Senior Product Designer (6 Month Contract)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer (6 Month Contract)

Company: Aviva

Location: Toronto, ON, Canada; Markham, ON, Canada; Oakville, ON, Canada

Job Type: Contractor

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: 2026-05-22

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role focuses on the creation of innovative and user-friendly digital experiences for Aviva Canada's customer-facing touchpoints, emphasizing a user-centered design approach.

• You will be responsible for translating user needs and research insights into functional, visually appealing designs across both web and mobile platforms.

• Key to this position is effective collaboration with cross-functional teams, including Senior Product Designers, Product Managers, Customer Experience specialists, and engineers, to ensure seamless design integration and pixel-perfect delivery.

• The role involves advocating for the user perspective throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from initial ideation to final implementation, and staying abreast of industry trends and best practices in product design.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is Senior Product Designer, the "Contractor" employment type and 6-month duration suggest a focus on project-based execution and delivering specific design outcomes rather than long-term strategic product ownership. The collaboration with "Senior Product Designers" also implies a supporting role within a more experienced team.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design intuitive and engaging digital experiences for Aviva Canada's customers across web and mobile platforms, ensuring a consistent and high-quality user interface (UI) and user experience (UX).

• Develop wireframes, mock-ups, and high-fidelity prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts and user flows to stakeholders and development teams.

• Conduct and integrate findings from basic customer research to deeply understand user needs, pain points, and behaviors, using this data to inform design decisions.

• Apply principles of analytics and behavioral design to optimize user journeys, enhance engagement, and drive desired user actions within digital products.

• Facilitate design thinking workshops and collaborative activities with a diverse range of stakeholders across Aviva Canada to gather feedback and drive consensus on design solutions.

• Advocate for user-centric design principles and digital accessibility best practices throughout the product development lifecycle, ensuring inclusive and equitable user experiences.

• Provide constructive feedback to collaborators at various organizational levels, fostering a culture of continuous improvement in design and development processes.

• Stay current with emerging trends, tools, and best practices in product design, UX/UI, and digital innovation to bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on design role with a strong emphasis on user research, prototyping, and cross-functional collaboration. The mention of "basic customer research" and "understanding how to apply analytics and behavioural design" suggests that while advanced research methodologies may not be the primary focus, a foundational understanding and practical application of these principles are expected.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mentioned, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design (e.g., Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction), Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for senior design roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: 5-10 years of proven experience in Product Design, UX Design, or UI Design, with a demonstrated track record of successfully delivering user-centered digital products.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Expertise: Proven experience in conceptualizing, designing, and delivering user interfaces and user experiences for digital products.

• Portfolio: A strong, comprehensive portfolio showcasing a range of design projects, demonstrating your design process, problem-solving skills, and ability to create engaging user experiences.

• Design Systems: Experience working with and contributing to design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability across multiple products and platforms.

• Customer Research: Experience conducting basic customer research, including user interviews, surveys, and usability testing, to gather actionable insights.

• Analytics & Behavioral Design: Understanding of how to interpret user analytics and apply behavioral design principles to optimize user journeys and product engagement.

• Wireframing, Mock-ups, & Prototyping: Proficiency in creating detailed wireframes, high-fidelity mock-ups, and interactive prototypes using industry-standard design tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).

• Communication & Presentation Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate design decisions, present concepts, and provide constructive feedback to diverse stakeholders.

• Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: Strong ability to identify user needs, analyze complex problems, and develop effective, user-centered design solutions.

• User-Centered Design: A deep passion for and commitment to creating user-centered products that meet user needs and business objectives.

• Digital Accessibility: Knowledge of digital accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and their practical application in design to ensure inclusive experiences for all users.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the insurance or financial services industry.

• Familiarity with Agile development methodologies.

• Experience with user journey mapping and service design.

• Knowledge of front-end development principles (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to better collaborate with engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a "strong portfolio" is critical for this role. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their portfolio, detailing their design process, problem-solving approach, the impact of their designs (quantified where possible), and their specific contributions to each project. The "5-10 years" experience level suggests a need for demonstrated leadership in design thinking and problem resolution.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Design Process Documentation: Showcase your end-to-end design process, from initial problem definition and user research through ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and final UI design.

• Problem/Solution Framing: Clearly articulate the user problem or business challenge each project aimed to solve, and how your design solution addressed it effectively.

