Job description

Hays Travel is seeking an experienced and innovative UX and UI Designer to join our vibrant creative team on a 12-month fixed-term contract. This role is integral to shaping exceptional digital experiences across the Hays Travel Group and helping our teams grow their skills and expertise in UX/UI design. Alongside designing user-centred solutions, you will mentor and train existing team members, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to enhance the organisation’s design capabilities in the long term.

Key Responsibilities

User Experience (UX) Design:
Research and understand customer needs, behaviours, and pain points through interviews, surveys, and usability testing.
Create user personas, customer journeys, wireframes, and prototypes to design intuitive digital experiences
Conduct usability testing, interpret feedback, and refine designs accordingly.
User Interface (UI) Design:
Design visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces for websites, mobile applications, and digital platforms that reflect the Hays Travel brand.
Build and maintain a design system to ensure consistency across all digital touchpoints.
Collaborate with developers to ensure design integrity during implementation.
Upskilling the Creative Team
Provide hands-on training, guidance, and workshops to upskill team members in UX/UI design tools and techniques.
Develop structured mentoring plans to help team members grow their expertise in areas such as usability testing, wireframing, and interface design
Act as a design ambassador within the organisation, promoting best practices and encouraging a culture of user-centred design
Cross-functional Collaboration
Work closely with teams across marketing, development, and retail operations to align designs with business objectives and customer needs.
Present design concepts and solutions to stakeholders and incorporate feedback into iterations.
Stay informed about industry trends and innovations to ensure Hays Travel remains a leader in digital experience.
Continuous Improvement
Use tools like Google Analytics or Hotjar to analyse user behaviour and optimise existing digital journeys
Advocate for A/B testing and data-driven decision-making in the design process.

Essential Skills and Experience

Significant experience in UX and UI design, ideally within e-commerce, travel, or retail sectors
Proficiency in design tools such as Figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch
Strong knowledge of responsive design principles and web accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG).
Experience conducting usability testing and using results to inform design
Basic understanding of front-end development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to collaborate effectively with developers
Proven experience mentoring or training team members, with the ability to explain concepts in an accessible and practical way

Attributes

Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate others
A collaborative mindset, comfortable working across departments and teams
Highly organised, able to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines
Passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences and empowering others to do the same

About Us

As the UK’s largest independent travel agency, Hays Travel specialises in providing good value, quality holidays, alongside excellent customer service. We work with all leading suppliers and can package holidays that include hotels, flights, cruises, tours, attraction tickets, and more. We have over 470 Branches throughout the UK and our Head Office based in Sunderland, is home to tour operator teams, finance, marketing, people/HR and IT, plus many more. We have been operating for over 40 years, and continue to grow each year.

Our values

Our SMILE values are embedded in to our company and ensure our teams work strongly together. You and all of our colleagues will ensure that the Hays Travel values are demonstrated at all times.

Supportive
Motivational
Innovative
Loyal
Excellent

What it’s like to work for us?

Whichever location or department you work in, our people are always at the heart of everything we do. We offer a range of training programmes to help you progress personally and professionally, as we know the benefits of promoting and rewarding our hardworking colleagues are extremely important.

Of course, it's not all about work. We're very sociable and there are always lots of team nights-out and company parties. Plus, there are opportunities to travel abroad on educational trips, and you can also take advantage of our colleague discount when booking your own holidays.

Hays Travel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all colleagues. As an accredited employer provider of apprenticeships, we undertake basic checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to ensure the safety of our apprentices for relevant roles.