OM Bank - UX/UI Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX/UI Designer
Company: Old Mutual Limited
Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa (Also open to Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa)
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Design / User Experience
Date Posted: October 13, 2025
Experience Level: 2-5 Years
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role involves crafting intuitive and human-centered digital experiences for millions of South Africans within OM Bank.
• The position requires a strong focus on user research, wireframing, prototyping, and the creation of high-fidelity UI screens, adhering to a Design System.
• Collaboration with Product Owners, Business Analysts, and Developers is a key aspect to ensure user-focused and implementable designs.
• The role offers opportunities for rapid growth, learning from seasoned UX/UI specialists in a product environment, and contributing to the evolution of digital banking solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role title is UX/UI Designer, the responsibilities and required skills clearly place it within a digital product design and user experience specialization, crucial for driving customer engagement and satisfaction in the financial services sector. The mention of "OM Bank" and "digital journeys for millions of South Africans" highlights the scale and impact of this role within Old Mutual's financial technology efforts.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct user research to analyze user behavior, identify pain points, and uncover opportunities for improving digital banking journeys.
• Develop wireframes, user flows, and interactive prototypes that effectively translate research insights into user-friendly and valuable digital experiences.
• Design high-fidelity UI screens, ensuring consistency with the established Design System for visual appeal, functionality, and brand coherence.
• Partner closely with Product Owners, Business Analysts, and Software Developers to ensure designs are technically feasible, align with business objectives, and meet user needs.
• Participate actively in usability testing sessions, gathering feedback and contributing to iterative design improvements based on empirical data and user input.
• Strictly adhere to and implement established UX guidelines, design patterns, and approved design decisions to maintain a cohesive and high-quality user experience.
• Propose and contribute ideas for the continuous enhancement of the Design System, internal design processes, and team collaboration methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a hands-on approach to UX/UI design, requiring the candidate to be proficient in the entire design lifecycle from research to implementation support. The emphasis on a "Design System" is critical for ensuring scalability and consistency in a large organization like Old Mutual.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification in UX Design, Interaction Design, Human–Computer Interaction, or a closely related field.
Experience: Minimum of 2 to 5 years of progressive experience in a dedicated UX/UI or product design role, demonstrating a strong understanding of design principles and practices.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A comprehensive portfolio showcasing design thinking, problem-solving capabilities, process, and visual design craft. Student work or personal projects demonstrating strong potential are acceptable.
• UX Principles: A foundational understanding of core UX principles and human-centered design methodologies.
• Visual Design & UI: Strong proficiency in visual design, with the ability to create polished, accessible, and scalable interface designs that meet high aesthetic and functional standards.
• Figma Proficiency: Expert-level proficiency in Figma for design, prototyping, and collaboration.
• Research Interpretation: Ability to interpret research findings, data, and usability testing results and translate them into actionable design solutions.
• Design System Adherence: Meticulous attention to detail and a demonstrated ability to follow and precisely implement a design system.
• Visual Hierarchy & Typography: A keen eye for visual hierarchy, effective typography, spacing, and layout principles.
• User Empathy: The capacity to understand and design from the perspective of the end-user, anticipating their needs and motivations.
• Collaboration Skills: Proven ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams, fostering open communication and constructive dialogue.
• Accountability: A strong sense of ownership for assigned tasks and a commitment to seeing designs through to successful delivery.
• Problem Solving: Aptitude for simplifying complex problems into intuitive user flows and clean layouts.
• Adaptability: Openness to iteration, constructive feedback, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Professionalism: Understanding of professional conduct within a regulated financial environment, with a track record of delivering quality work on time.

Preferred Skills:

• Agile Project Management: Familiarity with Agile methodologies and how UX/UI design integrates into sprint cycles.
• Usability Testing Facilitation: Experience in planning, conducting, and analyzing usability testing sessions.
• Prototyping Tools (beyond Figma): Understanding or experience with other prototyping tools for specific use cases.
• Accessibility Standards: In-depth knowledge of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and best practices for inclusive design.
• Market Research Analysis: Ability to contribute to or leverage broader market and competitor analysis for design insights.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio is critical. Candidates should curate their portfolios to highlight their design process, problem-solving approach, and how they leveraged research and data to inform their design decisions, specifically within a financial services context if possible.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design Thinking Showcase: Clearly articulate your design process from problem definition to final solution, demonstrating how you approach complex user challenges.
• Problem-Solving Examples: Include case studies that highlight specific problems you solved, the constraints you worked within, and the impact of your design solutions.
• Visual Craft & Execution: Showcase high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes that demonstrate a strong command of UI design principles, including layout, typography, color, and iconography.
• Design System Application: Provide examples of how you have utilized or contributed to a design system, demonstrating an understanding of component-based design and consistency.
• User Research & Validation: Include evidence of how user research, data analysis, or usability testing informed your design decisions, showing a commitment to evidence-based design.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates are expected to articulate their understanding of user-centered design processes, including user research methodologies, ideation techniques, prototyping, and iterative testing.
• The ability to describe how designs are translated into development-ready assets and specifications will be evaluated.
• Familiarity with documenting design decisions, user flows, and interaction specifications for handoff to development teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Key Criteria" section in the original job description directly informs these portfolio requirements, particularly emphasizing "Portfolio Quality & Thinking Process," "Evidence-Based Design," "Design System Literacy," and "Craftsmanship & Consistency."

