Job Description

Driven to create unique home-grown food concepts that bring people together, the Independent Food Company is a UAE-based hospitality company with multiple concepts under its umbrella - SALT, Parker's, Grind, Somewhere, Public, Soil and Kumo.
We are presently seeking to hire a highly qualified Senior Digital Designer / UX-UI Designer who will lead the design process from concept to execution, focusing on delivering exceptional user experiences across all digital touchpoints. The Senior Designer will translate complex requirements into simple, elegant design solutions, advocate for best practices, collaborate closely with product and engineering teams, and often mentor junior designers. They are responsible for driving strategic design decisions that increase user engagement, conversion rates, and overall product usability.
Roles and Responsibilities
The responsibilities of a Senior Digital Designer / UX-UI Designer typically fall into three main areas: UX Strategy & Research, UI & Visual Design, and Leadership & Collaboration.
1. UX Strategy and Research

• Lead User Research: Plan, conduct, and analyze various forms of user research (e.g., interviews, usability testing, A/B testing) to deeply understand user behaviors, needs, and pain points.
• Strategic Planning: Define the overall design strategy for complex projects and products, ensuring alignment with business objectives and product roadmaps.
• Information Architecture: Develop and document core UX artifacts, including user flows, journey maps, site maps, and personas to inform design decisions.
• Prototyping & Iteration (UX): Translate research insights into low- to high-fidelity wireframes and interactive prototypes to test and validate ideas quickly in an iterative process.
• Accessibility: Ensure all designs adhere to accessibility standards and best practices for inclusive design.

2. UI and Digital Visual Execution

• Visual Design Leadership: Create stunning, high-fidelity user interface (UI) mockups that are consistent with brand guidelines and visual aesthetic across all devices (responsive and mobile-first).
• Design System Development: Design, maintain, and evolve the Design System (or UI Style Guide) to ensure visual and functional consistency across the entire product ecosystem.
• Digital Asset Creation: Produce and oversee the production of high-quality digital assets for various channels, including website components, landing pages, email templates, and digital marketing materials.
• Interaction Design: Define and refine subtle, engaging interactions and animations to enhance the user experience and delight.
• Tool Proficiency: Maintain expert proficiency in industry-standard design tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite) for all stages of the design process.

3. Leadership, Collaboration, and Delivery

• Stakeholder Presentation: Clearly articulate design rationale, decisions, and strategies to cross-functional stakeholders (Product Managers, Engineers, Marketing, Leadership) and successfully gather and incorporate feedback.
• Mentorship: Provide guidance, coaching, and constructive feedback to mentor junior designers and contribute to the growth of the design team.
• Development Handoff: Collaborate closely with development/engineering teams to ensure the final product build accurately reflects the intended design specifications and maintain design quality through the implementation phase.
• Project Management: Manage and prioritize multiple complex design projects simultaneously while adhering to strict deadlines.
• Thought Leadership: Stay current with the latest digital design trends, UX methodologies, and emerging technologies to continually drive innovation within the organization.

Skills Required