Senior Design Researcher B&PB

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Design Researcher B&PB

Company: ANZ Banking Group Limited

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Category: Design Research / User Experience (UX) Operations

Date Posted: October 06, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end qualitative and quantitative research initiatives to deeply understand customer needs, behaviors, and experiences within complex digital products and services.

• Drive evidence-led decision-making across the Business & Private Banking (B&PB) unit by establishing and maintaining a robust baseline of research, customer insights, and analytics.

• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams as an embedded research partner to inform experience strategy, product roadmaps, information architecture, propositions, and interaction design.

• Translate research findings into clear opportunities, actionable recommendations, and risk mitigation strategies that enhance customer outcomes and business value.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role title is "Senior Design Researcher," its responsibilities within a banking context, focusing on digital products, customer journeys, and cross-functional collaboration with product owners and experience designers, firmly place it within the broader operational framework of GTM (Go-To-Market) and product development support. The emphasis on translating insights into strategy, roadmaps, and design decisions highlights its critical role in ensuring product-market fit and operational efficiency in product delivery.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Autonomously lead the entire research cycle, from initial scoping and method selection to detailed analysis and impactful presentation of findings to Experience Designers and Product Owners.

• Advocate for the customer's voice by delivering critical insights into customer needs, goals, and behaviors, fostering a deep understanding within the team.

• Integrate existing research, customer insights, and analytics to identify evidence gaps and define research priorities for the Business & Private Banking (B&PB) digital platforms (SCFE App, Web, ETB).

• Identify and analyze differences in web behaviors and decision risks compared to mobile experiences, ensuring research addresses the diverse needs of personal, business, and commercial customers.

• Partner with multidisciplinary teams in a fast-paced, agile setting, providing guidance, expertise, and support in planning and executing research to identify key propositions that deliver customer and business value.

• Apply strong knowledge of best-practice proposition and design research frameworks, methodologies, and standards to generate and evaluate highly desirable customer concepts and prototypes.

• Manage supplier and stakeholder relationships effectively, proactively identifying key themes, trends, and best practices to develop impactful reports and compelling storytelling presentations.

• Ensure research governance and risk processes are monitored and implemented in line with best practice and ANZ policy, demonstrating a risk-savvy approach.

• Translate evidence into clear opportunities, decisions, and recommendations that improve customer outcomes and reduce delivery risk throughout the product lifecycle.

• Coach and mentor other team members, strengthening overall design research capability and contributing to the continuous development of the Design Research practice at ANZ.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities heavily lean into strategic operations, specifically within the GTM and Product Operations sphere. The emphasis on "evidence-led decision making," "identifying evidence gaps," "defining research priorities," and "translating evidence into clear opportunities, decisions, and recommendations" are core to optimizing product development workflows and ensuring market alignment. This role acts as a critical bridge between customer understanding and product strategy execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While specific educational qualifications are not detailed, a strong background in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Design, or a related field is typically expected for a Senior Design Researcher role.

Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of demonstrated experience in leading generative and evaluative design research, encompassing both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and translating insights into effective design solutions.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated experience in conducting generative and evaluative design research.

• Proven expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.

• Ability to translate research insights into actionable design solutions and product recommendations.

• Strong understanding and practical application of Accessibility standards for web and mobile platforms.

• Experience working within an Agile development environment.

• Practical experience across various research strategies throughout the project lifecycle (conception, launch, optimization).

• Proficiency in diverse qualitative and quantitative research techniques (e.g., surveys, interviews, usability testing).

• Experience in facilitating user research sessions (in-person and remote).

• Strong stakeholder management skills, with a proven track record of translating vague needs into defined research methodologies.

• Ability to conduct research across different customer segments (personal, business, commercial). Preferred Skills:

• Domain or segment knowledge relevant to digital banking.

• Understanding of technologies used for digital experiences (e.g., web technologies like HTML/JS frameworks, mobile platforms like iOS/Android).

• End-to-end appreciation of customer journeys within the banking sector.

• Experience in developing and evaluating new propositions.

• Familiarity with analytics tools and data interpretation to supplement qualitative findings.

• Experience in coaching and mentoring junior researchers.

• Skills in storytelling and developing impactful presentations for diverse audiences.

• Knowledge of information architecture and interaction design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills are highly relevant to operationalizing customer feedback into product development. Skills like "translating research insights into solid design solutions," "working with Accessibility standards," "understanding of technology," "end-to-end appreciation of customer journeys," "agile environment experience," and "stakeholder management" are crucial for effective GTM and Product Operations. The "growth mindset" mentioned suggests a continuous learning and adaptability requirement, common in fast-paced operational environments.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end research projects, clearly detailing the problem statement, research objectives, methodologies employed (qualitative and quantitative), and participant recruitment strategies.

