Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer
Company: Bank of Montreal
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Product Design / User Experience
Date Posted: 2025-10-18
Experience Level: 5-10 Years
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This Senior Product Designer role is critical in shaping the digital experiences for BMO's customers, focusing on user-centric design principles to meet both user and business needs.
• The position involves a deep dive into interaction models, navigation, and user flows, ensuring intuitive and compelling product interfaces.
• It requires close collaboration with engineering, product management, and user research teams to translate complex requirements into user-friendly software solutions.
• The role demands a strategic approach to design, emphasizing the creation of wireframes, prototypes, and visual designs that effectively communicate design intent and facilitate cross-disciplinary team alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the raw job title is "Senior Product Designer," this role is embedded within the "Customer Solutions" job family at BMO. This suggests a strong focus on designing end-to-end customer journeys and solutions, likely within financial services, requiring a blend of user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design skills with an understanding of business objectives. The emphasis on "prioritizing users and business requirements over technology limitations" indicates a strategic design function, not purely execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and create engaging digital experiences by prioritizing user needs and business requirements, translating them into intuitive and compelling interfaces.
• Conduct user research and testing to gather insights, inform design decisions, and validate concepts using a variety of methodologies.
• Develop wireframes, user flows, task flows, and customer journeys to effectively communicate design intent and facilitate cross-disciplinary team understanding and collaboration.
• Implement user-centered design processes throughout the product development lifecycle, from initial sketches and wireframes to visual design and interactive prototypes.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including engineering, product management, user research, and business stakeholders, to ensure successful product delivery and alignment with strategic goals.
• Select and implement appropriate design techniques and usability testing methods to optimize user satisfaction and product effectiveness.
• Create simple, yet effective, prototypes to convey initial design ideas and concepts, fostering early feedback and iteration.
• Define information architecture, create sitemaps, and ensure logical user flows and navigation structures.
• Apply advanced proficiency in areas such as accessibility, responsive design, and design thinking to create inclusive and adaptable digital solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a full-cycle design process, from research and ideation to prototyping and collaboration. The phrase "Gathers user and business requirements and turns them into initial sketches and wireframes all the way through to visual design and HTML/CSS prototyping" indicates a hands-on role that bridges conceptualization and implementation, requiring a strong understanding of front-end development principles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Post-secondary degree in a related field of study or an equivalent combination of education and experience. A Bachelor's degree is typically required.

Experience: Typically between 5 - 7 years of relevant experience in product design, user experience design, or a closely related field. This role requires deep knowledge and technical proficiency gained through extensive education and business experience.

Required Skills:

• User Interface Design (Foundational): Ability to create clear, consistent, and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces.
• User Experience Design (Advanced): Comprehensive understanding of UX principles, user-centered design methodologies, and the ability to craft seamless user journeys.
• User Research (Advanced): Proficiency in conducting user interviews, surveys, usability testing, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to inform design.
• Design Thinking (Advanced): Application of design thinking principles to solve complex problems and foster innovation.
• Usability Evaluation (Advanced): Expertise in evaluating the ease of use and effectiveness of digital products.
• Accessibility (Advanced): Deep understanding and practical application of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) to ensure inclusive design.
• Responsive Design (Advanced): Ability to design for various screen sizes and devices, ensuring a consistent experience across platforms.
• Collaboration & Team Skills (Intermediate): Proven ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams, fostering open communication and shared understanding.
• Analytical and Problem Solving Skills (Intermediate): Capacity to identify, diagnose, and solve complex design and user-related problems.
• Data Driven Decision Making (Intermediate): Using data and analytics to inform design choices and measure impact.
• Verbal & Written Communication Skills (Intermediate): Ability to articulate design rationale clearly and persuasively to diverse stakeholders.
• Emotional Agility (Intermediate): Ability to manage and respond to emotions effectively in dynamic work environments.
• Adaptability (Intermediate): Flexibility to adjust designs and approaches based on feedback, changing requirements, and evolving technologies.

