Senior Digital UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Digital UX Designer

Company: Foodstuffs North Island

Location: Auckland, Auckland Region, New Zealand

Job Type: Permanent Full Time

Category: Digital Product Design / User Experience (UX)

Date Posted: March 11, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is central to the digital product development lifecycle, focusing on enhancing user experience for Foodstuffs North Island's brand portfolio.

• You will collaborate closely with Product Management, Marketing, and Engineering to conceptualize, design, and deliver innovative digital products that meet both business objectives and customer needs.

• The position requires a strong advocate for user-centered design principles, ensuring that all digital solutions are intuitive, visually appealing, and functionally superior.

• You will be instrumental in translating complex business requirements and user insights into actionable design strategies and tangible product enhancements.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Digital UX Designer," the responsibilities and required experience (5+ years designing for multiple platforms, 3+ years as a senior visual and interaction designer) suggest a role with significant strategic influence on product direction and execution, rather than purely execution-focused tasks. This implies a need for strong leadership and communication skills to influence stakeholders and drive design vision.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Facilitate high-level strategic decisions by leveraging modern design thinking methodologies, user research, and data analysis to inform product direction.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product Management, Marketing, and Engineering teams to understand business requirements and translate them into effective digital solutions that positively impact the bottom line and address genuine user problems.

• Design and develop digital products throughout their lifecycle, from initial ideation and brainstorming through iterative development, user testing, and final delivery.

• Champion and advocate for a user-centered design perspective and practice across the entire product ecosystem, ensuring consistency and quality.

• Define and communicate the product vision, ensuring it is clearly understood and effectively executed by all relevant teams.

• Craft compelling designs, prototypes, and user flows to effectively communicate the intended user experience to team members, stakeholders, and executive leadership.

• Clearly articulate conceptual ideas, detailed design specifications, and design rationale both verbally and visually to diverse audiences.

• Lead and facilitate workshops with stakeholders who may have varying opinions, guiding them towards consensus and actionable outcomes.

• Identify and troubleshoot UX problems, working collaboratively with Architects and UI design teams to bridge the gap between design concepts and technical implementation.

• Stay current with competitor products, emerging industry trends, and best practices in digital UX design to ensure Foodstuffs North Island's offerings remain competitive and innovative.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic influence ("Facilitate high-level strategic decisions," "Set the vision of the product") and hands-on execution ("Design digital products from understanding and brainstorming through iterative development and delivery," "Craft compelling designs and prototypes"). This indicates a need for a candidate who can operate at both a strategic and tactical level, demonstrating end-to-end ownership of the UX process.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong understanding of UX principles, design thinking, and user research methodologies is expected, often gained through a degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: Minimum of 5 years of experience designing for multiple digital platforms, with at least 3 years specifically as a Senior Visual and Interaction Designer or in an equivalent role demonstrating advanced UX capabilities.

Required Skills:

• Excellent grasp of the design thinking process, from problem definition to ideation and solution development.

• Proficiency in the prototyping process, encompassing interaction design, visual design, and user flow creation.

• Expertise in moving from low-fidelity concepts (pencil on paper) to high-fidelity, pixel-perfect designs and handoffs.

• Demonstrated experience with user testing and design research methodologies, including qualitative and quantitative research, observational studies, usability testing, competitive analysis, and heuristic evaluations.

• Proven ability to write and execute research protocols effectively.

• Expert facilitation, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to conduct workshops and clearly present design work and rationale to various audiences.

• Ability to expertly partner with cross-functional teams in launching new products and implementing improvements to existing features.

• Experience in user flow creation, information architecture, wireframing, and prototyping, all centered around customer needs.

Preferred Skills:

• Proficiency with design and prototyping tools such as Sketch (including Sketch libraries), Invision, Zeplin, and Abstract.

• Experience in defining product briefs and shaping product direction.

• Familiarity with agile development methodologies and experience working within an agile team structure.

• Understanding of front-end development principles to facilitate effective handoffs and collaboration with engineers.

• Experience in the retail or FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) industry is advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required tools (Sketch, Invision, Zeplin, Abstract) are explicitly mentioned, indicating a strong preference for candidates familiar with this particular design software ecosystem. Experience with "Abstract" suggests a need for version control and collaborative design practices within the team.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust product design portfolio is mandatory, demonstrating how you design to solve customer needs in unusual or innovative ways.

