Product Designer- 12 month FTC- Home Buying

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer - Home Buying (12-Month Fixed Term Contract)

Company: Commonwealth Bank

Location: Eveleigh, NSW, Australia (Hybrid)

Job Type: Full-Time, Temporary (Fixed Term Contract)

Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX) Design

Date Posted: March 23, 2026

Experience Level: Entry to Mid-Level (0-2 years inferred)

Remote Status: Hybrid (50% office attendance)

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and deliver user-centered digital product experiences for the Home Buying journey, with a specific focus on home loan offer and origination processes.

• Collaborate within a cross-functional "Apply With Ease" crew to enhance customer and staff-facing platforms, aiming to reduce confusion, improve turnaround times, and boost staff efficiency.

• Translate complex, regulated financial product requirements into intuitive and accessible user interfaces and workflows.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of design systems and best practices within a supportive, customer-first design culture.

• Engage in discovery activities to deeply understand user needs and stakeholder requirements, informing design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a 12-month fixed-term contract (FTC) position within the Home Buying division of Commonwealth Bank, focusing on critical customer and staff touchpoints within the home loan origination process. The hybrid work arrangement implies a need for strong self-management and communication skills, with a significant emphasis on collaborative in-office time for ideation and stakeholder engagement. The inferred experience level suggests the role is suitable for designers looking to gain significant experience in a regulated industry.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct user research and discovery activities to identify pain points and opportunities within the home loan offer and origination workflows for both customers and internal staff.

• Develop end-to-end user journeys, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UI designs for digital platforms, including the App, NetBank, HOME, and CommSee.

• Apply systems thinking principles to simplify complex, document-intensive processes, aiming to reduce friction and enhance clarity.

• Collaborate closely with Product Owners, Product Managers, Engineers, and business stakeholders to ensure design solutions are feasible, aligned with business objectives, and meet user needs.

• Design user experiences for both customer-facing applications and internal staff tools, ensuring consistency and usability across all touchpoints.

• Contribute to the evolution and maintenance of the company's design system, ensuring design consistency and scalability.

• Participate actively in design critiques and provide constructive feedback to peers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

• Ensure designs adhere to accessibility standards and regulatory requirements inherent in the financial services industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a designer comfortable with complex, regulated environments and the ability to manage multiple stakeholders. The focus on "systems thinking" suggests a requirement to understand and optimize interconnected processes, not just isolated user interfaces. Designing for both customer and staff-facing platforms indicates a broad scope of work.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, or a related field is typically preferred for Product Designer roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: Minimum of 0-2 years of professional experience in digital product design, UX/UI design, or a closely related field, with demonstrated experience working in cross-functional teams.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in designing digital products or services, ideally within a complex or regulated industry.

• Strong proficiency in interaction design, user interface (UI) design, and wireframing.

• Demonstrated ability to create user journeys, wireframes, and interactive prototypes using industry-standard design tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions clearly to diverse stakeholders.

• A strong understanding of user-centered design principles and usability best practices.

• A growth mindset with a proactive approach to learning and skill development.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with design systems and contributing to their development or maintenance.

• Familiarity with financial services products, particularly home loans and mortgage origination processes.

• Experience designing for both customer-facing and internal staff-facing applications.

• Understanding of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and inclusive design principles.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "0-2 years" inferred experience level suggests that candidates with internships, co-op placements, or a few years of post-graduate experience will be well-suited. The emphasis on "interest in designing complex, regulated journeys" is a key requirement, indicating that while direct experience in finance isn't mandatory, a willingness and aptitude to learn and navigate such environments is crucial.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a range of digital product design projects, demonstrating end-to-end design thinking from discovery to delivery.

• Clear case studies that highlight your role in each project, the problems you solved, your design process, and the outcomes achieved.

• Examples of user journeys, wireframes, prototypes, and final UI designs, with explanations of design rationale.

• Demonstrations of how you applied systems thinking to simplify complex processes or improve user flows.

• Evidence of collaboration with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, etc.) and how you managed feedback.

Process Documentation:

• Showcase your ability to document design decisions, user flows, and interaction patterns clearly.

• Include examples of how you contributed to or utilized design systems for consistency and efficiency.

• Demonstrate how you translated user research and analysis into actionable design specifications.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, a portfolio needs to go beyond just visual design. It should clearly articulate the candidate's problem-solving approach, their ability to navigate complexity, and their collaborative process within a team setting. Specific examples of simplifying complex financial journeys will be highly valued.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Product Designers with 0-2 years of experience in Sydney, NSW, Australia, a competitive salary range is estimated to be between AUD $70,000 - $95,000 per annum. This range accounts for the specific FTC nature of the role and the specialized financial services industry context.

Benefits:

• Opportunity to work on impactful projects that influence customer financial well-being.

• Access to a supportive and collaborative design culture focused on customer-centricity.

• Professional development opportunities to enhance design craft and gain experience in the financial sector.

• Hybrid work model offering a balance between office collaboration and remote flexibility.

