Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Commonwealth Bank

Location: Eveleigh, NSW - 1 Locomotive Street, Sydney, Australia

Job Type: Full time

Category: Product Design / GTM Operations Support

Date Posted: 2026-09-28

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead end-to-end product design initiatives for the CommSee 2.0 platform, a strategic internal tool supporting over 30,000 frontline colleagues.

• Drive the evolution of a modern, integrated servicing experience to simplify frontline workflows and reduce operational complexity.

• Collaborate closely with product owners, engineers, and stakeholders to understand user and business problems, explore opportunities, and deliver impactful outcomes.

• Champion user-centered design principles and continuous learning within a cross-functional squad, influencing product strategy and design methodologies.

• Experiment with and integrate emerging technologies, including AI, to enhance the design process and improve product quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role title is "Senior Product Designer," its focus on internal platforms, frontline workflows, and operational complexity directly impacts GTM (Go-To-Market) and operational efficiency. Therefore, this role can be categorized under Product Design with a strong emphasis on GTM Operations Support, as the platform's success directly influences the effectiveness of sales and service operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the complete product design lifecycle, from initial problem discovery and user research through to final solution delivery within a complex system environment.

• Partner intimately with Product Owners/Managers and Engineering teams to meticulously frame problems, explore potential solutions, and define measurable outcomes.

• Proactively plan and execute discovery activities, including user research, in-depth interviews, usability testing, and data-informed exploration to uncover critical insights and validate design direction.

• Translate complex user insights into clear, actionable design concepts, intuitive experience flows, detailed wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UI designs that facilitate efficient development and delivery.

• Employ an iterative design approach, refining concepts based on continuous feedback, user testing results, and emerging learnings, while expertly balancing user needs, business objectives, and technical constraints.

• Contribute significantly to product strategy by articulating a compelling user experience vision, identifying strategic opportunities for improvement, and influencing prioritization decisions.

• Foster effective collaboration with diverse stakeholders across Product, Engineering, Operations, and Design teams to build strong alignment, drive consensus, and maintain project momentum.

• Actively experiment with and leverage AI-enabled tools and other emerging technologies throughout the design process to accelerate discovery, synthesis, exploration, prototyping, and final delivery phases.

• Continuously evaluate and evolve personal and team design processes, identifying and adopting new tools, methodologies, and ways of working that enhance team effectiveness and elevate product outcomes.

• Act as a vocal champion for strong design practices, user-centered thinking, and a culture of continuous learning and experimentation within the cross-functional squad.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a deep involvement in shaping internal tools that directly affect frontline operations. The emphasis on "simplifying frontline workflows" and "reducing operational complexity" indicates a strong connection to sales and customer service operations, making this role crucial for GTM efficiency.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field is typically expected for senior roles, though equivalent practical experience will be strongly considered.

Experience: Proven experience (5-10 years) delivering end-to-end product design within cross-functional product teams, with a demonstrable track record of balancing continuous discovery with iterative delivery.

Required Skills:

• End-to-End Product Design Leadership: Demonstrated ability to own and drive the entire design process from conception to implementation in complex environments.

• Discovery & Problem Framing: Expertise in defining problems, conducting user research (qualitative and quantitative), synthesizing insights, and translating them into meaningful product outcomes.

• Interaction Design & Information Architecture: Strong skills in designing intuitive user flows, organizing complex information, and creating clear navigation structures.

• Prototyping & UI Design: Proficiency in creating high-fidelity interactive prototypes and polished UI designs that effectively communicate design intent.

• AI-Enabled Design Curiosity: Demonstrated curiosity and a proactive approach to exploring and adopting AI-enabled design workflows or a strong aptitude for rapidly learning and integrating new tools and methodologies.

• Complex System Navigation: Proven ability to understand and design for intricate systems and workflows.

• Stakeholder Management & Influence: Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to effectively influence stakeholders without direct authority and build consensus.

• Ambiguity Navigation: Comfort and proven ability to work through ambiguous situations, guiding teams from uncertainty to clarity.