Preferred Skills:

• Graphic Design: Strong aesthetic sensibility and proficiency in creating visually appealing assets.
• Web Analytics: Understanding of how to leverage web analytics data to inform design and measure user behavior.
• Design Patterns: Knowledge of established design patterns and their application to create consistent and efficient user experiences.
• Storytelling (Advanced): Ability to craft compelling narratives around design solutions and their impact.
• Human Centricity Aspects (Advanced): A deep-seated focus on understanding and designing for human needs and behaviors.
• Customer Centricity (Advanced): A commitment to placing the customer at the heart of all design decisions.
• Prototyping: Experience creating interactive prototypes to simulate user flows and test design concepts.
• Wireframing & Sketching: Proficiency in creating low-fidelity representations of interfaces to explore layout and functionality.
• Information Architecture: Skill in organizing and structuring content logically for optimal user navigation.
• HTML/CSS Prototyping: Experience in creating functional prototypes using front-end web technologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The breakdown of proficiency levels (Foundational, Intermediate, Advanced) is excellent for candidates to gauge their fit. The "Advanced" level for core UX skills like User Research, Design Thinking, Accessibility, and Responsive Design suggests this role is not merely about visual design but requires strategic UX leadership. The inclusion of "Emotional Agility" and "Adaptability" points to a dynamic and collaborative environment.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated User-Centricity: Showcase case studies that clearly articulate a user-centered design process, from problem identification through to solution implementation and iteration. Highlight how user research informed key design decisions.
• Problem-Solving and Design Process: Present a portfolio that details your design process, including problem definition, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final visual design. Focus on the rationale behind your design choices.
• Impact and Results: Include case studies that quantify the impact of your designs, demonstrating improvements in user satisfaction, conversion rates, task completion, or other relevant business metrics. Focus on ROI where possible.
• Breadth of Work: Showcase a range of projects that demonstrate your versatility across different platforms (web, mobile), user types, and design challenges, including examples of complex problem-solving.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design and Optimization: Be prepared to discuss how you approach designing and optimizing user workflows, ensuring efficiency and intuitiveness.
• System Implementation and Automation: While not a technical implementation role, demonstrate an understanding of how design integrates with system capabilities and how design choices can support automation initiatives.
• Measurement and Performance Analysis: Discuss how you measure the success of your designs post-launch, leveraging tools like web analytics and user feedback to identify areas for improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer role, a robust portfolio is paramount. The emphasis should be on showcasing the process and impact, not just the final visuals. Candidates should be ready to walk through their decision-making, explain trade-offs, and articulate how their designs directly contributed to business objectives. Demonstrating experience with financial services or complex enterprise systems would be a significant advantage.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $75,900.00 - $141,900.00 CAD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement for professional development
• Accident Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Retirement Savings Plans
• Performance-based incentives, discretionary bonuses, and other perks and rewards.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week. The role is on-site, implying standard office hours, though flexibility may be available depending on team needs and project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for a Senior Product Designer in Toronto, reflecting the experience level and the financial sector. The emphasis on "Total Compensation Package" suggests that beyond the base salary, bonuses and incentives play a role, typical for senior positions. The inclusion of "commission structure" in the raw data is unusual for a pure design role and might be a vestige from a broader job family description; however, for a Senior Product Designer, it's more likely that performance-based incentives are tied to project success and product adoption rather than direct sales commissions.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Banking). BMO is a major North American bank, operating in a highly regulated and competitive environment that demands innovation, security, and a strong customer focus. This context means design solutions must balance user experience with stringent compliance and business needs. Company Size: Large Enterprise (implied by Bank of Montreal's scale). This means a structured environment with established processes, but also opportunities for significant impact due to the sheer volume of users and services. Founded: 1817. BMO has a long history, suggesting a culture that values stability and trust, but also needs to embrace modern digital transformation to remain competitive.

Team Structure:

• Customer Solutions Job Family: This role sits within the broader "Customer Solutions" group, indicating a focus on end-to-end customer journeys and integrated service design.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role explicitly mentions working with engineering, product management, and user research teams, highlighting a collaborative, agile-like environment within a large corporate structure.
• Reporting: Likely reports into a Design Lead or Product Management function within the Customer Solutions group. The "focus is primarily on business/group within BMO; may have broader, enterprise-wide focus" suggests potential for both specialized and overarching design responsibilities.

Methodology:

• User-Centered Design: Core to the role, emphasizing research, testing, and iteration based on user needs.
• Agile/Iterative Development: Implied by collaboration with engineering and product management, suggesting an iterative approach to design and development.
• Data-Informed Decisions: The requirement for "Data Driven Decision Making" and "Web Analytics" indicates a blend of qualitative (user research) and quantitative (analytics) approaches.

Company Website: https://jobs.bmo.com/ca/en

📝 Enhancement Note: BMO's established presence in financial services means design must be both innovative and trustworthy. The "Customer Solutions" family suggests a holistic approach to user experience, integrating various touchpoints. Candidates should be prepared for a corporate environment that values process and collaboration, but also drives for digital innovation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level Product Designer role. It implies significant autonomy, the ability to mentor junior designers, and a strategic influence on product direction. The responsibilities go beyond execution to include process improvement and strategic input.

Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Design Manager, Director of Product Design, or a senior Product Manager within the Customer Solutions group. The role involves close collaboration with peers in Product Management and Engineering.

Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on customer acquisition, retention, satisfaction, and the overall efficiency of digital channels. By creating user-friendly and effective digital experiences, the Senior Product Designer contributes to BMO's revenue growth, operational efficiency, and brand reputation. The ability to translate business requirements into user-centric solutions is key to this impact.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Potential to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and contribute to the evolution of design practices within BMO.
• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas such as financial services UX, accessibility, or complex data visualization.
• Cross-Functional Advancement: Potential to move into Product Management, Design Strategy, or broader leadership roles within BMO's digital transformation efforts.
• Continuous Learning: Access to BMO's resources for professional development, including courses, conferences, and certifications, fostering ongoing skill enhancement in design and related fields.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title, combined with the advanced proficiency requirements, suggests a role with significant ownership and potential for influence. Candidates should highlight their experience in leading design efforts, mentoring, and contributing to strategic product decisions. Growth opportunities likely involve taking on more complex projects, managing design systems, or stepping into leadership positions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site. This indicates a traditional office-based work environment, fostering in-person collaboration and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): 33 Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This is a central downtown Toronto location, likely in a modern office building, offering access to public transportation and amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Expect an environment that encourages interaction, with meeting rooms, brainstorming areas, and open-plan workspaces to facilitate cross-functional team discussions.
• Tools and Technology: Access to standard design software, hardware, and potentially BMO's internal collaboration tools. The role requires proficiency with various design and prototyping tools.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with design peers, product managers, engineers, and user researchers, both formally in meetings and informally.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approximately 40 hours per week). While on-site, some flexibility around start/end times may be possible, but core collaboration hours will be expected. The nature of product design often involves periods of intense focus and collaboration leading up to project milestones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in a major city like Toronto suggests a dynamic, fast-paced corporate environment. Candidates should be prepared for a structured workplace that values in-person collaboration. The specific address indicates a prime downtown location, which can be a significant draw for many professionals.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application and resume review, potentially followed by a brief recruiter call to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.
• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A key stage where candidates present a curated selection of their work. Expect to walk through 2-3 case studies, detailing your process, challenges, solutions, and impact. This is where your design thinking and problem-solving skills will be heavily scrutinized.
• Skills-Based Interview: Technical questions related to UX/UI principles, design tools, research methodologies, and common design challenges.
• Cross-Functional Team Interview: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers to assess collaboration style, communication, and ability to work effectively in a team.
• Final Interview: With a senior leader (e.g., Design Director, VP of Product) to discuss strategic thinking, leadership potential, and overall fit with BMO's culture and goals.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Process, Not Just Pixels: Focus on the "why" behind your design decisions. Detail your research, ideation, and iteration phases.
• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, provide metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion, reduced task time, improved satisfaction scores).
• Tailor to BMO: Research BMO's digital products and target audience. Frame your case studies to show how your skills align with their specific needs and challenges in the financial services sector.
• Be Concise and Clear: Present your work in a logical, easy-to-follow narrative. Ensure your online portfolio is well-organized and accessible.
• Prepare for "What If" Scenarios: Be ready to discuss hypothetical design problems or challenges related to BMO's services.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: You may be given a take-home design challenge or a live design exercise during an interview. This will likely involve a problem statement related to a banking or financial service scenario.
• Focus on Process: For any challenge, emphasize your thought process, user research approach, and how you would validate your solutions.
• Time Management: Be mindful of time constraints during live exercises. Prioritize key aspects of the design process.
• Articulation: Practice explaining your design decisions clearly and confidently.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is critical for this role. Candidates should select case studies that best represent their senior-level capabilities, demonstrating strategic thinking, end-to-end ownership, and measurable impact. Preparing a concise narrative for each case study, highlighting the problem, your approach, and the outcome, is essential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, Axure RP, or similar industry-standard tools. Proficiency in at least one primary design tool (e.g., Figma) is expected.
• Wireframing & Flow Tools: Balsamiq, Miro, Lucidchart, or integrated features within primary design tools.
• Collaboration Platforms: Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams for project management and team communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or internal BMO analytics platforms to understand user behavior and track performance metrics.
• User Feedback Tools: SurveyMonkey, Typeform, Hotjar, or similar for gathering qualitative user insights.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM or automation systems, an understanding of how design impacts these systems (e.g., form design for lead generation, user onboarding flows) is beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the "Senior" title and the nature of product design, proficiency in leading design and prototyping tools like Figma or Sketch is a must. Experience with collaboration tools and an understanding of how to interpret analytics data for design optimization are also key. Familiarity with financial services specific platforms is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of BMO's diverse customer base.
• Collaboration: Emphasis on teamwork, open communication, and shared ownership across departments.
• Innovation: A drive to explore new ideas and technologies to improve customer experiences and business outcomes.
• Integrity & Trust: Upholding the high standards of trust and security expected within the financial industry.
• Boldly Grow the Good: BMO's overarching purpose, suggesting a culture that values positive impact, growth, and ethical practices.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative environment where designers work closely with product managers, engineers, researchers, and business stakeholders.
• Iterative Feedback Loops: A culture that encourages regular feedback and constructive critique to refine designs and ensure alignment.
• Knowledge Sharing: Opportunities to share best practices, learn from peers, and contribute to the collective growth of the design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: BMO's stated purpose, "Boldly Grow the Good in business and life," suggests a culture that aims for positive impact beyond just profit. For a Senior Product Designer, this translates to creating experiences that are not only functional and efficient but also ethical, trustworthy, and beneficial to customers and society.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs with Business/Technical Constraints: Navigating the complexities of financial services regulations, security requirements, and legacy systems while delivering exceptional user experiences.
• Driving Design Adoption in a Large Enterprise: Gaining buy-in and implementing design best practices across multiple teams and stakeholders within a large organization.
• Keeping Pace with Digital Transformation: Contributing to BMO's ongoing digital evolution by introducing innovative design solutions in a competitive financial landscape.
• Measuring Design Impact: Clearly demonstrating the ROI and business value of design initiatives to stakeholders who may not be design-centric.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas like service design, design systems, inclusive design, or emerging technologies.
• Industry Exposure: Potential participation in industry conferences, workshops, and webinars focused on UX/UI trends, design leadership, and financial services innovation.
• Mentorship and Leadership: Access to mentorship programs and opportunities to develop leadership skills, guiding junior designers and leading project teams.
• Cross-Departmental Exposure: Gaining a broader understanding of BMO's business functions through collaboration, which can inform more holistic design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the complexities of working in a large, regulated industry. Success will require strong communication, negotiation, and advocacy skills alongside design expertise. The growth opportunities are substantial, offering a path for both deep specialization and broader leadership within BMO.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing a new mobile banking feature for [specific customer segment, e.g., small business owners]?" Prepare to outline your end-to-end process, including research, ideation, feature prioritization, and validation.
• "Describe a time you had to advocate for a user-centered design decision that conflicted with stakeholder preferences. How did you handle it?" Focus on your communication, negotiation, and data-driven persuasion skills.
• "How do you ensure accessibility and inclusivity are integrated into your design process from the start?" Be ready to discuss specific techniques and standards.
• "How do you measure the success of a digital product or feature you've designed?" Discuss key metrics, analytics tools, and user feedback mechanisms.

