UX Designer (1 year contract)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Designer (1 year contract) Company: BMO (AIR MILES Reward Program) Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Job Type: FULL_TIME, CONTRACTOR Category: User Experience (UX) Design / Product Design Date Posted: August 28, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years) Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is focused on designing intuitive and engaging user experiences for the AIR MILES Reward Program, impacting millions of Canadian households.
• The UX Designer will be responsible for the end-to-end design process, from concept and exploration to high-fidelity designs and interactive prototypes.
• Collaboration with product managers, engineers, researchers, and fellow designers is a core aspect of this position to balance user needs with business objectives.
• The position requires a strong user-centered approach, leveraging research insights, data, and empathy to drive design decisions and advocate for the user.
• Contribution to and utilization of a design system is expected to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency across digital products.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UX Designer," the responsibilities and required skills strongly suggest a Product Designer role, which often encompasses both UX and UI design. The mention of "high-fidelity designs and prototypes" and "visual polish" indicates a need for UI design capabilities alongside UX strategy. The focus on "product thinking" further supports this interpretation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design Execution: Develop comprehensive user flows, detailed wireframes, interactive prototypes, and polished high-fidelity visual designs to articulate user journeys and interface elements.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Actively partner with Product Managers to define product strategy and requirements, collaborate with Engineers to ensure feasible and high-quality implementation, and work with User Researchers to integrate insights into design iterations.
• User Advocacy: Champion user needs and business goals by translating user research findings, analytics data, and user feedback into actionable design improvements and innovative solutions.
• Design System Integration: Leverage the existing design system for consistency and efficiency, and actively contribute to its evolution by creating new components, updating guidelines, and ensuring adherence across projects.
• Iterative Design Process: Participate rigorously in design critiques, present work-in-progress to stakeholders, and incorporate feedback from peers and product teams to refine designs and enhance user experience quality.
• User Research & Testing: Support and utilize user research methodologies, including usability testing, to validate design concepts, identify pain points, and inform design decisions throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Craftsmanship & Curiosity: Maintain a high standard of design craft, focusing on detail, accessibility, and visual aesthetics, while actively seeking out new design trends, tools, and best practices to continuously improve personal and team capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic design thinking and hands-on execution, typical of a mid-level Product Designer. The emphasis on "product thinking" and "design system contribution" suggests a role that requires not just execution but also strategic input and an understanding of how individual designs fit into the broader product ecosystem.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for UX/Product Design roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered. Experience: 3–5 years of professional experience in User Experience (UX) Design, Product Design, or a closely related field, with a demonstrable track record of designing digital products.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A strong portfolio showcasing a deep understanding of UX principles, user-centered design methodologies, problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and a passion for creating exceptional user experiences.
• Design Tools: Advanced proficiency in Figma for wireframing, prototyping, user flow mapping, and high-fidelity visual design.
• Responsive Design: Proven experience designing for responsive web applications and native mobile applications (iOS and Android).
• User Research & Insights: Solid understanding of user research methodologies (e.g., user interviews, surveys, usability testing) and the ability to effectively synthesize research findings into actionable design strategies.
• Visual & Interaction Design: Strong aesthetic sense and skills in visual design, layout, typography, and interaction design principles to create intuitive and engaging interfaces.
• Communication & Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions, present concepts effectively, and collaborate constructively with diverse cross-functional teams.
• Prototyping: Proficiency in creating interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and user flows to stakeholders.
• Wireframing: Ability to create clear and effective wireframes to map out user journeys and information architecture.

Preferred Skills:

• Design Systems: Experience contributing to or maintaining design systems, including creating and documenting components and patterns.
• Accessibility: Knowledge of web accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and experience designing inclusive digital products.
• Agile Methodologies: Familiarity with Agile development processes and experience working within Agile teams.
• Data Analysis: Basic understanding of how to interpret user analytics data to inform design decisions.
• Brand Integration: Understanding of how to apply brand guidelines and ensure visual consistency with the AIR MILES brand.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 3-5 years of experience and proficiency in Figma suggests a mid-level designer. The emphasis on a "strong portfolio" is critical for this role, as it serves as the primary evaluation tool for design thinking and execution capabilities. The mention of "product thinking" implies that candidates who can demonstrate strategic contributions beyond pure execution will be highly valued.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies: Present detailed case studies that clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process undertaken, key decisions made, and the measurable impact of your solutions.
• Process Walkthrough: Demonstrate a clear design process, illustrating how you move from understanding user needs and business goals to ideation, prototyping, testing, and final implementation.
• Problem-Solving: Highlight specific examples of complex design challenges you've faced and how you used design thinking and user-centered methodologies to overcome them.
• Impact & Metrics: Showcase how your designs have positively impacted key business metrics or user engagement, using quantitative data where possible to support your claims.
• Tool Proficiency: Include work created using Figma, demonstrating your ability to produce high-fidelity mockups, interactive prototypes, and potentially contributions to design systems.