• User-Centered Design Champion: A strong advocate for user needs and a commitment to embedding user-centered thinking into team processes.

• Autonomous Work Ethic: Ability to work independently and take ownership in an evolving and dynamic environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Design Systems: Contribution to or utilization of design systems to ensure consistency and efficiency across products.

• Experience in Financial Services: Familiarity with the banking industry, its regulations, and specific user needs.

• AI Tool Proficiency: Hands-on experience with specific AI tools relevant to design ideation, content generation, or workflow automation.

• Data-Informed Design: Experience leveraging analytics and performance data to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Mentorship: Experience guiding and mentoring junior designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "AI-enabled design workflows" and "emerging technologies" suggests a need for candidates who are not only skilled designers but also forward-thinking and adaptable to technological advancements impacting the design field. The "5-10 years" experience level implies a need for strong strategic thinking and leadership potential in design practices.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies illustrating your complete product design process, from problem definition and user research to solution delivery and measurable impact.

• Process & Methodology Documentation: Clearly articulate the design processes and methodologies employed for each case study, highlighting how you navigated complexity and ambiguity.

• Outcome & Impact Demonstration: Present concrete outcomes and measurable impact resulting from your design solutions, ideally supported by data or user feedback.

• Design System Contributions (if applicable): Include examples of your involvement in creating or contributing to design systems, demonstrating an understanding of scalable design.

• Cross-Team Alignment Examples: Showcase instances where you aligned design efforts across different teams or disciplines.

Process Documentation:

• Discovery & Research Artifacts: Include examples of user research plans, interview scripts, synthesis reports, or personas that informed your design decisions.

• Solution Exploration: Present wireframes, user flows, journey maps, and interactive prototypes that demonstrate your problem-solving approach.

• UI & Visual Design: Showcase high-fidelity mockups and UI elements that reflect your craft and attention to detail.

• Iteration & Feedback Loops: Illustrate how you incorporated feedback and iterated on designs based on testing and learnings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a portfolio demonstrating "end to end product design process, craft, outcomes, and measurable impact" is critical. For this role, it's essential that case studies highlight how designs simplified complex workflows, improved operational efficiency for frontline staff, and contributed to the strategic goals of the CommSee 2.0 platform.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Senior Product Designer role in Sydney, Australia, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is AUD $140,000 - $190,000. This range accounts for the seniority, specialized skills (including AI design exploration), and the strategic importance of the role within a major financial institution.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and optical coverage for employees and eligible dependents.

• Superannuation Contributions: Competitive employer contributions to retirement savings, exceeding the mandatory rate.

• Generous Paid Time Off: Annual leave, personal/carer's leave, and public holidays, with potential for additional leave accrual.

• Career Development Programs: Access to ongoing training, workshops, and professional development opportunities, including support for attending industry conferences.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential counseling and support services for personal and work-related issues.

• Staff Banking Benefits: Preferential rates on home loans, personal loans, and other banking products.

• Flexible Work Arrangements: While this role is primarily on-site, the bank may offer some flexibility for specific circumstances, subject to team and business needs.

• Commuter Benefits: Potential support for public transport costs or on-site parking facilities.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are typically 37.5 to 40 hours per week, with a focus on delivering project outcomes. While the role is on-site, there may be some flexibility in start and end times, subject to team coordination and project demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on data from reputable Australian salary aggregators and recruitment agency reports for Senior Product Designer roles in Sydney, considering Commonwealth Bank's position as a large, established financial institution. The benefits listed are common for major Australian corporations and are tailored to appeal to experienced professionals.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services / Banking. Commonwealth Bank is one of Australia's largest and most reputable financial institutions, operating in a highly regulated and competitive market. This industry context means a strong emphasis on security, compliance, customer trust, and innovation to stay ahead.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (often cited as having over 50,000 employees globally, with a significant presence in Australia). This size implies a structured environment with opportunities for career progression, but also potentially more layers of approval and established processes.

Founded: 1911. With over a century of history, CBA has a deep-rooted understanding of the Australian financial landscape, combined with a forward-looking approach to digital transformation and customer service.

