Customer Experience Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Customer Experience Designer Company: Manulife Location: Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: Customer Experience Design & Operations Date Posted: November 13, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years) Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in enhancing the customer and agent experience through human-centered design principles, directly impacting Net Promoter Score (NPS) and overall customer satisfaction.
• The Customer Experience Designer will act as a key functional stakeholder, collaborating with various business units to integrate customer feedback and insights into product and service development.
• The position requires a strategic approach to service design and design thinking, ensuring that all initiatives are aligned with customer needs and deliver seamless, effortless interactions across digital and traditional channels.
• This role is integral to embedding a "Customer Obsession" value across the organization, acting as a champion for customer-centric change and influencing best practices in design and delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Customer Experience Designer," the responsibilities heavily lean into operational aspects of service design, customer journey improvement, and driving NPS. This role can be categorized under Revenue Operations or Customer Operations due to its direct impact on customer satisfaction and retention, which are key revenue drivers, and its focus on optimizing customer-facing processes. The "Designer" aspect refers to the methodology and approach rather than purely visual design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and execute Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Service Design (SD) sprints for critical customer and agent-impacting projects, encompassing both short-term initiatives and long-term transformational efforts.
• Develop comprehensive customer journey maps and service blueprints to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement in sales, service, and claims processes.
• Facilitate or co-facilitate workshops and design thinking sessions with cross-functional teams to co-create solutions and foster a shared understanding of customer needs.
• Represent the "Voice of the Customer" and "Voice of the Distributor" in project teams, ensuring that solutions are empathetic, address key pain points, and align with both regional best practices and local market needs.
• Collaborate closely with customer insights, data analytics, IT, delivery, and operational partners to translate research findings, journey maps, and insights into actionable design plans and robust, unbiased solutions.
• Drive the Net Promoter System by partnering with business units to ensure customer experience is paramount in product development, sales processes, customer service improvements, and online-to-offline interaction flows.
• Champion the "Customer Obsession" value by developing programs that build organizational awareness of customer experience and influence embedded practices that contradict human-centered ways of working.
• Conduct or manage customer and agent interviews, research, and synthesis activities, ensuring rigor and objectivity in data collection and analysis to support decision-making.
• Strategically consider the evolving digital economy and its impact on user behavior, applying this understanding to future-proof insurance and wealth management landscapes through innovative digital solutions.
• Clearly articulate case studies of past projects, demonstrating how human-centered methods were applied to achieve successful customer and agent experiences and business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on process optimization, stakeholder management, and data-driven decision-making, which are core components of operations roles. The role requires not just designing experiences but also implementing and influencing them across the organization, indicating a need for operational rigor in execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Design, Psychology, or a related discipline.

Experience:

• Minimum of 3+ years of hands-on experience running Service Design and Human-Centered Design (HCD) projects, preferably within or for large, complex organizations.
• Demonstrable experience in facilitating HCD workshops and applying Design Thinking methodologies.
• Proven experience in project management, organizational, and coordination. Experience with Agile methodologies is advantageous.
• A strong track record of working with data, effectively presenting and integrating quantitative and qualitative insights to support recommendations and drive decisions.

Required Skills:

• Human-Centered Design (HCD): Expertise in applying HCD principles and methodologies to understand user needs and create effective solutions.
• Service Design (SD): Proficiency in designing and optimizing end-to-end customer journeys and service blueprints.
• Customer Journey Mapping: Ability to create detailed maps that visualize customer interactions, emotions, and touchpoints.
• Project Management: Strong organizational and coordination skills to manage design projects, timelines, and resources effectively.
• Data Analysis & Insights: Competence in analyzing quantitative and qualitative data to derive actionable customer insights.
• Design Thinking: Experience in facilitating and applying design thinking frameworks to solve complex problems.
• Workshop Facilitation: Skill in leading collaborative sessions to generate ideas, map processes, and co-create solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Agile Methodologies: Familiarity or experience working within Agile project frameworks.
• Figma or Similar Design Software: Experience with digital design tools for prototyping and visualization.
• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Ability to gain consensus and influence decisions across diverse stakeholder groups, including senior leaders.
• Empathy & Interpersonal Skills: High levels of empathy, a positive disposition, and the ability to build strong relationships.
• Results Orientation & Adaptability: A proactive, can-do attitude, creativity in overcoming obstacles, and comfort with ambiguity and changing priorities.
• Change Management: Experience in challenging embedded practices and fostering customer-centric change within an organization.
• HCD/Service Design Certification: Recognized certifications in these disciplines are a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on project management, data analysis, and stakeholder influence suggests that candidates with backgrounds in operations, business analysis, or product management who have a strong design thinking component would be well-suited. The ability to "helpfully challenging embedded practices" points to a need for strong influencing and change management skills, common in operational improvement roles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies of HCD/Service Design Projects: Detailed examples of past projects, showcasing the entire design process from research and insight generation to solution design and impact measurement.
• Customer Journey Maps & Service Blueprints: Visual documentation of existing and proposed customer journeys, highlighting pain points and opportunities for optimization.
• Workshop Facilitation Evidence: Examples of materials created for or outcomes from design thinking workshops, sprints, or co-creation sessions.
• Data-Driven Insights & Recommendations: Demonstrations of how quantitative and qualitative data were used to inform design decisions and drive specific business outcomes or improvements.
• Process Improvement Examples: Clear articulation of how designed solutions led to tangible improvements in customer or agent experience, efficiency, or satisfaction metrics (e.g., NPS).

