Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: Commonwealth Bank

Location: Eveleigh, NSW, Australia (Sydney CBD Area)

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / User Experience

Date Posted: 2026-05-18

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (50% office attendance required)

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and iterate on complex digital products and platforms, particularly within regulated financial services, with a focus on home loan applications.

• Lead user research, testing, and insight synthesis to identify opportunities and validate solutions that simplify customer and staff experiences.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and other Designers to deliver measurable outcomes and enhance customer satisfaction through intuitive and efficient workflows.

• Utilize and contribute to the evolution of the company's design system for scalable, accessible, and consistent delivery across customer-facing and staff-facing applications.

• Employ a metrics-driven mindset, leveraging experimentation and validation to inform design decisions and drive continuous improvement in user journeys.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a 12-month fixed-term contract, which is a crucial detail for candidates evaluating career stability and project scope. The focus on "Apply With Ease Crew" and "Home Buying" indicates a specialized area within a large financial institution, suggesting a need for deep understanding of complex, regulated financial journeys.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Rapidly identify opportunities for improvement and iterate on validated, high-quality solutions for home loan top-up applications.

• Partner with Product and Engineering teams to deliver measurable outcomes, ensuring design solutions align with business objectives and technical feasibility.

• Design simple, intuitive, and efficient workflows for both home loan customers and internal staff, reducing effort and processing time.

• Plan, conduct, and synthesize user research, usability testing, and insight gathering to deeply understand user needs and pain points.

• Translate complex business and system requirements into delightful, user-centered experiences that are easy to navigate and understand.

• Utilize and contribute to the evolution of the established design system, ensuring scalable, accessible, and consistent design delivery.

• Collaborate effectively with engineers, potentially leveraging AI-enabled tooling to enhance the design and development process.

• Facilitate engaging workshops and alignment sessions to drive clarity, consensus, and momentum across cross-functional teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on an end-to-end design process, from discovery and research to delivery and iteration. The mention of "AI-enabled tooling" suggests a forward-thinking approach to design and development, requiring adaptability and a willingness to explore new technologies.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Design (e.g., Graphic Design, Interaction Design, UX Design), Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for this level of role. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: A minimum of 2 years of experience designing complex digital products and platforms is required. Experience within regulated financial services, particularly in end-to-end design for complex financial journeys, is highly valued.

Required Skills:

• 2+ years of experience in digital product design.

• Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder alignment capabilities.

• Proven ability to collaborate deeply with engineers and data teams, advocating effectively for user experience.

• Experience with end-to-end design for complex, regulated financial journeys.

• Strong interaction design, usability, and accessibility expertise.

• Ability to deliver credible, end-to-end outcomes within compressed timeframes.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with design systems and contributing to their evolution.

• Proficiency in user research methodologies (e.g., interviews, surveys, usability testing).

• Familiarity with prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).

• Knowledge of AI-enabled design tools or processes.

• Experience in designing for both customer-facing and staff-facing applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "2+ years" requirement combined with the complexity of financial journeys suggests that candidates with 3-5 years of relevant experience will be most competitive. The emphasis on "metrics-driven mindset" and "experimentation and validation" points to a need for designers who can demonstrate the impact of their work.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least 2-3 complex digital product design case studies, ideally within the financial services sector or similar regulated environments.

• Clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and process, user research conducted, design solutions, and the measurable outcomes achieved.

• Demonstrate end-to-end design thinking, from initial discovery and user research to detailed interaction design, prototyping, and testing.

• Highlight your ability to translate complex business and technical requirements into simple, intuitive user experiences.

Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to user research, including planning, execution, and synthesis of insights.

• Illustrate your workflow for iterating on designs based on user feedback and data.

• Provide examples of how you collaborate with product and engineering teams throughout the design lifecycle.

• Showcase your understanding of usability and accessibility principles and how they are integrated into your design process.

• Demonstrate how you measure the success of your designs using relevant metrics and validation techniques.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role. Candidates should focus on showcasing their ability to navigate complexity, collaborate effectively, and deliver tangible results, especially within the financial services domain. The requirement for a "metrics-driven mindset" means case studies should quantify impact where possible.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Product Designer with 2-5 years of experience in Sydney, Australia, the estimated annual salary range is AUD $90,000 - $130,000. This estimate is based on current market data for similar roles in Sydney, considering the cost of living and the specialized nature of financial services design.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and potential for performance-based bonuses.

• 12-month fixed-term contract with potential for extension or conversion.

• Access to Commonwealth Bank's extensive employee benefits program, which may include:

  • Health and wellness programs (e.g., gym memberships, mental health support).
  • Superannuation contributions above the industry standard.
  • Employee share plan or discounted banking products.
  • Opportunities for professional development and training.
  • Generous leave entitlements (annual leave, sick leave, parental leave).

• Hybrid work model offering flexibility with 50% office attendance.

• Opportunity to work on impactful projects that shape the future of home buying for millions of Australians.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for flexibility in structuring the work week, with a requirement for 50% of the time to be spent in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate and can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and the outcome of negotiations. The fixed-term contract nature of the role is a key aspect of compensation and benefits to consider.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Banking). Commonwealth Bank is one of Australia's "Big Four" banks, operating in a highly regulated and competitive environment. This context necessitates a strong focus on security, compliance, user trust, and robust digital experiences.

