Senior UX Designer - 8 week contract at Open Universities Australia

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer - 8 week contract Company: Open Universities Australia Location: Docklands, Victoria, Australia Job Type: Contract Category: UX/UI Design Operations Date Posted: 2025-08-11T00:20:51.645 Experience Level: 5-10 years Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

Lead the end-to-end design of user-centric, cross-channel experiences from concept to implementation, focusing on enhancing educational access.
Drive design thinking to help customers achieve their educational goals, aligning with OUA's mission and values.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate research insights into actionable design improvements and user-friendly interfaces.
Develop and maintain design systems, ensuring alignment with brand standards and promoting scalable design frameworks.
Champion accessibility and inclusive design principles (WCAG 2.1 compliance) throughout the design process.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the core role is UX Design, it's framed within an "Operations" context due to the focus on process improvement, system design (design systems), and delivering user experiences that directly impact customer engagement and educational outcomes. This role requires operationalizing design principles to achieve business objectives.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Design and document comprehensive user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity prototypes to articulate user journeys and interface interactions.
Plan and facilitate ideation workshops with key internal stakeholders to gather requirements and foster collaborative design solutions.
Coordinate and execute usability testing and user research initiatives to validate design concepts and identify areas for improvement.
Translate user research findings and feedback into actionable design recommendations that enhance user experience and task completion.
Develop, maintain, and champion UX/UI best practices, ensuring consistency in visual design and interaction patterns across all touchpoints.
Maintain and evolve OUA's design systems, ensuring alignment with brand guidelines and the implementation of scalable design frameworks.
Ensure all designs adhere to accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 compliance) and promote inclusive design practices for a diverse user base.
Apply mobile-first and responsive design principles to create seamless experiences across various devices and screen sizes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic approach to UX, involving research, stakeholder management, and system thinking (design systems), which are crucial operational aspects of design delivery within a growing organization. The focus on "end-to-end design" and "implementation" signifies an operational ownership of the design lifecycle.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, or a related field is typically expected, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 5-10 years of experience in User Experience (UX) design, with a proven track record of leading design projects from concept to delivery. Experience in an educational technology (EdTech) sector is a plus. Experience in a contract role, demonstrating adaptability and quick project ramp-up, is highly valued.

Required Skills:

Strong problem-solving skills with a user-centered approach to identifying and resolving design challenges.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective stakeholder engagement and design presentation.
Expertise in UI design principles, including layout, visual hierarchy, color theory, typography, and iconography.
Hands-on experience with design systems, including their creation, maintenance, and application for consistent user experiences.
Deep understanding of accessibility standards and inclusive design practices (WCAG 2.1 compliance) and their practical implementation.
Proficiency in mobile-first and responsive design methodologies.
Advanced skills in Figma, including proficiency with auto-layout, component libraries, and design tokens.
Working knowledge of CSS for understanding front-end implementation constraints and possibilities.

Preferred Skills:

Experience with user research methodologies and usability testing frameworks.
Familiarity with prototyping tools and techniques for creating interactive user flows.
Understanding of front-end development principles and how design translates to code.
Experience working in an Agile development environment.
Familiarity with A/B testing and data-driven design optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level and specific tool proficiencies (Figma, CSS) suggest a mid-to-senior level role where the candidate is expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy and possess a strong understanding of design system operations and front-end implementation context.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

A curated portfolio showcasing end-to-end UX design projects, demonstrating a clear process from research and ideation through to final design and implementation.
Case studies that highlight problem-solving abilities, user-centered design approaches, and the impact of design decisions on user outcomes.
Examples of work with design systems, including contributions to their creation, maintenance, or evolution, showcasing scalability and consistency.
Demonstrations of attention to detail in UI design, including layout, typography, color usage, and interaction design.
Evidence of applying accessibility and inclusive design principles in practical project scenarios.

