Lead Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Product Designer Company: Xplor Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Job Type: Full-time Category: Product Design & User Experience Date Posted: 2025-11-04 Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years implied) Remote Status: Remote OK (Preference for Melbourne, but open to Remote in Australia)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead the strategic direction and quality of product design for Xplor Gym, an all-in-one platform for fitness businesses.
• Drive end-to-end user experience design, from initial discovery and research to final implementation and iteration, ensuring alignment with business objectives and customer value.
• Contribute to and evolve Xplor's design system, "Apollo," by developing new components and establishing robust design standards.
• Lead and mentor a team of designers, fostering a strong, accountable design culture and influencing the long-term vision of the design function within Xplor.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role title is "Lead Product Designer," the responsibilities and qualifications strongly indicate a significant leadership and management component, including performance management, career growth planning, and influencing hiring decisions. This suggests a hybrid individual contributor and team lead role, with a focus on elevating the entire design team's output. The mention of "Xplor Gym" and "Membr design team" indicates a specific product focus within the broader Xplor organization.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Shape product strategy by identifying, defining, and reframing complex product problems for the Xplor Gym platform, ensuring the team is focused on solving the most impactful issues.
• Collaborate closely with Product Management, Engineering, and other business stakeholders to align design direction with overarching business goals and deliver significant customer value.
• Produce high-quality, user-centric designs that leverage and contribute to the evolution of Xplor's "Apollo" design system through new components and established standards.
• Lead discovery and research initiatives by planning, conducting, and synthesizing qualitative and quantitative insights to ground product decisions in user needs and data.
• Craft compelling design narratives and articulate design decisions clearly to a diverse audience, including executives, clients, and cross-functional teams, building consensus and driving buy-in.
• Confidently present and defend design solutions, effectively balancing user insights, business requirements, and technical constraints.
• Drive project outcomes by proactively anticipating risks, removing roadblocks for the design team, and ensuring that launched solutions achieve measurable success beyond initial deployment.
• Manage the performance and professional growth of designers through effective goal setting, constructive feedback, and personalized development planning.
• Facilitate design critiques, collaborative workshops, and team rituals to promote knowledge sharing, foster innovation, and elevate the overall quality of work across the design team.
• Influence hiring decisions for the design team and contribute to shaping the long-term vision and strategic direction of design at Xplor.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of hands-on design leadership, strategic thinking, and people management. The role requires not only creating excellent designs but also enabling others to do so and ensuring design's strategic impact on the business. The mention of "Apollo" as the design system is a critical detail for candidates to understand the company's approach to design consistency and scalability.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific educational requirements are listed, a background in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field is typically expected for product design roles. Experience: 7+ years of progressive experience in product design, with a strong emphasis on SaaS environments and fast-growing tech companies. Previous experience in a leadership or management capacity is essential.

Required Skills:

• A robust portfolio showcasing exceptional UX and visual design expertise across web and mobile platforms, demonstrating a strong grasp of user-centered design principles.
• Proven experience in leading large-scale, complex design projects from initial discovery and user research through to successful launch and ongoing iteration.
• Deep expertise in user-centered design methodologies, coupled with strong qualitative and quantitative research skills to inform product strategy and decision-making.
• Advanced proficiency in working with and evolving design systems, including experience in scaling them, ensuring component consistency, and maintaining high standards across multiple products.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and storytelling skills, with a demonstrated ability to articulate complex design concepts and defend decisions to various stakeholders, including senior leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in ambiguous environments by proactively setting direction, managing project risks, and driving measurable outcomes with minimal direct supervision.
• Direct experience in influencing hiring decisions, shaping team structures, and actively contributing to building a long-term design culture and vision.
• Past management experience, including leading and developing designers through effective mentoring, career growth planning, and performance management.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with design tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar professional design and prototyping software.
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and the ability to integrate design processes seamlessly within sprints.
• Understanding of front-end development principles and technologies to facilitate effective collaboration with engineering teams.
• Experience in the fitness or gym management software industry is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The qualifications emphasize a senior-level individual with a track record of leading projects and people. The portfolio requirement is critical, and candidates should be prepared to showcase end-to-end design processes, problem-solving approaches, and leadership capabilities. The "7+ years" suggests a need for seasoned professionals.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating end-to-end product design experience, from problem definition and user research to wireframing, prototyping, visual design, and post-launch analysis.
• Case studies that clearly articulate the problem statement, the research methodology employed, design decisions made (and the rationale behind them), and the measurable impact of the solutions.
• Examples of contributions to or creation of design systems, showcasing an understanding of component-based design, scalability, and consistency.
• Evidence of leadership, mentorship, or team facilitation within design projects, highlighting the ability to elevate the work of others.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate experience in documenting design processes, including user journey mapping, workflow diagrams, and research synthesis reports.
• Showcase an ability to define and implement design standards and best practices that contribute to efficient and high-quality design output.
• Examples of facilitating design critiques, workshops, or brainstorming sessions to drive consensus and improve design quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "strong portfolio" and "case studies" is paramount for this role. Candidates must be prepared to present detailed examples of their work, focusing on the process, strategic thinking, and quantifiable outcomes, especially those demonstrating leadership and design system contributions.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Lead Product Designer role in Melbourne, Australia, with 7+ years of experience and management responsibilities, the estimated salary range is AUD $140,000 - $190,000 per annum. This range accounts for the senior level, leadership duties, and the cost of living in Melbourne.

