Senior Digital Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Digital Product Designer

Company: Alphero Limited

Location: Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Digital Product Design & User Experience (UX/UI)

Date Posted: February 25, 2026

Experience Level: Senior (4-8+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead end-to-end digital product design for complex projects, encompassing user research, journey mapping, and interface crafting.

• Drive creative exploration and critical thinking to push the boundaries of digital product design, including AI-enhanced experiences and novel interaction models.

• Champion clear communication, narrative development, and persuasive storytelling to influence clients and internal teams on product strategy and "why it matters."

• Ensure seamless product delivery through close collaboration with cross-functional teams, including engineers, testers, product owners, and client stakeholders, emphasizing coherence, accessibility, and execution quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Digital Product Designer within a digital agency context, implying a need for strong end-to-end ownership, client-facing communication skills, and the ability to operate autonomously as well as within a multidisciplinary team. The emphasis on AI and emerging interactions suggests a forward-thinking approach to design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design of meaningful digital products, taking ownership of major features or entire product areas from concept to launch.

• Translate complex requirements and underlying systems into intuitive user flows, interactions, and high-fidelity UI designs that embody brand personality and purpose.

• Contribute significantly to the strategic direction of digital product innovation, exploring new interaction paradigms, AI integration, and simplification of complex systems.

• Facilitate design thinking workshops and collaborative sessions to align stakeholders and build confidence in proposed design solutions.

• Drive the execution of design deliverables, ensuring the final product is coherent, accessible, and of exceptional craft and quality, working closely with development and QA.

• Actively engage in user research activities to gather insights that inform design decisions and validate product direction.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients, understanding their business objectives and translating them into effective digital experiences.

• Contribute to and leverage design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency across product deliveries.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design execution, strategic input, client influence, and collaborative delivery, typical of a senior role in an agency environment. The focus on "designing real products" and "translating complexity into intuitive flows" indicates a need for practical, problem-solving skills.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for senior roles in this domain. A strong portfolio can often substitute for formal education.

Experience: 4–8+ years of commercial digital product design experience, demonstrating a solid track record in both User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design.

Required Skills:

• Proven expertise in end-to-end digital product design for complex products or services.

• Strong interaction design capabilities, with a demonstrated ability to design detailed user flows, edge cases, and interactive prototypes.

• Proficiency in conducting user research, synthesizing findings, and translating them into actionable design strategies.

• Experience in crafting high-quality UI designs that are both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional.

• Demonstrated ability to integrate brand personality and creative thinking into digital product experiences.

• Experience working with and contributing to design systems for consistency and scalability.

• Strong collaboration skills, with a proven ability to work effectively alongside engineers, QA testers, product managers, and other stakeholders.

• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to address complex design challenges.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within an agency or consultancy environment.

• Familiarity with designing for emerging technologies, particularly AI and agentic interactions.

• Experience with motion design or animation to enhance user experience.

• Service design thinking and its application to digital products.

• Understanding of accessibility standards and best practices in design.

• Experience in shaping experience strategy beyond execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of 4-8+ years is specifically mentioned, positioning this as a senior role. The emphasis on commercial experience and agency background suggests a preference for candidates who can hit the ground running in a fast-paced, client-oriented environment. The inclusion of AI and agentic experiences as a curiosity points to the future direction of the role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing end-to-end digital product design projects, demonstrating your journey from problem definition to final execution.

• Case studies that clearly articulate the design challenges, your problem-solving approach, the user research conducted, and the impact of your design solutions.

• Examples of detailed user flows, interaction design solutions, and high-fidelity UI designs for complex products.

• Demonstrations of your ability to integrate brand identity and creative expression into digital product interfaces.

• Evidence of your collaboration with engineering teams and understanding of build complexity.

Process Documentation:

• Case studies should detail your design process, including user research methodologies, ideation techniques, prototyping approaches, and iteration cycles based on feedback.

• Demonstrate how you translate complex systems and requirements into clear, intuitive user experiences.

• Showcase your ability to document design decisions, user flows, and UI specifications for engineering handover.