Company Size: Large enterprise (tens of thousands of employees globally). This implies structured processes, extensive resources, and opportunities for cross-functional collaboration across numerous departments and business units.

Founded: 1911. With over a century of history, Commonwealth Bank has a deep understanding of the Australian financial landscape and a commitment to innovation and customer service.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the "Apply With Ease Crew" in the "Home Buying" division, part of the larger "Fast Credit Origination Squad."

• You will report to an Experience Design Lead and work closely with Product Managers and Engineers within your Squad.

• Collaboration with other Designers within the broader "Crew" is also a key aspect, fostering a community of practice.

Methodology:

• Agile and Lean methodologies are likely employed, focusing on iterative development and rapid feedback loops.

• Design thinking principles are central to identifying user needs and developing innovative solutions.

• Data-driven decision-making, including A/B testing and performance monitoring, is encouraged to validate design choices.

• A strong emphasis on user-centered design, ensuring customer needs are at the forefront of all product development.

Company Website: https://www.commbank.com.au/

📝 Enhancement Note: Working within a large, established financial institution like Commonwealth Bank means navigating established processes and compliance requirements. However, the "Crew" and "Squad" terminology suggests an agile operating model within specific product areas, offering a blend of stability and innovation.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This Product Designer role is positioned at an intermediate to senior level, requiring practical experience (2+ years) and the ability to work autonomously within a squad. It's a hands-on design role focused on execution and iteration, with opportunities to influence product direction within the specific domain.

Reporting Structure: You will report to an Experience Design Lead, who provides guidance and oversight, and work collaboratively with Product Managers and Engineers in your immediate Squad. This structure encourages direct contribution and cross-functional teamwork.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on revenue and customer acquisition/retention by simplifying and improving the home loan application process. Enhancing customer satisfaction and reducing application time can lead to increased conversion rates, reduced operational costs, and stronger brand loyalty for Commonwealth Bank.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Development: Deepen expertise in designing complex financial journeys, user research in regulated environments, and leveraging design systems. Opportunities to learn about AI-enabled tooling in design.

• Career Progression: Potential to move into Senior Product Designer roles, specialize in specific product areas, or transition into Experience Design Leadership roles within the bank.

• Cross-functional Experience: Gain valuable experience working within agile squads, collaborating with product, engineering, data, and business stakeholders.

• Mentorship: Access to coaching and development opportunities provided by the broader Product Design practice within Commonwealth Bank.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this is a contract role, the emphasis on growth within the "large & growing product design practice" suggests potential for longer-term opportunities or significant skill enhancement that can benefit future career moves.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role requires a hybrid work model, meaning a mix of remote work and office-based collaboration. The office environment in Sydney is designed for collaboration, innovation, and team interaction.

Office Location(s): Eveleigh, NSW, within the Sydney CBD Area. This location is a well-connected hub, making it accessible for employees commuting from various parts of Sydney. Specific office facilities will likely include modern workspaces, meeting rooms, collaboration zones, and amenities typical of a large corporate environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect to work in open-plan areas or designated team spaces, encouraging interaction with fellow designers, product managers, and engineers.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard corporate IT infrastructure, design software (likely Figma or similar), and potentially specialized tools for AI-enabled design and collaboration.

• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for face-to-face collaboration, workshops, design critiques, and team meetings within the office setting, complementing remote collaboration tools.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected, with flexibility in how these hours are structured, provided the 50% office attendance requirement is met. This allows for balancing professional responsibilities with personal life.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model with 50% office attendance is a key aspect of the work environment. Candidates should be comfortable working both independently and collaboratively in an office setting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio to assess suitability for the role and experience level.

• Hiring Manager/Recruiter Call: A discussion to understand your background, motivation, and key skills, and to provide more details about the role and team.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Review: A more in-depth session where you'll present your portfolio, discuss specific case studies, and potentially complete a design exercise or problem-solving task tailored to the role's challenges. This is where your ability to articulate process, justify decisions, and demonstrate impact will be assessed.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with members of the Product, Engineering, and Design teams to assess cultural fit, collaboration style, and ability to work within an agile squad.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership or the Experience Design Lead to finalize the decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Storytelling: Structure your case studies as compelling narratives. Clearly define the problem, your role, the process, the solutions, and the impact.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics and data to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time, improved customer satisfaction scores).

• Process Clarity: Clearly explain your design process, including user research, ideation, iteration, and validation methods.

• Showcase Collaboration: Highlight how you worked with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering) and stakeholders.

• Accessibility & Usability: Emphasize how you integrated usability and accessibility principles into your designs.

• Tailor to the Role: Focus on case studies that best represent your experience with complex digital products, financial journeys, and iterative design.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with the home loan application process in Australia and common pain points for customers and staff.

• Practice Articulation: Be prepared to clearly and concisely explain your design decisions and rationale.