Process Documentation:

• User Journey Mapping: Showcase examples of user journey maps or user flow diagrams you have created to visualize user interactions and identify areas for improvement.
• Wireframing & Prototyping: Provide examples of wireframes and interactive prototypes that effectively communicate structure, layout, and interaction patterns.
• Usability Testing & Iteration: Detail how you have incorporated user feedback and usability testing results into iterated design solutions, demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UX/Product Designer role at a company like AIR MILES, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing visual design; it must clearly articulate the candidate's thought process, problem-solving approach, and ability to deliver user-centered solutions with measurable outcomes. Demonstrating experience with design systems and a structured design process will be key differentiators.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $61,600.00 - $113,900.00 USD per year. Pay Type: Salaried.

Benefits:

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive health insurance coverage.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Support for professional development and continued learning.
• Accident Insurance: Coverage for accidental injuries.
• Life Insurance: Financial protection for beneficiaries.
• Retirement Savings Plans: Opportunities to save for retirement.
• Performance-Based Incentives: Potential for performance-based incentives, discretionary bonuses, and other rewards.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are likely 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time role. Flexibility may be available depending on team needs and project deadlines, but the role is specified as "On-site," implying adherence to typical office hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is in USD, which is a common practice for global job postings or when companies use a standardized compensation framework. For a candidate in Toronto, the actual salary would be converted to CAD and adjusted for local market conditions. The provided range is competitive for a mid-level UX/Product Designer in a major Canadian city.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services / Loyalty Programs. AIR MILES operates within the loyalty and rewards sector, a significant part of the broader financial services industry, given its ownership by BMO. This context implies a focus on customer data, transaction analysis, and building long-term customer relationships. Company Size: AIR MILES is a subsidiary of BMO, a large North American bank. While specific AIR MILES team size isn't provided, BMO itself is a major financial institution with tens of thousands of employees globally. This suggests a structured corporate environment with established processes and resources. Founded: AIR MILES was established in 1992, and BMO was founded in 1817, making it Canada's oldest bank. This long history implies stability, established brand trust, and a culture that values tradition alongside innovation.

Team Structure:

• Product Design Team: The UX Designer will likely be part of a dedicated Product Design team within the AIR MILES organization, working alongside other UX Designers, UI Designers, and potentially UX Researchers.
• Cross-Functional Pods: Designers typically work within agile product teams or "pods" that include Product Managers, Engineers, and sometimes QA analysts and data analysts.
• Reporting: The UX Designer will likely report to a Design Lead, UX Manager, or Head of Product Design, who oversees the design function and advocates for user experience within the company.

Methodology:

• Agile Development: Given the tech-driven nature of loyalty programs and the collaboration with engineering, Agile methodologies (e.g., Scrum, Kanban) are likely employed for product development.
• User-Centered Design: A strong emphasis on user research, data analysis, and iterative design processes to ensure products meet user needs and business objectives.
• Design Systems: Utilization and contribution to a design system to ensure consistency, efficiency, and scalability across various digital touchpoints.

Company Website: https://jobs.bmo.com/global/en/Total-Rewards (for benefits information) and the AIR MILES website (www.airmiles.ca) for product context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding that AIR MILES is a BMO subsidiary is crucial. It means the company operates with the scale, resources, and potentially some of the corporate governance of a large bank, while maintaining its own brand identity and customer focus within the loyalty space. This often means a balance between established processes and the agility needed for a consumer-facing digital product.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level UX Designer, typically requiring 3-5 years of experience. It's an individual contributor role focused on executing design tasks and contributing to product strategy within a specific product area.

Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will likely report to a Design Manager or Lead who oversees the design team. They will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers and Software Engineers, within their product domain.

