Jose Castillo

Speaking in a DesignOps Conference

Jose Castillo – Design Leader & Senior Product Designer

Hey there! I’m Jose Castillo, a Design Leader and Senior Product Designer based in Madrid. My passion lies in harnessing the transformative power of design to drive business success. Over the years, I’ve mastered the art of empowering teams, honing my craft, leveraging data-driven insights, and using influence to create winning design solutions in any environment.

A Glimpse Behind the Title

I’m not your typical designer. My journey began with a love for communication, which led me to study Journalism. This foundation allowed me to explore various forms of expression, from marketing to design. My internships at the Ministry of the Interior and MARCA exposed me to layout design, photography, and video editing, setting the stage for a career dedicated to solving visual challenges in the digital space.

My Experience Journey

London Adventures: A Digital Leap

My career took an exciting turn in London, where I immersed myself in digital product management while leading a social network project in collaboration with 888 Poker. This experience not only enhanced my design skills but also propelled me to fluency in English, enriching my professional toolkit.

Growing in Madrid: Be-Up and KREAB

Returning to Madrid, I continued to expand my expertise at Be-Up and KREAB, focusing on digital products and team leadership. These roles solidified my ability to create impactful design solutions that resonate with users and drive business growth.

Becoming a Design Manager

Leading Design at Vodafone Spain

Joining Vodafone Spain as a Product Designer was a pivotal moment in my career. I quickly advanced to Design Manager, leading a talented team dedicated to crafting data-driven design solutions that elevate user experiences and deliver tangible results. My time at Vodafone provided the incredible opportunity to contribute to a global design team, where I played a crucial role in expanding our design strategy across markets including Germany, the UK, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, the Czech Republic, and Greece.

My last working experiences

Jul 2021 - Ago 2024

Product Design Manager in Vodafone

As the Head of Design at Vodafone Spain, I lead the UX/UI design teams, driving design excellence and customer-centric solutions. My focus is on shaping user experience strategy, managing the UX/UI Community of Practice, and aligning design initiatives with business goals and customer needs.

Leadership and Strategy

Design Chapter Founder and Team Development

Project Coordination and Execution

Stakeholder Management and Collaboration

Achievements:
Guided the value of design systems to designers, engineers, and product managers.
Tackled challenges with experimentation and data-driven analysis.
Demonstrated expertise in strategic thinking, leadership, innovation, and team building.
Communicated effectively with cross-functional agile teams.

AGO 2018- JUl 2021

Product Design Lead & Chapter Lead in Vodafone

Lead and develop Vodafone Spain's UX/UI design teams, collaborating with business units and SCRUM squads to deliver exceptional digital design solutions.

User Experience Strategy

Design Chapter Management

Project Coordination and Execution

Design Oversight

User Research Strategy

Achievements:
Design Chapter Foundation

Best Chapter Lead Team Evaluation

Team Carrer Ladder

40 designer Team. Recruitment and develop

Expanding design to other company brands (Lowi, Energy and Marketplace)

SEP 2016- AGo 2018

Senior Product Designer

As Senior Product Designer at Vodafone Spain, I spearheaded user research projects, managed information architecture and interaction design decisions, and collaborated with both internal teams and the global Vodafone Group to enhance user experiences across digital platforms.

User Research and Interaction Design

Strategy and Execution

Process and Tool Management

Continuous Improvement

Agile Integration

Evangelization and Training

Achievements:
Lead multiple user research projects, driving significant user experience and business metric improvements.
Implemented a robust user research strategy, enhancing Vodafone Spain’s digital assets.
Promoted best practices in UX design within Vodafone Spain and the global Vodafone Group.

NOV 2020- NOV 2022

Lecturer and tutor in GEN/D Data, Design & Digital School

As a Design for Conversion Instructor at GenD, the premier Digital Trade School specializing in Data and Design, my role is dedicated to teaching Conversion-Centered Design. At GenD, we prioritize enhancing employability through specialized training in critical digital skills. Discover more at www.gend.es.

JAN 2022

Lecturer in IE Business School

As an Associate Professor of Design at Instituto de Empresa (IE) Business School, I deliver dynamic and engaging courses entirely in English. I specialize in fostering creative thinking and practical design skills among students, preparing them for global challenges in the field.

MAR 2015 - SEPT 2016

Senior Digital Associate & UX Designer in KREAB Worldwide

I served as an Account Executive at Kreab, a global firm specializing in strategic communication consulting in digital, corporate, financial, and Public Affairs. With offices in Madrid and Barcelona, Kreab boasted a network of over 400 professionals across 25 countries.

Achievements:
Successfully managed high-profile digital projects for clients such as MÁSMÓVIL and CNMV, achieving significant milestones in digital strategy implementation.
Led the development and execution of impactful UX/UI initiatives, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.
Provided strategic advice on digital communication strategies, contributing to clients' market presence and reputation management.

OCT 2011 - MAR 2015

Design and Marketing Consultant | Creative Strategist in Be-Up

I specialize in Branding, Corporate Image, Internal Communications Consulting, Web Management, and Online Training Strategy. My expertise spans from Community Management and Social Media Analysis to Graphic Design across editorial, web, and video platforms. I excel in designing new products and providing creative support in strategic consultancy, delivering comprehensive reporting as a Project Manager.

Achievements:
Established and led a new Design Department, pioneering a revenue-generating division that enhanced company value for partners.

Implemented innovative Branding and Corporate Image strategies for high-profile clients such as Vodafone, Grupo Santander, and Mutua Madrileña.

