Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: AFCA

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Job Type: Contract

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: 2026-04-10T04:53:47.296

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end design process for digital services, from initial research and conceptualization through to detailed UI/UX design and delivery.

• Develop intuitive, responsive, and highly accessible digital experiences for both consumers and AFCA Members, ensuring a seamless user journey.

• Drive user-centric design through robust user research programs, usability testing, and iterative refinement based on valuable user feedback.

• Collaborate effectively within cross-functional agile teams, partnering closely with developers, product owners, and business stakeholders to ensure successful product outcomes.

• Build, maintain, and evolve a comprehensive design system to guarantee consistency, scalability, and efficient design implementation across all AFCA digital platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a 12-month fixed-term contract, initially, focusing on enhancing and optimizing the accessibility of AFCA's digital services. The role requires a blend of strategic design leadership and hands-on execution in a dynamic environment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth user research, including interviews, surveys, and contextual inquiries, to uncover user needs, pain points, and behaviours for both B2C and B2B audiences.

• Translate user insights and business requirements into wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups that effectively communicate design intent.

• Design and optimize user journeys for key digital products and services, ensuring a clear, efficient, and engaging experience for all users.

• Implement and champion modern accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) throughout the design process, ensuring AFCA's digital offerings are inclusive and usable by everyone.

• Develop and manage a robust design system, including UI components, style guides, and documentation, to ensure brand consistency and streamline development workflows.

• Facilitate design thinking workshops and brainstorming sessions to foster innovation and collaborative problem-solving within cross-functional teams.

• Conduct rigorous usability testing on prototypes and live products, analyzing results to identify areas for improvement and inform design iterations.

• Collaborate with Product Owners and business stakeholders to define product roadmaps, prioritize features, and align design solutions with strategic business objectives.

• Work closely with front-end developers to ensure accurate implementation of designs, providing clear specifications and ongoing support throughout the development lifecycle.

• Contribute to the continuous optimization of existing digital services, leveraging data analytics and user feedback to drive incremental improvements in user experience and engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "high-rates of experimentation and optimisation" suggests the need for a designer comfortable with iterative A/B testing and continuous improvement cycles, not just greenfield product development.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience, is highly valued.

Experience: Proven experience as a Product Designer, UI/UX Designer, or similar role, with a strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end design projects. Experience in B2C and B2B environments, ideally within an agile development framework.

Required Skills:

• Deep understanding and practical application of UI/UX best practices and modern accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA).

• Proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, or similar.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct comprehensive user research, including user interviews, surveys, and persona development.

• Experience in designing and conducting usability testing sessions and iterating on designs based on user feedback.

• Strong creative thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to approach complex challenges with innovative solutions.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions clearly and persuasively.

• Experience working within agile development methodologies (Scrum, Kanban) and collaborating effectively in cross-functional teams.

• Familiarity with responsive design principles and best practices for designing across multiple devices and screen sizes.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE) or Power Portals.

• Familiarity with user journey mapping tools and techniques.

• Experience in the financial services, ombudsman, or not-for-profit sector.

• Knowledge of front-end development principles (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to better collaborate with developers.

• Experience with data analytics tools to inform design decisions and measure impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Microsoft Dynamics 365 CE or Power Portals suggests that candidates with direct experience in these platforms will have a significant advantage, as they will likely be integrated into the workflow and design process.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 diverse projects that demonstrate your full product design lifecycle expertise, from research to final delivery.

• Clearly articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process undertaken, and the solutions implemented for each project.

• Highlight projects that specifically address user research, prototyping, usability testing, and the implementation of accessibility standards.

• Include examples of how you have contributed to or built design systems, demonstrating your understanding of scalability and consistency.

Process Documentation:

• For each portfolio piece, detail the specific user research methodologies employed and the key insights derived.

• Document the iterative design process, including wireframing, prototyping, and user testing phases, and how feedback influenced design decisions.

• Provide examples of how you have ensured accessibility compliance throughout the design and development process.

• Illustrate your approach to collaborating with cross-functional teams, including developers and product owners, to ensure successful implementation.