Team Structure:

• CommSee 2.0 Squad: You will be embedded within a dedicated, cross-functional squad focused on rebuilding and enhancing the CommSee platform. This squad likely includes Product Owners/Managers, Engineers (front-end and back-end), other Designers, and potentially Business Analysts or QA specialists.

• Design Community: As a Senior Designer, you will also be part of a broader Design community within CBA, offering opportunities for peer learning, sharing best practices, and contributing to the overall design maturity of the organization.

• Reporting: You will likely report to a Design Lead or Head of Product Design within the CommSee division, with a dotted line into the Product Owner for day-to-day squad priorities.

Methodology:

• Agile/Scrum: The squad likely operates using Agile methodologies, with regular sprints, stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives to manage work iteratively.

• User-Centered Design (UCD) & Design Thinking: A strong emphasis on understanding user needs through research and applying design thinking principles to solve complex problems.

• AI Integration: Active exploration and integration of AI tools to augment and accelerate various stages of the design process, from research synthesis to ideation and prototyping.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Utilizing data analytics and performance metrics to guide design choices and measure the impact of implemented solutions.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The context of a large financial institution like CBA means that while innovation is encouraged (especially with AI), it's balanced with a need for robust, secure, and compliant solutions. The "CommSee 2.0" platform is critical for internal operations, meaning its design directly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of thousands of employees, making this a high-impact role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior-level individual contributor role, recognized for its strategic impact and leadership within design. It signifies a high degree of autonomy, expertise, and the ability to influence direction. For operations professionals, this role's success in streamlining internal tools directly translates to improved efficiency and effectiveness for sales, service, and support functions.

Reporting Structure: You will report into a Design leadership role (e.g., Design Lead, Head of Product Design) within the CommSee product group. Day-to-day priorities will be guided by the Product Owner, fostering a collaborative team structure where design is integral to the squad's success.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer will have a profound impact on the operational efficiency and effectiveness of CBA's frontline staff. By creating a more intuitive and integrated servicing experience through CommSee 2.0, the role directly contributes to faster customer service, reduced training overhead, improved data accuracy, and enhanced employee satisfaction, all of which are critical operational metrics.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into a Lead Product Designer or Design Manager role, overseeing multiple squads or a specific product domain.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like AI in design, complex system design, or user research methodologies, becoming a subject matter expert.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into Product Management or related GTM strategy roles, leveraging a deep understanding of user needs and product development.

• Mentorship & Coaching: Develop leadership skills by mentoring junior designers within the broader CBA design community.

• Strategic Influence: Take on more significant roles in shaping the overall product and design strategy for internal platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations professionals looking to transition or collaborate, understanding that this Senior Product Designer role directly influences the tools used by sales and service teams is key. The growth opportunities highlight pathways for impact beyond pure design, into strategic product and operational leadership.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based at Commonwealth Bank's office located at 1 Locomotive Street, Eveleigh, NSW. This is a modern, collaborative workspace designed to foster innovation and teamwork.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is Eveleigh, NSW, which is part of the broader Sydney metropolitan area. This location is known for its developing tech and innovation hubs.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hubs: The office likely features open-plan areas, dedicated project rooms, and informal meeting spaces designed to encourage spontaneous collaboration and knowledge sharing among team members.

• Technology-Rich Environment: Access to high-performance workstations, advanced design software, prototyping tools, and potentially specialized hardware for user testing.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: Frequent opportunities to interact with engineers, product managers, operations specialists, and other designers, fostering a dynamic and integrated work environment.

• Focus on Innovation: Dedicated spaces and resources may be available for brainstorming, experimentation, and exploring new technologies, including AI.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, on-site. While core hours will apply, there may be some flexibility in start and end times to accommodate personal needs, provided project timelines and team collaboration are maintained. Emphasis is on delivering outcomes rather than strict hour-counting.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in Eveleigh, NSW, suggests a commitment to in-person collaboration and the benefits of a dedicated office environment for complex product development. For operations professionals, this means a structured yet potentially flexible work setting within a major corporate headquarters.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your CV and portfolio to assess your experience, skills, and fit for the role.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: You will likely be asked to present a selection of your work, focusing on 1-2 key case studies that demonstrate your end-to-end process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Be prepared to discuss your design decisions, research methodologies, and how you collaborated with others.

