Jun 2023 to Jun 2026
Indeed
Director of User Experience
Grew the design team from 10 to 17, moved design into a strategic role, set up cross team rituals and explored AI powered operational experiences.
About / Sam Marks
Designing for people, not screens.
Over 20 years in design. I started in magazines and brand identity, then moved from interfaces to products to whole organisations.
Today I work across product strategy, AI and design leadership, and I've led design organisations for more than a decade. I help companies adopt AI without losing human judgement.
01 / What I believe
AI can accelerate how we build, but understanding people is still what makes products worth building.
02 / Career
Where I've led
2022 to 2023
Indeed Flex
Head of Product Design
Set the product design direction for the Flex platform and aligned it with product and engineering leadership.
2020 to 2022
Ascential · Cannes Lions
Head of Product Design
Led design direction across global digital products and helped create LionsLive, which took Cannes Lions online during COVID‑19.
2015 to 2016
The People's Operator
Creative Director
Before 2020
Earlier career
Startups to enterprise
Graphic design, editorial publishing, branding, digital design, customer experience and product design.
03 / Principles
How I think.
01
Simplicity creates momentum
02
Design is a strategic function
03
Outcomes over deliverables
04
AI should amplify human capability
05
Great teams build great products
04 / Expertise
What I bring.
Design leadershipProduct strategyAI product designConversational and agentic experiencesEnterprise SaaSDesign systemsBrand and visual identityTypographySpatial and experience designTeam developmentDesign advisory
05 / Testimonials
What leaders say.
“I worked closely with Sam on the TPO.com social network and mobile phone store. Sam is a first class designer, without a question, but he's more than that he really gets the overall "big picture" of user engagement, user experience, and how that interfaces with business strategy. 10/10!”
Founder, Wikipedia
“I've had the pleasure of working closely with Sam for 4 years, and I can confidently say he is an exceptional colleague and team lead. We've collaborated regularly on design strategy; these sessions have always been highly productive, with Sam actively seeking input and encouraging thoughtful discussion to strengthen outcomes. Sam has played a key role in a number of joint projects, particularly around future vision work for both Flex and Indeed. He has always been a strong advocate for bringing the design team together and ensuring alignment across initiatives. His ability to unite people and create a shared sense of purpose has been at the core of his work. On a personal level, Sam is approachable, personable, and highly supportive. He creates an environment built on trust, fairness, and autonomy, which allows individuals and teams to thrive. He is deeply respected not only within the design function but across the wider business, and his leadership consistently enables those around him to grow and succeed. Working with Sam has always been a genuine pleasure, and I would highly recommend him to any organisation looking for a thoughtful, collaborative, and inspiring leader.”
Lead Designer, Indeed
“Sam is by far one of the most talented, all round creatives I have worked with. He has turned our products into world class propositions & built and led a team that are energised by his passion and professionalism. He has the rare mix of strategic thinking coupled with mind blowing ideas that make him the best in his space.”
Group Design & Product Chief | Multi-Exit Founder | Board advisor, Mobile Streams
“I worked alongside Sam at Indeed Flex, where he led design across many genuinely varied briefs a SaaS rebrand, our AI agent for clients, complex reporting dashboards, and a hybrid prototyping tool to support the revenue team. That breadth is notable because Sam handled each with the same steady, considered approach rather than treating them in the order of prestige.
Sam uses naturally high emotional intelligence in a role that demands it. Design leaders sit in difficult territory between product, engineering, and commercial stakeholders who rarely want the same thing at the same time. Sam navigated that without drama, adapting his style to whoever he was in the room with and keeping the work moving. He has a high agency and bias for action and doesn't over invest in the process.
Technically, he has a strong grounding in design principles and was particularly effective at translating between design intent and engineering reality building out design systems that gave the team a solid foundation. He thinks fast and iterates faster, but the ideas are grounded.
Beyond the work, Sam is genuinely people-oriented in a way that isn't forced. He shows real warmth and curiosity about the people around him, and that makes him a natural anchor for team culture. Any company that hires him gets a better room. You'll also leave knowing considerably more about Italian football stadia than you believed possible, which I consider a bonus.
I'd work with him again without hesitation.”
Head of Product, JustPark
“I had the pleasure of working with Sam for over a year at The People's Operator. Sam is an incredibly talented visual, brand and user experience designer, but that doesn't even begin to describe his value to the company. Sam was a linchpin at TPO, holding together relationships between all departments, and proactively leading many different aspects of the business. I hope to get the opportunity to work with Sam again in the future.”
Consultant CTO / Technical Advisor, The People's Operator
06 / Beyond work
Off the clock.
[STADIUM PHOTO, ITALY]
Football trips to Italy
[ARCHITECTURE PHOTO]
Architecture
[EVERYDAY OBJECT PHOTO]
Well designed everyday objects
I also advise businesses and explore ventures where design, AI and emerging technology meet.