Design Lead (Madrid only, contract)
Madrid, Spain (Remote)
Madrid, Spain (Remote)
This position is only for a particular project, not a full time inhouse position.
In this case, the social package (sick leaves, days off, vacation, necessary equipment provision, etc) is not covered by Selecto.
Domain: Sport Broadcasting
Description: We are designing a flexible, scalable multi-platform digital experience across responsive web, mobile apps, and connected TV, delivered through a comprehensive design system. The goal is to ensure a consistent and high-quality user experience across all digital touchpoints, compliant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards, and capable of smoothly shifting between lower-intensity “Flame to Flame” periods and peak-demand “Games Time” moments. The experience must serve a global, multilingual audience and perform reliably during major traffic spikes.
Team: Design Lead, Multidisciplinary designers (UX, UI, motion, accessibility specialist), Project Manager, Design Directors, Content and Development teams.
Timeline: full time, 6 months with the possibility of prolongation
Location: Madrid, Spain only. There is a possibility of working from the client’s office once a week.
Languages: Fluent English, Fluent Spanish is a plus.
This role is the strategic and creative anchor of project, and the face of the client in Madrid. You own the vision and quality of a multi-platform design system spanning responsive web, native mobile (iOS and Android) and, potentially, connected TV (Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku), across two fundamentally different operating modes: the high-intensity, real-time data environment and the editorial, content-discovery focus.
You look at the product as a whole, not ticket by ticket. You set the design direction, govern the design system, guide the team's craft and hold the day-to-day relationship with the client, in person in Madrid, ideally once a week.
You bridge strategic intent and hands-on delivery, so the team works to one vision and the client feels the difference.
Strategy & Client Partnership
Hold the strategic view of the product and turn its objectives, priorities and brand evolution into a clear design direction and a deliverable plan.
Anticipate needs and frame decisions proactively; work with the Project Director on scope, estimates and growth opportunities.
Act as the trusted creative partner to the client: lead day-to-day communication, build relationships with Product Managers, manage expectations, take feedback with composure, and present to senior stakeholders in a multi-vendor environment.
Be on site in Madrid, ideally weekly, for reviews, workshops and working sessions.
Design Quality & Team Leadership
Set and hold the quality bar: run critiques, review all significant output before it reaches the client, and give direct feedback.
Manage and coach the remote delivery team (Senior Product Designers and Product Designers across European time zones); grow seniors into leads.
Set briefs, manage sprint workloads, protect focus, and coordinate with vendors and engineering partners.
Define quality gates, review workflows and design operations frameworks that scale across engagements.
Stay hands-on for explorations, key screens and defining moments.
Design System
Architect and govern an atomic design system (tokens, components, patterns) across responsive web, native mobile and connected TV.
Design for high-density real-time data (live results, schedules, medals), editorial storytelling and content discovery, plus TV-specific interaction (remote navigation, 10-foot UI, lean-back viewing).
Build in accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA), multilingual support and RTL from the start.
Define contribution models, handoff protocols, documentation and versioning so client teams and vendors can extend the system safely.
Design Engineering & AI
Work where design meets code: tokens, coded prototypes and the component library as living sources of truth.
Use AI for prototyping, asset generation, automated QA and routine production; champion adoption with the team and client, with judgement on where craft stays human.
Research & Validation
Shape and support user testing with the client and research partners, turning findings into design decisions.
Build the evidence base for recommendations: testing, analytics and benchmarks.
Senior design leader (typically 10+ years) experienced in complex, large organisations with many stakeholders, vendors and governance.
Background in major events, sports, broadcast or streaming preferred; live, real-time data experience is an advantage.
Proven track record building and governing enterprise-scale, multi-platform design systems (web, native mobile, and TV).
Fluent English (Spanish a plus), confident presenting to senior stakeholders.
Based in Madrid, able to be on site ideally weekly (travel costs partially covered).
Strategic, tasteful, calm under pressure and decisive; comfortable as the most senior design voice in the room.
At ease with code, design tokens and AI-assisted workflows.
Figma (expert) and design token tooling
Coded prototyping and AI-assisted design tools
CTV/OTT design constraints
WCAG 2.1 AA (hard requirement)
Real-time data and live event design
Standard project tracking, documentation and communication tools