• Highlight your approach to ensuring accessibility and usability in your designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is explicitly requested, serving as the primary means to assess a candidate's practical design skills, process, and impact. The expectation is for detailed case studies that go beyond just visual presentation to explain the "why" and "how" of the design process.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on the Senior Digital Product Designer title, 4-8+ years of experience, and the location in Wellington, New Zealand, a competitive salary range is estimated to be between NZD $100,000 to NZD $140,000 per annum. This estimate accounts for the senior level, specialized skills in digital product design, and the New Zealand market for experienced tech professionals.

Benefits:

• Hybrid work model balancing office collaboration and remote flexibility.

• Opportunity to work on innovative digital products for clients across New Zealand, Australia, and beyond.

• Collaborative and creative team environment with a focus on Inventive, Emotive, and Brave principles.

• Professional development support, including opportunities to grow strategic capability and storytelling skills.

• Potential support for visa pathways for eligible candidates as an accredited employer.

• Exposure to cutting-edge design challenges, including AI-driven experiences and emerging interaction models.

• Collaborative work with strategists, developers, and testers to shape meaningful products.

Working Hours: The standard full-time working hours are assumed to be approximately 40 hours per week, with a hybrid arrangement allowing for flexibility.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on industry benchmarks for senior digital product designers in New Zealand. Specific benefits are inferred from the company's description and the nature of agency work, emphasizing growth, collaboration, and innovation. Visa sponsorship is confirmed.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Digital Agency / Technology Consulting. Alphero operates in the digital agency space, partnering with organizations to design and build digital products. This industry is characterized by client-driven projects, a focus on innovation, and the need for adaptable, multi-disciplinary teams.

Company Size: Alphero Limited is likely a medium-sized agency, given their impact and client base across New Zealand and Australia, suggesting a structure that allows for both specialized teams and cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: While the founding date is not provided, the company's mission to "create and compose the intelligent digital experiences of the future" and their established presence indicates a mature and forward-thinking organization.

Team Structure:

• The design team is described as multidisciplinary, spanning brand, creative, motion, interaction design, UX/UI, and service design.

• Designers work within larger, multidisciplinary project teams that also include strategists, developers, and testers.

• Senior designers may sometimes be the sole designer on a product delivery or part of a broader design group shaping larger programs.

Methodology:

• Alphero emphasizes a human-centered approach, aiming for "Inventive, Emotive and Brave" design principles, even for complex, technology-forward experiences.

• They focus on shaping "intelligent digital experiences," suggesting an embrace of data-driven insights, AI, and composable technologies.

• Collaboration is key, bringing together diverse skill sets to shape bold, meaningful products.

• The design process involves user research, journey shaping, interaction problem-solving, UI crafting, and close collaboration with engineering and QA.

Company Website: https://alphero.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is characterized by a mission-driven, human-centered approach to digital product creation, with an emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and pushing creative boundaries. The agency context implies a dynamic environment focused on client success and product impact.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Digital Product Designer. This level signifies a high degree of autonomy, ownership of complex projects, and the ability to influence both design execution and strategic direction. Senior designers are expected to mentor junior team members and contribute to the agency's design capabilities.

Reporting Structure: Typically, a Senior Digital Product Designer would report to a Design Lead, Head of Design, or a Creative Director. They would also work closely with Project Managers, Product Owners, and client stakeholders.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the success of digital products delivered to clients, influencing user engagement, brand perception, and ultimately, business outcomes. Senior designers are expected to translate business objectives into effective user experiences and articulate the value of design decisions.

Growth Opportunities:

• Strategic Capability: Significant opportunity to grow strategic thinking and experience strategy development, moving beyond execution to influencing product direction.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Potential to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and contribute to the agency's design methodology and best practices.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in emerging areas like AI-driven interactions, agentic experiences, or advanced interaction design.

• Client Influence: Developing stronger client advisory skills and the ability to shape client strategies through design thinking.