• Technical/Design Challenge: A practical design exercise or a take-home challenge may be given to assess your skills in problem-solving, user research, ideation, and prototyping within a given timeframe.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with Product Owners, Engineering Leads, and potentially other senior stakeholders to assess your strategic thinking, collaboration style, and ability to influence.

• Cultural Fit Interview: Discussion to gauge your alignment with CBA's values and the team's working dynamic, focusing on your ability to thrive in ambiguity and embrace new ways of working.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Impact: Clearly articulate the business and user outcomes of your work. Quantify impact with metrics whenever possible (e.g., "reduced task completion time by X%", "increased user satisfaction by Y%").

• Detail Your Process: Explain your thought process, research methods, design iterations, and the rationale behind your key decisions. Don't just show the final output; explain how you got there.

• Highlight Collaboration: Provide examples of how you worked with cross-functional teams (engineering, product, operations) and stakeholders.

• Address Complexity: For this role, emphasize how you tackled complex systems or ambiguous problems.

• AI Integration (if applicable): If you have experience with AI in design, showcase how you've used it effectively and thoughtfully.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a challenge, thoroughly understand the problem statement and the target users/business goals.

• Structure Your Approach: Outline your plan before diving in. This might include research steps, ideation techniques, and prototyping methods.

• Focus on Rationale: Be prepared to explain why you made certain decisions, especially regarding user needs, business constraints, and technical feasibility.

• Prioritize Ruthlessly: For time-bound challenges, focus on the most critical aspects of the problem and deliver a clear, well-reasoned solution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "end to end product design process, craft, outcomes, and measurable impact" means your portfolio should clearly demonstrate how your design work solves operational challenges for frontline staff and contributes to business objectives. Be ready to articulate how you've used data and user feedback to drive improvements.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping Software: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop), InVision, Axure RP, or similar industry-standard tools. Proficiency in at least one comprehensive design and prototyping tool is essential.

• User Research Platforms: Tools for conducting remote interviews, usability testing, and surveys (e.g., UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, SurveyMonkey).

• Collaboration Tools: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello for project management and workflow tracking within Agile squads.

• Communication Platforms: Slack, Microsoft Teams for daily team communication and collaboration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics (familiarity with how user behavior data is collected and analyzed).

• Product Analytics: Tools like Mixpanel, Amplitude, or Pendo for tracking user engagement and feature adoption within the platform.

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, or similar tools for understanding and presenting data insights to stakeholders.

CRM & Automation:

• Internal Systems: Familiarity with how internal CRM-like systems or workflow management tools function, even if not directly designing them. Understanding how customer data is managed and utilized by frontline staff is key.

• AI Design Tools: Emerging AI platforms for ideation, content generation, image creation, or code assistance (e.g., Midjourney, ChatGPT for design prompts, GitHub Copilot for coding assistance if applicable to prototypes).

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "AI-enabled tools and emerging technologies" is a significant indicator. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience or willingness to learn and experiment with AI tools that can assist in design tasks, such as generating design concepts, synthesizing research, or optimizing workflows.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of both internal users (frontline colleagues) and external customers.

• Innovation & Experimentation: Encouragement to explore new ideas, technologies (like AI), and methodologies to drive continuous improvement and stay ahead.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Emphasis on working together across disciplines to achieve shared goals, valuing diverse perspectives.

• Integrity & Accountability: Upholding high ethical standards and taking ownership of outcomes, particularly within the regulated financial sector.

• Efficiency & Effectiveness: A drive to simplify processes, reduce complexity, and ensure that tools and systems enable staff to perform their roles optimally.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The CommSee 2.0 squad operates as a tightly integrated unit where designers, product managers, and engineers work collaboratively on a daily basis.

• Open Feedback Culture: Encouragement of constructive feedback loops throughout the design and development process, fostering continuous learning and improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: A culture that promotes sharing insights, best practices, and learnings across teams and within the broader design community at CBA.