• Impact & Metrics: Include examples where your designs led to measurable improvements in user engagement, conversion rates, task completion, or satisfaction. Quantify results whenever possible using data and analytics.

• Collaboration & Iteration: Demonstrate how you collaborated with cross-functional teams (Product Managers, Engineers, CX) and how feedback influenced iterative design improvements.

• Tool Proficiency: Present work created using industry-standard design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD).

Process Documentation:

• User Research Synthesis: Provide examples of how you synthesized user research findings into actionable design requirements or user personas.

• Design System Application: Showcase how you utilized or contributed to a design system to maintain consistency and efficiency in your designs.

• Prototyping & Testing: Detail your approach to creating interactive prototypes for user testing and how testing feedback informed design iterations.

• Accessibility Integration: Illustrate how you incorporated digital accessibility considerations into your design workflow and final deliverables.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a contract role, the portfolio is paramount. It needs to quickly convey competence and impact. Candidates should curate their portfolio to highlight projects most relevant to customer-facing digital products, ideally within financial services or related industries. The ability to articulate the "why" behind design decisions and the "what" of their impact is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior Product Designer (6 Month Contract) in Toronto, ON, Canada, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated salary range is typically between CAD $70,000 - $100,000 annually, prorated for a 6-month contract. This translates to approximately CAD $35 - $50 per hour, depending on the specific skills, experience, and the terms negotiated with Randstad.

Benefits: As this is a contract role facilitated by Randstad, benefits will be provided by Randstad, not directly by Aviva. These typically include:

• Access to group health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Potential for retirement savings plans or contributions.

• Paid time off or vacation accrual (as per Randstad's policy and provincial labor laws).

• Opportunities for professional development and training through Randstad.

• Potential for contract extensions or future opportunities within Aviva or other Randstad clients.

Working Hours: The standard working hours for this role are expected to be 40 hours per week, reflecting a full-time commitment during the 6-month contract period. While the role is on-site, there may be some flexibility for remote work days depending on team policies and project needs, though the primary expectation is in-office presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on industry benchmarks for contract Senior Product Designers in the Toronto area, considering the experience level and the nature of contract work. It's crucial for candidates to discuss specific compensation and benefits directly with their Randstad contact during the recruitment process. The "OTHER" employment type in the raw data has been clarified to "CONTRACTOR" based on the description.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Insurance and Financial Services. Aviva Canada operates within a highly regulated and competitive industry, emphasizing customer trust, financial security, and long-term relationships. This context means that design decisions must balance user needs with compliance, security, and business objectives.

Company Size: Aviva is a large, multinational financial services group. Aviva Canada, as a significant subsidiary, likely employs thousands of individuals, offering a robust corporate structure with established processes and a broad range of career opportunities.

Founded: Aviva has a long history, with roots dating back to the early 18th century. Aviva Canada was formed through various mergers and acquisitions, establishing a significant presence in the Canadian market. This history suggests a company that values stability, experience, and a forward-looking approach to evolving customer needs.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team likely operates within a larger digital or technology division, potentially reporting to a Head of Product or similar leadership role.

• This Senior Product Designer will collaborate closely with Product Managers, UX Researchers, UI Designers, and Developers.

• The team structure will emphasize cross-functional collaboration, with designers working in squads or feature teams to deliver specific product enhancements or new functionalities.

Methodology:

• Aviva likely employs a blend of Agile and possibly Lean methodologies for product development, requiring designers to be adaptable and iterative.

• Data-driven decision-making is a key aspect, with an emphasis on using analytics, user feedback, and A/B testing to validate design hypotheses and measure impact.

• A strong focus on user-centered design principles will be integrated into the workflow, ensuring that customer needs are at the forefront of all design initiatives.

Company Website: https://www.aviva.ca/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Aviva's culture, particularly its values of Care, Commitment, Community, and Confidence, is important. Designers should be prepared to demonstrate how their work aligns with these values, especially "Care" for the customer and "Commitment" to delivering quality solutions. The Randstad partnership means navigating two organizational structures.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is at a "Senior" individual contributor level, indicating a need for significant experience and demonstrated expertise in Product Design. The focus is on leading design for specific features or products, mentoring junior designers (if applicable), and contributing to the evolution of design processes and standards. The contract nature means the immediate growth is project-based, with potential for extension or conversion.