• Portfolio Expansion: Working on diverse projects across various industries and platforms, enriching the professional portfolio.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a Senior Digital Product Designer at an agency like Alphero typically involves deepening expertise, increasing strategic influence, and potentially moving into leadership roles, either within design or broader product management. The focus on AI suggests a forward-looking development path.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Alphero operates with a hybrid work model, indicating a combination of office-based collaboration and remote work. The office environment is likely designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and focused work.

Office Location(s): Wellington and Auckland, New Zealand. This offers candidates flexibility and access to vibrant tech and design hubs.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office likely features spaces conducive to brainstorming, workshops, and team meetings, essential for agency work and hybrid collaboration.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software, prototyping tools, and potentially specialized hardware for testing or development.

• Cross-functional Interaction: Frequent opportunities to interact with strategists, developers, testers, and project managers, fostering a holistic understanding of product development.

• Client Engagement: Potential for client-facing interactions within the office or through virtual means.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time schedule (approximately 40 hours/week) is expected, with the hybrid model providing flexibility in how and where work is conducted, while valuing in-person collaboration time.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and office locations in major New Zealand cities suggest a modern work environment that balances flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration, crucial for agency-based design work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A key stage will involve presenting selected case studies from your portfolio, explaining your design process, rationale, and impact. Be prepared to discuss your approach to complex problems, user research, interaction design, and UI execution.

• Skills-Based Exercises: Potential for a design challenge or exercise, either take-home or during an interview, to assess your problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and design craft in real-time.

• Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interviews: Discussions to understand your working style, collaboration approach, how you handle ambiguity, and your alignment with Alphero's values (Inventive, Emotive, Brave).

• Team & Stakeholder Interviews: Meeting with potential team members (designers, developers) and hiring managers to assess fit and discuss project dynamics.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Carefully: Select 3-4 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase end-to-end product design, complex problem-solving, and excellent UI/UX craft.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, design, testing), the key decisions you made, and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight Collaboration: Showcase how you worked with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders.

• Demonstrate Craft: Ensure your UI is polished, interactions are well-thought-out, and flows are logical.

• Explain the "Why": Focus on the strategic thinking behind your design choices, not just the visual outcome.

• Address AI Curiosity: If you have relevant projects or insights into designing with AI, be prepared to discuss them.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: If given a design challenge, thoroughly understand the problem statement, constraints, and objectives.

• Prioritize: Focus on the most critical aspects of the problem and demonstrate a clear, logical approach.

• Communicate Your Process: Even if time is limited, articulate your thought process and any assumptions you made.

• Focus on User Needs: Ensure your solution is grounded in user needs and business goals.

• Consider Technical Feasibility: Be mindful of how your design might be implemented.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is expected to heavily feature a portfolio review, emphasizing the need for candidates to be articulate about their design process and impact. The emphasis on storytelling and strategic thinking is crucial for a senior role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, Principle, ProtoPie, or similar industry-standard tools for UI design, wireframing, and interactive prototyping.

• User Research: Tools for user interviews, surveys, usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Hotjar, Lookback).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Slack, Microsoft Teams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude to understand user behavior and inform design iterations.

CRM & Automation:

• While not core to design, an understanding of how designs integrate with CRM systems (like Salesforce) or automation platforms can be advantageous for a holistic product view.

📝 Enhancement Note: The specific tools are inferred from common practices in digital product design agencies. Proficiency in design and prototyping tools like Figma or Sketch is essential, along with experience in user research and collaboration platforms.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Inventive: A drive for innovation, creative problem-solving, and exploring new possibilities in digital experiences. This means being open to novel solutions and pushing creative boundaries.

• Emotive: Creating digital experiences that connect with users on a human level, fostering emotional engagement and resonance. Design should feel human, even with complex technology.

• Brave: Willingness to tackle complex challenges, experiment with new approaches, and deliver bold, impactful solutions. This includes challenging conventions when appropriate and advocating for strong design.

• Human-Centered: A core belief in designing for people, understanding their needs, and creating intuitive, accessible, and meaningful experiences.