• Demonstrate how you have contributed to or managed a design system, including its components, guidelines, and evolution.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on optimization and accessibility, portfolio pieces demonstrating a clear before-and-after transformation, or a direct link between design decisions and measurable improvements in user experience and accessibility, will be highly compelling.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Product Designer with 2-5 years of experience in Sydney, Australia, the estimated salary range is AUD $80,000 - $110,000 per annum. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in the Sydney market, considering the contract nature of the position and the specific requirements of AFCA.

Benefits:

• Award-Winning Culture: Recognized as one of BOSS Best Places to Work 2024, Most Inclusive Workplace 2024, Employer of Choice Public Sector and NFP 2023, and holding Silver AWEI Accreditation 2025.

• Flexible Working: Hybrid working arrangements with state-of-the-art offices designed for collaboration and wellbeing.

• Comprehensive Leave: 20 weeks paid parental leave, gender affirmation leave, women's health leave, paid time off over Christmas, and flexible public holidays.

• Financial Advantages: Not-for-profit salary packaging options to increase take-home pay.

• Professional Development: Opportunities to deepen expertise and grow within a progressive organization.

• Inclusive Environment: Commitment to LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion and a family-friendly workplace accreditation.

Working Hours: The role is based on a standard 40-hour work week. AFCA promotes flexible arrangements within this framework, allowing for a healthy work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation for a contract role in Sydney, Australia. Actual compensation will depend on the candidate's experience, skills, and the specific terms of the contract. The extensive list of benefits highlights AFCA's commitment to employee wellbeing and inclusivity, which is a significant draw for potential candidates.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services / Dispute Resolution (Ombudsman Service). AFCA operates as an independent, not-for-profit financial ombudsman service, resolving complaints about financial firms. This sector requires a high degree of integrity, fairness, and a user-centric approach, particularly for individuals seeking resolution.

Company Size: Over 1,200 dedicated professionals. This indicates a substantial organization with established processes, but also one that values employee experience and offers significant career opportunities.

Founded: AFCA was established in 2018, consolidating previous financial services dispute resolution schemes. This relatively recent establishment suggests a modern, forward-thinking organizational structure, likely open to agile methodologies and contemporary design practices.

Team Structure: The Product Designer will report into the Senior Manager - Customer Experience. This positioning suggests a focus on end-user satisfaction and a strategic approach to customer journey optimization. The role will be part of a cross-functional team, implying close collaboration with Product Owners, developers, and other CX professionals.

Methodology: AFCA champions modern, progressive thinking and accountability. The emphasis on user research, experimentation, and optimization points to an agile and data-driven approach to product development and service delivery. They are committed to delivering world-class, independent resolution services, which requires efficient and accessible digital tools.

Company Website: [AFCA Website URL - if available, otherwise state 'AFCA.com']

📝 Enhancement Note: AFCA's mission to deliver fairness and world-class complaints resolution directly informs its culture. Expect a professional, ethical, and user-focused environment where design plays a critical role in ensuring accessibility and positive user experiences for a diverse Australian population.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned at a Mid-Level, requiring 2-5 years of dedicated experience. It's a hands-on design role focused on execution and collaboration, with opportunities to influence design direction and strategy within specific projects.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer reports to the Senior Manager - Customer Experience. This structure allows for direct guidance on customer-centric design principles and integration with broader CX initiatives. Collaboration will be extensive with Product Owners and development teams.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer's impact is significant, directly influencing the accessibility, usability, and overall effectiveness of AFCA's digital services. By optimizing user journeys and ensuring inclusivity, the role contributes to AFCA's core mission of delivering fair and efficient dispute resolution, thereby enhancing public trust and satisfaction with the financial services industry.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like accessibility design, user research methodologies, or design system management.

• Leadership Potential: With proven success, opportunities may arise to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, or transition into a Senior Product Designer role in future permanent positions.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain valuable experience working with diverse teams across product, technology, and business operations, broadening understanding of the entire product lifecycle.

• Industry Expertise: Develop specialized knowledge within the financial services and dispute resolution sector, a unique and impactful domain.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this is initially a contract role, successful performance could lead to opportunities for permanent positions or future contract extensions, especially given AFCA's commitment to employee development and its recognition as a top employer.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: AFCA provides modern, state-of-the-art offices. These are designed with collaboration and employee wellbeing in mind, indicating a comfortable and well-equipped physical workspace.

