Senior Product Designer at Bankwest

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Bankwest

Location: Perth, WA, Australia

Job Type: Full-Time, Temporary

Category: Product Design / User Experience (UX)

Date Posted: 2026-06-24

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (50% office attendance required)

🚀 Role Summary

Lead end-to-end product design for the Bankwest native app, focusing on everyday customer experiences and driving digital transformation.
Champion customer-led design principles across the digital ecosystem, translating strategy into simple, distinctive, and useful customer experiences.
Drive product discovery, problem definition, and solution validation through collaborative work with cross-functional teams including Product, Engineering, CX Strategy, and Accessibility.
Utilize deep expertise in Lean UX, user research, interaction design, and prototyping to deliver validated outcomes and continuously optimize digital products.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically focused on the "Everyday Experiences" within the Bankwest native app, indicating a critical strategic area for the organization. The requirement for 50% office attendance in Perth suggests a hybrid work model designed to foster collaboration and team integration.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

Lead and own the problem space from early discovery through to solution delivery, defining clear problems and iterating towards validated outcomes.
Drive collaborative discovery sessions with product trios (Product + Design + Engineering), leveraging research, voice of customer insights, behavioral data, and market analysis to prioritize key problems.
Frame and validate opportunities, shape hypotheses, and identify decision points to bring clarity to ambiguous situations and build team confidence in prioritization.
Plan and conduct qualitative and quantitative research using appropriate methodologies to understand customer needs and pain points.
Translate research insights into actionable design direction using tools like journey maps, service design blueprints, user flows, wireframes, and prototypes.
Utilize prototyping as a primary communication and decision-making tool, applying appropriate fidelity levels at different stages of the design process.
Validate design concepts with customers through usability testing and continuously optimize solutions based on feedback and learnings.
Communicate design rationale clearly and effectively to stakeholders, using compelling storytelling and well-structured presentations.
Operate in a dual-track rhythm, contributing to continuous discovery while supporting smooth delivery of product features.
Build and maintain strong cross-functional relationships with product, engineering, and business partners to ensure alignment and successful execution.
Apply and evolve the existing design system to ensure consistency and efficiency in delivering high-quality, cohesive customer experiences.
Champion excellence across visual design, interaction design, prototyping, and user research practices within the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on a "discovery-to-delivery" product design lifecycle, requiring the candidate to be comfortable with ambiguity, research, validation, and influencing stakeholders. The dual-track rhythm implies a need for agility and the ability to manage both exploratory and execution-focused work streams.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While specific educational requirements are not listed, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field is often preferred for Senior Product Designer roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: 5+ years of experience across the full product design lifecycle, including research, discovery, design, and delivery.

Required Skills:

Expert capability in Lean UX methodologies and synthesizing learnings to inform design decisions.
Proficient in prototyping using Figma, with the ability to create interactive prototypes for exploration and validation.
Strong interaction design skills, with a deep understanding of native mobile patterns, platform behaviors, motion, and micro-interactions.
Ability to translate customer needs and journey insights into clear, actionable experience improvements.
Skill in navigating ambiguity, weighing trade-offs, and making evidence-backed recommendations.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills for effective work within cross-functional teams.
Working knowledge of business and technology constraints, coupled with a risk-aware mindset.
AI literacy and a demonstrated willingness to adopt new tools responsibly. Preferred Skills:
Experience with service design blueprints and customer journey mapping.
Familiarity with accessibility standards and inclusive design principles.
Experience in the financial services or digital banking sector.
Ability to plan and conduct a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Experience applying and contributing to design systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "AI literacy" and responsible adoption of new tools suggests that Bankwest is forward-thinking and values candidates who are adaptable to emerging technologies within the design and product development landscape.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