• Collaborative: Valuing teamwork and cross-functional partnerships to achieve shared goals and deliver exceptional products.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Seamless collaboration with strategists, developers, testers, and product owners to ensure holistic product development.

• Open Communication: Encouraging direct and honest feedback, facilitating workshops, and clearly communicating design intent and rationale.

• Shared Ownership: A culture where team members feel empowered to contribute to product direction and problem-solving, fostering a sense of collective responsibility.

• Iterative Improvement: Embracing feedback loops and continuous refinement of designs and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values (Inventive, Emotive, Brave) are central to their culture and will heavily influence how team members are expected to operate and collaborate. The emphasis on human-centered design and tackling complexity is key.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Innovation with Practicality: Designing cutting-edge experiences while ensuring they are feasible to build, maintain, and user-friendly within project constraints.

• Translating Complexity: Simplifying highly complex systems or AI interactions into intuitive and accessible user experiences requires significant problem-solving skill.

• Client Management & Influence: Effectively managing client expectations, influencing strategic direction, and persuading stakeholders who may have varying levels of understanding about design.

• Pace and Ambiguity: Working in an agency environment often involves fast-paced projects with evolving requirements and a need to adapt quickly.

• Staying Ahead of Technology: Continuously learning about and integrating emerging technologies like AI into design practices.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Skill Enhancement: Opportunities to deepen expertise in advanced interaction design, AI-driven UX, motion design, or service design.

• Strategic Growth: Developing stronger strategic thinking, client advisory skills, and the ability to shape product roadmaps.

• Industry Exposure: Working with a diverse range of clients and projects, providing broad industry experience.

• Mentorship & Leadership: Potential to mentor junior designers and take on leadership roles within projects or the design team.

• Formal Training: Access to resources, workshops, or conferences that support continuous learning in design and technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to senior design roles in an agency setting, particularly those focused on innovation and complex digital products. Growth opportunities are tied to expanding strategic influence and technical expertise.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to translate a highly complex system or technical concept into a simple, intuitive user experience. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your problem-solving, research, and simplification skills.)

• "How do you approach user research for a new digital product, especially when dealing with novel interactions or emerging technologies like AI?" (Highlight your research methodologies and adaptability.)

• "Walk us through a project where you had to influence a client or internal stakeholder who was resistant to a design recommendation. How did you build consensus and advocate for your approach?" (Emphasize your communication, storytelling, and persuasion skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Alphero's mission and values (Inventive, Emotive, Brave)?" (Research the company and align your aspirations with their ethos.)

• "How do you approach collaboration within a multidisciplinary team, particularly when working with developers and strategists?" (Showcase your teamwork and communication style.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, the solution, and the impact. Use visuals effectively but focus on explaining your decision-making.

• Highlight Critical Thinking: Emphasize the "why" behind your design choices, demonstrating strategic rationale rather than just aesthetic preferences.

• Showcase Interaction Design: Be ready to demonstrate interactive prototypes or discuss detailed interaction flows and edge cases.

• Quantify Impact Where Possible: If you have metrics (e.g., increased conversion, improved user satisfaction), present them clearly to demonstrate ROI.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your process, tool choices, and how you handled specific design challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on articulating design strategy, demonstrating a robust process, showcasing strong communication skills, and aligning with Alphero's specific values and agency context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Digital Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that demonstrate end-to-end digital product design, complex problem-solving, and strong UI/UX craft. Focus on case studies that align with Alphero's "Inventive, Emotive, Brave" ethos and their work with intelligent digital experiences.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 4-8+ years of commercial experience, emphasizing key skills like interaction design, user research, UI design, and collaboration. Use keywords from the job description such as "digital product design," "UX/UI," "interaction design," and "AI."

• Cover Letter Crafting: Write a compelling cover letter that addresses who you are, your "creative happy place," the types of problems you love solving, and why you are drawn to Alphero and this specific role. Explicitly mention your interest in their values and mission.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Alphero Limited's website, case studies, and any recent news to understand their work, culture, and client base. Prepare to discuss how your skills and experience can contribute to their mission of creating intelligent digital experiences.

⚠️ 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.