Benefits:

• Unparalleled opportunities for learning and accelerated career development.
• A highly collaborative and team-oriented environment with passionate colleagues.
• Gender-neutral paid parental leave benefit programs.
• Unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning, dedicating 10% of time to personal and career growth.
• Access to mental health support services.
• Flexible work arrangements to promote work-life balance.
• Opportunity to contribute to and shape the "Apollo" design system.
• Exposure to a global SaaS platform with embedded payments.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week, with the flexibility to arrange work schedules to accommodate personal needs and ensure project delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on market data for Lead Product Designer roles in Melbourne, Australia. It considers the experience level (7+ years), leadership responsibilities, and the tech industry's compensation trends. Benefits are directly extracted from the job posting and highlighted for their value to operations professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology (SaaS, Fintech, Software Solutions) - Xplor operates in the technology sector, providing cloud-based solutions that combine Software as a Service (SaaS) with embedded payments. Their core verticals include Education, Fitness & Wellbeing, Field Services, and Personal Services. Company Size: Xplor is a significant global organization, serving over 106,000 customers and processing substantial payment volumes. This indicates a mid-to-large sized enterprise with established processes and a global footprint. Founded: While the founding date isn't explicitly stated, Xplor is presented as a mature, global entity with extensive operations and a significant customer base, suggesting it has been operating for a considerable period and has undergone substantial growth.

Team Structure:

• The design team at Xplor consists of approximately eight designers, working across different software products within the company. This role will specifically focus on the Xplor Gym product.
• The Lead Product Designer reports to the Director of Product Design, indicating a clear reporting hierarchy within the design function.
• Close collaboration is expected with Product Management, Engineering, and various business stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment and successful product delivery.

Methodology:

• Xplor emphasizes a data-driven approach, utilizing insights from user research and performance metrics to inform product decisions and strategy.
• The company values a user-centered design philosophy, aiming to create intuitive and simple technology solutions that help businesses succeed.
• Agile methodologies are likely employed, requiring designers to integrate seamlessly into development cycles and adapt to evolving requirements.

Company Website: www.xplortechnologies.com/careers

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is built around four core values: Make life simple, Build for people, Move with purpose, and Create lasting communities. These values are intended to guide hiring, recognition, and daily operations, providing insight into the desired employee mindset.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Lead-level position, signifying a senior individual contributor role with significant leadership and management responsibilities. It represents a step up from a Senior Product Designer role, involving strategic influence, team mentorship, and driving design quality across a product line. Reporting Structure: The Lead Product Designer reports directly to the Director of Product Design. This provides a clear line of guidance and mentorship from a senior design leader. Operations Impact: The Lead Product Designer is expected to have a substantial impact on the success of Xplor Gym by shaping product strategy, ensuring high-quality user experiences, and driving measurable business outcomes. Their work directly influences customer satisfaction, engagement, and the overall value proposition of the platform.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to grow into a Senior Director or Head of Design role within Xplor, managing larger teams and broader product portfolios.
• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to play a key role in defining the future product roadmap and design strategy for Xplor's offerings.
• Skill Development: Dedicated 10% of time for learning, unlimited LinkedIn Learning access, and support for professional development, encouraging continuous growth in design, leadership, and strategic thinking.
• Cross-Product Exposure: While focused on Xplor Gym, the team structure allows for collaboration and potential exposure to design challenges across other Xplor products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for career progression within design leadership, coupled with strong organizational support for professional development. The emphasis on "accelerated career development" and "10% of your time devoted to growing you and your career" are significant benefits for ambitious professionals.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Xplor maintains a physical office presence in Melbourne, Australia, which is preferred for this role. However, they also offer remote work options for candidates within Australia. Office Location(s): The primary office location mentioned is Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Workspace Context:

