Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer Company: REA Group Location: Richmond, Melbourne VIC, Australia Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX) Date Posted: 2025-10-20 Experience Level: 5-10 Years Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive creative innovation to deliver standout, user-centric products and experiences that align with business objectives and market dynamics.
• Conduct comprehensive user research (qualitative and quantitative) to uncover pain points and identify strategic design opportunities.
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product and Engineering, and senior stakeholders to champion REA's vision and solve complex problems.
• Deliver commercially viable design solutions that prioritize usability, accessibility, and desirability, leveraging lean design approaches for efficiency.
• Contribute to and improve design systems, fostering a strong feedback culture and ensuring visual excellence across all product touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on end-to-end product design, emphasizing the integration of user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility within an agile environment. The "Senior" title suggests a need for leadership, mentorship, and strategic input beyond just execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design process from concept to delivery, ensuring innovative and intuitive user experiences for consumers and customers.
• Apply industry-standard design tools and best practices to assess business opportunities, user needs, and market dynamics.
• Execute user research methodologies, including interviews, surveys, and usability testing, to gather insights and inform design decisions.
• Partner closely with Product Managers and Engineers to define product strategy, prioritize features, and ensure seamless implementation of design solutions.
• Communicate design rationales, user insights, and strategic recommendations clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences, including senior leadership.
• Develop and iterate on user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity visual designs.
• Champion accessibility standards and best practices to ensure inclusive product design.
• Actively participate in and contribute to design critiques, providing constructive feedback and fostering a collaborative design culture.
• Leverage and evolve existing design systems to maintain brand consistency and accelerate design velocity.
• Monitor product performance post-launch, analyzing data to identify areas for improvement and iterative design enhancements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic thinking, hands-on design execution, and cross-functional collaboration, typical of a senior-level product design role within a tech-forward company like REA Group.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

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

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in product design, with a proven track record of designing and shipping successful digital products.

Required Skills:

• Extensive experience with industry-standard design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision, Axure).
• Proven ability to conduct and apply user research (qualitative and quantitative) to inform design decisions.
• Strong understanding of user-centered design principles, usability, and accessibility best practices.
• Demonstrated experience in creating compelling visual designs and strategic visions for digital products.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to partner effectively with Product Managers, Engineers, and stakeholders.
• Proficiency in working within fast-paced, agile development environments.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a solutions-focused mindset.
• Experience contributing to or managing design systems.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the property technology (PropTech) or real estate industry.
• Strengths in building partnerships, growing high-performing teams, and providing mentorship to junior designers.
• Experience with systems thinking and a portfolio showcasing complex system design.
• Familiarity with lean design approaches and iterative product development.
• Ability to track and analyze product performance metrics to drive design iterations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "5+ years of experience designing products using industry standard design tools and best practice processes" and "Strengths in crafting compelling visual and strategic visions" points towards a candidate who can not only execute but also influence product direction. The mention of mentorship and team growth suggests leadership potential.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a minimum of 5-7 diverse product design projects, demonstrating end-to-end design thinking.
• Projects should highlight your role, process, and impact, with a clear emphasis on user-centric problem-solving and business outcomes.
• Visual representations of user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups are essential.
• Case studies that detail your research methodologies, design decisions, and iterative process.
• Evidence of collaboration with cross-functional teams and how you navigated challenges.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate a clear understanding of lean design methodologies and agile workflows.
• Showcase how you have applied user research to uncover insights and drive design direction.
• Provide examples of how you have contributed to or managed design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability.
• Illustrate your approach to problem-solving, especially in complex or ambiguous situations.
• Include examples of how you have tracked product performance and used data to iterate on designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Product Designer role, the portfolio is critical. It needs to demonstrate not just aesthetic skill but a strategic and process-driven approach, showcasing impact and leadership potential. The ability to articulate the "why" behind design decisions is paramount.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in Melbourne, Australia, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated salary range is AUD $120,000 - $170,000 per annum. This range accounts for the seniority of the role, the company's reputation, and the cost of living in Melbourne.