• Provide examples of how research insights were translated into tangible design solutions, product improvements, or strategic recommendations, demonstrating impact.

• Include case studies that highlight experience with accessibility standards and their integration into design research.

• Present examples of collaboration within multidisciplinary or agile teams, illustrating the researcher's role and contribution to team success.

• Demonstrate experience in managing research governance and risk processes within projects. Process Documentation:

• Detail your process for scoping research projects, including stakeholder alignment and defining clear research questions.

• Illustrate your approach to selecting and adapting research methodologies based on project goals, timelines, and available resources.

• Show examples of how you synthesize complex data from various sources (research, analytics, customer feedback) into clear, concise, and actionable insights.

• Document your methods for presenting findings and recommendations to diverse audiences, including senior stakeholders, and how you facilitate decision-making based on research.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Design Researcher role, a portfolio is paramount. It needs to demonstrate not just research execution but also the strategic application of research to drive product decisions and improve operational efficiency in product development. The emphasis on "translating research insights into solid design solutions" and "evidence-led decision making" means the portfolio should clearly articulate the impact of research on product strategy and execution, a key aspect of GTM and Product Operations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Design Researchers in Melbourne, Australia, with 5-10 years of experience in the financial services sector, the estimated annual salary range is AUD $120,000 - $170,000. This range accounts for the seniority of the role, the specialized skills required, and the cost of living in Melbourne.

Benefits:

• Flexible working arrangements to promote work-life balance.

• Access to comprehensive health and wellbeing services.

• Discounts on selected ANZ products and services.

• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning.

• Participation in a dynamic and collaborative work environment.

Working Hours: Full-Time, typically 40 hours per week, with potential for flexibility in how these hours are structured, aligning with ANZ's commitment to work-life balance.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimation is based on publicly available compensation data for similar roles in Melbourne, Australia, considering the financial services industry and the specified experience level. It aims to provide a realistic benchmark for candidates. The listed benefits are directly extracted from the job description and are typical for large corporations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Banking). ANZ operates within a highly regulated and competitive industry, focusing on improving the financial wellbeing and sustainability of its customers. This context implies a need for rigorous, data-driven approaches to product development and customer engagement.

Company Size: Large enterprise (ANZ is one of the largest banks in Australia and New Zealand, with a global presence). This size indicates a structured environment with established processes, significant resources, and opportunities for impact across a broad customer base.

Founded: The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group was founded in 1835. This long history signifies stability, deep market understanding, and a strong foundation for innovation within the financial sector.

Team Structure:

• The role is embedded within the Business & Private Banking (B&PB) business unit, suggesting a focus on serving specific customer segments.

• The Senior Design Researcher will work as an embedded partner within a multidisciplinary team, likely including Experience Designers, Product Owners, developers, and potentially business analysts.

• Collaboration is highlighted as key, indicating a team-oriented structure where insights are shared and integrated across functions. Methodology:

• The role emphasizes "evidence-led decisions," suggesting a data-driven and research-centric approach to product development and strategy.

• Continuous learning and adaptation are core, particularly through ongoing research and analytics.

• A "growth mindset" is promoted, encouraging continuous improvement and skill development.

• The team likely operates within an Agile framework, requiring iterative development and close collaboration.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's long history in financial services and its large enterprise structure suggest a need for researchers who can navigate complex organizational dynamics and contribute to strategic initiatives with a long-term perspective. The emphasis on "financial wellbeing and sustainability" indicates a customer-centric mission that research should support.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level position, indicating significant autonomy, responsibility for end-to-end research projects, and a leadership component through coaching and capability development. It's a critical role in the product development lifecycle, bridging customer understanding with strategic product decisions.

Reporting Structure: The role is embedded within a multidisciplinary team in the Business & Private Banking unit. The Senior Design Researcher will likely report to a Research Lead, Head of UX, or a Senior Product Manager, with close collaboration with Experience Designers and Product Owners.

Operations Impact: The Senior Design Researcher's work directly impacts the design and success of digital products and services for millions of customers. By ensuring products meet customer needs and reduce delivery risk, they contribute significantly to customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and the bank's overall market competitiveness and strategic goals.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in specialized research methodologies, accessibility standards, and digital banking domain knowledge.

