Senior Vice President, Service Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Vice President, Service Designer

Company: BNY Mellon

Location: New York, NY

Job Type: Full time

Category: Design & Innovation Operations

Date Posted: 2026-02-24

Experience Level: Senior (10+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (4 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Spearhead service design initiatives by leading design thinking workshops and ideation sessions to foster creative problem-solving and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.

• Drive enhanced user satisfaction and engagement by leveraging advanced user journey and experience mapping techniques to visualize interactions, identify pain points, and propose impactful service design solutions within a complex financial services environment.

• Develop and iterate on critical design artifacts, including personas, wireframes, and interactive prototypes, ensuring alignment with user needs, business objectives, and client feedback through rigorous testing and refinement.

• Foster a cohesive and consistent design language across all products and features by creating and maintaining comprehensive design guidelines, pattern libraries, and robust design systems.

• Champion user-centricity through comprehensive user research, usability testing, and heuristic evaluations, translating feedback into actionable design improvements for enterprise systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role, while titled "Service Designer," operates at a senior leadership level (SVP) within BNY Mellon's Innovations team. The responsibilities strongly indicate a need for deep expertise in operationalizing design processes, managing cross-functional stakeholder alignment, and driving strategic design outcomes within a large, complex financial institution. The focus on "enterprise projects" and "financial services or fintech industry" highlights the need for an operations-minded designer who can navigate regulatory environments and drive adoption of new service models.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and facilitate high-impact design thinking workshops and cross-functional ideation sessions to generate innovative solutions and achieve strategic alignment.

• Develop detailed user journey maps and service blueprints to visualize end-to-end customer experiences, identify critical touchpoints, and uncover opportunities for service enhancement and operational efficiency.

• Create compelling personas, wireframes, and interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and gather iterative feedback from stakeholders and end-users.

• Collaborate closely with product management, engineering, and business stakeholders to translate complex user needs, business goals, and project requirements into actionable design strategies.

• Establish and maintain robust design guidelines, pattern libraries, and scalable design systems to ensure brand consistency, operational efficiency, and optimal user experience across all digital platforms and services.

• Conduct rigorous user research, including usability testing and heuristic evaluations, to gather critical insights that inform design decisions and drive continuous improvement in system usability and client satisfaction.

• Stay abreast of emerging trends in customer experience (CX), user experience (UX) design, financial technology (FinTech), and artificial intelligence (AI) to introduce novel approaches and innovative solutions to the organization.

• Analyze user feedback and performance metrics to refine and optimize existing service designs and user interfaces, ensuring alignment with evolving market demands and business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic leadership and hands-on design execution, typical for a senior role focused on operationalizing design within a large enterprise. The emphasis on "enterprise projects" and "global financial services" suggests a need for experience in managing complex stakeholder environments and understanding the unique operational challenges of the financial sector.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• A minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in UX/Service Design, with a significant portion focused on large-scale enterprise projects within the global financial services or FinTech industry.

• Proven track record of successfully leading and delivering complex design initiatives from concept to implementation.

Required Skills:

• Design Thinking & Ideation: Expertise in leading design thinking workshops, facilitating ideation sessions, and fostering creative problem-solving across diverse teams.

• User Journey & Experience Mapping: Proficient in creating detailed user journey maps, service blueprints, and experience maps to visualize interactions, identify pain points, and uncover opportunities.

• Prototyping & Wireframing: Strong skills in developing wireframes, interactive prototypes, and mockups using industry-standard tools to effectively communicate design concepts and user flows.

• User Research & Usability Testing: Extensive experience in conducting user research, usability testing, heuristic evaluations, and analyzing user feedback to drive data-informed design decisions.

• Design Systems & Guidelines: Ability to create, maintain, and champion design guidelines, pattern libraries, and cohesive design systems for consistency and scalability.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to partner effectively with product managers, development teams, and various business stakeholders to define user needs and project requirements.