• Agile Mindset: Embracing iterative development, adaptability, and a focus on delivering value incrementally.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "users" (frontline colleagues) and "operational complexity" directly aligns with operational values focused on efficiency, productivity, and employee enablement. Candidates should highlight their experience in designing solutions that directly support operational teams.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Complex Systems: Navigating and simplifying intricate legacy systems and business processes within a large financial institution.

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Managing diverse requirements and expectations from various business units, product owners, and engineering teams.

• Adopting New Technologies: Effectively integrating emerging technologies like AI into established design workflows while maintaining quality and ethical standards.

• Driving Change in a Large Organization: Influencing established ways of working and championing new design practices within a large, established company.

• Measuring Impact in Internal Tools: Quantifying the success of design interventions for internal platforms, which may not always have direct revenue correlation but significant operational impact.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Design Specialization: Opportunities to become a leader in applying AI tools and methodologies to the design process within CBA.

• Complex System Design Expertise: Developing deep expertise in designing for large-scale, integrated enterprise platforms.

• Leadership & Mentorship: Growing into leadership roles, mentoring junior designers, and shaping the design strategy for critical internal tools.

• Industry Exposure: Access to internal and external training, workshops, and potentially conferences related to product design, AI, and financial technology.

• Cross-Disciplinary Understanding: Gaining a comprehensive understanding of banking operations, product management, and engineering through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented offer a chance for candidates to demonstrate their problem-solving skills and adaptability. The growth opportunities highlight pathways for developing specialized expertise in high-demand areas like AI in design and enterprise-level product strategy.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a complex, legacy system. How did you approach understanding the problem space and what was your strategy for delivering a user-centered solution?" (Focus on your process, research, and stakeholder management.)

• "How do you balance the needs of different stakeholders (e.g., product, engineering, business operations) when designing a new feature or platform?" (Highlight your collaboration and influence skills.)

• "Discuss your experience or interest in using AI-enabled tools in the design process. Provide an example of how you might leverage AI to improve efficiency or explore new design possibilities for a tool like CommSee." (Showcase your forward-thinking approach and critical evaluation of AI's role.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Commonwealth Bank's commitment to digital transformation and customer service?" (Research CBA's recent initiatives, values, and strategic goals.)

• "How do you approach working in a cross-functional squad, particularly with engineers and product owners who may have different priorities?" (Emphasize your collaborative style and ability to build consensus.)

• "How would you measure the success of your design work for an internal platform like CommSee, considering it directly impacts frontline staff efficiency?" (Focus on operational metrics, user feedback, and productivity gains.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: Structure your case study presentations as narratives, detailing the problem, your process, your solutions, and the outcomes.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, prototypes, user flows) to illustrate your design thinking and decisions.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present data or metrics that demonstrate the positive impact of your designs on users and the business.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your specific design choices, research methods, and how you handled challenges.

• Highlight Your Role: Clearly articulate your individual contributions, especially in team-based projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this specific role, be prepared to discuss how your design decisions can directly simplify operational workflows for frontline employees, reduce training time, and improve the overall efficiency of customer interactions handled by CBA staff.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Apply through the provided link on the Commonwealth Bank careers portal.

• Tailor Your CV: Ensure your resume clearly highlights your experience in end-to-end product design, user research, interaction design, and working within cross-functional teams. Use keywords from the job description, such as "Product Design," "User Research," "AI-enabled design," "Complex Systems," and "Stakeholder Management."

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest case studies that best demonstrate your process for solving complex problems, your ability to simplify intricate workflows, and the measurable impact of your designs. Pay special attention to showcasing how your work has improved user experience and operational efficiency.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, clearly articulating your role, your design process, the rationale behind your decisions, and the outcomes achieved. Be ready to discuss your experience with AI tools.

• Research CBA: Familiarize yourself with Commonwealth Bank's mission, values, recent innovations (especially in digital and customer service), and the strategic importance of internal platforms like CommSee. Understand their commitment to user-centered design and technological advancement.

⚠️ 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.