• Leadership Development: Progress into leadership roles such as Research Lead, Head of UX Research, or manage larger research programs. Opportunities to coach and mentor junior researchers provide early leadership experience.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to high-level product strategy, roadmaps, and information architecture, influencing the direction of digital banking experiences.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Gain broader experience by working across different product squads and customer segments within the B&PB unit.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a clear path for operations professionals to move into leadership positions within UX Research or Product Management. The emphasis on strategic impact and skill development aligns well with career progression goals for experienced operations practitioners looking to influence product strategy and execution.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based at 839 Collins Street, Docklands VIC 3008, indicating a modern, professional office environment typical of large corporations in central business districts. This suggests a collaborative workspace designed for team interaction.

Office Location(s): Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The office is located in a prime business hub, likely offering good access to public transport and amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: As an embedded partner in a multidisciplinary team, the workspace will facilitate close collaboration with designers, product owners, and other stakeholders.

• Operations Tools and Technology: Access to necessary research tools, software, and potentially analytics platforms will be provided to support research activities.

• Team Interaction: Frequent interaction with team members and stakeholders is expected, fostering a dynamic and communicative work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The role is Full-Time (40 hours per week). While the default is on-site, ANZ offers flexible working arrangements, suggesting potential for some adaptability in how and when work is performed, provided business needs and collaboration requirements are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement and Melbourne location are key for candidates. The mention of "flexible working arrangements" is important, as it suggests a modern approach to work-life balance within a structured corporate setting, which can be appealing to operations professionals who value both structure and adaptability.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A session where you will present your portfolio, showcasing key projects, your research process, and the impact of your work. Be prepared to discuss your methodologies, challenges faced, and how you translated insights into actionable outcomes.

• Behavioral & Situational Interviews: Questions designed to assess your experience, problem-solving skills, collaboration style, stakeholder management capabilities, and how you embody ANZ's values and "growth mindset."

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with potential colleagues and stakeholders (e.g., Product Owners, Experience Designers) to evaluate cultural fit and collaborative potential.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a hiring manager or senior leader to discuss strategic fit and overall suitability.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: Focus on demonstrating the business and customer outcomes driven by your research, not just the process. Quantify results where possible (e.g., "increased conversion by X%", "reduced customer support queries by Y%").

• Highlight Strategic Thinking: Emphasize how your research informed product strategy, roadmaps, or key design decisions.

• Demonstrate Process: Clearly articulate your research process from problem definition to actionable recommendations, including your rationale for method selection.

• Address Collaboration: Include examples of how you partnered with multidisciplinary teams and managed stakeholders effectively.

• Tailor to ANZ: Research ANZ's recent product launches, customer segments (personal, business, commercial banking), and stated values to tailor your presentation and responses.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for potential case studies or exercises that require you to outline a research approach for a given banking-related scenario.

• Practice articulating complex research findings and strategic recommendations concisely and persuasively.

• Consider how you would address challenges related to research governance, risk management, and working with diverse customer segments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical application and strategic thinking. Candidates should prepare to articulate the "why" and "so what" of their research, demonstrating how it directly contributes to business objectives and operational efficiency in product development. The portfolio is the primary tool to showcase this.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Research Platforms: Tools for user interviews, surveys, usability testing (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey).

• Collaboration Tools: Platforms for team communication and project management (e.g., Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams).

• Prototyping Tools: Familiarity with tools used by designers to create prototypes for testing (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Understanding of tools like Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics to interpret user behavior data on web platforms.

• Data Visualization Tools: Experience with tools that can help present research findings and analytics data clearly (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, or integrated reporting within other platforms).

• Customer Insight Platforms: Familiarity with systems that aggregate customer feedback and data.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how customer data is managed within CRMs (e.g., Salesforce, or internal banking systems) can be beneficial for contextualizing research.

• Familiarity with how insights can inform automated customer journeys or personalized experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is primarily research-focused, proficiency with or understanding of how data is collected and analyzed through analytics and CRM systems is crucial. This allows the researcher to integrate quantitative data with qualitative insights, a key aspect of evidence-led decision-making in operations. The mention of specific platforms like Figma, Jira, and Google Analytics indicates the expected technical environment.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A primary focus on understanding and serving the needs of millions of customers, reflected in the mission to improve financial wellbeing and sustainability.

• Evidence-Led Decision Making: A commitment to using data, research, and insights to inform all strategic and product decisions, minimizing assumptions and risks.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working together in multidisciplinary teams to achieve shared goals.