Operations Impact: The UX Designer's work directly impacts the experience of millions of AIR MILES collectors. By creating intuitive and engaging interfaces for the AIR MILES website and app, they influence customer satisfaction, engagement, redemption rates, and ultimately, the perceived value of the loyalty program, which contributes to customer retention and BMO's broader customer relationship goals.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas of UX/Product Design, such as interaction design, UX research, or design systems.
• Leadership Potential: With successful contributions and demonstrated leadership qualities, there might be pathways to Senior UX Designer roles, Design Lead positions, or specialization in UX research or management.
• Broader Product Exposure: Potential to work on different product areas within AIR MILES or even explore opportunities within BMO's wider digital product portfolio.
• Industry Knowledge: Gaining in-depth knowledge of the loyalty program industry, consumer behavior, and financial services technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: The contract nature of the role (1 year) means that while there are growth opportunities, the immediate focus is on delivering within that timeframe. For candidates seeking long-term career growth, demonstrating exceptional performance could lead to conversion to a permanent role or opportunities within BMO.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job posting specifies an "On-site" work arrangement, indicating a traditional office environment. The address 250 Yonge Street in Toronto suggests a downtown office location. Office Location(s): Toronto, ON, Canada. This is a major metropolitan hub, providing access to a vibrant tech and design community.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The downtown Toronto office likely offers a modern, collaborative workspace designed to foster interaction among different teams.
• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Figma), collaboration tools, and potentially internal BMO/AIR MILES systems.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for frequent in-person collaboration with product managers, engineers, researchers, and fellow designers, facilitating rapid iteration and feedback.

Work Schedule: Standard business hours are expected for an on-site role, typically 40 hours per week. The contract duration of one year implies a defined project scope and timeline for the designer's contributions.