Reporting Structure: You will report to an Aviva hiring manager or team lead for design-related work, with administrative and HR matters managed by Randstad. This dual reporting structure requires clear communication and understanding of responsibilities.

Operations Impact: As a Senior Product Designer, your impact will be measured by the success of the digital products you design. This includes improving user engagement, increasing conversion rates, simplifying complex processes for customers, and ultimately contributing to Aviva Canada's business objectives through enhanced digital customer experiences.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Expansion: Opportunity to gain experience in the insurance/financial services sector, work with established design systems, and apply advanced UX/UI techniques in a corporate environment.

• Project Leadership: Lead design efforts for specific product features or initiatives, gaining experience in managing design scope and collaborating with larger teams.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor less experienced designers or provide guidance to cross-functional teams on design best practices.

• Networking: Build professional connections within Aviva Canada and potentially with Randstad's network of clients, opening doors for future contract or permanent roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a contract role, "growth" is often defined by the breadth of experience gained and the successful completion of challenging projects. Candidates should view this as an opportunity to add significant, high-profile projects to their portfolio and expand their industry knowledge.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an on-site role, implying a traditional office setting within Aviva's Canadian headquarters or a regional office. The environment will likely be professional and corporate, with dedicated workspaces for employees and contractors.

Office Location(s): The role is based in the Greater Toronto Area, with specific locations including Toronto (100 King St W), Markham, and Oakville. Candidates should be prepared to commute to one of these locations.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Expect access to meeting rooms, collaboration areas, and potentially open-plan office spaces designed to foster teamwork and idea sharing.

• Tools & Technology: You will have access to Aviva's standard IT infrastructure, including company-issued laptops, software licenses (e.g., for design tools), and network access.

• Team Interaction: Daily interaction with colleagues from design, product management, engineering, and customer experience teams will be a core part of the work environment.

Work Schedule: The typical work schedule is Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, there might be some flexibility for hybrid arrangements or adjusted hours depending on Aviva's internal policies and the specific team's practices, but the primary expectation is consistent in-office presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: For an on-site role, understanding the specific office culture and amenities can be beneficial. Candidates should inquire about the typical daily rhythm, available collaboration tools, and any specific office protocols during the interview process.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening (Randstad): A preliminary call with a Randstad recruiter to assess your qualifications, experience, portfolio, and interest in contract roles.

• Hiring Manager Interview (Aviva): An in-depth interview with the Aviva hiring manager and potentially other senior designers or product managers. This will focus on your design philosophy, problem-solving skills, technical proficiency, and how you handle collaboration and feedback.

• Portfolio Presentation: You will likely be asked to present a selection of your work from your portfolio, detailing your design process, challenges, and outcomes for 1-3 key projects.

• Skills Assessment/Case Study (Potential): You might be given a small design challenge or asked to discuss a hypothetical scenario to assess your approach to problem-solving and design thinking.

• Final Interview/Reference Checks: Final discussions with Aviva stakeholders and reference checks, managed by Randstad.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Choose 3-5 projects that best showcase your skills relevant to customer-facing digital products, design systems, and user research.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, your process, the solutions you designed, the challenges you faced, and the measurable impact of your work. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Collaboration: Emphasize how you worked with cross-functional teams and incorporated feedback.

• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, how you handle design disagreements, and your understanding of user needs.

• Showcase Process: Demonstrate your entire design process, not just the final UI. Include sketches, wireframes, user flows, and research insights.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If a design challenge is provided, ensure you fully understand the brief, the target audience, and the business goals.

• Define Your Approach: Outline your strategy for tackling the challenge, including any research or assumptions you'd make.

• Focus on Process: Demonstrate your design thinking process, even if you can't complete a full UI design within the allotted time.

• Communicate Clearly: Be prepared to articulate your thought process and design rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely involve both Randstad and Aviva. It's crucial to be prepared to discuss your portfolio in detail and articulate how your skills align with Aviva's customer-centric approach and the specific needs of this contract role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD is essential for creating wireframes, mock-ups, and interactive prototypes.

• Collaboration Platforms: Experience with tools like Jira, Confluence, or Asana for project management and workflow tracking.

• Communication Tools: Familiarity with platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom for team communication and virtual meetings.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Understanding of how to interpret data from tools like Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics to inform design decisions and measure user behavior.