• Communication & Presentation: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex research findings and design concepts clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences.

• Problem-Solving: A solutions-oriented mindset with a demonstrated ability to analyze problems and develop structured, analytical solutions.

Preferred Skills:

• Visual Design Competency: A strong understanding of visual design principles and aesthetics, complementing deep UX/Service Design expertise.

• Financial Services/FinTech Domain Knowledge: In-depth understanding of the regulatory landscape, client needs, and operational complexities within the global financial services or FinTech sectors.

• Data-Driven Design: Experience leveraging analytics, A/B testing, and performance metrics to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Proficiency with Design Tools: Advanced skills in tools such as Figma, Figjam, Miro, Adobe XD, or similar collaborative design and prototyping software.

• Agile Methodologies: Experience working within Agile development frameworks and collaborating with Scrum teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The years of experience required (10+) and the specific industry focus (global financial services or fintech) imply a need for a candidate who can not only design but also effectively manage design operations, influence senior leadership, and navigate the complexities of large-scale enterprise technology adoption within a regulated environment.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A curated portfolio showcasing a minimum of 5-7 significant enterprise-level service design or UX projects, with a strong emphasis on the financial services or FinTech sector.

• Demonstrate end-to-end ownership of design projects, from initial research and strategy through to implementation and iterative refinement.

• Include detailed case studies that articulate the problem statement, your role, the design process (including methodologies like Design Thinking, user journey mapping), key challenges, and measurable outcomes.

• Highlight your ability to translate complex business requirements and user needs into intuitive and effective service designs, showcasing a deep understanding of operational constraints and opportunities.

Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of how you have documented and communicated design processes, including user research findings, ideation outcomes, and design rationale, for cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

• Showcase your ability to develop and present detailed user journey maps, service blueprints, or workflow diagrams that illustrate current state, identify pain points, and propose optimized future states.

• Demonstrate experience in creating and iterating on wireframes, personas, and prototypes, with clear explanations of the design decisions and user feedback that informed their development.

• Include documentation that illustrates your approach to user research, usability testing, and how feedback was incorporated to improve the user experience and operational efficiency of systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Vice President role, the portfolio must go beyond individual contributions to demonstrate leadership in establishing and improving design processes, managing cross-functional collaboration, and driving strategic impact. The emphasis should be on how the candidate operationalized design thinking and service design principles to achieve tangible business results within complex enterprise environments.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Competitive Compensation: A comprehensive package that may include base salary, discretionary bonuses, and short-term/long-term incentive programs.

• Health & Wellbeing: Robust benefits programs designed to support employee health, including wellbeing initiatives and resources.

• Financial Security: Access to flexible global resources and tools to help employees reach their financial goals.

• Work-Life Balance: Generous paid leave policies, including paid volunteer time, to support personal needs and community engagement.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continuous learning and access to global resources.

Working Hours:

• This is a full-time position with an expectation of approximately 40 hours per week. The role requires 4 days per week in the New York office, indicating a hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is a base salary estimate for the role. It's crucial to note that BNY Mellon's total compensation package often includes additional components like discretionary bonuses, incentive plans, and benefits, which can significantly increase the overall remuneration. The salary estimate is based on BNY Mellon's provided range and general market data for SVP-level roles in the financial services sector in New York City.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Global Financial Services, FinTech, Banking, Asset Management. BNY Mellon is a pivotal player at the heart of the global financial system, influencing a significant portion of the world's investible assets. They leverage advanced technologies like AI to drive transformative solutions for clients across various industries.

Company Size: Large Enterprise. BNY Mellon is a major global financial institution, indicating a complex organizational structure, extensive resources, and a vast client base.

Founded: Established in 1784, BNY Mellon has a long and storied history, evolving to become a leading provider of financial services. This longevity suggests a culture that values stability, expertise, and long-term strategic vision, while also demonstrating a commitment to innovation.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within the "Innovations" team, suggesting a department focused on forward-thinking initiatives, exploring new technologies, and driving transformative solutions.

