the whole team. They collaborate extensively with Product Management, Marketing, Application Development, and other stakeholders who contribute to the development of our consumer grade web and mobile native apps.
To achieve these outcomes a high degree of familiarity with consumer preferences, user centred design principles and techniques, UX/UII and accessibility trends as well as other leading approaches is vital.

Key Accountabilities

• Collaborate with business and technology stakeholders to develop a shared understanding of business and user goals
• Manage processes for gathering user and stakeholder feedback on existing UX and design ideas to iterate on a design
• Design short- and long-term UX vision and strategy for products and applications supported
• Develop a deep understanding and documentation of customer journeys, personas, and segmentation
• Collect and analyze user behaviours and needs through qualitative and quantitative user research such as interviews, field studies, surveys, A/B testing, digital experience monitoring, and usability testing
• Design solutions to address critical user pain points and opportunities to increase efficiency
• Apply user-centered design processes that incorporate data (e.g., from real user monitoring (RUM) technologies), user insights, and continuous feedback
• Develop and communicate design ideas through prototypes, wireframes, user flows, and other design deliverables
• Ensure applications and products supported meet objectives for usability, adhere to relevant design and accessibility standards, comply with brand strategy and identity guidelines, and deliver positive experiences
• Translate user research insights into stories, and partner with development team members to prioritize and deliver them
• Use and coach others on UI/UX tools, techniques, and best practices
• Communicate UX strategy and designs to internal and external stakeholders to build consensus and convey the impact of design decisions on the user, the customer, and business outcomes
• Identify new ways to increase efficiency and consistency across UX experts and product teams
• Contribute to and promote the adoption of design patterns, standards, and systems
• Lead a team or provide coaching and mentorship to junior UI/UX designers

What we are looking for

• Five or more complete lifecycles of commercial UX design experience with a proven record of accomplishment in delivering detailed projects in a pragmatic and collaborative manner
• Deep skills in one or more of the following design disciplines: interaction design, user interface design, information design, and graphic design
• Deep understanding of and experience in maintaining and evolving design systems
• Ability to distil complex concepts into design concepts and requirements
• Experience with user research methods and techniques (e.g., usability testing, contextual inquiry, etc.) and conducting user acceptance testing
• Ability to collaborate effectively and influence decision-making across multidisciplinary teams
• Finger on the pulse of design trends and latest products
• A keen eye for design, competent in creative high-quality visuals
• Adaptability and a willingness to learn new skills, technologies, and frameworks
• Strong stakeholder management and facilitation skills, both for internal and external stakeholders and senior leaders
• Proficiency in UX design tools (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD, InVision, etc.) and familiarity with studio tools (Miro, Zeplin, Invision, Storybook)
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical information to various stakeholders verbally and in writing.
• Work across a range of top-tier initiatives as well as supporting on lower-tiered projects across web and app
• Ensure that designs meet accessibility requirements and at the highest standard for the FA and the user

What we can offer you

• An exciting and challenging role within a changing, dynamic and world-renowned sports organisation.
• Attractive benefits and a competitive salary.

Please be aware that unless you are on a homebased contract, your contract with The FA will specify a fixed location of either Wembley Stadium, St. George's Park or our Processing Centre.

We currently work within a hybrid working model whereby the expectation is to work from your contractual location for part of the week, and as and when required by the team. The remaining days can be worked remotely. We will continue to monitor this model and it may be adjusted in future if deemed necessary.

The Football Association Group promotes inclusion and diversity, and welcomes applications from everyone. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process please mention this in your application.