Benefits:

• A hybrid and flexible approach to working, promoting work-life balance.
• Flexible leave options, including birthday leave and the option to purchase additional leave.
• Comprehensive parental leave offering for primary and secondary carers.
• REA's "Because We Care" program, featuring volunteering leave, community grants, matched payroll giving, and a Community Café supporting charity.
• Opportunities for innovation through Hackdays to bring big ideas to life.
• Access to a supportive and high-performance culture recognized as one of Australia's Best Workplaces.

Working Hours: The role is advertised as FULL_TIME, typically implying around 38-40 hours per week. REA Group emphasizes a hybrid and flexible approach, suggesting potential for adaptable daily schedules within the standard work week, accommodating project needs and personal preferences where feasible.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on typical senior product designer roles in major Australian cities like Melbourne, considering REA Group's standing as a leading tech company. The provided benefits are comprehensive and align with REA's reputation for employee well-being and culture.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Real Estate Technology (PropTech) and Digital Media. REA Group operates at the intersection of technology and real estate, providing digital platforms and services that connect people with property. This industry is dynamic, driven by innovation, data, and consumer experience.

Company Size: REA Group is a large organization, part of the News Corp Australia network. While the exact global employee count isn't provided, its status as a major player in the property tech space suggests a significant workforce, likely in the thousands globally. For operations professionals, this scale implies structured processes, potential for specialization, and opportunities to impact large-scale initiatives.

Founded: REA Group was founded in 1995, giving it a long history and deep expertise in the digital property market. This longevity suggests stability, established processes, and a mature approach to business and technology.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team is integrated within a larger Product and Engineering division.
• Designers partner closely with Product Managers and Engineers, forming cross-functional squads or pods focused on specific product areas or initiatives.
• The Senior Product Designer is expected to mentor and potentially lead design efforts within these teams, collaborating with senior stakeholders across the business.
• Reporting likely falls within a Design leadership hierarchy, potentially under a Head of Product Design or similar role.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: The role emphasizes tracking and analyzing product performance to inform design iterations, indicating a strong reliance on data analytics.
• Lean Design & Agile: The company operates in a fast-paced, agile environment, utilizing lean design approaches for efficiency and rapid iteration.
• User-Centricity: A core tenet is understanding user needs and pain points to create immersive, intuitive, and personalized experiences.
• Collaborative Innovation: The culture fosters collaboration across departments to drive innovation and achieve shared goals.

Company Website: https://www.rea-group.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: REA Group's recognition as one of Australia's Best Workplaces four times since 2021 underscores a strong, positive company culture. The operations context here relates to how these cultural elements and organizational structures support efficient product development and design processes.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Product Design Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role. At this level, individuals are expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy, lead design initiatives, mentor junior team members, and contribute strategically to product roadmaps. They are typically seen as subject matter experts capable of tackling complex design challenges and influencing product direction.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Head of Product Design. They will work daily within cross-functional product teams, collaborating closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, and potentially Marketing and Data teams.

Product Design Impact: Senior Product Designers at REA Group have a significant impact on the user experience of millions of Australians. Their work directly influences consumer confidence in making property decisions, customer engagement with REA's platforms, and ultimately, the commercial success of the company's digital products. They are instrumental in shaping the brand's perception through intuitive and delightful user interfaces.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Potential to move into Lead Product Designer roles, managing a team or a significant product area, or transitioning into Product Management.
• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like UX research leadership, design systems architecture, or interaction design for complex platforms.
• Industry Influence: Contributing to REA's reputation as a leader in PropTech and design innovation, potentially through speaking engagements or internal knowledge sharing.
• Mentorship: Formal and informal opportunities to mentor junior designers, fostering their growth and developing leadership skills.
• Continuous Learning: Access to internal training, external workshops, conferences, and a culture that encourages experimentation and skill development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" designation in a company like REA Group, known for its high performance and innovation, suggests a role with significant responsibility and ample opportunities for career advancement within both design and broader product leadership tracks.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: REA Group promotes a hybrid and flexible approach to working. This typically means employees will spend some days in the office and some working remotely. The office environment is designed to foster collaboration and innovation.

