90 Vp Of Design jobs in the United Kingdom

Overview

• Start date: ASAP
• Reporting to: Chief Product Officer
• Visa sponsorship: UK national or visa holder preferred, but not a dealbreaker.
• Background checks: Due to the nature of the work we do with global governments and partners, all employees need to pass background checks, verifying your identity, education (if relevant), work history, sanctions, criminal record, adverse financial history and right to work.
• You can expect to hear from us, no matter the outcome, by:  24th October 2025
• Salary expectations: We aim for transparency on salary bands. If our range is misaligned with your expectations, we’d welcome an open conversation as early as possible.

Role

We’re looking for a design head who doesn’t just produce great designs but builds a repeatable, collaborative design process that scales. You’ll work with product, engineering, and leadership teams to institutionalise design excellence, from discovery through to delivery. You will coach designers, advocate for design as a strategic function, and foster innovation across the team.

In this role, you will:

• Shape the end-to-end design process across our product portfolio.
• Ensure design informs product strategy and roadmap decisions.
• Raise the standard of user experience for thousands of public servants globally.
• Build a high-functioning design team that multiplies the impact of product and engineering.
• Establish a culture of design-led innovation that helps Apolitical scale its mission.

Team

You’ll join our Product and Engineering, working closely with product managers, engineers, and company leadership. You will line-manage one designer to begin with.

Remit

You will:

• Define and own our end-to-end product design process, ensuring it is repeatable, collaborative, and effective.
• Partner with product and engineering leads to integrate design seamlessly into product roadmaps.
• Lead user research, usability testing, and synthesis to inform design decisions.
• Build and mentor a growing design team, instilling best practices and creative confidence.
• Facilitate workshops and co-creation sessions that bring cross-functional teams into the design process.
• Set and maintain high standards for design quality, ensuring consistency across our product.
• Balance rapid iteration with long-term design vision, ensuring scalability as we grow.

You won't:

• Work in isolation: design at Apolitical is deeply collaborative.
• Focus only on aesthetics: this role is about systems, strategy, and outcomes.
• Treat AI as a gimmick: you’ll know when to deploy it for efficiency and when human-led design is essential.

Role expectations

Within one month, you will:

• Familiarise yourself with our product suite, users, and mission.
• Review existing design processes and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Begin line management and 1:1s with our designer.

Within three months, you will:

• Establish a clear design process and ways of working with product and engineering.
• Lead your first major discovery and usability testing cycle.
• Deliver improvements to our design system for consistency and scalability.

Within six months, you will:

• Embed design as a strategic function in product planning.
• Grow the design team’s confidence and capability through mentoring.
• Deliver demonstrable improvements in product usability and user satisfaction.

About you

This is a great fit if you…

• Have a product/UX design portfolio that demonstrates process as well as outcomes.
• Understand design thinking, lean UX, and collaborative product discovery.
• Are a skilled facilitator, comfortable leading workshops, ideation sessions, and design sprints.
• Have experience building and operationalising design systems and processes.
• Know how to deploy AI effectively while maintaining human oversight for strategy, empathy, and ethics.
• Are research-literate, using both qualitative and quantitative insights to inform design.
• Have are honing your management skills: coaching, mentoring, and growing designers; building design culture in a product organisation.
• Can operate both strategically (setting vision and process) and tactically (stepping in hands-on when necessary).
• Are comfortable with ambiguity and capable of creating structure.

Don’t meet every single expectation? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. Apolitical is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Application Process

Apolitical uses Applied in our recruitment. Applied aims to overcome unconscious bias in recruiting. Instead of using your CV alone, we'll be asking you to answer questions to test skills needed for the role. The answers are then anonymised, and reviewed in a random order by members of our team. 

The Applied platform also asks some demographic questions before you start your application. These answers are never visible to the hiring team and don’t affect your application in any way. We only see summary statistics to help us check if our candidate pool is balanced and if everyone has an equal chance to get hired irrespective of their background. If you prefer, you can easily opt out of answering these questions.

