Vice President of Product Design (24050) in London

Holland & Barrett (H&B) on a mission to make health and wellness a way of life for everyone – and technology is at the heart of our future to become a leading omnichannel retailer. We're building some great products, and we're investing in the rapidly advancing technology that is helping our customers meet their health and wellness goals. We're delivering more speed in the retail experience, greater convenience in service and delivery, and increasing personalization in our brand and product propositions, both in-store and online.

As the Vice President (VP) of Design, you will be a key member of our Product leadership team, collaborating with peers in Product, Engineering, Data, and other disciplines to define our product strategy, operations, and communications. Your mission will be to build and manage a talented, diverse, and inclusive team of product designers and leaders who consistently deliver outstanding projects. You will support multiple product teams across various countries, fostering a data-informed product culture and a passion for creating accessible and meaningful product experiences that delight our customers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Followship of Vision - Drive alignment on product design priorities and execution across H&B, working with product managers, engineers, content designers, and UX researchers.
• Project Oversight - Oversee multiple projects, ensuring design resources are allocated, deadlines are met, and the team is set up for success with clear, measurable goals.
• Team Development - Develop and nurture design talent, cultivating a culture where designers can grow their careers and feel a strong sense of inclusion and belonging.
• Product Design Strategy - Ensure the coherence of initiatives across different squads, communicating the product design vision and strategy to guide implementation.
• Leadership Execution - Lead executive-level workshops to define 'North Star KPIs' and roadmap sessions to align product roadmaps across the vertical.
• Market Analysis - Regularly analyze the market, conduct pricing, competitive, and profitability analyses to inform product decisions.
• Collaboration - Foster collaboration across teams, leveraging information from user research, insights, and data science teams to deliver optimal solutions.
• Business Expertise - Provide expert knowledge of business constraints and equip squads with a deep understanding of users and customers.
• Resources and Tools - Ensure the availability of necessary resources and tools for effective product development within squads.

The successful candidate will be an experienced design leader with a passion for product innovation and delivering exceptional user experiences. You will shape the future of our products and make a positive impact on people's lives globally by applying the following skills and experience:

• Product and Technical Expertise - Significant product design and leadership experience gained with globally distributed design teams.
• Strategic Vision - Ability to launch new products and enhance user journeys through strategic thinking and practical execution.
• Analysis and Problem Solving - Experience working on complex issues, utilizing qualitative and quantitative analysis to drive decisions.
• Innovative Thinking - Ability to manage innovative initiatives and position H&B as an industry leader in design, accelerating go-to-market velocity, challenging the status quo to drive creative solutions to remove delivery barriers.
• Storytelling and Communication - Exceptional communication skills, capable of connecting strategy and vision with day-to-day practicality.
• Business Acumen - A deep understanding of the retail environment and consumer behavior trends, with a good grasp of financial levers and ROI within the business.
• Collaborative Leadership - Proven track record of inspiring global cross-functional teams and encouraging followership of a product vision.
• Customer-Centric Approach - Experience leveraging consumer insights, usability, surveys, behavioral data, and A/B testing to enhance products.

About H&B  

Holland & Barrett is one of the nation's most loved and trusted brands, known for offering quality health food, vitamins, and supplements all sold by highly trained and qualified advisors. 

Bucking the current trend of high street retailers, we forecast significant growth and expansion plans in the coming years, with considerable investment going into all areas of the business. We certainly embrace change and drive speed in everything we do. Every day presents a different challenge, but every day is also filled with fun, teamwork, and passion to succeed and surpass every expectation. 

Our culture respects equality, values diversity, and encourages individuality – because this allows our people to unlock their potential and be their best. We welcome everyone who shares our EPIC values regardless of background, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

• We operate virtually. Remote, hybrid, or in our tech hubs – we work in an agile environment where you can thrive.
• We offer a performance incentive scheme for our tech teams.
• Learn from the best – at H&B you'll have the opportunity to enhance and expand your skills and shape your career.
• We want you to produce your best, so we provide you with the best tech equipment.
• Stay healthy with a 25% discount on all product ranges to help you live well.
• We like to recognize and celebrate our people with our Colleague Recognition Scheme, so your hard work won't go unnoticed.
• We encourage all exceptional individuals to apply. We are committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity in our workplace and have forums to support all communities such as #women-in-tech.