• Showcase end-to-end UX design processes, from user research and ideation to wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final design delivery.

• Highlight your ability to translate complex business requirements into intuitive and user-friendly digital solutions.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate your ability to document and communicate design processes, including user flows, wireframes, and interactive prototypes.

• Showcase how you integrate user research findings and data insights into your design iterations and decision-making.

• Provide examples of how you collaborate with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Marketing) throughout the design and development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "product design portfolio that demonstrates how you design to solve customer needs in unusual or innovative ways" is a critical requirement. Candidates should be prepared to showcase projects that go beyond standard UX tasks and highlight creative problem-solving and strategic thinking.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As a Senior Digital UX Designer role in Auckland, New Zealand, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated salary range is NZD $120,000 - $170,000 per annum. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior design roles in major New Zealand cities, considering the company's industry (retail/FMCG) and the specialization in digital product design.

Benefits:

• Free car parking, including EV charging facilities.

• Southern Cross health insurance for comprehensive medical coverage.

• Access to an onsite café with subsidized meals and a mini-mart.

• A 5% discount at Foodstuffs' retail stores, offering tangible savings.

• Flexible working options to promote work-life balance.

• A paid day off on your birthday to celebrate personal milestones.

• Long service leave to recognize employee commitment.

• Access to in-house learning and development programs and courses for continuous professional growth.

• Annual flu vaccinations for employee health and well-being.

• Opportunities to join social network groups ("Tribes") to foster community and connection.

Working Hours: The role is full-time, with an expected 40 hours per week. The company offers flexible working options, suggesting potential for some autonomy in structuring the workday, provided core responsibilities and collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on general market data for senior UX roles in Auckland. Actual compensation may vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and negotiation. The provided benefits are extensive and indicate a strong focus on employee well-being and professional development.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Food & Grocery Retail (FMCG). Foodstuffs North Island operates within a highly competitive and dynamic retail landscape, requiring continuous innovation and a keen understanding of consumer behavior to maintain market leadership. This context means that digital product development must be agile, data-driven, and focused on delivering tangible value to both customers and the business.

Company Size: Foodstuffs is a large, established organization within New Zealand, operating as a cooperative with multiple regional entities and a central 'centre of excellence'. This size suggests a structured environment with opportunities for impact across a broad user base, but also a need for clear communication and process adherence.

Founded: Foodstuffs was founded in 1922, indicating a long history of operation and deep roots in the New Zealand market. This longevity implies a stable company with a strong understanding of its customer base and a commitment to long-term growth and adaptation.

Team Structure:

• The UX Designer will be part of a collaborative, high-energy team within the 'centre of excellence' that focuses on national marketing, customer experience, brand strategy, and digital product development.

• This team likely includes roles such as Product Managers, other UX/UI Designers, Marketing Specialists, and potentially Data Analysts, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to product creation.

Methodology:

• The team utilizes a blend of modern design thinking and user research to drive product innovation.

• Collaboration across Product Management, Marketing, and Engineering is a core methodology to ensure alignment and effective execution.

• There's an emphasis on iterative development and a user-centered approach, meaning continuous feedback loops and refinement are integral to the process.

• Data intelligence and actionable insights are leveraged to inform strategic decisions and shape product direction.

Company Website: https://www.foodstuffs.co.nz/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's cooperative structure and "centre of excellence" model suggest a culture that balances centralized strategy with regional execution. The values ("success breeds success, teamwork makes the dream work, positivity with a purpose, crazy about customers and boundless creativity") highlight a performance-driven, collaborative, and customer-focused environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Senior Digital UX Designer, indicating a mid-to-senior level position. It requires significant autonomy, strategic thinking, and the ability to mentor or guide less experienced designers. The scope involves influencing product direction and leading design efforts for new and existing digital products.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Digital UX Designer will likely report to a UX Lead, Head of Product Design, or a similar management role within the Customer Experience or Digital Product division. They will work closely with Product Managers, Marketing Managers, and Engineering Leads, requiring strong stakeholder management skills.