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a UX/UI Designer with 2-5 years of experience in Johannesburg, South Africa, the estimated annual salary range is between ZAR 400,000 and ZAR 650,000. This range is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in the South African financial sector, considering the experience level and the specific skills required.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical Aid: Access to robust medical aid schemes to cover healthcare needs.
• Retirement Fund: Contributions to a retirement fund, supporting long-term financial security.
• Risk Benefits: Life insurance and disability cover for financial protection.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Support services for personal and work-related challenges.
• Performance-Based Incentives: Potential for bonuses tied to individual and company performance.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, workshops, and conferences to enhance UX/UI skills.
• Leave Entitlements: Generous annual leave and other paid time off.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, there may be occasional flexibility depending on project needs and team collaboration, but core working hours are generally fixed.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary ranges for UX/UI Designers in South Africa can vary significantly based on location (Johannesburg and Cape Town are major hubs with competitive rates), company size, and the specific industry. The provided range is an estimate for a mid-level designer with 2-5 years of experience in a financial institution. Benefits are typical for large South African corporations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Banking) - Old Mutual operates within the highly regulated and competitive financial services sector, focusing on banking products and services tailored for the African market. This context demands a strong emphasis on security, trust, compliance, and customer data privacy in all digital interactions. Company Size: Old Mutual Limited is a large, established financial services group, employing thousands of individuals across various regions. This scale means robust processes, established career paths, and opportunities for significant impact, but also requires navigating larger organizational structures. Founded: Old Mutual was founded in 1845, giving it a long history and deep roots in financial services across Africa. This heritage implies a culture that values stability and long-term relationships, while also needing to innovate rapidly to stay relevant in the digital age.

Team Structure:

• The UX/UI Designer will be part of a high-performing UX team, working within a "squad" model which implies cross-functional, agile teams.
• The team likely operates under a Chapter structure, as indicated by the "Cultural Fit" criteria, where designers share expertise and best practices across different squads.
• Reporting is likely to a UX Lead or Design Manager, with close collaboration across Product Owners, Business Analysts, and Developers within their assigned squad.

Methodology:

• The team employs human-centered design principles, underpinned by user research and evidence-based decision-making.
• Agile methodologies are likely standard, with iterative design cycles, regular feedback loops, and close collaboration with development teams.
• A strong emphasis is placed on leveraging and contributing to a shared Design System to ensure consistency and efficiency across all digital products.