Demonstrate end-to-end product design experience, showcasing projects from initial problem definition through to validated delivery.
Feature case studies that highlight your ability to lead discovery, define problems, and validate opportunities using research and data.
Include examples of prototypes and the iterative design process, demonstrating how you used them for decision-making and validation.
Showcase your interaction design skills through examples of native mobile patterns, motion, and micro-interactions.
Present how you translated customer needs and journey insights into tangible experience improvements. Process Documentation:
Provide clear documentation of your design process for each project, outlining methodology, tools used, and rationale behind decisions.
Illustrate how you collaborated with cross-functional teams (product, engineering) throughout the design lifecycle.
Show examples of user research and usability testing, detailing the methods used and the impact of findings on the final design.
Demonstrate how you applied or evolved a design system to ensure consistency and efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role. It should not only showcase design output but also the thought process, research methodologies, collaborative efforts, and the tangible impact of the designs on customer experience and business objectives, particularly within a native mobile context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: As this is a Senior Product Designer role in Perth, Western Australia, and considering the context of a major financial institution like Bankwest (part of Commonwealth Bank Group), a competitive salary is expected. Based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in Australia, a salary range of AUD $120,000 - $170,000 per annum is a reasonable estimate for a Senior Product Designer with 5+ years of experience. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific skills, experience, and the fixed-term contract duration.

Benefits:

Flexible working arrangements to promote work-life balance.
Access to career development resources and opportunities for professional growth.
Annual volunteer leave to support community engagement.
A range of work perks covering financial, lifestyle, and general wellbeing initiatives.
Meaningful recognition programs that reward high performance.
Potential for exposure to cutting-edge digital banking transformation projects.

Working Hours: A standard full-time work week is implied, likely around 40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement allows for flexibility, with 50% office attendance required in Perth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The estimated salary range is based on data from Australian job boards and salary aggregators for Senior Product Designer roles, adjusted for experience level and location. Specific contract details and benefits should be confirmed with the hiring manager. The "temporary" employment type suggests a fixed-term contract, which might influence overall compensation and benefits structure.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Digital Banking). Bankwest is undergoing a significant transformation to become Australia's favorite digital bank, focusing on intuitive and uncomplicated banking experiences.

Company Size: Bankwest is part of the Commonwealth Bank Group, a large, established financial institution. This provides stability and resources while the "Made by Us" culture emphasizes innovation and agility.

Founded: Bankwest has a long history, founded in 1895, but its current mission is focused on modern digital banking transformation.

Team Structure:

The role sits within the Brand and Experience team in Customer, Marketing, and Communications.
You'll be part of a cross-functional, highly collaborative group encompassing CX strategy, product design, experience design, and accessibility.
Collaboration is key, working closely with a "product trio" (Product Manager, Designer, Engineer) and broader business partners. Methodology:
Customer-led design is paramount, with a focus on understanding customer needs and translating them into practical solutions.
Lean UX principles are applied to drive iterative design and validation.
A dual-track approach supports continuous discovery alongside smooth delivery.
Emphasis on data-driven decision-making, using research, voice of customer, and behavioral analytics.

Company Website: https://www.bankwest.com.au/ (Note: The provided URL was for job applications. A general company URL is listed here).

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's transformation journey towards becoming a "digital bank" is a key cultural driver. This means the environment is likely dynamic, innovative, and focused on user experience as a primary differentiator. The "Made by Us" slogan suggests a culture of ownership and collective contribution.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, indicating a mid-to-senior level position. It requires significant autonomy, leadership in design thinking, and the ability to mentor or guide less experienced designers implicitly. The scope includes owning problem spaces and end-to-end design.

Reporting Structure: The role reports into the Brand and Experience team, likely under a Head of Experience or Design Lead. Collaboration is emphasized across product and engineering.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer plays a pivotal role in shaping the user experience of Bankwest's core digital products, directly impacting customer satisfaction, engagement, and the bank's strategic goal of becoming Australia's favorite digital bank. Their work influences how millions of customers interact with their finances daily.