• The work environment is described as collaborative, fostering teamwork and shared learning.
• Access to necessary tools and technology is implied, with a specific mention of the "Apollo" design system, suggesting a focus on efficient and standardized design tooling.
• Opportunities for interaction with designers, product managers, and engineers are central to the role, facilitating cross-functional collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Work Schedule: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week. The company emphasizes "Flexible work arrangements," suggesting a degree of autonomy in managing one's schedule to balance personal needs with professional responsibilities and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role (preference for Melbourne but remote within Australia accepted) offers flexibility. The emphasis on collaboration and a supportive team environment indicates a culture geared towards collective problem-solving and mutual support.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application & Screening: Submission of CV and cover letter, including the keyword "moonshot." The hiring manager is Eric Fallon.
• Portfolio Review: A critical stage where candidates will present their portfolio, showcasing UX/UI design expertise, case studies, and leadership examples. Be prepared to discuss your process, design rationale, and impact.
• Interviews with Design & Product Teams: Likely includes discussions about design philosophy, problem-solving approach, collaboration skills, and experience with design systems.
• Management/Leadership Interview: Focus on experience in leading and mentoring designers, performance management, strategic thinking, and influencing design culture.
• Stakeholder Interviews: May involve discussions with Product, Engineering, or business leaders to assess alignment and collaboration capabilities.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your UX/UI skills, leadership capabilities, and experience with complex SaaS products or design systems.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, design, testing), the challenges you faced, and the measurable outcomes or impact.
• Highlight Leadership: Explicitly showcase instances where you mentored junior designers, led workshops, influenced strategy, or managed design projects end-to-end.
• Showcase Design Systems: If you have experience with design systems (like "Apollo"), dedicate a section or project to illustrate your understanding of their creation, maintenance, or application.
• Provide Access: Ensure any necessary access credentials (passwords, login details) are provided for your online portfolio or specific project links.

Challenge Preparation:

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Be prepared for hypothetical design challenges related to the Xplor Gym platform or similar SaaS products. Focus on your approach to understanding the problem, user needs, and potential solutions.
• Design System Thinking: Expect questions about your experience with design systems, their benefits, and how you would contribute to or evolve one.
• Leadership Scenarios: Prepare to discuss how you handle team conflicts, provide feedback, manage underperformance, and foster a positive design culture.
• Strategic Alignment: Practice articulating how design decisions align with business goals and customer value, demonstrating your ability to think beyond pixels.

📝 Enhancement Note: The instruction to include "moonshot" in the cover letter is a specific test of attention to detail. The portfolio is paramount; candidates should focus on showcasing leadership, end-to-end process, and design system experience.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, industry standard), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator).
• Design System: "Apollo" (specific to Xplor, candidates should inquire about its structure and components).
• Collaboration & Workflow: Jira, Confluence (likely used for project management and documentation).
• Research & Synthesis: Tools for user interviews, surveys, usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, SurveyMonkey, Lookback).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics (for understanding user behavior and product performance).
• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI (potentially used by stakeholders for reporting, understanding these is beneficial).

CRM & Automation:

• CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot (likely used by Sales/Customer Success teams, understanding how design impacts CRM efficiency is valuable).
• Project Management: Asana, Trello (alternative or supplementary tools for workflow organization).