Using AI in your application answers

At Apolitical, we embrace new technologies and encourage the use of AI in our work. However, as AI becomes more prevalent, it can be difficult to distinguish between machine-generated content and the unique perspectives of candidates. We’re excited to see how you use AI tools to structure and refine your answers, but we value your unique insights above all else. Ensure your application reflects your voice and how your skills align with our mission.

• Degree / HNC / HND / BTEC / NVQ qualified in Mechanical Engineering or similar
• At least 1 year experience in a similar Design Engineering / CAD Operation position

• Be proficient using 3D CAD software, they use SolidWorks.
• Knowledge of a variety of materials.
• Good theoretical mechanical engineering knowledge of core principles and tight tolerances

• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Proficient using MS Office
• Excellent organisational skills and time management skills

• Have the ability to work well alone as well as part of a small multi-disciplinary team

• Using CAD for concept design and producing technical drawings
• Liaising with manufacturing providers
• Being involved in final assembly of products
• Creating the required documentation for design as well as project reports / plans
• Updating 3D models and drawings
• Inputting parts into the MRP system creating BOMs
• Checking drawings for sign off
• Working in a small multi-disciplinary team on varied projects

Product Design Teacher - Barnet

• Product Design Teacher
• Key Stages 3 - 4
• Temp to Perm, full time role
• Fantastic school with great behaviour
• Superb rates of pay - 36,918 to 56,959 per year
• October 2025 start
• Well resourced and managed department, with strong Design Technology technician
• Excellent Senior Leadership Team
• Very capable students that need little behaviour management

SCHOOL INFORMATION - Product Design Teacher

The school is based in purpose built buildings that are open and bright, conducive to superb learning. This Secondary School prides itself on an excellent all-round education that its students receive. They have strong relationships with the local community and parents/carers of the student body.

They have high standards and high expectations and aim to help each and every student to succeed. A love of learning is their priority and the pastoral system supports students in their academic and personal development. The calm, caring and purposeful learning environment is commented on by all School visitors and this helps their students to achieve beyond expectations and to be challenged to improve on their personal best.

The school aims to develop confident, independent, flexible, self-disciplined and considerate young people. Students have opportunities in and beyond the classroom to develop their academic, sporting, creative and leadership qualities. The School epitomises a vibrant and exciting learning community of which all are proud to be a part.

The expectations of their students and ethos remain consistent, striving for excellence in everything they do. This "Excellence for All" guides students and staff alike. They have developed a series of clear and consistent practices about how they teach and the qualities that they wish to develop in their learners as the firm belief is that they are at the heart of the Schools success. They are proud of their achievements of being an Outstanding School and a National Teaching School.

• The School continues to have outstanding features

• Fantastic facilities

• Friendly staff and good working environment

• Salary 36,918 - 56,959

THE ROLE - Product Design Teacher

As a Product Design Teacher you will be teaching Key Stage 3 - 4, with the offering of Key Stage 5 to be added to the timetable for a capable practitioner in the future. You will need to be confident in delivering GCSE to a high standard. Ideally you will have an undergraduate degree in a related Product Design field along with the appropriate Product Design teacher training qualification. If you have experience in teaching or an interest in other topic areas within Design Technology this will be advantageous. As with any Product Design Teacher role, the ability to teach through the Design Technology syllabus is desired.

Students and teachers alike enjoy lessons, which make for a positive and purposeful atmosphere throughout the school. This school is only looking to employ passionate educators, candidates who are prepared to fully immerse themselves in the school community, be willing to plan, prepare and deliver all lessons independently and take part in extra curricular activities.

The Product Design Teacher department is well resourced and well run, the team work together and continually raise standards. They have a great work space, bright and airy classrooms and a well stocked Design Technology suite that is managed by an efficient and experienced Technician. Each individual subject area has their own dedicated specialist technician. Enterprise and critical thinking is embedded in the school's ethos and teaching right across the curriculum, and this has been found to bring passion and excellence to teaching and learning.