📝 Enhancement Note: An on-site role in a major city like Toronto offers significant advantages for networking and in-person collaboration, which can be highly beneficial for design roles. It also allows for direct immersion in the company culture and team dynamics.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of the resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications and design experience.
• Hiring Manager/Recruiter Call: A preliminary conversation to discuss experience, motivations, and fit for the role and contract.
• Design Exercise/Challenge: Candidates may be asked to complete a take-home design challenge or a timed exercise to evaluate their design thinking, problem-solving skills, and approach to a specific product problem.
• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A session where the candidate presents their portfolio, discussing key projects, design process, and rationale. This is often followed by a Q&A with the hiring manager, design lead, and potentially other team members.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers and Engineers to assess collaboration skills, understanding of technical constraints, and ability to work effectively in a team.
• Final Interview: Potentially a final interview with a senior leader to confirm fit and discuss contractual terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Tell a Story: Structure each case study as a narrative, clearly outlining the problem, your role, the process, your contributions, challenges, and the outcomes.
• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, mockups, prototypes, user flows) to illustrate your process and design solutions effectively.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, include metrics and data to demonstrate the impact of your designs on user behavior or business goals.
• Highlight Process: Clearly articulate your design process, showing how you approach problems, conduct research, iterate, and collaborate.
• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that align with the requirements of the AIR MILES role, such as experience with loyalty programs, e-commerce, or large-scale consumer applications.
• Figma Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio clearly demonstrates your skills in Figma, including interactive prototypes.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, thoroughly research AIR MILES, its target audience, and its existing digital products to inform your approach.
• Focus on Process: While the final output is important, demonstrating a strong, user-centered design process is often more critical than a perfectly polished UI for a challenge.
• Time Management: Allocate your time wisely across research, ideation, design, and preparation for presentation.
• Communicate Rationale: Be prepared to clearly explain the "why" behind your design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a design role at a company like BMO/AIR MILES will heavily emphasize the portfolio and the candidate's ability to articulate their design process and rationale. A well-structured portfolio with clear case studies demonstrating user-centered problem-solving and measurable impact is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core tool for wireframing, UI design, prototyping, and collaboration. Proficiency is essential.
• Design Systems: Experience working with and contributing to established design systems for consistency and scalability.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics): While not explicitly required for design execution, familiarity with how user data is tracked and analyzed is beneficial for informing design decisions.
• Data Visualization Tools (e.g., Tableau, Looker): Understanding how data is presented can help designers advocate for user needs based on performance metrics.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics): While not a direct design tool, understanding how customer data is managed in a CRM can provide context for user profiles and journeys.
• Project Management Tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, Trello): Likely used for task management, sprint planning, and tracking progress within Agile teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is the primary tool mentioned. For a role focused on user experience and product design, familiarity with analytics platforms is often a plus, as it enables designers to be more data-informed. Understanding how a CRM impacts customer journeys can also add valuable context.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of AIR MILES collectors through thoughtful design.
• Collaboration: Valuing teamwork, open communication, and mutual respect among design, product, and engineering teams.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Using insights from user research and analytics to guide design choices and measure success.
• Continuous Improvement: A culture of learning, iteration, and seeking opportunities to enhance both the product and personal skills.
• Craftsmanship: A dedication to producing high-quality, polished, and accessible user interfaces.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Working closely with product managers to define strategy, engineers for implementation, and researchers for user insights.
• Feedback Culture: Actively participating in design critiques and reviews, providing constructive feedback, and being receptive to feedback from others.
• Knowledge Sharing: Willingness to share learnings, best practices, and insights with the wider design and product teams.
• Agile Mindset: Embracing iterative development, adaptability, and a proactive approach to problem-solving within a fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given it's a BMO subsidiary, the culture likely blends the agility required for a consumer loyalty program with the professionalism and structure of a large financial institution. Expect a collaborative environment where user advocacy is key.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing User Needs and Business Goals: Navigating the inherent tension between creating the best possible user experience and meeting specific business objectives and technical constraints.
• Large User Base: Designing for a diverse user base of over 10 million collectors, requiring consideration for a wide range of user needs, technical proficiencies, and accessibility requirements.
• Contract Duration: Delivering high-impact designs within a 1-year contract timeline requires efficient workflow and strong prioritization skills.
• Evolving Loyalty Landscape: Keeping pace with the dynamic loyalty program industry and evolving customer expectations in digital interactions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Loyalty Programs: Gaining specialized knowledge in the intricacies of loyalty program design and customer engagement strategies.
• Cross-Functional Skill Development: Enhancing collaboration and communication skills by working closely with product management and engineering.
• Design System Contribution: Opportunity to refine skills in building and maintaining scalable design systems, a valuable asset in the UX/UI field.
• Exposure to BMO Ecosystem: Potential to gain insight into the broader digital product landscape within BMO, Canada's oldest bank.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge for a UX Designer in this role will be to quickly understand the AIR MILES ecosystem, its users, and its business objectives to make a significant impact within the one-year contract period.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Process: "Walk me through your process for designing a new feature, from initial concept to final handoff." Focus on user research, ideation, iteration, and collaboration.
• Problem-Solving: "Describe a challenging design problem you encountered and how you solved it. What was the outcome?" Be ready to discuss trade-offs and constraints.
• User Advocacy: "How do you ensure user needs are met while also satisfying business requirements?" Prepare examples of how you've advocated for the user.
• Collaboration: "How do you work with engineers and product managers? Describe a situation where you had a disagreement and how you resolved it."

Company & Culture Questions:

• Motivation: "Why are you interested in this role at AIR MILES and BMO?" Research the company's mission and values.
• Design Philosophy: "What’s your approach to creating user-centered designs?"
• Teamwork: "How do you contribute to a positive team environment?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio into 2-3 key case studies that highlight your strongest UX thinking, problem-solving, and execution.
• Narrative: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process, your specific contributions, the challenges faced, and the measurable results.
• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals (wireframes, user flows, prototypes, final UI) to support your narrative.
• Figma Emphasis: Be prepared to discuss your Figma workflow and showcase interactive prototypes.
• Conciseness: Practice presenting your work concisely, aiming for 5-7 minutes per case study, leaving ample time for discussion and Q&A.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to discuss your experience with Figma in detail and how you leverage it for prototyping and collaboration. Demonstrating a clear, user-centric design process and the ability to articulate the "why" behind your design decisions will be critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the BMO careers portal.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date and clearly showcases your UX/Product Design skills, with a focus on Figma proficiency and demonstrable case studies. Tailor your portfolio to highlight relevant experience in consumer-facing digital products or loyalty programs if possible.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to highlight your 3-5 years of relevant experience, specific achievements using UX methodologies, and proficiency in required tools like Figma. Use keywords from the job description.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, presenting your portfolio effectively, and preparing for potential design challenges or behavioral questions related to collaboration and problem-solving.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with the AIR MILES Reward Program, its current digital offerings, and BMO's overall brand and values to demonstrate your understanding and interest.

⚠️ 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.