Principal Design Consultant

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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Leeds (Headquarters)
• Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, London, Bristol

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.