• Think Systemically: Consider how your design solutions fit within the broader banking ecosystem and compliance requirements.

• Problem-Solving: Practice breaking down complex problems into manageable parts and proposing user-centered solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on your portfolio. Be prepared to discuss specific design decisions, trade-offs made, and the measurable outcomes of your work. The emphasis on "metrics-driven mindset" means you should be ready to speak to data and validation.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD is expected. Figma is increasingly common for collaborative design.

• Design Systems: Experience with utilizing and contributing to design systems is crucial for ensuring consistency and scalability.

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

• Collaboration Tools: Experience with platforms like Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams for project management and team communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary analytics role, understanding how to interpret data from analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to inform design decisions is beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• Understanding of how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and automation tools influence customer journeys, even if not directly managing them.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the mention of "AI-enabled tooling," candidates who are curious and open to exploring new technologies, including AI in design workflows, will be at an advantage. The core requirement is strong foundational design skills and proficiency in leading design tools.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, ensuring banking is "delightful and human-centred."

• Curiosity & Bold Ideas: Encouragement to explore new possibilities, challenge the status quo, and bring innovative solutions to life.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Working effectively with Product, Engineering, and other stakeholders to achieve shared goals.

• Impact & Outcomes: Focus on delivering measurable results that benefit both customers and the bank.

• Simplicity & Efficiency: Designing intuitive, efficient workflows that reduce effort and time for users.

Collaboration Style:

• Empowered Squads: Working within agile squads where team members have autonomy and ownership.

• Cross-functional Integration: Close collaboration with Product Managers and Engineers is essential for successful product delivery.

• Design Community: Engaging with other designers within the "Crew" for feedback, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning.

• Workshop Facilitation: Actively participating in and leading workshops to drive alignment and co-create solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes agility, user focus, and collaborative problem-solving within a structured corporate environment. Expect a balance between innovation and adherence to banking industry standards.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Complexity of Financial Journeys: Navigating intricate regulations, security requirements, and user trust considerations inherent in financial services.

• Balancing User Needs with Business Constraints: Designing solutions that are both user-friendly and meet the bank's strategic and compliance objectives.

• Iterating in a Large Organization: Driving change and implementing new designs within a large enterprise structure requires strong stakeholder management and communication skills.

• Compressed Timeframes: Delivering high-quality outcomes within tight deadlines, requiring efficient design processes and prioritization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Financial Design: Gaining deep expertise in designing for complex, regulated financial products and customer journeys.

• Design System Evolution: Contributing to and learning from the development of a mature design system.

• AI in Design: Exploring and potentially implementing AI-enabled tooling to enhance design workflows.

• Mentorship and Coaching: Access to experienced design leaders within Commonwealth Bank for guidance and professional development.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Broadening understanding of product management, engineering practices, and data analysis within a large financial institution.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity to deepen expertise in a highly specialized and critical area of product design within a leading financial institution, presenting both challenges and substantial growth potential.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex financial product or journey you've designed. What were the key challenges, your process, and the outcomes?" (Focus on demonstrating end-to-end design, problem-solving, and impact.)

• "How do you approach balancing user needs with strict regulatory requirements in your designs?" (Highlight your understanding of compliance, risk, and user advocacy.)

• "Walk us through a time you had to align multiple stakeholders with differing opinions on a design solution. What was your strategy?" (Showcase your facilitation and communication skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Commonwealth Bank and specifically this role within the Home Buying division?" (Research the bank's mission, values, and recent initiatives in digital banking.)

• "How do you see your design approach fitting into an agile squad environment?" (Emphasize your collaborative spirit and ability to work iteratively.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a brief overview of your career and design philosophy.

Then, dive into 2-3 key case studies.

• Case Study Format: For each case study:

  • Problem: Clearly articulate the user problem and business objective.
  • Role: Define your specific responsibilities and contributions.
  • Process: Detail your user research, ideation, design, and validation steps.
  • Solution: Showcase key design artifacts (wireframes, mockups, prototypes) and explain your rationale.
  • Outcome: Present measurable results and learnings.

• Quantify Everything: Use data to support your claims about impact.

• Engage the Interviewer: Make it a conversation, allowing for questions and discussion throughout.

• Showcase Collaboration: Mention how you worked with Product and Engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to discuss your process in detail and justify every decision. The interviewers will be looking for not just design skills, but also your ability to collaborate, communicate, and drive impact within a business context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link, ensuring all requested fields are completed accurately.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight 2-3 strong case studies that demonstrate your experience with complex digital products, regulated financial journeys, and iterative design processes. Prioritize projects that showcase your ability to translate complex requirements into simple, user-centered solutions.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your CV clearly articulates your 2+ years of experience, specific skills in interaction design, usability, accessibility, and collaboration. Use keywords from the job description and quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on storytelling, articulating your design process, and quantifying the impact of your work. Prepare to discuss how you handle stakeholder alignment and work within agile teams.

• Company Research: Invest time in understanding Commonwealth Bank's mission, values, and recent digital initiatives, particularly in the home buying and lending space. This will help you tailor your responses and showcase genuine 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.