Company Website: https://www.oldmutual.co.za/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is described as aiming to build "something unique and aspirational" with a purpose of "inspiring and enabling customers to grow and sustain their prosperity." This suggests a forward-thinking yet purpose-driven environment. The mention of "OM Bank" indicates a specific digital banking initiative within the larger Old Mutual group. The "Chapter's principles" points to a specific organizational model for design teams.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level designer (2-5 years of experience). It's an opportunity to deepen expertise in UX/UI design within a specialized product environment, moving beyond junior responsibilities to take ownership of specific user journeys and features. Reporting Structure: The designer will report to a lead within the UX team, likely a UX Lead or Design Manager, and will work within agile squads. This structure facilitates direct collaboration with product and engineering teams while benefiting from mentorship within the design discipline. Operations Impact: The UX/UI Designer's work directly impacts the digital experience of millions of customers, influencing user engagement, satisfaction, and adoption of OM Bank's digital products. Their designs will contribute to the bank's strategic goals of customer growth and prosperity, as well as operational efficiency through intuitive interfaces.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to become a specialist in specific areas of UX/UI design, such as interaction design, user research, or design systems.
• Leadership Potential: Progression to Senior UX/UI Designer, Lead UX Designer, or even Product Design Manager roles, with increased responsibility for strategy and team management.
• Cross-functional Exposure: Gaining deep experience working with product management, engineering, and business analysis teams within agile squads.
• Design System Contribution: Opportunity to contribute significantly to the evolution and maintenance of the company's design system, a valuable skill.
• Industry Knowledge: Deepening understanding of the financial services sector, its unique user needs, and regulatory landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is framed as a growth opportunity for designers passionate about "crafting intuitive, human-centred digital experiences" and ready to "grow fast." This suggests a culture that supports and encourages professional development within the UX field.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is described as "On-site," indicating a traditional office-based work environment. This suggests a collaborative workspace designed for in-person interaction and team cohesion. Office Location(s): The role is open to both Johannesburg, Gauteng, and Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. This provides flexibility for candidates based in either of these major South African economic hubs. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on working within "squads" and "high-performing UX teams" suggests an environment that promotes teamwork, brainstorming, and shared problem-solving.
• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools, particularly Figma, will be provided, along with the necessary infrastructure for a professional design role.
• Team Interaction: Frequent interaction with Product Owners, Business Analysts, Developers, and other UX/UI specialists is expected, fostering a dynamic and integrated work setting.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time working hours (approximately 40 hours per week) are expected in the office. While the job description doesn't explicitly mention flexible hours, the agile nature of the work might allow for some adaptability within core working times, subject to team needs and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "On-site" designation is crucial for candidates seeking in-person collaboration. The dual location option for Johannesburg and Cape Town is a significant advantage for talent acquisition in South Africa.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Resume and portfolio review to assess qualifications, experience, and alignment with role requirements.
• Technical Interview: Discussion focused on UX/UI principles, design process, problem-solving skills, and proficiency with tools like Figma. Candidates may be asked to walk through their portfolio.
• Case Study/Design Challenge: A practical exercise, potentially involving a small design problem or critique, to evaluate design thinking, execution, and application of the design system.
• Team/Cultural Fit Interview: Interaction with potential team members (UX Lead, Product Owners, Developers) to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and alignment with the team's values (quality, empathy, collaboration, evidence-based design).
• Final Interview: Discussion with senior management to confirm suitability for the role and company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, the process followed (research, ideation, design, testing), the solutions you implemented, and the impact or learnings.
• Highlight Process Over Polish (initially): While visual craft is important, demonstrate your thought process and how you arrived at your solutions. Show iterations and why certain decisions were made.
• Showcase Figma Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your workflow in Figma, including component usage, prototyping features, and collaboration aspects.
• Emphasize Collaboration: Provide examples of how you worked with cross-functional teams and incorporated feedback.
• Tailor to Financial Services: If possible, highlight any relevant experience or understanding of designing for regulated industries like banking, focusing on trust, security, and user confidence.
• Be Ready for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, challenges faced, and how you handle constructive criticism.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Design System: Familiarize yourself with common design system components and principles. If a public example exists, review it.
• Practice Problem Solving: Be ready to break down a design challenge into smaller, manageable parts and propose potential solutions.
• Articulate Your Rationale: Clearly explain the reasoning behind your design choices, linking them back to user needs or business goals.
• Time Management: If given a timed challenge, practice working efficiently and prioritizing key aspects of the design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Key Criteria" section strongly influences the expected interview and portfolio review process. Candidates must be prepared to demonstrate "strong design thinking, visual hierarchy, and problem-solving," "evidence-based design," "design system literacy," and "craftsmanship & consistency."

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: This is explicitly listed as a required proficiency. Candidates should be experts in using Figma for wireframing, high-fidelity UI design, prototyping, and collaborating with team members.
• Design System Tools: Familiarity with tools or platforms used to manage and access design system components (likely integrated within Figma or a separate DAM/component library).

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly mentioned as a required skill for the designer, understanding how to interpret basic analytics (e.g., user flow data, conversion rates) to inform design decisions would be beneficial. Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics or similar platforms used for digital product performance tracking.