This position will be starting in October on a 1 year basis and would suit either an ECT or experienced teacher. The school offers great training plus a clear and attainable path for promotion - many responsibility post holders have been promoted from within the departments.

Reeson Education:

Reeson Education is the England's Premier Recruitment Agency. Established in 2006 by experienced teachers, education professionals and recruitment specialists, we have built our business and reputation on the cores values of honesty, integrity and excellence.

We care about education and the provision of education and have established an excellent reputation with schools and teachers alike.

At Reeson Education we work closely with a large network of Nurseries, Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Colleges across the UK. Our client base provides us with an abundance of available daily supply, long term and permanent opportunities across all age groups in all areas of London.

Reeson Education is an Equal Opportunities employer and is committed to the highest standards of safeguarding and the promotion of the welfare of children, young people and adults.

Please note that all daily/hourly rates quoted are inclusive of holiday pay at 12.07%

• Managing a core product range throughout its lifecycle.
• Driving product innovation and ensuring industry-leading performance, quality, and value.
• Supporting cross-functional teams including production, customer service, and procurement.
• Identifying and implementing cost-saving and value engineering opportunities.

• Stay current with advancements in UHV (Ultra High Vacuum) design and manufacturing technologies.
• Benchmark competitor products through reverse engineering to maintain a competitive edge.

• Manage and deliver development projects on time and within budget.
• Promote and apply best practices in Design for Manufacture (DFM).
• Conduct feasibility studies on new product introductions (NPIs).
• Create and review detailed drawings in accordance with BS 888 standards.
• Collaborate with new and existing suppliers for product development.
• Generate CAD BOMs and ensure accurate data dissemination across stakeholders.
• Carry out FMEA and prototype assembly/testing.

• Identify areas for product and process improvement.
• Lead 8D problem-solving and root cause analysis initiatives.

• Maintain accurate and current product data and documentation.
• Support operations with up-to-date CAD BOMs and comprehensive work instructions.

• Lead value engineering efforts to reduce costs while maintaining quality and functionality.
• Contribute to in/out-sourcing projects in collaboration with purchasing and manufacturing teams.

• Execute engineering changes promptly and systematically.
• Ensure all product documentation and BOMs reflect current specifications.

• Provide technical support for custom quotations and inquiries.
• Deliver engineering packs for custom orders on time and within budget.

• Strong understanding of DFMA principles.
• Experience in root cause analysis and product engineering of assemblies/components.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Project costing and quotation experience.
• Ability to read and produce technical drawings using modern 3D CAD systems.

• 3–5 years’ experience in a similar role.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Dynamics.
• Proficiency in PTC Creo 5 (or higher).
• Hands-on experience with mechanical assembly and machining (milling/turning).

• HNC/HND in Mechanical and Production Engineering

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

• Strong communication skills across all levels of engineering and production.
• Self-motivated with excellent time management.
• Practical, hands-on approach with a strong sense of ownership.

Our client has built a reputation with the world’s leading architects and designers for dealing in the finest antique and reproduction fireplaces, furniture and lighting. Recognized worldwide, with offices also in the US, they are currently recruiting for a Midweight Product Design Engineer. You will be working mainly on their lighting products full-time in their offices and would particularly suit a designer who has an appreciation both lighting and interiors from a historical viewpoint.

Skills and knowledge needed from the Product Design Engineer:

• 3 to 5 years of professional experience, comfortable producing highly detailed drawings of components, assembly and explosion based on original products
• Good proficiency with SolidWorks
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment managing time-sensitive projects for both new collection launches and custom projects
• Good understanding of manufacturing processes, different materials and installation techniques within the lighting world
• Knowledge of 3D printing and 3D scanning processes
• Well-developed communication skills with a hands-on and problem-solving attitude

In return:

Salary on offer is £36k to £38k plus bonus, 25 days of Holiday (plus Bank Holidays) and pension. They offer real chances for career progression and growth.