• As a Senior Vice President, this role likely leads a team or a significant function within the Innovations group, reporting to a higher-level executive (e.g., Chief Innovation Officer, Head of Strategy).

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Innovation: The company emphasizes harnessing cutting-edge AI and breakthrough technologies, indicating a strong reliance on data analytics and technological advancement to drive innovation.

• Client-Centric Solutions: A core focus is on collaborating with clients to drive transformative solutions, highlighting a commitment to understanding and meeting client needs through innovative service design and product development.

• Agile & Iterative Development: Implied by the focus on "prototypes," "usability testing," and "iterating based on feedback," suggesting an adoption of agile principles in product and service development.

Company Website: https://www.bny.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: BNY Mellon's status as a "leading global financial services company" and its emphasis on "AI and breakthrough technologies" positions this role within a dynamic, innovation-focused segment of a traditional, large enterprise. The "Innovations team" context suggests a blend of established corporate structure with a startup-like drive for new solutions, requiring a candidate who can balance strategic vision with operational execution.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Vice President (SVP) - This is a senior leadership position, indicating significant responsibility, strategic influence, and likely management of a team or critical function. The role requires a deep understanding of both design principles and the operational realities of a large financial institution.

Reporting Structure: The SVP is expected to report to a higher executive within the Innovations or Strategy division. This position will likely manage a team of designers and collaborate extensively with peers across various departments, including Product, Engineering, and Business Units.

Operations Impact: The Service Designer at this level is instrumental in shaping the client and user experience across BNY Mellon's vast service offerings. Their work directly impacts client satisfaction, operational efficiency, adoption of new technologies, and ultimately, the company's competitive positioning and revenue generation through enhanced service delivery and innovation.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into executive leadership roles within the Innovations, Product, or Strategy divisions, overseeing larger teams and broader strategic initiatives.

• Specialization & Expertise: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of financial services innovation, emerging technologies (like AI in finance), or advanced service design methodologies.

• Strategic Influence: Ability to influence the company's long-term innovation roadmap, technology investments, and go-to-market strategies for new services.

• Mentorship & Team Development: Lead and mentor a team of designers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and high performance within the design function.

📝 Enhancement Note: An SVP role in a company like BNY Mellon offers substantial career growth, moving beyond individual design contributions to strategic leadership and operational management. The "Innovations" context suggests opportunities to pioneer new business models and service offerings, making this a high-impact role for experienced professionals seeking to shape the future of financial services.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. The role requires 4 days per week in the New York office, indicating a structured hybrid model designed to balance in-person collaboration with remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): New York, NY (240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286). This location is in a major business hub, offering access to industry events, talent pools, and a vibrant professional ecosystem.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on workshops/ideation sessions point to a workspace designed to facilitate in-person collaboration, brainstorming, and team synergy.

• Technology-Rich: As a leading financial institution, expect access to state-of-the-art technology, design tools, and potentially specialized hardware and software required for advanced service design and prototyping.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: The role necessitates frequent interaction with diverse teams, fostering an environment where ideas are exchanged, and solutions are co-created across different functional areas.

Work Schedule:

• Standard professional working hours are expected, with a focus on achieving objectives and deliverables. The hybrid model allows for some flexibility in structuring the work week, with a clear expectation of in-office presence for collaborative activities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role, with a strong emphasis on in-office presence (4 days/week), suggests that BNY Mellon values face-to-face interaction for key strategic and collaborative activities, such as design thinking workshops and stakeholder alignment, which are critical for an SVP-level Service Designer.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess alignment with the role's requirements, particularly experience in financial services and enterprise-level design projects.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager and potentially key team members to delve into your experience, design philosophy, leadership style, and understanding of service design principles within a corporate context.