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly relevant to the UX/UI Designer role, but awareness of how design impacts customer journeys managed through CRM systems could be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma makes it a critical tool to highlight. While other analytics and collaboration tools may not be directly used by the designer, understanding their output and how designs contribute to broader business metrics is valuable.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Quality: A commitment to delivering polished, well-crafted, and user-centric designs that meet high standards.
• Empathy: A deep understanding and consideration for the user's needs, perspectives, and emotional journey throughout their interaction with the digital product.
• Collaboration: Actively working with multidisciplinary teams, fostering open communication, sharing knowledge, and valuing diverse perspectives to achieve collective goals.
• Evidence-Based Design: Making design decisions informed by user research, data analysis, usability testing, and other empirical evidence, rather than solely on intuition.
• Growth Mindset: A proactive approach to learning, seeking feedback, embracing challenges, and continuously developing UX/UI capabilities.
• Accountability: Taking ownership of work, responsibilities, and deliverables, ensuring designs are executed with precision and meet project objectives.
• Attention to Detail: A focus on precision, consistency, and pixel-perfect execution to ensure a seamless and professional user experience.
• Problem Solving: The ability to dissect complex issues and devise elegant, intuitive solutions that simplify user interactions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working seamlessly within agile squads, integrating design thinking with product management, business analysis, and development efforts.
• Constructive Feedback Culture: Openness to receiving and providing feedback in a structured, professional manner to drive continuous improvement.
• Knowledge Sharing: Participating in design critiques, team syncs, and potentially internal workshops to share best practices and learnings within the UX Chapter.
• Iterative Design: Embracing an iterative design process, where designs are refined based on ongoing feedback and testing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Cultural Fit" criteria explicitly lists "quality, empathy, collaboration, and evidence-based design." These are core values that candidates should demonstrate in their application and interviews.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business/Technical Constraints: Designing effective solutions within the specific requirements and limitations of a regulated financial institution.
• Navigating a Large Organization: Adapting to established processes, policies, and stakeholder management within a large corporate structure like Old Mutual.
• Maintaining Design Consistency: Ensuring a unified and high-quality user experience across a diverse range of digital products and platforms, often with legacy systems.
• Keeping Pace with Digital Trends: Continuously learning and adapting to evolving UX/UI best practices and technologies in the competitive fintech landscape.
• Data Interpretation: Effectively translating complex user data and research findings into actionable design improvements.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced UX/UI Training: Access to specialized courses, workshops, and certifications to deepen expertise in areas like interaction design, user research methodologies, or accessibility.
• Design System Mastery: Opportunities to become a key contributor to and expert in the development and governance of Old Mutual's design system.
• Mentorship: Learning from experienced UX/UI designers and potentially senior leaders within the Old Mutual design community.
• Industry Exposure: Participation in relevant design conferences, webinars, and industry events to stay abreast of current trends and network with peers.
• Cross-functional Skill Development: Gaining a deeper understanding of product management, agile development, and business analysis through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is positioned for individuals with a "Growth Mindset" and a "genuine desire to learn," which directly aligns with the learning and development opportunities available.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process & Problem Solving: "Walk me through a complex UX/UI project from your portfolio. What was the problem, what was your process, what were the challenges, and what was the outcome?" Focus on demonstrating your structured thinking and how you made decisions.
• Design System Application: "How would you approach designing a new feature using our (hypothetical) design system? What are the key considerations?" Be prepared to discuss component usage, consistency, and potential extensions.
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: "Describe a time you had to balance conflicting feedback from stakeholders or developers. How did you navigate that situation?" Highlight your communication, negotiation, and consensus-building skills.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Cultural Alignment: "How do your personal values and work style align with our stated values of quality, empathy, collaboration, and evidence-based design?" Provide specific examples from your experience.
• Team Dynamics: "How do you contribute to a positive and productive team environment?" Discuss your approach to communication, feedback, and supporting colleagues.
• Impact Measurement: "How do you measure the success of your designs?" Discuss metrics you've used or would use (e.g., task completion rates, user satisfaction scores, conversion improvements).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Your portfolio should not just be a collection of screens, but a narrative about your problem-solving journey.
• Focus on Process: For each case study, explicitly detail your steps: research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, testing, and iteration. Explain why you made certain choices.
• Highlight Your Role: Clearly define your specific contributions, especially if working in a team.
• Showcase Figma Skills: Be ready to demonstrate your Figma capabilities, such as interactive prototyping, component usage, and collaboration features.
• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the positive impact of your designs on users and the business.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "Key Criteria" including "Portfolio Quality & Thinking Process," "Evidence-Based Design," and "Collaboration & Maturity" should be central to interview preparation.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the Old Mutual Careers portal via the provided URL.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 2-5 years of UX/UI design experience, proficiency in Figma, and experience with human-centered design principles. Use keywords like "UX Design," "UI Design," "Prototyping," "User Research," and "Design System."
• Portfolio Curation: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, well-organized, and clearly showcases your design process, problem-solving abilities, and visual craft. Select projects that best demonstrate your skills relevant to financial services or complex digital products.
• Interview Practice: Prepare to discuss your portfolio projects in detail, focusing on your thought process, collaboration, and how you incorporate user feedback and data. Practice articulating your understanding of UX/UI principles and design systems.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Old Mutual's mission, values, and the OM Bank initiative. Understand the importance of trust and user experience in the financial services sector.

⚠️ 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.