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Evidence of ability to map, analyze, and redesign end-to-end processes (sales, service, claims) to enhance customer and agent experiences.
• Implementation & Automation: Examples of how designed experiences were translated into actionable plans, potentially involving digital solutions or process automation.
• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Documentation of how the success of implemented designs was measured, focusing on metrics like NPS, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: For an operations-focused candidate, the portfolio should emphasize process improvement, data analysis, and measurable impact. Instead of focusing solely on the visual design of interfaces, the portfolio should detail how the candidate's HCD/SD approach led to operational efficiencies, streamlined workflows, and improved customer outcomes. Quantifiable results are critical.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for a Mid-Level Customer Experience Designer in Makati City, Philippines, with 3+ years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is PHP 900,000 - PHP 1,500,000. This range can vary based on specific skills, qualifications, and the candidate's negotiation.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage (medical, dental, vision).
• Retirement savings plan (e.g., company-matched contributions).
• Life insurance and disability coverage.
• Paid time off (vacation leave, sick leave, holidays).
• Opportunities for professional development, training, and certifications.
• Employee assistance program (EAP) for mental and emotional well-being.
• Potential for performance-based bonuses or incentives.
• Hybrid work arrangement offering flexibility between office and remote work.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work hours are typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility often provided within a hybrid work model. Specific daily hours may be adjusted based on project needs and team collaboration requirements, with core hours expected for team engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimates for the Philippines are based on research from platforms like Glassdoor, Payscale, and local recruitment agency reports for similar roles in the financial services sector in Metro Manila. Benefits are typical for multinational corporations in the region.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Insurance and Wealth Management) Company Size: Manulife is a large, global organization with tens of thousands of employees worldwide. This indicates a structured environment with established processes, but also opportunities for significant impact due to the scale. Founded: Manulife was founded in 1887, signifying a long history, stability, and deep-rooted expertise in the financial services sector.

Team Structure:

• The role reports to the Lead for NPS and Experience Design within Manulife Philippines, suggesting a dedicated team focused on customer experience and satisfaction.
• This team likely collaborates closely with various business units, including product development, sales, operations, IT, and customer service, to embed customer-centricity across the organization.
• Cross-functional collaboration is a core aspect, requiring strong communication and partnership skills to influence and integrate design thinking into diverse project teams and workflows.

Methodology:

• The team champions Human-Centered Design (HCD), Service Design (SD), and Design Thinking methodologies to ensure solutions are customer and agent-centric.
• Emphasis is placed on data analysis, using both quantitative (e.g., NPS scores) and qualitative insights to inform design decisions and measure impact.
• Workflow planning and optimization are key, with a focus on redesigning end-to-end customer journeys to create seamless and effortless experiences.
• Automation and efficiency practices are likely encouraged to streamline processes and enhance service delivery.

Company Website: https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's long history and global presence suggest a corporate culture that values stability and proven methodologies, while the focus on customer experience and innovation indicates a forward-looking approach to adapting to market changes and customer expectations. This balance is crucial for operations roles that need to maintain efficiency while driving improvements.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a mid-level, requiring 3+ years of experience. It's an individual contributor role with significant influence, acting as a functional expert in HCD and Service Design. It bridges the gap between conceptual design and operational implementation.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to the Lead for NPS and Experience Design. This structure allows for direct mentorship and guidance from experienced leadership in customer experience strategy and execution. It also implies a focus on driving specific metrics like NPS.

Operations Impact: The Customer Experience Designer has a direct impact on customer satisfaction and retention, which are critical drivers of revenue and long-term business sustainability. By improving customer and agent experiences, the role contributes to increased customer loyalty, reduced churn, and enhanced operational efficiency, all of which positively affect the company's financial performance.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in advanced Service Design, journey orchestration, or specific areas of customer analytics.
• Leadership: Progress into a Senior Customer Experience Designer role, a management position within the Experience Design team, or transition into broader Customer Operations or Product Management roles.
• Cross-functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into roles within Product Development, Digital Transformation, or Customer Strategy teams within Manulife.
• Skill Development: Access to training, workshops, and certifications in HCD, Service Design, Agile, and related fields to continuously enhance professional capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals, this role offers a path to specialize in customer-centric process improvement and user experience, which are increasingly vital in GTM and revenue operations. The growth potential into leadership and cross-functional roles is strong, especially for those who can demonstrate a tangible impact on business metrics.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment, balancing in-office collaboration with remote flexibility. This suggests a modern approach to work, valuing both face-to-face interaction for ideation and individual focus time for deep work.