• Design Challenge/Case Study Presentation: You may be asked to present a case study from your portfolio or tackle a hypothetical design challenge, demonstrating your problem-solving approach, design process, and ability to articulate complex solutions. This will likely focus on how you would approach a service design problem within the financial industry.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Conversations with cross-functional stakeholders (e.g., Product, Engineering, Business leads) to evaluate your collaboration skills, communication effectiveness, and ability to build consensus.

• Senior Leadership Interview: A final interview with senior executives to assess strategic thinking, cultural fit, and overall leadership potential within BNY Mellon's innovation ecosystem.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Enterprise Impact: Prioritize projects that demonstrate significant scale, complexity, and measurable business outcomes within large organizations, ideally in financial services.

• Highlight Leadership & Process: Clearly articulate your role in leading design initiatives, facilitating workshops, and establishing design processes. Detail your methodologies and how you adapted them to specific project needs.

• Quantify Results: Wherever possible, present quantifiable results of your design work, such as improvements in user satisfaction, engagement, operational efficiency, or revenue.

• Demonstrate Financial Acumen: Show an understanding of business drivers, ROI, and how design decisions align with financial objectives.

• Structure for Clarity: Organize your portfolio logically, with clear narratives for each case study, including problem, process, solution, and impact.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand BNY Mellon's Business: Research BNY Mellon's services, client base, strategic priorities, and current industry challenges.

• Service Design Frameworks: Be prepared to discuss and apply frameworks like the Double Diamond, Design Thinking, and service blueprinting.

• Financial Services Context: Anticipate challenges related to regulation, security, data privacy, and the specific needs of institutional clients.

• Communication Strategy: Practice articulating your thought process clearly, concisely, and persuasively, tailoring your message to different audiences (e.g., executives, technical teams).

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for an SVP role will heavily scrutinize leadership capabilities, strategic thinking, and the ability to operate effectively within a large, regulated financial institution. The portfolio review is critical for demonstrating not just design skill, but also operational leadership and business impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Proficiency in industry-leading tools such as Figma (including Figjam for collaboration), Adobe XD, and potentially Sketch or InVision.

• Collaboration & Whiteboarding Tools: Experience with Miro, Figjam, or similar platforms for facilitating remote and in-person workshops, ideation, and mapping sessions.

• User Research Platforms: Familiarity with tools for conducting user interviews, surveys, and usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web & Product Analytics: Experience with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or Amplitude to track user behavior, measure engagement, and derive insights for design optimization.

• Data Visualization Tools: Familiarity with tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for creating dashboards and reports to communicate design impact and performance metrics to stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: While not a primary design tool, understanding how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) influence customer journeys and data collection can be beneficial.

• Workflow & Process Management Tools: Awareness of tools used for project management and workflow automation (e.g., Jira, Asana, Monday.com) to understand how designs integrate into development pipelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma, Figjam, and Miro alongside user research and analytics tools highlights the need for a Service Designer who is not only creative but also proficient in modern, collaborative digital tools and can leverage data to inform their design decisions and demonstrate impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: A drive to explore new technologies (like AI), challenge the status quo, and develop transformative solutions for the future of finance.

• Client-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving client needs, ensuring that all design and service improvements ultimately enhance client experience and value.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: A reliance on evidence, research, and analytics to inform design choices, validate hypotheses, and measure the impact of initiatives.

• Collaboration & Partnership: A belief in the power of working together across teams and departments to achieve shared goals and deliver integrated solutions.

• Excellence & Continuous Improvement: A pursuit of high standards in all aspects of work, with a dedication to ongoing learning, refinement, and optimization of processes and outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect a highly collaborative environment where designers work closely with product managers, engineers, business strategists, and client relationship managers.

• Transparent Communication: Open sharing of ideas, feedback, and design rationale is encouraged to foster alignment and collective problem-solving.

• Constructive Feedback Culture: A willingness to provide and receive constructive criticism to refine designs and improve processes, fostering mutual growth and development.