Developed and executed Online Training Plans, fostering learning initiatives that drive organizational growth and employee development.

Reviews

"He possesses the best leadership qualities: he always finds the perfect narrative to contextualize his proposals, and there is no one like Jose to guide and inspire teams"
Esther Colmenarejo
Banco Sabadell Digital Diretor
"Jose has always been recognized as a benchmark and a high-potential professional. My experience during this period confirms both points"
Jon González
Vodafone Digital Diretor
"His common sense, quick problem-solving to enhance the business experience, and his ability to influence make Jose a top professional in the field of business design"
David Carro
Vodafone Head of Digital & Agile
"Jose is one of the most brilliant professionals I've worked with. He is extremely creative, anticipates the client's needs, and has a high level of commitment to the project and the team he belongs to"
Pilar Jericó
Writer, Lecturer an Be-Up President
"One of the most creative and proactive people I've ever met in terms of leveraging that creativity. He offers solutions when faced with a problem or challenge and always goes the extra mile"
Marta Romo
Be-Up CEO & Writer
"Jose is talent, vision, and a true creator of futures. He’s not one to sell you the obvious solution; instead, he’s always focused on resolving issues with the commercial objective in mind"
Belen Cabezas
Vodafone.es e-Commerce Manager
"Working with Jose is very easy; his work is brilliant, and his way of approaching everything with a smile makes it even more comfortable to complete any project"

Miguel Gómez-Aleixandre
Glocally Chief Growth Officer
"He possesses the best leadership qualities: he always finds the perfect narrative to contextualize his proposals, and there is no one like Jose to guide and inspire teams"
Esther Colmenarejo
Banco Sabadell Digital Diretor
"Jose has always been recognized as a benchmark and a high-potential professional. My experience during this period confirms both points"
Jon González
Vodafone Digital Diretor
"His common sense, quick problem-solving to enhance the business experience, and his ability to influence make Jose a top professional in the field of business design"
David Carro
Vodafone Head of Digital & Agile
"Jose is one of the most brilliant professionals I've worked with. He is extremely creative, anticipates the client's needs, and has a high level of commitment to the project and the team he belongs to"
Pilar Jericó
Writer, Lecturer an Be-Up President
"One of the most creative and proactive people I've ever met in terms of leveraging that creativity. He offers solutions when faced with a problem or challenge and always goes the extra mile"
Marta Romo
Be-Up CEO & Writer
"Jose is talent, vision, and a true creator of futures. He’s not one to sell you the obvious solution; instead, he’s always focused on resolving issues with the commercial objective in mind"
Belen Cabezas
Vodafone.es e-Commerce Manager
"Working with Jose is very easy; his work is brilliant, and his way of approaching everything with a smile makes it even more comfortable to complete any project"

Miguel Gómez-Aleixandre
Glocally Chief Growth Officer
"He possesses the best leadership qualities: he always finds the perfect narrative to contextualize his proposals, and there is no one like Jose to guide and inspire teams"
Esther Colmenarejo
Banco Sabadell Digital Diretor
"Jose has always been recognized as a benchmark and a high-potential professional. My experience during this period confirms both points"
Jon González
Vodafone Digital Diretor
"His common sense, quick problem-solving to enhance the business experience, and his ability to influence make Jose a top professional in the field of business design"
David Carro
Vodafone Head of Digital & Agile
"Jose is one of the most brilliant professionals I've worked with. He is extremely creative, anticipates the client's needs, and has a high level of commitment to the project and the team he belongs to"
Pilar Jericó
Writer, Lecturer an Be-Up President
"One of the most creative and proactive people I've ever met in terms of leveraging that creativity. He offers solutions when faced with a problem or challenge and always goes the extra mile"
Marta Romo
Be-Up CEO & Writer
"Jose is talent, vision, and a true creator of futures. He’s not one to sell you the obvious solution; instead, he’s always focused on resolving issues with the commercial objective in mind"
Belen Cabezas
Vodafone.es e-Commerce Manager
"Working with Jose is very easy; his work is brilliant, and his way of approaching everything with a smile makes it even more comfortable to complete any project"

Miguel Gómez-Aleixandre
Glocally Chief Growth Officer
"He possesses the best leadership qualities: he always finds the perfect narrative to contextualize his proposals, and there is no one like Jose to guide and inspire teams"
Esther Colmenarejo
Banco Sabadell Digital Diretor
"Jose has always been recognized as a benchmark and a high-potential professional. My experience during this period confirms both points"
Jon González
Vodafone Digital Diretor
"His common sense, quick problem-solving to enhance the business experience, and his ability to influence make Jose a top professional in the field of business design"
David Carro
Vodafone Head of Digital & Agile
"Jose is one of the most brilliant professionals I've worked with. He is extremely creative, anticipates the client's needs, and has a high level of commitment to the project and the team he belongs to"
Pilar Jericó
Writer, Lecturer an Be-Up President
"One of the most creative and proactive people I've ever met in terms of leveraging that creativity. He offers solutions when faced with a problem or challenge and always goes the extra mile"
Marta Romo
Be-Up CEO & Writer
"Jose is talent, vision, and a true creator of futures. He’s not one to sell you the obvious solution; instead, he’s always focused on resolving issues with the commercial objective in mind"
Belen Cabezas
Vodafone.es e-Commerce Manager
"Working with Jose is very easy; his work is brilliant, and his way of approaching everything with a smile makes it even more comfortable to complete any project"

Miguel Gómez-Aleixandre
Glocally Chief Growth Officer