Process Documentation:

Portfolio entries should clearly articulate the design process followed for each project, including research methodologies, ideation techniques, and testing procedures.
Showcase how user feedback and data were integrated into the design iteration process to drive improvements.
Include documentation of how design systems were leveraged or contributed to, emphasizing their role in operationalizing design consistency.
Demonstrate an understanding of translating design specifications for development teams, including handoff processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior UX role, especially on a contract basis, a portfolio is crucial. It serves as a demonstration of operational design capability – the ability to execute design processes efficiently and effectively, manage design systems, and deliver tangible results that align with business objectives.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is an 8-week contract role, the compensation will likely be structured as a competitive hourly or daily rate, commensurate with senior-level UX design experience in the Melbourne market. Based on industry benchmarks for Senior UX Designers in Australia, an estimated range could be AUD $70-100+ per hour, or AUD $560-800+ per day, depending on experience and specific skill set.

Benefits:

Flexible Working: Hybrid arrangement offering 3 days of remote work, promoting work-life balance.
Convenient Location: Office located at 700 Collins Street, Docklands, adjacent to Southern Cross Station, offering excellent accessibility.
Immediate Impact: Opportunity to contribute to a mission-driven organization focused on accessible education.
Contract Duration: Defined 8-week period, providing a focused project experience.
Professional Development: Exposure to a dynamic team and the chance to work on impactful projects within the EdTech sector.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are expected, typically 37.5-40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for flexibility in structuring these hours, with 3 days requiring presence in the Docklands office.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on typical contract rates for senior UX designers in major Australian cities like Melbourne. Benefits are focused on the practical advantages of a contract role, emphasizing flexibility and location.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Higher Education Technology (EdTech). Open Universities Australia (OUA) operates within the rapidly evolving landscape of online and blended learning, aiming to make tertiary education accessible and flexible. This context implies a focus on user experience, digital platforms, and innovation in learning delivery. Company Size: Open Universities Australia is a well-established organization within the Australian higher education sector. While specific employee numbers aren't provided, their mission and operational scope suggest a medium to large-sized enterprise with dedicated departments for technology, student services, marketing, and academic liaison. Founded: Open Universities Australia was established in 1993, indicating a long-standing presence and experience in delivering distance and online education. This history suggests a stable, yet adaptable, organizational structure that values continuous improvement.

Team Structure:

The Senior UX Designer will likely be part of a Product or Digital Experience team, working closely with Product Managers, UI Designers, Developers, and UX Researchers.
Reporting structure may place the designer under a Head of Product, Design Lead, or UX Manager, depending on the internal team organization.
Cross-functional collaboration is critical, involving regular interaction with marketing, student support, and academic departments to ensure a holistic understanding of user needs and business goals.

Methodology:

OUA's values ("act for our customers, take care of each other, and we work to continuously improve") suggest a culture that prioritizes user-centricity, teamwork, and iterative growth.
Design processes are likely to be user-driven, incorporating research, prototyping, testing, and feedback loops to ensure quality and relevance.
Continuous improvement implies an agile or iterative approach to product development and design, where data and user insights inform ongoing enhancements.

Company Website: https://www.open.edu.au/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mission in accessible education and its established history provide a strong context for the UX role, emphasizing impact and user advocacy. The hybrid work model and location are operational benefits for potential candidates.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior UX Designer role, indicating a high level of autonomy and responsibility. The designer is expected to lead projects, mentor junior team members (if any), and influence design strategy. In an operations context, this means owning the design process for specific initiatives and ensuring its efficient and effective execution. Reporting Structure: Typically, a Senior UX Designer reports to a Design Lead, Head of Product, or a similar managerial role. They will collaborate closely with product managers, developers, and other stakeholders across the organization. Operations Impact: The Senior UX Designer's work directly impacts customer engagement, conversion rates, student satisfaction, and retention by creating intuitive and effective digital experiences. Their ability to translate user needs into seamless cross-channel journeys is crucial for OUA's mission and business success.

Growth Opportunities:

Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like design systems, accessibility, or user research within the EdTech context.
Project Leadership: Lead the UX design for significant product features or new initiatives, gaining experience in project management from a design perspective.
Cross-functional Influence: Develop stronger collaboration and communication skills by working with diverse teams, influencing product direction through design expertise.
Contract-to-Permanent Potential: While a contract role, exceptional performance could potentially lead to opportunities for longer-term engagement or permanent positions within OUA.