• Agile & Adaptable: A flexible approach to teamwork, adapting to changing priorities and project needs while maintaining a focus on delivering value.

📝 Enhancement Note: BNY Mellon's stated values and emphasis on innovation suggest a culture that balances the stability of a large financial institution with a forward-looking approach. For this role, a collaborative, data-driven, and client-focused mindset is paramount for navigating complex projects and driving impactful design solutions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Enterprise Complexity: Operating within a large, established financial institution requires understanding and navigating intricate organizational structures, regulatory requirements, and legacy systems.

• Balancing Innovation with Stability: Introducing cutting-edge solutions while maintaining the security, reliability, and compliance expected of a global financial services provider.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Achieving consensus and driving adoption of new service designs across diverse stakeholder groups with potentially competing priorities.

• Quantifying Design Impact: Clearly demonstrating the ROI and business value of design initiatives in a tangible, measurable way to senior leadership.

• Pace of Change: Keeping pace with rapid technological advancements (e.g., AI, blockchain) and evolving client expectations in the FinTech landscape.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Leadership: Opportunities to influence the strategic direction of innovation and service design within a leading financial institution.

• Advanced Technology Exposure: Deep dive into emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and data analytics as applied to financial services.

• Executive Mentorship: Access to senior leaders and potential mentorship to develop strategic thinking and leadership capabilities.

• Professional Development: Support for attending industry conferences, workshops, and pursuing certifications relevant to service design, innovation, and financial technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: At the SVP level, challenges often revolve around strategic influence, organizational change, and navigating complex stakeholder landscapes, rather than just execution. The growth opportunities lie in shaping the future of the company's services and leadership within the innovation domain.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led a complex service design initiative within a regulated industry. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on your process, stakeholder management, and adherence to compliance).

• "How would you approach designing a new digital banking service for institutional clients that leverages AI for personalized insights?" (Assess your understanding of AI's application, client needs, and operational considerations).

• "Walk us through your process for creating and scaling a design system across multiple product teams in a large enterprise." (Evaluate your experience with design operations and governance).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What attracts you to BNY Mellon and our Innovations team specifically?" (Show your research into the company's mission, values, and recent innovations).

• "How do you foster a culture of innovation and design thinking within a team and across departments?" (Highlight your leadership style and experience in driving cultural change).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the business problem, your specific role and leadership, the design process employed (emphasizing methodology), key decisions made, challenges overcome, and measurable outcomes.

• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your design decisions and how they addressed specific user needs or business goals.

• Demonstrate Operational Thinking: Highlight how your designs considered implementation, scalability, and integration within existing systems and workflows.

• Quantify Value: Use data and metrics to illustrate the success of your projects, such as improvements in client satisfaction, operational efficiency, or revenue.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific aspects of your projects, your decision-making process, and how you handled feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation for an SVP role should focus on strategic leadership, operational impact, and the ability to drive change within a complex organization. Your responses should demonstrate a deep understanding of the financial services industry and a proven ability to deliver tangible business results through design.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Vice President, Service Designer position:

• Submit your application via the provided Oracle Cloud link.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your extensive experience (10+ years) in enterprise-level service design and UX, specifically within the financial services or FinTech sectors. Emphasize leadership achievements, strategic contributions, and quantifiable results.

• Portfolio Curation: Select 3-5 of your most impactful enterprise projects for your portfolio. Ensure each case study clearly outlines the problem, your leadership role, the design process, challenges, and measurable business outcomes. Prioritize projects demonstrating financial services relevance and operational impact.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Rehearse a concise and compelling presentation of one or two key portfolio projects, focusing on your strategic approach, leadership, and the business value delivered. Be ready to discuss your methodologies and how you navigate complex organizational environments.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research BNY Mellon's mission, values, recent news, and their focus on innovation and AI. Understand their position in the financial services industry and identify potential areas where your service design expertise can create significant value.

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