Product Design Teacher - Barnet

• Product Design Teacher
• Key Stages 3 - 4
• Temp to Perm, full time role
• Fantastic school with great behaviour
• Superb rates of pay - 36,918 to 56,959 per year
• October 2025 start
• Well resourced and managed department, with strong Design Technology technician
• Excellent Senior Leadership Team
• Very capable students that need little behaviour management

SCHOOL INFORMATION - Product Design Teacher

The school is based in purpose built buildings that are open and bright, conducive to superb learning. This Secondary School prides itself on an excellent all-round education that its students receive. They have strong relationships with the local community and parents/carers of the student body.

They have high standards and high expectations and aim to help each and every student to succeed. A love of learning is their priority and the pastoral system supports students in their academic and personal development. The calm, caring and purposeful learning environment is commented on by all School visitors and this helps their students to achieve beyond expectations and to be challenged to improve on their personal best.

The school aims to develop confident, independent, flexible, self-disciplined and considerate young people. Students have opportunities in and beyond the classroom to develop their academic, sporting, creative and leadership qualities. The School epitomises a vibrant and exciting learning community of which all are proud to be a part.

The expectations of their students and ethos remain consistent, striving for excellence in everything they do. This "Excellence for All" guides students and staff alike. They have developed a series of clear and consistent practices about how they teach and the qualities that they wish to develop in their learners as the firm belief is that they are at the heart of the Schools success. They are proud of their achievements of being an Outstanding School and a National Teaching School.

• The School continues to have outstanding features

• Fantastic facilities

• Friendly staff and good working environment

• Salary 36,918 - 56,959

THE ROLE - Product Design Teacher

As a Product Design Teacher you will be teaching Key Stage 3 - 4, with the offering of Key Stage 5 to be added to the timetable for a capable practitioner in the future. You will need to be confident in delivering GCSE to a high standard. Ideally you will have an undergraduate degree in a related Product Design field along with the appropriate Product Design teacher training qualification. If you have experience in teaching or an interest in other topic areas within Design Technology this will be advantageous. As with any Product Design Teacher role, the ability to teach through the Design Technology syllabus is desired.

Students and teachers alike enjoy lessons, which make for a positive and purposeful atmosphere throughout the school. This school is only looking to employ passionate educators, candidates who are prepared to fully immerse themselves in the school community, be willing to plan, prepare and deliver all lessons independently and take part in extra curricular activities.

The Product Design Teacher department is well resourced and well run, the team work together and continually raise standards. They have a great work space, bright and airy classrooms and a well stocked Design Technology suite that is managed by an efficient and experienced Technician. Each individual subject area has their own dedicated specialist technician. Enterprise and critical thinking is embedded in the school's ethos and teaching right across the curriculum, and this has been found to bring passion and excellence to teaching and learning.

This position will be starting in October on a 1 year basis and would suit either an ECT or experienced teacher. The school offers great training plus a clear and attainable path for promotion - many responsibility post holders have been promoted from within the departments.

Reeson Education:

Reeson Education is the England's Premier Recruitment Agency. Established in 2006 by experienced teachers, education professionals and recruitment specialists, we have built our business and reputation on the cores values of honesty, integrity and excellence.

We care about education and the provision of education and have established an excellent reputation with schools and teachers alike.

At Reeson Education we work closely with a large network of Nurseries, Primary Schools, Secondary Schools and Colleges across the UK. Our client base provides us with an abundance of available daily supply, long term and permanent opportunities across all age groups in all areas of London.

Reeson Education is an Equal Opportunities employer and is committed to the highest standards of safeguarding and the promotion of the welfare of children, young people and adults.