• Continuous Improvement & Growth Mindset: Encouraging learning, adaptation, and personal development to stay ahead in a changing industry.

• Integrity & Risk Management: Upholding high standards in a regulated industry, ensuring research and processes are governed effectively.

Collaboration Style:

• Embedded Partnership: Working closely and continuously with Experience Designers, Product Owners, and other team members within a multidisciplinary squad.

• Insight Sharing: Proactively sharing research findings and facilitating discussions to ensure insights are understood and acted upon.

• Feedback Culture: Likely an environment where constructive feedback is exchanged to refine research approaches and design solutions.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Research findings are expected to influence various aspects of product development, from strategy and information architecture to interaction design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "evidence-led decision making" and a "growth mindset" are critical cultural indicators for operations professionals. They suggest a data-driven, analytical, and adaptive team environment where continuous learning and improvement are valued.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Strategic vs. Tactical Research: Effectively managing the need for deep, strategic insights alongside rapid, tactical validation required in fast-paced agile teams.

• Navigating Complex Customer Segments: Understanding and addressing the diverse needs of personal, business, and commercial banking customers across different digital channels.

• Data Integration: Synthesizing insights from various sources, including qualitative research, quantitative analytics, and existing research, to form a cohesive understanding.

• Driving Adoption of Insights: Ensuring research findings are effectively communicated and acted upon by stakeholders to influence product decisions and reduce delivery risk.

• Maintaining Research Governance: Ensuring all research activities adhere to strict governance and risk management policies within a regulated financial institution.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific research methodologies or customer segments within the banking sector.

• Advanced Analytics: Develop skills in interpreting and integrating quantitative data with qualitative findings.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Opportunities to lead research initiatives, mentor junior colleagues, and contribute to the strategic direction of the Design Research practice.

• Industry Trends: Stay abreast of evolving customer expectations, digital technologies, and best practices in user research within financial services.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain a broader understanding of product development, design strategy, and business objectives by working closely with various teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying these challenges and growth opportunities is crucial for candidates to assess their fit and potential development path within the role and the organization. For operations professionals, the challenge of driving adoption of insights and integrating data is particularly relevant.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led an end-to-end research project that significantly influenced a product strategy or design decision. What was your process, what were the key insights, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on impact, methodology, and strategic thinking).

• "How do you balance the need for deep, strategic research with rapid, tactical validation in an agile environment?" (Demonstrate adaptability and understanding of operational constraints).

• "Imagine you need to understand the differing needs of personal, business, and commercial banking customers for a new digital feature. How would you approach designing the research plan?" (Showcase segment understanding and methodological flexibility). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in working for ANZ, and specifically in the Business & Private Banking unit?" (Research ANZ's mission, values, and recent initiatives in this sector).

• "How do you embody a 'growth mindset' in your professional work?" (Provide examples of learning from challenges, seeking feedback, and adapting your approach).

• "How would you ensure your research findings are effectively communicated and adopted by stakeholders with differing priorities?" (Focus on stakeholder management, storytelling, and influence). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your presentation logically, following a clear narrative for each case study (Problem -> Approach -> Insights -> Impact -> Learnings).

• Highlight Operations Impact: Explicitly connect your research findings and recommendations to business objectives, risk reduction, and improved customer outcomes. Use metrics where possible.

• Demonstrate Process: Clearly articulate your methodology, rationale for choices, and how you adapted to project constraints.

• Visuals: Use compelling visuals (e.g., personas, journey maps, key quotes, prototype screenshots) to illustrate your points.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; focus on the most impactful projects and insights. Be ready to dive deeper into specific areas if asked.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing for these types of questions requires candidates to draw upon their operational experience and articulate how their research skills contribute to broader business goals. The portfolio presentation is a critical opportunity to showcase this applied knowledge.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Design Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the ANZ Careers portal, referencing the job number if available.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful research projects that demonstrate end-to-end execution, strategic influence, and measurable outcomes. Ensure your portfolio clearly showcases your ability to translate insights into actionable design solutions and addresses experience with diverse customer segments and accessibility.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in qualitative and quantitative research, stakeholder management, agile methodologies, and any domain knowledge relevant to financial services or digital banking. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on the "so what" – the business impact and strategic decisions influenced by your research. Be ready to articulate your process, challenges, and how you collaborated with multidisciplinary teams.

• Research ANZ: Familiarize yourself with ANZ's mission, values, recent news, and their digital banking offerings, particularly within Business & Private Banking. Understand their commitment to customer wellbeing and sustainability.

⚠️ 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.

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