Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: ING Hubs Romania

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Job Type: Full-time (12-month Fixed-Term)

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: 2026-09-23

Experience Level: 2-4 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Design end-to-end customer experiences across ING's digital banking platforms, with a strong emphasis on mobile-first solutions.

• Collaborate within a cross-functional Digital Tribe and Design Excellence team, integrating research, UX, UI, and Service Design principles.

• Develop intuitive interaction designs, customer journeys, wireframes, and prototypes that embody ING's challenger mindset.

• Champion human-centered design principles, accessibility standards, and the consistent application of a global design system.

• Contribute to agile ceremonies and effectively communicate design rationale and user insights to stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is a 12-month fixed-term contract, which is a crucial detail for candidates to consider regarding job security and long-term career planning. While the company is ING Hubs Romania, the job is located in Sydney, Australia, indicating a global presence and potential for international collaboration or relocation opportunities for successful candidates. The "Product Designer" title, combined with responsibilities like UX, UI, and Service Design, suggests a holistic approach to product development, requiring a broad skill set.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design seamless, mobile-first digital experiences across various ING channels, from initial discovery and user research through to ideation, prototyping, usability testing, and final delivery.

• Partner closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Brand Specialists, and fellow designers to conceptualize and deliver customer-centric solutions that align with business objectives.

• Craft clear, intuitive interaction designs, detailed customer journey maps, comprehensive wireframes, and interactive prototypes that reflect ING's innovative and disruptive approach.

• Actively advocate for and implement human-centered design methodologies, ensuring adherence to accessibility best practices and the consistent utilization of ING's established global design system.

• Effectively present design concepts, user insights, and strategic rationale to diverse stakeholder groups, participating actively in design critiques and agile development sprints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a full-cycle design process from "Discovery" to "delivery," indicating a need for end-to-end ownership. The mention of "challenger mindset" and "mobile-first" highlights the strategic direction of ING's digital products. Collaboration with "Product, Engineering, Brand and fellow designers" underscores the importance of cross-functional teamwork.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Specific educational requirements are not explicitly stated, but a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, or a related field is typically expected for Product Designer roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: 2-4 years of professional experience in UX Design, Product Design, or a closely related field, with a demonstrable track record of successful product development.

Required Skills:

• Proven proficiency in Figma, wireframing, prototyping, and other modern design and collaboration tools.

• Strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end product, UX, UI, and Service Design projects with tangible outcomes.

• A data-informed and curious mindset, with the ability to translate user research and analytics into actionable design decisions.

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to collaborate effectively in fast-paced, agile, cross-functional environments.

• Demonstrated passion for creating simple, impactful, and user-friendly mobile-first customer experiences. Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the financial services industry or a background in banking digital products.

• Familiarity with usability testing methodologies and user research techniques.

• Understanding of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and their practical application in design.

• Experience working with and contributing to design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level of "2-4 years" is explicitly stated, making it a key differentiator. The emphasis on a "strong portfolio" is critical for this role, suggesting that candidates should prepare to present detailed case studies. The preferred mention of financial services experience is noted, but the job explicitly states it's "not a must," broadening the potential candidate pool.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio that clearly articulates your role and contributions in each project, showcasing end-to-end design processes.

• Detailed case studies demonstrating your approach to problem-solving, user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and usability testing.

• Examples of how you've translated user insights and data into impactful design decisions that improved customer experience or business outcomes.

• Prototypes that effectively demonstrate user flows and interaction design, highlighting your proficiency with design tools like Figma. Process Documentation:

• Evidence of your understanding and application of human-centered design methodologies, including user journey mapping and persona development.

• Examples of how you have collaborated with Product and Engineering teams to define requirements and deliver designs within an agile framework.

• Documentation showcasing your experience with accessibility best practices and how you've integrated them into your design work.

• Demonstrations of how you have utilized or contributed to design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a "strong portfolio showcasing Product, UX, UI and Service Design skills" is central. The portfolio should not just be a collection of visuals but should narrate the design process, problem identification, solution development, and impact, which is crucial for operations-focused roles that value demonstrable results.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Product Designer with 2-4 years of experience in Sydney, Australia, the estimated annual salary range is typically between AUD $80,000 and $110,000. This range accounts for the cost of living in Sydney, the demand for skilled designers, and the specific experience level required for this role.

Benefits:

• Discounted ING Health Insurance.

• An additional Rest Day to support personal wellbeing.

• An IMPACT Day for volunteering on approved sustainability activities.

• Opportunity to work on impactful digital products used by millions of customers.

• Professional development and growth opportunities within a global financial institution.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, ING fosters a supportive culture, which may include some flexibility in daily scheduling, subject to team and project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: As a 12-month fixed-term contract, the compensation and benefits package will be a key consideration. The provided benefits are specific and value-adds beyond base salary. The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for Sydney, Australia, for a Product Designer with the specified experience level.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services / Banking Technology. ING is a global financial institution with a strong focus on digital transformation and customer experience innovation. This means the operations environment is likely to be dynamic, data-driven, and focused on efficiency and compliance within a regulated sector.