Growth Opportunities:

Deepen expertise in digital banking product design and customer experience strategy.
Develop leadership skills through owning design initiatives and influencing cross-functional teams.
Gain experience in applying and evolving design systems within a large enterprise.
Opportunities to contribute to AI literacy and explore new design tools and methodologies.
Potential for advancement into Lead Product Designer, UX Manager, or specialized UX roles within the broader Commonwealth Bank Group.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity for a designer looking to make a substantial impact within a large-scale digital transformation. The seniority implies a pathway to leadership, either through people management or by becoming a recognized subject matter expert in product design for digital banking.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid. This role requires 50% office attendance in Perth, WA, at Bankwest Place (300 Murray Street). The office environment is expected to be collaborative, supporting team interaction and face-to-face problem-solving.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is Perth, WA, Australia. The specific address is Bankwest Place, 300 Murray Street.

Workspace Context:

The workspace is designed to foster collaboration, with opportunities to engage directly with product managers, engineers, CX strategists, and accessibility specialists.
Access to design tools and technology is expected, with a focus on Figma and potentially other prototyping and research platforms.
The environment encourages a "dual-track" rhythm, blending focused individual work with dynamic team sessions.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time schedule of approximately 40 hours per week is expected, with flexibility offered through the hybrid model. The 50% office attendance requirement means candidates must be based in or willing to relocate to Perth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 50% office attendance is a key differentiator from fully remote roles. This indicates that Bankwest values in-person collaboration, brainstorming, and team cohesion for complex design challenges.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess experience, skills, and alignment with the role's requirements.
Design Challenge/Case Study: Candidates may be asked to complete a design exercise or present a deep dive into one of their portfolio case studies, focusing on their process, problem-solving approach, and outcomes.
Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with hiring managers, product leads, engineering partners, and potentially other designers to assess technical skills, collaboration style, and cultural fit. Expect questions around your design philosophy, how you handle ambiguity, and your experience with native mobile design.
Final Interview: May involve a broader team or senior leadership interview to confirm overall fit and potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Focus on Process: Clearly articulate your design process for each project, detailing how you moved from problem identification to solution validation.
Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased conversion rates, improved task completion times, positive user feedback).
Highlight Collaboration: Show how you worked with product, engineering, and other stakeholders.
Showcase Native Mobile Expertise: Include specific examples demonstrating your understanding of native mobile patterns and interaction design.
Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives that engage the reviewer and clearly communicate the problem, your approach, and the results.

Challenge Preparation:

Understand the Business Context: Research Bankwest's digital transformation goals and their focus on "Everyday Experiences."
Prepare to Discuss Ambiguity: Be ready to talk about how you approach ill-defined problems and turn them into actionable design tasks.
Articulate Your Design Philosophy: Be prepared to discuss your approach to user-centered design, lean UX, and collaboration.
Practice Presenting: Rehearse presenting your portfolio case studies, ensuring you can clearly explain your rationale and impact within a given time frame.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely test both your design craft and your ability to operate effectively within a complex, collaborative, and digitally-focused financial institution. A strong portfolio that demonstrates end-to-end ownership and impact is crucial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

Figma: Essential for prototyping, wireframing, and collaborative design. Expect to demonstrate advanced proficiency.
Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other prototyping tools that allow for high-fidelity interactions and user testing.
Design Systems: Experience applying and potentially contributing to design system libraries.

Analytics & Reporting:

User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting usability testing, surveys, and gathering qualitative feedback.
Behavioral Analytics Tools: Familiarity with platforms that provide insights into user behavior within digital products (e.g., understanding how users interact with the app).

CRM & Automation:

While not directly a CRM role, understanding how design impacts customer journeys within a banking context is important. Experience with tools that facilitate customer journey mapping and service blueprinting is beneficial.
Familiarity with Agile development tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence) is likely beneficial for day-to-day collaboration with engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a non-negotiable requirement for this role, given its widespread use in modern product design workflows. The ability to integrate design work with analytics and research findings is also key to demonstrating impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs to create genuinely useful banking experiences.
Collaboration: A strong emphasis on working effectively with cross-functional teams (product, engineering, CX, accessibility) to achieve shared goals.
Curiosity & Bold Thinking: Encouraging exploration, new ideas, and a willingness to challenge the status quo to drive innovation.
Efficiency & Simplicity: Designing intuitive and uncomplicated banking solutions that make life easier for customers.
Data-Driven: Utilizing research, insights, and analytics to inform design decisions and validate outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