• Potential for future opportunities within Commonwealth Bank upon successful completion of the contract.

• Comprehensive employee benefits package typically offered by large financial institutions (specifics to be confirmed upon offer).

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, likely around 38-40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement allows for flexibility, with 50% office attendance required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on publicly available data for comparable Product Designer roles in Sydney, considering the specified experience level and the fixed-term nature of the contract. Commonwealth Bank, as a major financial institution, is expected to offer a robust benefits package, though specific details are not provided in the listing.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Banking). Commonwealth Bank is one of Australia's largest banks, operating in a highly regulated and competitive market. This context means a strong emphasis on security, compliance, risk management, and customer trust is embedded in all operations and design.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Commonwealth Bank Group is a major employer with tens of thousands of employees globally). This scale implies structured processes, significant resources, and opportunities for exposure to large-scale projects and diverse teams.

Founded: 1911. With over a century of history, CBA has a deep-rooted presence in the Australian financial landscape, undergoing continuous innovation and digital transformation. This legacy provides stability and a foundation for future growth.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the "Apply With Ease" crew, a cross-functional team focused on the home buying journey.

• This crew likely includes Product Owners, Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers and business specialists.

• The Product Designer will report to an Experience Design Lead, indicating a mentorship structure within the design function.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on human-centered design principles and making banking "delightful and human-centred."

• Agile or hybrid agile methodologies are likely employed, given the cross-functional team structure and focus on iterative delivery.

• Data-driven decision-making, informed by user research, analytics, and feedback.

• A focus on "systems thinking" to address complex, interconnected processes.

Company Website: https://www.commbank.com.au/

📝 Enhancement Note: Working within a large, established bank like CBA offers a unique blend of stability and opportunity. While the financial sector is inherently risk-averse, the "Apply With Ease" crew and their mission suggest a drive for innovation and a modern approach to customer experience within that framework.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an entry to mid-level Product Designer, likely focusing on execution and contribution within a specialized domain (Home Buying). It's a significant opportunity to gain experience in a complex, regulated industry and contribute to critical customer journeys.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will report to an Experience Design Lead, providing direct mentorship and guidance. They will also work closely with Product Owners and Product Managers, offering exposure to product strategy and roadmap planning.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer will directly impact the customer and staff experience during critical home loan application stages. Success in this role means simplifying complex processes, improving customer satisfaction, reducing origination times, and enhancing staff efficiency, all of which have direct financial and operational implications for the bank.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Development: Deepen expertise in designing for regulated industries, complex financial products, and large-scale digital platforms. Enhance skills in user research, interaction design, UI design, and system thinking.

• Career Progression: Potential to move into more senior Product Designer roles, specialize in specific areas of the customer journey, or transition into Product Management roles within the bank.

• Networking: Build a strong professional network within Commonwealth Bank, engaging with various departments and leaders.

• Design System Contribution: Gain experience in maintaining and evolving a robust design system, a valuable skill for future roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The 12-month FTC nature of this role means growth is primarily focused on skill acquisition and impact within that timeframe, rather than a long-term defined career path within CBA. However, exceptional performance could lead to extensions or other opportunities within the organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid model with 50% office attendance required. This suggests a blend of in-office collaboration and remote work. The office environment is likely professional, modern, and equipped for collaborative work.

Office Location(s): Eveleigh, NSW (part of the Sydney metropolitan area). This location is a significant business hub, offering good accessibility for employees.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office space will likely feature areas designed for team collaboration, workshops, and brainstorming sessions, essential for cross-functional teams like the "Apply With Ease" crew.

• Tools & Technology: Employees will have access to the necessary design software, hardware, and IT infrastructure to perform their roles effectively. This includes access to the company's internal systems and collaboration platforms.

• Team Interaction: Regular face-to-face interaction with designers, product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders will be a key part of the office experience, fostering strong working relationships and effective problem-solving.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 38-40 hours per week), with flexibility inherent in the hybrid model. The focus is on delivering outcomes, with in-office days typically scheduled for collaborative activities and meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The 50% office attendance requirement is a key differentiator. Candidates should be comfortable with this arrangement and understand that specific days may be designated for office work to facilitate team collaboration and stakeholder engagement within the Eveleigh location.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of CV and portfolio link to assess suitability for the role, focusing on design skills, experience, and alignment with requirements.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: Candidates may be asked to complete a design exercise or present a case study from their portfolio, demonstrating their design process, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills. This will likely focus on simplifying complex journeys.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with the Experience Design Lead, Product Owner, and potentially other team members to assess technical skills, cultural fit, collaboration style, and understanding of user-centered design principles within a financial context.

• Final Interview: Potentially a final interview with a senior leader to confirm fit and discuss contract terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Process: Clearly articulate your design process for each project, from initial research and discovery through to final UI and potential outcomes. Explain your rationale behind key design decisions.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify wherever possible. If you improved a metric (e.g., reduced time, increased conversion, improved satisfaction), present it clearly. Even qualitative feedback is valuable.