Company Size: ING is a large, multinational corporation. This size suggests a structured environment with established processes, ample resources, and opportunities for collaboration across diverse teams and geographies. For operations professionals, this often means working with robust systems and defined workflows.

Founded: ING was founded in 1991 through the merger of NMB Postbank Group and the insurance company Nationale-Nederlanden. This history indicates a stable organization with a long-standing presence in the financial sector, now heavily invested in modernizing its digital offerings.

Team Structure:

• The Product Designer will be part of the "Digital Tribe," a cross-functional unit focused on developing and enhancing ING's digital channels.

• They will also be a member of the "Design Excellence team," suggesting a dedicated group for design standards, best practices, and mentorship within the broader organization.

• Collaboration is expected with Product Managers, Engineers, Brand Specialists, and other designers, indicating a matrixed or agile team structure where designers work closely with various disciplines. Methodology:

• The team operates within an agile framework, requiring designers to be adaptable and participate in agile ceremonies.

• Design decisions are expected to be "data-informed," implying a strong reliance on user research, analytics, and A/B testing to guide product development.

• A "human-centred design" approach is central, ensuring that customer needs and experiences are at the forefront of all design efforts.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: ING's emphasis on being a "challenger brand" and its commitment to diversity and inclusion are key cultural aspects. For operations roles, this translates to an environment that values innovation, continuous improvement, and a collaborative spirit. The "WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality and Family Inclusive workplace" status highlights a focus on employee wellbeing and equitable practices.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Product Designer, requiring 2-4 years of experience. It offers the opportunity to gain significant experience in end-to-end product design within a large financial institution, focusing on digital transformation and customer experience.

Reporting Structure: The Product Designer will report into the Design Excellence team, while working within the Digital Tribe. This dual reporting/collaboration structure allows for both specialized design guidance and project-specific integration.

Operations Impact: The Product Designer will directly influence the user experience of digital banking products used by millions of customers. Their work will contribute to customer satisfaction, engagement, and the overall digital strategy of ING, impacting key business metrics related to customer acquisition, retention, and operational efficiency through intuitive design.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas of UX/UI, Service Design, or user research through project exposure and internal training.

• Cross-functional Leadership: Develop leadership potential by guiding design efforts within agile teams and influencing product strategy.

• Global Exposure: Gain experience working with global design systems and potentially collaborating with international design teams, offering a broader perspective.

• Contract Extension/Permanent Roles: Successful performance in this 12-month fixed-term role may lead to opportunities for contract extension or conversion to a permanent position within ING.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is a fixed-term contract, which presents a unique growth dynamic. While it offers immediate experience, candidates should be aware of the contract duration and potential pathways to longer-term employment. The emphasis on "Design Excellence" and "Digital Tribe" suggests a structured approach to design career development within ING.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based on-site in Sydney, Australia. This indicates a traditional office environment where in-person collaboration and team interaction are prioritized.

Office Location(s): Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Specific details about the office facilities or accessibility would need to be confirmed directly with ING.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is designed for collaboration, with opportunities to interact closely with Product Managers, Engineers, and fellow designers within the Digital Tribe.

• Access to modern design tools and technology, including Figma and a global design system, is provided to facilitate efficient and effective design work.

• The environment supports agile ceremonies and cross-functional teamwork, fostering a dynamic and interactive atmosphere for operations and design professionals.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours are expected, with the primary work location being the Sydney office. While specific daily schedules might offer some flexibility, the on-site requirement means consistent presence is necessary for team collaboration and project continuity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Sydney is a key factor for candidates. This suggests a preference for in-person collaboration, which can be beneficial for team cohesion and spontaneous problem-solving, particularly in design and operations contexts.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with Mia Annamalai (Hiring Manager) to assess your experience, skills, and cultural fit.

• Design Challenge/Portfolio Presentation: You may be asked to present your portfolio in detail, walking through case studies and explaining your design process, problem-solving approach, and impact. A practical design exercise might also be included.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with other members of the Digital Tribe and Design Excellence team to evaluate collaboration skills and technical fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Showcase 3-5 of your strongest projects that best represent your skills in UX, UI, and Service Design, focusing on those most relevant to mobile-first banking experiences.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the design process followed, key decisions made, challenges encountered, and the quantifiable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight Figma Proficiency: Ensure your prototypes and design deliverables clearly demonstrate your mastery of Figma and other relevant design tools.

• Emphasize Collaboration: Include examples of how you've worked with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering) and stakeholders, detailing your communication strategies and contribution to team success.

• Showcase Human-Centered Approach: Demonstrate how you've incorporated user research, feedback, and accessibility principles into your design solutions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand ING's Context: Research ING's digital products, brand values, and target audience. Familiarize yourself with their current mobile app and website.

• Practice Design Thinking: Be prepared to articulate your approach to solving a given design problem, focusing on user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility.