Office Location(s): The primary office for this role is located in Richmond, Melbourne VIC, Australia. Richmond is a well-connected inner-city suburb with good public transport links and amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hubs: Office spaces likely include areas designed for team collaboration, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional workshops.
• Design Tools & Technology: Employees will have access to modern design software, high-performance workstations, and reliable network infrastructure to support their work.
• Team Interaction: The hybrid model encourages intentional in-office time for team building, design critiques, stakeholder meetings, and spontaneous interactions that drive creativity and alignment.

Work Schedule: While the role is full-time (approx. 40 hours/week), the hybrid and flexible nature allows for a degree of autonomy in structuring the workday. This flexibility aims to support efficient work execution, whether in the office or remotely, and accommodate personal needs while ensuring team collaboration and project delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "hybrid" work arrangement implies a need for excellent remote collaboration skills alongside the ability to leverage office time effectively for in-person teamwork and strategic discussions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess initial fit, understand career aspirations, and confirm basic qualifications.
• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session where candidates present their portfolio, detailing 2-3 key projects. This is a critical stage to assess design thinking, process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Be prepared to discuss your role, rationale, challenges, and outcomes.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager focusing on your experience, leadership potential, team fit, and how you align with REA's values and design philosophy.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially other designers or researchers to evaluate collaboration skills, technical understanding, and ability to work within an agile team.
• Final Interview: Potentially a conversation with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Product Design) to finalize the assessment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to clearly articulate the problem, your process, your specific contributions, the solutions you designed, and the measurable impact (quantifiable if possible).
• Tell a Story: For each project, weave a narrative that demonstrates your thought process, your ability to overcome challenges, and your strategic thinking.
• Highlight Seniority: Emphasize leadership, mentorship, strategic contributions, and your ability to influence product direction. Showcase complex problems and systemic thinking.
• Visual Clarity & Polish: Ensure your presentation is visually appealing, well-organized, and error-free. Use high-quality mockups and prototypes.
• Tailor to REA: Research REA Group's products and understand their business context. Be ready to discuss how your skills and experience can address their specific challenges and opportunities in the property tech space.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Be prepared for a take-home design challenge or a live design exercise. This will likely involve a specific product problem or feature to ideate on.
• Focus on Process: The evaluation will focus on your approach, research methodology, ideation, and how you justify your design decisions, rather than just the final visual output.
• Time Management: If it's a take-home challenge, manage your time effectively to deliver a polished, well-reasoned solution. If live, demonstrate your ability to think on your feet and articulate your process under pressure.
• Stakeholder Communication: Practice articulating your design rationale clearly and concisely, as if presenting to product and engineering teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is rigorous, with a strong emphasis on portfolio evaluation and practical design skills. Senior candidates are expected to demonstrate not only execution ability but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and a thorough understanding of the product development lifecycle.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly likely given industry trends and collaborative nature), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator), InVision, Axure.
• User Research: Tools for surveys (e.g., Typeform, SurveyMonkey), usability testing platforms (e.g., UserTesting.com), and qualitative research analysis tools.
• Collaboration & Communication: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel.
• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Looker (for understanding user behavior and product performance data).