Cross-functional Integration: The role thrives on close partnerships within product trios and with broader business stakeholders.
Open Communication: Clear communication of design rationale, active listening, and constructive feedback exchange are vital.
Shared Ownership: A culture where teams collectively own problems and solutions, fostering a sense of collective responsibility for product success.
Agile Mindset: Working in iterative cycles, adapting to feedback, and continuously improving designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Made by Us" culture suggests a place where individuals feel empowered to contribute and shape the direction of the product and the company's digital future. The values are geared towards innovation, customer focus, and high-performance collaboration.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

Navigating Ambiguity: Turning broad strategic goals or undefined problems into clear design briefs and actionable solutions.
Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Mediating between customer desires, business objectives, and technical constraints to find optimal solutions.
Driving Adoption of Design Best Practices: Championing user-centered design and Lean UX within a large, established organization.
Adapting to a Rapidly Evolving Digital Landscape: Staying current with new technologies and user expectations in the fintech space.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Deep Dive into Digital Banking: Gaining specialized knowledge in the design challenges and opportunities within the financial services industry.
Leadership and Mentorship: Opportunities to lead design initiatives and potentially mentor junior designers.
Advanced Design Methodologies: Exposure to and practice with cutting-edge UX research, design thinking, and prototyping techniques.
Cross-functional Skill Development: Enhancing collaboration and communication skills by working closely with product managers and engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity to tackle complex design challenges within a major digital transformation initiative, providing substantial growth potential for a motivated Senior Product Designer.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

"Describe your process for taking a vague customer problem and turning it into a validated design solution for a native mobile app." (Focus on discovery, research, hypothesis, validation, and iteration).
"How do you balance customer needs with business and technical constraints when designing a feature for a banking app?" (Prepare examples of trade-offs and your decision-making process).
"Walk us through a time you had to influence stakeholders who disagreed with your design direction. What was your approach and the outcome?" (Demonstrate communication, storytelling, and data-backed persuasion). Company & Culture Questions:
"What interests you about Bankwest's mission to become Australia's favorite digital bank?" (Show research into their transformation and values).
"How do you see yourself contributing to our 'Made by Us' culture?" (Relate your collaborative style and ownership to their values).
"How do you ensure your designs are inclusive and accessible?" (Discuss your approach to accessibility and diverse user needs). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
Select 2-3 Strong Case Studies: Choose projects that best showcase end-to-end design, native mobile experience, and problem-solving.
Structure for Clarity: For each case study, clearly outline: Problem, Your Role, Process (Research, Ideation, Design, Validation), Solution, and Impact/Outcome.
Highlight Key Decisions: Explain why you made certain design choices, referencing user research, data, or constraints.
Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate detailed questions about your design decisions, tools, and collaboration.
Showcase Prototypes: Be prepared to demonstrate interactive prototypes and discuss how they were used.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for a candidate who can articulate their design process clearly, demonstrate strong problem-solving skills, and show how they collaborate effectively within a cross-functional team to deliver impactful user experiences, especially in a native mobile context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

Submit your application through the provided Workday careers portal link.
Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your 5+ years of experience in the full product design lifecycle, emphasizing skills in Lean UX, Figma prototyping, interaction design for native mobile, and user research. Use keywords from the job description.
Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 compelling case studies that best represent your end-to-end design process, problem-solving abilities, and impact on user experience, specifically for mobile applications. Ensure it clearly demonstrates your proficiency with Figma and native mobile patterns.
Prepare for Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, articulating your design rationale, and quantifying the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your approach to discovery, validation, and cross-functional collaboration.
Research Bankwest: Understand their digital transformation goals, their focus on "Everyday Experiences," and their "Made by Us" culture to tailor your responses and demonstrate 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.

Senior Product Designer