📝 Enhancement Note: The contract nature of this role means growth is primarily focused on skill enhancement and project experience within the 8-week timeframe, rather than a defined long-term career path within this specific contract. However, demonstrating strong performance can open doors.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: OUA offers a hybrid working model, with 3 days per week expected in the office. This suggests a modern office environment designed to support both focused work and collaborative sessions. Office Location(s): The office is situated at 700 Collins Street, Docklands, Victoria. This is a prime business location in Melbourne, known for its accessibility via public transport (especially Southern Cross Station) and proximity to amenities.

Workspace Context:

The office environment likely supports a collaborative culture, with spaces for team meetings, workshops, and brainstorming sessions, crucial for UX design.
Access to necessary design tools and technology will be provided, supporting the efficient execution of design tasks.
Opportunities for direct interaction with design, product, and development teams will be abundant, fostering a dynamic and communicative work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The standard working hours are expected to be full-time. The hybrid arrangement provides flexibility, allowing individuals to balance in-office collaboration with remote focus time. This structure is conducive to operations that require both deep work on design tasks and collaborative problem-solving sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model and prime office location are key selling points, indicating a modern and well-connected work environment that supports efficient operations and team collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: A brief call to assess basic qualifications, experience alignment, and interest in a contract role.
Portfolio Review & Discussion: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their portfolio, discussing specific projects, design processes, and problem-solving approaches. Expect questions related to Figma proficiency, design systems, and accessibility.
Stakeholder Interview: An interview with key stakeholders (e.g., Product Manager, Design Lead) to evaluate collaboration style, problem-solving abilities, and fit with the team's operational workflow.
Potential Design Challenge: A short, focused design exercise or case study discussion may be included to assess practical design skills and strategic thinking under time constraints.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Curate Selectively: Choose 2-3 projects that best showcase your end-to-end UX process, highlight your senior-level contributions, and align with OUA's focus on user-centricity and education.
Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed, the solutions you designed, and the impact achieved (quantifiable metrics are a bonus).
Highlight Figma Expertise: Be prepared to walk through your Figma files, demonstrating your proficiency with auto-layout, components, and design tokens.
Emphasize Process: Clearly explain your research, ideation, testing, and iteration processes. Show how you operationalized design principles.
Address Accessibility: Be ready to discuss how you incorporated accessibility and inclusive design throughout your projects.

Challenge Preparation:

Figma Proficiency: Practice rapid prototyping and component usage in Figma.
Design Systems: Be prepared to discuss your understanding and experience with design system principles and implementation.
Problem-Solving: Think about how you would approach common UX challenges within an EdTech context (e.g., improving student onboarding, simplifying course selection).
Accessibility Standards: Refresh your knowledge of WCAG 2.1 guidelines and how to apply them.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and specific tool proficiency (Figma) underscores the operational requirement for the candidate to demonstrate immediate value and efficient design execution.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Figma: Essential for wireframing, prototyping, and high-fidelity design. Advanced skills in auto-layout, component libraries, and design tokens are required.
Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in creating interactive prototypes within Figma or other relevant tools (e.g., InVision, Adobe XD) to simulate user flows.
User Research & Testing Platforms: Experience with tools for conducting usability testing, user interviews, and surveys (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, SurveyMonkey).

Analytics & Reporting:

Familiarity with web analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) to understand user behavior and track design impact.
Ability to interpret data and user feedback to inform design iterations.

CRM & Automation:

While not directly hands-on, an understanding of how UX design integrates with CRM systems and marketing automation platforms can be beneficial for context.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and its advanced features, along with the broader need for research and testing tools, points to a tech-stack focused on modern, efficient design operations.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

Customer Focus: A strong commitment to understanding and serving the needs of students and other users, ensuring their educational journeys are seamless.
Continuous Improvement: An ongoing drive to refine processes, enhance user experiences, and adapt to evolving educational technologies and user expectations.
Collaboration: A proactive approach to working with cross-functional teams, sharing insights, and co-creating solutions.
Inclusivity: A dedication to creating accessible and equitable experiences for all users, regardless of their background or abilities.