• Prepare for "Why" Questions: Be ready to justify your design choices and process decisions with clear rationale, referencing user data, design principles, and business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes a strong portfolio review. Candidates should prepare to not only show their work but also to articulate the "why" behind their design decisions, demonstrating strategic thinking and a deep understanding of user-centered design principles, which are critical for operations roles that require justification and impact analysis.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and collaborative design workflows. Proficiency is a core requirement.

• Prototyping Tools: While Figma is primary, familiarity with other prototyping tools may be beneficial.

• Design Systems: Experience working with, contributing to, or understanding the principles of design systems for maintaining consistency and efficiency.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) and the ability to interpret data for design decisions is advantageous.

• Understanding of how to use data to inform design iterations and measure the impact of design changes. CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct requirement for this design role, an understanding of how CRM systems and automation tools influence customer journeys and operational efficiency within a banking context can be beneficial for holistic product design.

📝 Enhancement Note: Figma is explicitly called out as a required tool. For operations-focused roles, understanding how design tools integrate with broader systems (like analytics and potentially CRM/automation) provides a more comprehensive view of product lifecycle management and impact assessment.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs through intuitive and effective digital experiences.

• Innovation & Challenger Mindset: Encouraging new ideas, challenging the status quo, and seeking innovative solutions to improve banking services.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively in cross-functional teams, valuing diverse perspectives, and supporting colleagues to achieve shared goals.

• Data-Informed Decisions: Utilizing data and research to guide design choices and measure the impact of solutions.

• Simplicity & Clarity: Striving to make complex financial services easy to understand and use for all customers.

Collaboration Style:

• Agile & Iterative: Working within agile ceremonies, embracing iterative design processes, and being adaptable to feedback and changing requirements.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Seamlessly collaborating with Product, Engineering, Brand, and other design specialists to ensure cohesive product development.

• Open Communication & Critiques: Actively participating in design critiques, providing constructive feedback, and being receptive to feedback from peers and stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: ING's stated values of being a "challenger brand," fostering individuality, and promoting a supportive, inclusive culture are crucial. For operations professionals, this translates to an environment that encourages proactive problem-solving, continuous improvement, and strong interpersonal skills.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Innovation with Regulation: Designing cutting-edge digital experiences within the highly regulated financial services industry requires careful consideration of compliance and security.

• Mobile-First Complexity: Translating comprehensive banking features into intuitive, user-friendly mobile interfaces for a diverse customer base.

• Global Design System Adoption: Ensuring consistent application of a global design system while adapting to local user needs and market nuances.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Effectively managing expectations and gaining buy-in from various stakeholders with differing priorities.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Exposure to Large-Scale Digital Products: Gaining experience designing for a global user base and complex financial products.

• Mentorship within Design Excellence: Opportunities to learn from experienced designers and specialists in UX, UI, and Service Design.

• Agile Methodologies: Deepening understanding and practical application of agile development processes.

• Fixed-Term Contract Advantage: The 12-month duration provides an focused opportunity to immerse in a specific project or product area and build a strong portfolio piece.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the unique environment of FinTech/digital banking, where innovation must be balanced with strict regulatory requirements. The growth opportunities are tied to gaining experience within a large, established organization and leveraging its resources for professional development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex product you designed from concept to launch. What was your process, and what challenges did you overcome?" (Focus on your end-to-end design journey, problem-solving, and impact.)

• "How do you ensure your designs are user-centered and meet business objectives simultaneously?" (Prepare examples of balancing user needs with strategic goals, referencing data and research.)

• "Walk us through your process for creating a mobile-first banking experience. What specific considerations would you prioritize?" (Demonstrate your understanding of mobile UX, banking specific needs, and the "challenger mindset.") Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about ING and our approach to digital banking?" (Research ING's mission, values, and recent digital initiatives.)

• "How do you contribute to a collaborative and inclusive team environment?" (Share examples of your teamwork, communication style, and how you handle diverse perspectives.)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest design trends and technologies, particularly in the FinTech space?" (Show your proactive approach to continuous learning.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the problem, your role, your process, the solutions, and the outcomes. Use visuals effectively to support your story.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics or qualitative feedback that demonstrate the success and impact of your designs.

• Showcase Figma Skills: Be prepared to show interactive prototypes and explain your design system contributions or usage within Figma.

• Articulate Rationale: Be ready to explain why you made specific design choices, linking them back to user needs, business goals, and design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation focuses on demonstrating a holistic understanding of the design process, the ability to translate strategy into actionable design, and a strong cultural fit with ING's values. For operations roles, this translates to proving not just technical skill but also strategic thinking and collaborative capability.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the ING careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that demonstrate your expertise in mobile-first design, UX/UI, and Service Design, with a focus on financial services or complex digital products if possible.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 2-4 years of experience, proficiency in Figma and other design tools, and achievements related to user-centered design and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, problem-solving skills, and the impact of your work using specific project examples. Be ready to present your portfolio and discuss your approach to human-centered and data-informed design.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with ING's digital strategy, brand values, and their "challenger mindset" to demonstrate genuine interest and alignment during the interview process.

⚠️ 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.