CRM & Automation: While not directly a designer's primary tool, awareness of CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can be beneficial for understanding customer journeys and business contexts.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern design tools like Figma is almost certainly a prerequisite. Familiarity with analytics platforms is also key for a role focused on iterative improvement and data-informed design.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• High Performance & Care: REA Group balances ambitious goals with a supportive and caring environment, fostering a culture where employees can thrive both professionally and personally.
• Purpose-Driven: The company is focused on its mission to change how the world experiences property, providing a strong sense of purpose for its employees.
• Collaboration & Innovation: A strong emphasis on working together across teams to drive innovation and create impactful solutions.
• Customer-Centricity: A deep understanding and focus on user needs and business opportunities to deliver exceptional experiences.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A commitment to creating an inclusive workplace where diverse ideas and experiences are valued and contribute to creative problem-solving.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Squads: Designers work closely within agile teams, fostering tight-knit collaboration with Product Managers and Engineers.
• Constructive Feedback: A culture of design critiques and feedback is encouraged to elevate the quality of work and foster continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Proactive engagement with senior stakeholders to align on vision, present design rationale, and gain buy-in.
• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement of sharing best practices, learnings, and insights across the design team and broader organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "high performance and care," "purpose-driven," and "collaboration" suggests a dynamic yet supportive work environment where designers are empowered to make a significant impact while being valued as individuals.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Ambition and Resources: Delivering innovative, world-class experiences within agile timelines and resource constraints requires strong prioritization and efficient design processes.
• Navigating Complex Systems: REA Group's platforms are likely complex, requiring systems thinking to ensure design consistency and usability across various touchpoints.
• Stakeholder Alignment: Effectively communicating design vision and justifying decisions to diverse stakeholders with potentially varying priorities.
• Evolving Market: Staying ahead of trends in the rapidly changing property technology landscape and consumer expectations.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas like UX research, interaction design, visual design, or design systems through internal workshops, training programs, and challenging project assignments.
• Industry Exposure: Participation in industry conferences, design meetups, and access to learning resources relevant to PropTech and digital product design.
• Mentorship & Leadership: Formal mentorship programs and opportunities to mentor junior designers, developing leadership capabilities.
• Cross-Functional Learning: Gaining a deeper understanding of product management, engineering processes, and data analytics through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in innovative tech companies, requiring adaptability, strong communication, and a proactive approach to problem-solving. Growth opportunities are robust, supporting both technical and leadership development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Strategy: "How would you approach designing a new feature for [REA Group's core product] that aims to increase user engagement by 15%?" (Focus on your process, research, ideation, and metrics).
• Collaboration & Influence: "Describe a time you had to influence a senior stakeholder or a cross-functional team to adopt your design recommendation. What was your strategy?" (Highlight communication, persuasion, and data-driven arguments).
• Problem Solving: "Imagine a key user journey in our product is experiencing a high drop-off rate. How would you diagnose the problem and what design solutions might you explore?" (Demonstrate analytical skills and a structured approach to problem-solving).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you admire about REA Group's products, and how do you see your skills contributing to our mission?" (Research their products and mission thoroughly).
• "How do you contribute to fostering a collaborative and high-performing design culture?" (Relate your experience to REA's values).
• "How do you measure the success of your design work beyond just user satisfaction?" (Discuss impact on business goals, ROI, efficiency).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Begin with the "Why": Clearly articulate the problem you were solving and the business/user goals.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use compelling visuals, prototypes, and user flows. Walk through your process logically.
• Quantify Impact: Where possible, present metrics demonstrating the success of your designs (e.g., conversion rate increases, task completion improvements, user satisfaction scores).
• Be Honest About Challenges: Discuss any obstacles you faced and how you overcame them. This demonstrates resilience and problem-solving skills.
• Explain Your Role: Be crystal clear about your specific contributions, especially on team projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare specific examples that showcase your seniority—your strategic thinking, leadership potential, ability to handle ambiguity, and quantifiable impact. Tailor your responses to REA Group's industry and known values.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the REA Group careers portal via the provided URL.
• Craft a compelling resume: Highlight your 5+ years of product design experience, focusing on achievements, tools used, and impact. Use keywords from the job description like "user research," "design systems," "agile," and "collaboration."
• Prepare your portfolio: Ensure it's polished, showcases your best work with clear case studies, and is tailored to demonstrate your senior-level capabilities and alignment with REA's focus on user-centricity and business impact.
• Research REA Group: Understand their products (e.g., realestate.com.au), their market position, and their company culture. Prepare to discuss how your skills and experience can benefit their specific challenges and opportunities.
• Practice your portfolio presentation: Rehearse walking through your case studies, articulating your design process, rationale, and impact clearly and concisely. Be ready for potential design exercises.

⚠️ 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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