Office Location(s): The team is based in both Melbourne and Sydney CBD offices. This role is specifically advertised with "Sydney NSW, Australia" as a primary location, suggesting that the hybrid work arrangement will involve regular attendance at the Sydney office.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hubs: Offices are equipped with spaces designed to foster teamwork, brainstorming, and interaction, supporting the cross-functional nature of the role.

• Technology Enabled: Expect access to modern design tools and technology infrastructure necessary for effective digital product development and collaboration.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid model allows for focused individual work and dedicated time for in-person collaboration with colleagues, fostering a strong team dynamic and knowledge sharing.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week, with flexible arrangements available. This flexibility is crucial for operations roles, allowing designers to balance focused work on complex design problems with team collaboration and personal wellbeing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "state-of-the-art offices" and emphasis on collaboration suggest that the hybrid model is well-supported, with technology and facilities in place to make the transition between remote and in-office work seamless and productive.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application and portfolio to assess your qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements.

• First Interview: Typically with the Senior Manager - Customer Experience, focusing on your experience, design philosophy, and approach to key responsibilities like user research and accessibility. Be prepared to discuss your portfolio.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a design exercise or present a detailed case study from your portfolio. This will assess your problem-solving skills, design process, and ability to articulate your rationale.

• Team/Stakeholder Interview: An opportunity to meet with potential team members (developers, product owners) and other stakeholders to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and broader stakeholder management capabilities.

• Final Interview: Possibly with a hiring leader to discuss the role in more detail, answer any remaining questions, and finalize the offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your skills in UI/UX design, accessibility, user research, and prototyping, with a focus on B2C/B2B and agile environments.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your specific role and contributions, the challenges faced, your design process, the solutions implemented, and the measurable outcomes.

• Highlight Accessibility: Explicitly demonstrate how you incorporated accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) into your designs and the impact this had.

• Showcase Collaboration: Include examples of how you worked with developers, product owners, and stakeholders, and how you managed feedback.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction).

• Keep it Concise: Aim for clarity and impact. A well-structured presentation of 3-5 key projects is more effective than an exhaustive list.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, take time to understand AFCA's mission, its user base (consumers and members), and the importance of fairness and accessibility in their services.

• Focus on Process: Demonstrate your thinking process. It's often more important how you arrive at a solution than the final solution itself.

• Prioritize Accessibility: Ensure your proposed solutions consider accessibility from the outset.

• Be Realistic: Consider the constraints of an agile environment and potential technical limitations.

• Practice Presentation: Rehearse presenting your work and explaining your decisions clearly and concisely.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given AFCA's focus on fairness and accessibility, expect interview questions and portfolio reviews to heavily weigh candidates' understanding and practical application of these principles. Be prepared to discuss how you balance user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility, with a strong emphasis on inclusivity.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision (proficiency in at least one is essential).

• User Research: Tools for surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform), user testing platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback), and potentially analytics platforms for qualitative data.

• Collaboration: Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams for day-to-day team communication and project management.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics or similar platforms to understand user behaviour on digital platforms.

• Product Analytics: Tools like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Pendo for in-depth analysis of feature usage and user flows.

• Reporting Dashboards: Experience with tools like Tableau, Power BI, or internal AFCA dashboards for visualizing key performance indicators.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM: Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE) is a strong preference, indicating its central role in managing member and consumer interactions.

• Portals: Familiarity with Power Portals (part of the Microsoft Power Platform) is also a key advantage, suggesting its use for external-facing applications or member portals.

• Integration: Understanding of how design systems integrate with development workflows and potentially CRM/portal systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Microsoft Dynamics 365 CE and Power Portals indicates that these are core platforms for AFCA. Candidates with prior experience using these systems for design integration, or understanding their capabilities, will be highly sought after, as they will require less ramp-up time.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Fairness: At the core of AFCA's mission, this value translates to ensuring equitable access and outcomes for all users through inclusive design.

• Accountability: Taking ownership of design decisions, processes, and their impact on users and the organization.