Please note that all daily/hourly rates quoted are inclusive of holiday pay at 12.07%

Our client has built a reputation with the world’s leading architects and designers for dealing in the finest antique and reproduction fireplaces, furniture and lighting. Recognized worldwide, with offices also in the US, they are currently recruiting for a Midweight Product Design Engineer. You will be working mainly on their lighting products full-time in their offices and would particularly suit a designer who has an appreciation both lighting and interiors from a historical viewpoint.

Skills and knowledge needed from the Product Design Engineer:

• 3 to 5 years of professional experience, comfortable producing highly detailed drawings of components, assembly and explosion based on original products
• Good proficiency with SolidWorks
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment managing time-sensitive projects for both new collection launches and custom projects
• Good understanding of manufacturing processes, different materials and installation techniques within the lighting world
• Knowledge of 3D printing and 3D scanning processes
• Well-developed communication skills with a hands-on and problem-solving attitude

In return:

Salary on offer is £36k to £38k plus bonus, 25 days of Holiday (plus Bank Holidays) and pension. They offer real chances for career progression and growth.

• Managing a core product range throughout its lifecycle.
• Driving product innovation and ensuring industry-leading performance, quality, and value.
• Supporting cross-functional teams including production, customer service, and procurement.
• Identifying and implementing cost-saving and value engineering opportunities.

• Stay current with advancements in UHV (Ultra High Vacuum) design and manufacturing technologies.
• Benchmark competitor products through reverse engineering to maintain a competitive edge.

• Manage and deliver development projects on time and within budget.
• Promote and apply best practices in Design for Manufacture (DFM).
• Conduct feasibility studies on new product introductions (NPIs).
• Create and review detailed drawings in accordance with BS 888 standards.
• Collaborate with new and existing suppliers for product development.
• Generate CAD BOMs and ensure accurate data dissemination across stakeholders.
• Carry out FMEA and prototype assembly/testing.

• Identify areas for product and process improvement.
• Lead 8D problem-solving and root cause analysis initiatives.

• Maintain accurate and current product data and documentation.
• Support operations with up-to-date CAD BOMs and comprehensive work instructions.

• Lead value engineering efforts to reduce costs while maintaining quality and functionality.
• Contribute to in/out-sourcing projects in collaboration with purchasing and manufacturing teams.

• Execute engineering changes promptly and systematically.
• Ensure all product documentation and BOMs reflect current specifications.

• Provide technical support for custom quotations and inquiries.
• Deliver engineering packs for custom orders on time and within budget.

• Strong understanding of DFMA principles.
• Experience in root cause analysis and product engineering of assemblies/components.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Project costing and quotation experience.
• Ability to read and produce technical drawings using modern 3D CAD systems.

• 3–5 years’ experience in a similar role.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Dynamics.
• Proficiency in PTC Creo 5 (or higher).
• Hands-on experience with mechanical assembly and machining (milling/turning).

• HNC/HND in Mechanical and Production Engineering

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

• Strong communication skills across all levels of engineering and production.
• Self-motivated with excellent time management.
• Practical, hands-on approach with a strong sense of ownership.

• Degree / HNC / HND / BTEC / NVQ qualified in Mechanical Engineering or similar
• At least 1 year experience in a similar Design Engineering / CAD Operation position

• Be proficient using 3D CAD software, they use SolidWorks.
• Knowledge of a variety of materials.
• Good theoretical mechanical engineering knowledge of core principles and tight tolerances

• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Proficient using MS Office
• Excellent organisational skills and time management skills

• Have the ability to work well alone as well as part of a small multi-disciplinary team

• Using CAD for concept design and producing technical drawings
• Liaising with manufacturing providers
• Being involved in final assembly of products
• Creating the required documentation for design as well as project reports / plans
• Updating 3D models and drawings
• Inputting parts into the MRP system creating BOMs
• Checking drawings for sign off
• Working in a small multi-disciplinary team on varied projects