Office Location(s): Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. This is a prime business district, offering accessibility and a professional environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role involves significant collaboration with internal teams, requiring an environment that supports workshops, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional meetings.
• Tools & Technology: Access to relevant design software (like Figma), project management tools, and data analytics platforms will be crucial for fulfilling responsibilities.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities to interact with design peers, project stakeholders, and leadership to share insights, receive feedback, and align on strategies.

Work Schedule: The hybrid model typically allows for some flexibility in daily schedules, while adhering to core working hours for team meetings and collaboration. This setup can support operations professionals in managing their workflow for tasks requiring deep concentration and those requiring real-time team interaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role is a key consideration for work-life balance and operational efficiency, allowing candidates to structure their workdays effectively for both focused analysis and collaborative design sessions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess alignment with the core requirements of HCD, Service Design, and project management experience.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion focused on your experience with HCD methodologies, customer journey mapping, and your understanding of the financial services industry. Be prepared to articulate your design philosophy and approach.
• Skills-Based Assessment/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a design challenge or present a case study from your portfolio, demonstrating your problem-solving skills, analytical capabilities, and ability to translate insights into actionable design solutions. This will likely involve explaining your process, the data used, and the outcomes achieved.
• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with potential colleagues and key stakeholders from different business units to assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to influence and gain consensus.
• Final Interview: A conversation with senior leadership to discuss your career aspirations, cultural fit, and overall potential contribution to Manulife's customer experience goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: Prioritize case studies that demonstrate measurable results and tangible improvements driven by your design interventions (e.g., increased NPS, improved conversion rates, reduced customer effort).
• Detail Your Process: Clearly articulate your methodology for each project, from research and insight gathering to ideation, prototyping, testing, and implementation. Explain why you made certain decisions.
• Quantify Achievements: Use data to support your claims. Present metrics and KPIs that illustrate the success of your projects. For example, "Implemented a redesigned claims process that reduced average resolution time by 15% and increased customer satisfaction scores by 10 points."
• Highlight Collaboration: Showcase instances where you successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams, managed stakeholders, and influenced outcomes in complex organizational structures.
• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with financial services, customer journey optimization, and operational efficiency.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Business Context: Research Manulife's business, its market position, its customer segments, and its stated values (e.g., Customer Obsession).
• Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions: Anticipate questions about how you would approach specific design challenges within the insurance or wealth management context, or how you would handle conflicting stakeholder priorities.
• Articulate Your 'Why': Be ready to explain your rationale behind design choices and how they connect to business objectives and customer needs.
• Practice Presenting: Rehearse presenting your case studies concisely and engagingly, focusing on storytelling and clear communication of your process and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process strongly emphasizes practical application and demonstrated impact, aligning with operations roles that require tangible results. A portfolio that highlights process optimization and data-driven outcomes will be particularly impactful.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Human-Centered Design & Service Design Tools: Figma (preferred), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), Miro, Mural for ideation, prototyping, and journey mapping.
• Project Management Software: Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar tools for managing project timelines, tasks, and collaboration, especially if Agile methodologies are used.
• Collaboration Platforms: Microsoft Teams, Slack, Zoom for daily communication, virtual meetings, and team coordination.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Customer Feedback & Survey Tools: Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, or internal tools for collecting and analyzing customer feedback and NPS data.
• Data Analytics Platforms: Tableau, Power BI, Google Analytics, or internal BI tools for analyzing customer behavior, performance metrics, and generating insights.
• CRM Systems: Salesforce or similar CRM platforms (understanding their role in customer data management and interaction tracking).