Operations Impact: The UX Designer's work directly impacts the customer experience across Foodstuffs' digital platforms, influencing customer engagement, loyalty, and ultimately, sales and revenue. By designing intuitive and effective user experiences, they contribute to the success of new product launches and the continuous improvement of existing digital services, directly supporting business objectives and brand perception.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of UX, such as user research, interaction design, or accessibility, potentially leading to a Principal UX Designer or UX Research Lead role.

• Leadership: Transition into a UX Lead or Design Manager role, overseeing a team of designers, managing projects, and setting the design vision for larger initiatives.

• Product Strategy: Grow into a more strategic product role, leveraging UX expertise to influence product roadmaps and business strategy at a higher level.

• Cross-functional Advancement: Develop broader business acumen and potentially move into Product Management or Customer Experience Strategy roles, applying UX principles to broader business challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "5+ years designing for multiple platforms experience, with 3+ years as a senior visual and interaction designer" strongly indicates a senior-level position. The emphasis on "shaping product direction" and "setting the vision" suggests that growth opportunities will likely involve increased strategic responsibility and potentially leadership.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based on-site at Foodstuffs North Island's facilities in Mangere, Auckland. This suggests a traditional office environment designed for collaboration and focused work.

Office Location(s): The primary location is Foodstuffs Landing Drive, Mangere, Auckland. This area is known for its industrial and commercial presence, with accessibility via public transport and major road networks.

Workspace Context:

• The environment is described as "collaborative, high-energy," indicating an active and engaged workplace culture.

• As an on-site role, there will be direct access to colleagues for spontaneous discussions, workshops, and team-building activities, crucial for effective UX collaboration.

• The company offers extensive facilities, including an onsite café, suggesting a supportive and well-equipped work environment.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time (40 hours/week) with flexible working options. While on-site, flexibility might refer to start/end times or the ability to manage one's schedule to accommodate personal needs, provided core working hours and collaborative needs are met. This flexibility is important for a UX designer who may need focused time for deep work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "on-site" nature of the role, combined with "flexible working options," suggests a hybrid model where core hours are expected in the office for collaboration, but there might be some latitude for remote work on specific days or for focused tasks, although the primary expectation is office-based.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of your CV and portfolio by a recruiter or hiring manager to assess your qualifications and fit.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: You will likely be asked to present your portfolio, showcasing 2-3 key projects that demonstrate your UX process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Be prepared to discuss your design rationale, the challenges you faced, and the outcomes.

• Technical/Skills Interview: This may involve a deeper dive into your UX methodologies, tool proficiency (Sketch, Invision, etc.), and understanding of user research techniques.

• Cross-functional Interview: You may meet with Product Managers, Engineers, or Marketing stakeholders to assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to work effectively in a team.

• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, and overall suitability for the senior role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your end-to-end UX process, problem-solving abilities, and impact on business goals. Prioritize projects that demonstrate innovative solutions to customer needs.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the challenges overcome, and the measurable results or learnings.

• Highlight Collaboration: Showcase how you worked with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Marketing) and stakeholders.

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your use of tools like Sketch, Invision, Zeplin, and Abstract, explaining why you chose them and how they facilitated your workflow.

• Focus on Impact: Quantify outcomes whenever possible (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction scores). If quantitative data isn't available, articulate the qualitative impact and strategic value.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for potential design challenges, which could involve a take-home assignment or an in-person/virtual whiteboard exercise focused on a specific UX problem.

• Practice articulating your design process and rationale concisely and clearly.

• Think about how you would approach understanding business requirements and user needs for a retail-focused digital product.

• Be ready to discuss how you would conduct user research and testing for a new feature or product.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "product design portfolio that demonstrates how you design to solve customer needs in unusual or innovative ways" implies that interviewers will be looking for creativity and strategic problem-solving beyond standard UX execution. Candidates should prepare examples that highlight this.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Sketch: The core design tool for creating wireframes, mockups, and high-fidelity visual designs. Proficiency with Sketch libraries for design system consistency is expected.

• Invision: Used for prototyping, collaboration, and design handoff. Experience with creating interactive prototypes and managing design reviews is key.

• Zeplin: A platform for design handoff, allowing developers to inspect design elements, extract assets, and obtain specs.