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools aren't listed beyond "Apollo," candidates should be proficient in standard product design software and demonstrate an understanding of how design integrates with development, analytics, and CRM systems. Experience with design systems is a key requirement.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Make life simple: Design solutions that are intuitive, easy to use, and reduce complexity for small and medium-sized businesses.
• Build for people: Focus on empathy, understanding user needs, and creating experiences that genuinely help users achieve their goals.
• Move with purpose: Align design efforts with clear business objectives and customer value, ensuring work is impactful and strategic.
• Create lasting communities: Foster strong internal team collaboration and contribute to a positive, supportive design culture within Xplor.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional integration: Actively partner with Product Managers, Engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure a cohesive product development process.
• Open communication: Encourage candid feedback through design critiques, workshops, and regular check-ins.
• Knowledge sharing: Promote a culture where designers share insights, best practices, and learnings to elevate the entire team's capabilities.
• User-centric focus: Maintain a consistent focus on the end-user throughout all collaborative discussions and decision-making processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The four core values are central to Xplor's identity and should be reflected in how candidates approach their work and interactions. Demonstrating alignment with these values will be crucial during the interview process.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Design Direction & Team Needs: Effectively leading a team while also contributing hands-on design and evolving the design system requires strong time management and prioritization skills.
• Driving Design Impact in a Growing Company: Ensuring design's strategic influence is recognized and acted upon across various product lines and stakeholder groups within a rapidly evolving tech environment.
• Evolving "Apollo" Design System: Contributing to the growth and maintenance of a complex design system requires meticulous attention to detail, foresight, and strong collaboration with engineering.
• Remote Collaboration: Effectively mentoring and fostering a cohesive team culture when team members may be distributed across different locations within Australia.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Formal Training: Unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning and a dedicated 10% of work time for professional development activities.
• Mentorship: Guidance from the Director of Product Design and opportunities to mentor junior designers, enhancing leadership skills.
• Industry Exposure: Potential to attend relevant industry conferences or workshops focused on product design, UX strategy, and design leadership.
• Strategic Impact: Gaining experience in shaping product strategy and influencing business decisions within a global SaaS company.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a lead-level role in a dynamic tech company, offering significant opportunities for professional growth and skill enhancement through structured learning and practical experience.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to set the strategic direction for a product's user experience. How did you align this with business goals and ensure buy-in from stakeholders?" (Focus on your strategic thinking, problem framing, and stakeholder management.)
• "How do you approach leading and mentoring designers? Provide an example of how you've helped a designer grow their career or improve their performance." (Highlight your leadership style, feedback techniques, and mentorship philosophy.)
• "Walk us through your process for identifying, defining, and solving complex product problems. How do you ensure you're solving the right problem?" (Emphasize your research skills, problem-solving methodology, and user-centric approach.)
• "How do you contribute to or evolve a design system like 'Apollo'? What are the key considerations for ensuring its scalability and adoption?" (Showcase your understanding of design systems, component libraries, and collaborative design practices.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do Xplor's core values (Make life simple, Build for people, Move with purpose, Create lasting communities) resonate with your own work philosophy and experience?" (Prepare specific examples that demonstrate alignment with each value.)
• "Describe your ideal collaborative environment. How do you foster strong relationships with Product, Engineering, and other business teams?" (Focus on communication, transparency, and partnership.)
• "How do you measure the success and impact of your design work, both for users and the business?" (Discuss key metrics, A/B testing, and ROI demonstration.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of your career and leadership philosophy. Then, dive into 2-3 detailed case studies. For each, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, key challenges, your solutions, and the quantifiable outcomes.
• Highlight Leadership: Explicitly call out instances of mentorship, team facilitation, and strategic influence within your case studies.
• Design System Focus: Dedicate specific time to discuss your experience with design systems, using "Apollo" as a reference point if possible, or explaining how you would approach contributing to it.
• Concise & Engaging: Keep your presentation focused and within the allotted time. Use visuals effectively and be prepared for in-depth Q&A. Practice your narrative to ensure it flows smoothly and persuasively.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating leadership, strategic thinking, deep UX/UI expertise, and a strong understanding of design systems, all within the context of Xplor's values and product goals.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Product Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Utilize the provided link on SmartRecruiters to submit your CV and cover letter.
• Craft a "Moonshot" Cover Letter: Explicitly include the word "moonshot" in your cover letter to demonstrate you have thoroughly read the job advertisement and paid attention to detail. Tailor your cover letter to highlight your leadership experience, design system expertise, and alignment with Xplor's core values.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, showcases your strongest UX/UI and visual design work, and includes detailed case studies demonstrating end-to-end project ownership, problem-solving, and leadership impact. Provide any necessary access credentials.
• Prepare for the Interview Process: Anticipate multiple stages, including portfolio reviews, design discussions, and interviews with hiring managers and cross-functional teams. Practice articulating your design process, leadership approach, and strategic contributions.
• Research Xplor: Familiarize yourself with Xplor's products (especially Xplor Gym), their mission, values, and the technology solutions they offer. Understand their target market (small to medium businesses) and how design contributes to their success.

⚠️ 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.