CRM & Automation:

• Workflow & Process Mapping Tools: Visio, Lucidchart, or specialized process modeling software.
• Digital Transformation Platforms: Familiarity with platforms supporting digital customer interactions and service delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency with design and collaboration tools is expected. For an operations-focused candidate, demonstrating an understanding of how these design tools integrate with data analytics platforms and CRM systems to drive operational improvements will be highly valued.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Obsession: A fundamental value at Manulife, this means prioritizing the customer's needs and experience in all decisions and actions, driving a culture of empathy and proactive problem-solving.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data to inform strategies, measure impact, and continuously improve processes.
• Collaboration & Partnership: Working effectively with diverse teams across the organization to achieve shared goals and ensure seamless integration of customer experience initiatives.
• Innovation & Agility: Embracing new ideas, challenging existing practices, and adapting to changing market conditions and customer expectations with a flexible and forward-thinking mindset.
• Accountability & Results: Taking ownership of outcomes, driving projects to completion, and focusing on delivering measurable improvements in customer satisfaction and business performance.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: A highly collaborative approach, working closely with business units, IT, and operations to ensure design solutions are practical, implementable, and aligned with business objectives.
• Constructive Feedback Culture: Openness to sharing and receiving feedback to refine designs and processes, fostering a continuous improvement mindset.
• Knowledge Sharing: Actively participating in sharing best practices, learnings, and insights related to customer experience design and operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "Customer Obsession" and "Data-Driven Decision Making" aligns perfectly with the core tenets of successful operations roles. Candidates who can demonstrate how they've operationalized these values in previous roles will resonate well.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Influencing Stakeholders: Navigating complex organizational structures and diverse priorities to gain buy-in for customer-centric initiatives and design-led changes.
• Balancing User Needs with Business Constraints: Designing solutions that meet customer expectations while adhering to business requirements, regulatory compliance, and technical feasibility.
• Measuring ROI of Experience Design: Quantifying the direct business impact and return on investment of HCD and Service Design initiatives to justify resources and demonstrate value.
• Driving Cultural Change: Embedding a customer-obsessed mindset across an established organization, which may involve challenging existing norms and practices.
• Translating Insights into Action: Effectively bridging the gap between research findings and actionable operational changes that yield tangible improvements.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced HCD/SD Training: Access to internal and external workshops, courses, and certifications to deepen expertise in user research, journey mapping, and service blueprinting.
• Industry Conferences & Events: Opportunities to attend conferences related to customer experience, design thinking, and financial services innovation.
• Mentorship Programs: Guidance from experienced leaders within Manulife's customer experience and operations teams.
• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gaining exposure to different business units and operational areas, broadening understanding of the end-to-end business value chain.
• Digital Transformation Exposure: Learning about and contributing to Manulife's digital strategy and transformation initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for roles that drive change within large organizations, especially those focused on process and customer experience. Highlighting how one has overcome similar challenges with data-driven approaches and strong collaboration skills will be beneficial.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used customer insights to redesign a process or service. What was your approach, what data did you use, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your process, data analysis, and measurable impact.)
• "How would you approach mapping the customer journey for a specific Manulife product (e.g., life insurance application, claims process)? What key touchpoints and pain points would you anticipate?" (Demonstrate your understanding of journey mapping methodology and industry context.)
• "How do you balance the needs of the customer with the operational constraints or business goals of the organization?" (Showcase your ability to find practical, win-win solutions.)
• "Imagine a scenario where key stakeholders have conflicting priorities regarding a customer initiative. How would you facilitate consensus and drive alignment?" (Highlight your influencing, negotiation, and facilitation skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What does 'Customer Obsession' mean to you, and how have you operationalized this value in your previous roles?" (Connect your experience to Manulife's core values.)
• "How do you stay updated on trends in customer experience design and the financial services industry?" (Demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning.)
• "Describe a time you had to challenge an established way of working to advocate for a customer-centric approach. What was the result?" (Showcase your proactive and influential nature.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly outline the problem, your role and process, the solutions developed, the challenges faced, and the quantifiable results achieved.
• Focus on "Why" and "How": Explain the rationale behind your design decisions and the specific methods you used.
• Highlight Collaboration: Emphasize how you worked with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Showcase Data Impact: Clearly present the metrics and data that demonstrate the success and ROI of your work.
• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific aspects of your projects, your tools, and your decision-making process.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing specific examples that demonstrate operational impact, data analysis, and stakeholder management will be key. Candidates should be ready to articulate how their "design" thinking translates into tangible operational improvements.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Customer Experience Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Manulife careers portal via the provided link.
• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience in Human-Centered Design, Service Design, Customer Journey Mapping, Project Management, and Data Analysis. Quantify your achievements with specific metrics related to process improvement, customer satisfaction, or NPS where possible.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that best demonstrate your ability to design and implement customer-centric solutions, focusing on process optimization, data-driven insights, and measurable impact. Ensure clear articulation of your methodology and results.
• Research Manulife: Understand their business, values (especially Customer Obsession), and recent initiatives in customer experience or digital transformation.
• Prepare for Behavioral & Situational Questions: Anticipate questions about your experience with HCD, service design, stakeholder management, and how you handle challenges. Practice articulating your thought process and outcomes using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
• Practice Portfolio Presentation: Rehearse presenting your chosen case studies concisely, focusing on the operational impact and data-driven outcomes.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.