• User Feedback Platforms: Experience with tools that collect and analyze user feedback, such as surveys (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Typeform) or in-app feedback tools.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct responsibility, an understanding of how design impacts customer relationship management (CRM) systems and automated customer journeys can be beneficial. Familiarity with common CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Aviva likely has a well-defined technology stack. While candidates are expected to be proficient in core design tools, familiarity with their specific enterprise tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence) will be advantageous. The ability to work with and contribute to existing design systems is a key technical requirement.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Care: Demonstrating empathy for customers and colleagues, ensuring designs are intuitive, accessible, and address genuine user needs.

• Commitment: Dedication to delivering high-quality, pixel-perfect designs on time and to specification, with a focus on achieving project goals.

• Community: Fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment, actively participating in team discussions, sharing knowledge, and supporting colleagues.

• Confidence: Approaching challenges with a proactive mindset, confidently presenting design solutions, and advocating for user-centered best practices.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The team values close collaboration with Product Managers, Engineers, and Customer Experience teams to ensure designs are technically feasible, strategically aligned, and meet user needs.

• Feedback-Driven: An open culture of constructive feedback is encouraged, with designers expected to both provide and receive feedback gracefully to refine designs and processes.

• Agile & Iterative: Working within an Agile framework means embracing iterative design, adapting to changes, and continuously improving solutions based on new information and testing.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they embody Aviva's core values in their work and how they approach collaboration. Highlighting examples of successful teamwork and constructive feedback exchange will be beneficial.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Navigating diverse stakeholder requirements and priorities while staying true to user-centered design principles and project timelines.

• Complex Product Landscape: Designing for a large financial institution with potentially complex legacy systems and intricate user journeys requires careful planning and execution.

• Contract Duration: Working within a 6-month contract means a compressed timeline to understand the product, integrate with the team, and deliver significant value.

• Remote vs. On-site Dynamics: Adapting to an on-site work environment and integrating effectively with an established Aviva team, while also managing administrative aspects through Randstad.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Exposure: Gaining in-depth experience within the insurance and financial services sector, understanding its unique design challenges and opportunities.

• Design System Mastery: Deepening expertise in working with and contributing to enterprise-level design systems.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Enhancing skills in working with product managers, engineers, and business stakeholders in a large corporate setting.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Successfully completing impactful projects that significantly strengthen your professional portfolio.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary growth opportunity for this role is the significant addition to one's portfolio and the experience gained in a large, established financial services company. Candidates should focus on how they will maximize their learning and contribution within the 6-month timeframe.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your design process for a complex digital product, from initial concept to final delivery. How do you ensure user needs are met at each stage?"

• "How do you incorporate user analytics and behavioral data into your design decisions? Can you provide an example?"

• "Tell me about a time you had to advocate for a user-centered design solution that faced resistance from stakeholders. How did you handle it?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Aviva Canada and our mission? How do you see your design work contributing to our values of Care, Commitment, Community, and Confidence?"

• "How do you approach working within a contract role, and what are your expectations regarding integration with a new team and company culture?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your presentation logically, focusing on the problem, your process, your solutions, and the results. Use clear headings and visual aids.

• Quantify Achievements: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., "increased conversion by X%", "reduced task completion time by Y seconds").

• Highlight Collaboration: Explain how you worked with others and incorporated feedback, showcasing your teamwork skills.

• Be Concise: Respect the allotted time. Focus on the most relevant aspects of each project and be prepared for deeper dives during Q&A.

• Showcase User-Centricity: Continuously tie your design decisions back to user needs and research findings.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to discuss your experience with design systems in detail, as this is explicitly mentioned in the requirements. Also, be ready to articulate how you would adapt to Aviva's specific environment and contribute effectively within a 6-month contract.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience in Product Design, UX/UI, design systems, customer research, and your ability to deliver user-centered digital products. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Portfolio Curation: Prepare a digital portfolio that showcases 3-5 of your strongest projects, emphasizing your design process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Ensure it's easily accessible and well-organized.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, discussing your portfolio projects, and answering behavioral and situational questions related to collaboration, problem-solving, and user advocacy.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Aviva Canada's products, services, and company values, and consider how your design approach aligns with their customer-centric mission.

⚠️ 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 or Randstad before making application decisions.