• Focus on Complexity: For this role, emphasize projects where you tackled complex problems, navigated regulated environments, or designed for intricate user flows.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Show how you worked with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders. Include examples of how you incorporated feedback.

• Clarity & Accessibility: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and clearly presents your work. Highlight any efforts towards accessibility and inclusive design.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Research Commonwealth Bank, its Home Buying products, and the general landscape of home loan origination in Australia. Understand the typical pain points for customers and staff.

• Systems Thinking Practice: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a complex, multi-stage process and identify areas for simplification and improvement.

• Communication: Practice articulating your design thinking clearly and concisely. Be prepared to explain your design choices and defend them with user-centric reasoning.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio and the potential for a design challenge or case study presentation are critical. Candidates should prepare to articulate their design process and problem-solving approach in detail, specifically relating to complex financial products and user journeys.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD (Candidates should be proficient in at least one, with Figma being a common standard in many modern design teams).

• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Confluence (for project management, communication, and documentation).

• User Research Tools: Tools for user testing, surveys, and feedback collection (specifics may vary, but familiarity with qualitative and quantitative research methods is key).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Experience with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to understand user behavior and measure design impact would be beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a CRM role, understanding how design impacts data capture within CRM systems and how automation can streamline processes would be advantageous, especially in a banking context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern design and prototyping tools like Figma is almost certainly expected. Exposure to enterprise-level collaboration and project management tools used in large organizations like CBA will also be important.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A core value at Commonwealth Bank, focusing on understanding and meeting customer needs through delightful and human-centred experiences.

• Integrity & Trust: Essential in financial services, ensuring all designs are secure, compliant, and build trust with users.

• Collaboration: Working effectively in cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals.

• Innovation: Driving forward new ways to improve customer and staff experiences, even within a regulated environment.

• Accountability: Taking ownership of design outcomes and their impact on users and the business.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close working relationships with Product, Engineering, and business stakeholders are paramount for successful delivery.

• Open Communication: Encouraging open dialogue, constructive feedback, and transparent information sharing.

• Agile Mindset: Embracing iterative development, adaptability, and continuous improvement through feedback loops.

• Shared Ownership: Working towards collective success rather than individual achievement, with a focus on delivering value to the customer and the bank.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Apply With Ease" crew's mission suggests a culture that values innovation and efficiency within the established framework of a major bank. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate how they embody these values in their work and interactions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complexity: Designing within a highly regulated financial services environment with strict compliance and security requirements can be challenging.

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Effectively managing diverse expectations from customers, internal staff, product managers, engineers, and compliance teams.

• Simplifying Intricacy: Translating complex financial products and processes into intuitive, user-friendly experiences requires significant problem-solving and design skill.

• Fixed-Term Contract: Adapting quickly to a new team and project within a 12-month timeframe, with the understanding that the role is temporary.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Expertise: Gaining deep knowledge of the home buying and mortgage origination process within a leading Australian financial institution.

• Design Craft: Refining UI/UX skills, particularly in complex, regulated domains, and mastering collaboration within large, cross-functional teams.

• Systems Thinking: Developing a strong understanding of how different systems and processes interact within a large enterprise.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Building a strong portfolio with impactful case studies that demonstrate problem-solving in a high-stakes industry.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge will be to make a significant impact in a relatively short, fixed-term contract. This requires a candidate who can onboard quickly, contribute meaningfully, and demonstrate tangible improvements to the user experience.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to simplify a complex process or product for users. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on systems thinking, user research, and impact).

• "How do you ensure your designs are accessible and compliant within a regulated industry like finance?" (Highlight understanding of standards and proactive measures).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Commonwealth Bank and specifically the Home Buying division?" (Research the bank's mission, values, and recent initiatives).

• "How do you approach receiving and incorporating feedback on your designs, especially when it conflicts with your initial ideas?" (Showcase adaptability and a growth mindset).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, your process, the solutions you designed, and the results achieved.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, prototypes, final UIs) to illustrate your points. Explain the "why" behind your design choices.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, present metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs. If metrics are unavailable, use qualitative feedback or user insights.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Practice your presentation to ensure it's within the allotted time and keeps the audience engaged. Be prepared for questions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to discuss their understanding of financial products and regulated environments. The interview will likely assess not just design skills but also the ability to operate effectively within a large, structured organization.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the application link provided on the Commonwealth Bank careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that demonstrate experience with complex user journeys, regulated industries, and cross-functional collaboration. Prioritize case studies that showcase your problem-solving process and impact.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your experience in product design, interaction design, and UI design, using keywords from the job description (e.g., "Home Loan Offer," "Origination Experiences," "Systems Thinking," "User Journeys"). Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process and rationale. Be ready to discuss your portfolio in detail and prepare for potential design challenges or scenario-based questions related to simplifying complex financial workflows.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Commonwealth Bank, its values, its Home Buying division, and recent news. Understand their commitment to human-centred design and innovation in the financial 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.