• Progressive Thinking: Embracing innovation, modern design practices, and continuous improvement to deliver world-class services.

• Resilience: Adapting to challenges, iterating on designs, and maintaining a positive outlook in a dynamic environment.

• Inclusivity: Championing diversity in all aspects, from team composition to ensuring digital products are accessible to everyone.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working closely with Product Owners, developers, researchers, and business stakeholders to achieve shared goals.

• Open Communication: Encouraging candid feedback, constructive critique, and transparent dialogue within the team and with stakeholders.

• Data-Informed: Using research, analytics, and user feedback to guide design decisions, rather than relying solely on intuition.

• User-Centricity: Maintaining a relentless focus on the needs and experiences of AFCA's consumers and members in all design considerations.

📝 Enhancement Note: AFCA's stated values are deeply integrated into its operations. A candidate who can demonstrate how they embody fairness, accountability, and inclusivity in their design work will align well with the company's ethos.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse Needs: Designing for both consumers (often vulnerable individuals seeking dispute resolution) and financial members (businesses with specific service requirements) requires careful consideration of different user needs and contexts.

• Accessibility Implementation: Ensuring true accessibility across all digital touchpoints, especially within complex financial services, requires ongoing vigilance and expertise.

• Agile Iteration Speed: Maintaining high design quality while working within rapid agile development cycles and a focus on continuous optimization.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Navigating diverse stakeholder expectations and ensuring design decisions are understood and supported across the organization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Accessibility Expertise: Opportunity to become a subject matter expert in digital accessibility within the financial services sector.

• Design System Mastery: Contribute to and lead the evolution of AFCA's design system, enhancing skills in scalable design.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gain deep insights into the financial dispute resolution process and the broader business operations of a large not-for-profit organization.

• Mentorship: Potential to learn from senior leaders in Customer Experience and Product Management, and potentially mentor junior designers if the opportunity arises.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for product design roles in regulated industries. Successfully navigating these will provide significant professional development and make a candidate highly attractive for future roles.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for users with significantly different needs or technical capabilities. How did you approach ensuring inclusivity and usability for all?" (Focus on B2C/B2B, accessibility, user segmentation).

• "Walk me through your process for designing a new feature or optimizing an existing digital service. How do you incorporate user research, testing, and iteration?" (Focus on design process, research methodologies, iterative design).

• "How do you balance stakeholder requirements, business objectives, and user needs when making design decisions?" (Focus on stakeholder management, strategic thinking, problem-solving).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about AFCA's mission and our commitment to fairness?" (Demonstrate research into AFCA's purpose and values).

• "How do you see your design philosophy aligning with AFCA's values of accountability, progressiveness, and inclusivity?" (Connect your personal values and approach to the company's ethos).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a brief overview of AFCA and the role, then present 2-3 key projects that best showcase your skills relevant to the job description.

• Storytelling: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process, the challenges, your solutions, and the impact (quantify where possible).

• Highlight Key Skills: Explicitly point out how your work demonstrates UI/UX best practices, accessibility, user research, prototyping, and design system contributions.

• Address Dynamics 365/Power Portals: If you have relevant experience, weave it into your project discussions.

• Q&A Readiness: Be prepared for in-depth questions about your decisions, challenges, and how you might approach specific AFCA-related scenarios.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare specific examples that directly address the requirements mentioned in the job description, such as experience with accessibility, B2C/B2B environments, and agile methodologies. Demonstrating an understanding of AFCA's not-for-profit and ombudsman role will also be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on SmartRecruiters.

• Tailor Your Resume: Ensure your resume highlights your most relevant experience in UI/UX design, accessibility, user research, prototyping, and agile methodologies. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your skills in designing user-centric, accessible digital experiences for B2C and B2B audiences. Ensure each project clearly outlines the problem, your process, your solution, and the impact.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your design process and project outcomes clearly and concisely, with a focus on how you address user needs, business objectives, and accessibility requirements. Be ready to discuss your experience with tools like Figma and potentially Microsoft Dynamics 365 CE/Power Portals.

• Research AFCA: Understand AFCA's mission, values, and the importance of fairness and accessibility in their operations. This will help you tailor your application and interview responses.

⚠️ 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.

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