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about BMO and the financial services industry?" Research BMO's recent initiatives, values, and the current landscape of digital banking.
• "How do you see your role contributing to BMO's purpose of 'Boldly Grow the Good'?" Connect your design philosophy and approach to BMO's mission.
• "Describe your ideal collaboration with product managers and engineers." Highlight your understanding of cross-functional teamwork and agile methodologies.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Case Studies: For each case study, clearly articulate: 1) The Problem, 2) Your Role & Responsibilities, 3) Your Process & Solutions, 4) The Outcome & Impact (with metrics), and 5) Key Learnings/Next Steps.
• Focus on Your Contributions: Clearly state what you did, especially in team projects.
• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, trade-offs made, and alternative solutions considered.
• Showcase Design Thinking: Demonstrate how you moved from understanding a problem to generating and refining solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, deep understanding of the UX process, and the ability to articulate design rationale clearly. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience within the financial services context and how their design approach aligns with BMO's values and business objectives.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Bank of Montreal careers portal via the provided link.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that best showcase your senior-level UX/UI design process, problem-solving skills, and measurable impact, tailoring them to financial services if possible.
• Optimize Your Resume: Highlight experience relevant to user-centered design, cross-functional collaboration, and the specific skills and proficiencies listed in the job description, using keywords like "User Experience Design," "User Interface Design," "User Research," and "Design Thinking."
• Prepare Your Presentation Narrative: Practice articulating your case studies concisely and confidently, focusing on the problem, your process, your specific contributions, and the quantifiable outcomes.
• Research BMO: Understand BMO's digital products, their stated purpose ("Boldly Grow the Good"), and the current trends in digital banking to better align your answers and showcase your interest.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description has been crafted to provide a comprehensive overview based on the provided data and industry best practices for Senior Product Designer roles in financial services. Specific details regarding interview stages, exact team composition, and day-to-day tasks should be confirmed directly with the BMO hiring team during the application and interview process.