• Abstract: A version control system for Sketch files, enabling collaboration, history tracking, and branching for design teams.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed, a Senior UX Designer would benefit from familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to understand user behavior data and inform design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• Direct experience with CRM or automation tools is not specified, but an understanding of how UX design integrates with customer journeys managed through such systems would be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Sketch, Invision, Zeplin, and Abstract indicates a specific toolchain that candidates should be familiar with. Experience with Abstract suggests a need for candidates comfortable with version control and collaborative design workflows.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Success Breeds Success: A drive for high performance and achieving positive outcomes, with an expectation that individual and team successes contribute to organizational growth.

• Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Strong emphasis on collaboration, mutual support, and collective effort to achieve common goals. This implies a need for excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• Positivity with a Purpose: Maintaining an optimistic and proactive attitude while focusing on achieving tangible business objectives and user benefits.

• Crazy About Customers: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, placing the customer at the center of all design and product decisions.

• Boundless Creativity: Encouraging innovative thinking, exploring new ideas, and pushing creative boundaries to develop unique and effective solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role necessitates close collaboration with Product Management, Marketing, and Engineering, requiring effective communication and the ability to bridge different perspectives.

• Workshop Facilitation: The ability to lead and facilitate workshops with diverse stakeholders is a key aspect of the collaborative process, driving consensus and strategic alignment.

• User Advocacy: A collaborative style that champions user needs and ensures they are considered throughout the product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated values are deeply ingrained in their culture and directly influence how teams operate. A candidate should demonstrate how their work style and approach align with these values, particularly "Boundless Creativity" and "Crazy About Customers," given the role's focus on innovation and user experience.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Effectively managing and synthesizing feedback from multiple stakeholders (Product, Marketing, Engineering, Executives) with potentially competing priorities.

• Driving Innovation in a Large Organization: Navigating processes and gaining buy-in for novel design solutions within a large, established company like Foodstuffs.

• Translating Complex Requirements: Transforming intricate business objectives and user needs into elegant, intuitive digital experiences.

• Keeping Pace with Technology & Trends: Continuously learning and adapting to new UX tools, methodologies, and industry trends to maintain a competitive edge.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced UX Techniques: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specialized areas such as advanced user research methods, accessibility design, or service design.

• Leadership Development: Potential to grow into leadership roles, managing design teams, mentoring junior designers, and influencing strategic product direction.

• Industry Exposure: Participation in industry conferences, workshops, and training programs to stay abreast of the latest UX innovations and best practices.

• Cross-functional Skill Building: Gaining broader business understanding by working closely with Product Management and Marketing, potentially leading to opportunities in product strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to senior roles in large organizations. A candidate should articulate how they would approach these challenges, demonstrating resilience, strategic thinking, and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders with differing opinions on a design direction. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on facilitation, communication, and user advocacy).

• "How do you balance user needs with business objectives and technical constraints in your design process?" (Highlight your understanding of trade-offs and your ability to find optimal solutions).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Foodstuffs North Island and this specific role?" (Research the company's brands, values, and recent initiatives; connect your passion for UX to their mission).

• "How do you embody our values of 'Boundless Creativity' and 'Crazy About Customers' in your work?" (Provide specific examples of how your design approach reflects these values).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically, introducing the company/project context, the problem statement, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), key decisions and rationale, and the final outcome/impact.

• Focus on "Why": For each step in your process, explain why you made certain decisions. This demonstrates critical thinking and a strategic approach.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, prototypes, user flows) to illustrate your points. Be ready to demonstrate your interactive prototypes.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Respect the interviewer's time. Practice your presentation to ensure it flows well and stays within the allotted time. Be enthusiastic and passionate about your work.

• Prepare for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your process, challenges, alternative solutions, and the impact of your work.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on innovation, candidates should prepare examples that showcase creative problem-solving and how they’ve delivered unique solutions that solved customer needs in novel ways.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Digital UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided application link on jobs.lever.co.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your CV highlights relevant experience, and your portfolio is readily accessible and showcases your strongest work, particularly projects demonstrating innovative solutions to customer needs and your end-to-end UX process.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize keywords from the job description, such as "Design Thinking," "User Research," "Prototyping," "Sketch," "Invision," and "user-centered design," along with your years of experience in senior design roles.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on your design rationale, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your work. Be prepared to discuss your experience with the specified tools and methodologies.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Foodstuffs North Island, its brands, its values, and its recent digital initiatives. Understand their position in the New Zealand market and how your UX expertise can contribute to their success.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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