Collaboration Style:

Open and communicative, encouraging active participation in brainstorming and feedback sessions.
Data-informed, using user research and analytics to guide design decisions and discussions.
Iterative, embracing feedback and making adjustments to designs based on collaborative input and testing results.
Purpose-driven, aligning design efforts with OUA's mission to make education accessible.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company values are directly relevant to how a UX designer operates within the organization, emphasizing user-centricity, iterative processes, and collaborative problem-solving, all of which are key to effective design operations.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Time Constraints: The 8-week contract duration requires rapid onboarding, efficient design execution, and timely delivery of high-quality outputs.
Cross-functional Alignment: Effectively collaborating with diverse stakeholders who may have varying priorities and perspectives on user experience.
Balancing Innovation and Constraints: Designing innovative solutions while adhering to brand guidelines, technical limitations, and accessibility standards.
Translating Complex Information: Simplifying complex educational offerings and administrative processes into intuitive user interfaces.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

EdTech Exposure: Gaining experience within the dynamic and impactful EdTech sector.
Design System Contribution: Opportunity to work with and potentially contribute to an established or evolving design system.
Stakeholder Management: Enhancing skills in managing relationships and communicating design rationale to a broad range of stakeholders.
Agile Environment: Experience working within an agile or iterative project management framework.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge is the short contract length, demanding immediate productivity and efficient process management. Growth opportunities are tied to gaining specific industry experience and honing project delivery skills.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

"Describe your process for taking a feature from initial concept to a polished, testable prototype. How do you ensure user needs are met at each stage?" (Focus on your end-to-end operational design process).
"Walk us through a complex design problem you solved using Figma's advanced features like auto-layout and components. What was the outcome?" (Highlight your technical Figma skills and problem-solving approach).
"How do you approach incorporating accessibility (WCAG 2.1) into your design workflow from the outset, rather than as an afterthought?" (Demonstrate your commitment to inclusive design operations).
"Tell us about your experience with design systems. What makes a design system effective from an operational standpoint, and how do you ensure consistency?" (Show your understanding of design system management).

Company & Culture Questions:

"What interests you about Open Universities Australia's mission and the EdTech space?" (Research OUA's impact and values).
"How do you approach collaborating with product managers and developers to ensure seamless design handoff and implementation?" (Emphasize your cross-functional collaboration style).
"Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders to adopt a user-centered design recommendation. How did you present your case?" (Prepare a concise example showcasing your communication and persuasion skills).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Structure: Organize your presentation logically: problem statement, your role, research/discovery, ideation, design solutions (wireframes, prototypes, final UI), testing, and outcomes/impact.
Visuals: Use high-quality visuals of your work. For Figma projects, consider screen sharing a live demo or walkthrough of key components and flows.
Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Focus on the most impactful aspects of each project and be ready to dive deeper on specific areas requested by the interviewers.
Metrics: If possible, include any quantifiable results or improvements your designs achieved (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time).

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skills, but also the operational capability to execute efficiently within a team and meet project deadlines, particularly highlighting Figma proficiency and design system experience.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused UX Designer position:

Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.
Portfolio Preparation: Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date and clearly showcases your UX process, Figma skills, and experience with design systems and accessibility. Select 2-3 key projects that best represent your senior-level capabilities and relevance to OUA's mission.
Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight experience with end-to-end design, user research, prototyping, design systems, and proficiency in Figma and CSS. Quantify achievements where possible.
Interview Practice: Prepare to discuss your portfolio projects in detail, focusing on your problem-solving approach, design process, and collaboration methods. Practice articulating your experience with accessibility and inclusive design.
Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Open Universities Australia's mission, values, and the EdTech industry to articulate your interest and how your skills align with their operational goals.

⚠️ 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.

Senior UX Designer - 8 week contract