Senior Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Netwealth

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-08-04

Experience Level: Senior (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (2 days in office per fortnight)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead product discovery and user research initiatives, focusing on understanding the needs of financial advisors and their clients within the wealth management sector.

• Shape product strategy and influence product roadmaps, moving beyond execution to contribute to problem framing and opportunity identification.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers and Engineers as part of a cross-functional product trio to deliver innovative digital solutions.

• Utilize evidence, customer insights, and experimentation to drive product decisions and ensure measurable impact on user outcomes.

• Coach and mentor other designers, fostering a collaborative environment and elevating the overall capability of the design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor within a newly established internal Product Design team. The emphasis is on strategic contribution, problem-solving in ambiguous environments, and influencing product direction, rather than solely on visual design execution. The target candidate will be expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy and proactively drive design initiatives.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth discovery and research activities, including user interviews, usability testing, and journey mapping, specifically with financial advisors.

• Contribute to the strategic planning and prioritization of product features, aligning design efforts with business objectives and user needs.

• Translate complex financial concepts and user requirements into intuitive and effective digital product experiences.

• Develop and iterate on wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs, ensuring a user-centered approach throughout the design lifecycle.

• Facilitate design thinking workshops and brainstorming sessions to foster innovation and collaborative problem-solving.

• Advocate for the user by presenting research findings, design rationale, and impact metrics to diverse stakeholder groups.

• Provide constructive feedback and guidance to junior designers, promoting best practices in user experience and interaction design.

• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure the accurate and efficient implementation of design solutions.

• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitor offerings to inform design strategy and innovation.

• Measure and analyze the impact of design decisions on key business metrics, such as user adoption, engagement, and satisfaction.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic thinking and hands-on design execution. The expectation is for the Senior Product Designer to be a key player in the "discovery" phase, influencing what gets built, not just how it looks. The "product trio" model (Designer, PM, Engineer) is a common agile practice, emphasizing close collaboration and shared ownership.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field; or equivalent practical experience.

Experience: 5+ years of professional experience in designing digital products, with a strong portfolio showcasing end-to-end product design processes.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in leading user research and discovery initiatives for complex digital products.

• Demonstrated ability to translate research findings and customer insights into actionable design strategies.

• Expertise in interaction design, user flow mapping, wireframing, and prototyping using industry-standard tools.

• Strong facilitation skills to lead workshops, challenge assumptions, and guide discussions with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

• Experience working within an Agile development environment and collaborating effectively in a product trio (Designer, Product Manager, Engineer).

• Ability to influence stakeholders and advocate for user-centered design decisions with compelling evidence and rationale.

• A deep understanding of customer outcomes and a passion for delivering measurable impact.

• Comfort and proficiency in navigating ambiguity and helping teams achieve clarity.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills. Preferred Skills:

• Experience in the FinTech, wealth management, or financial services industry.

• Familiarity with design systems and their implementation.

• Experience in coaching or mentoring other designers.

• Knowledge of experimentation frameworks and A/B testing methodologies.

• Proficiency in a variety of design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, InVision).

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 5+ years of experience and the emphasis on shaping strategy and influencing stakeholders indicate a mid-to-senior level role. The "good fit" criteria strongly suggest the need for a proactive, collaborative, and strategic designer who can operate independently and contribute to the growth of the design function.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design process, from problem identification and research to final solution and impact.

• Include detailed case studies demonstrating how you've understood user problems, particularly in complex domains.

• Highlight instances where you've shaped product strategy and influenced product direction, not just executed defined requirements.

• Present examples of how you've used evidence, customer insight, and experimentation to drive design decisions.

• Demonstrate your ability to translate complexity into intuitive and user-friendly experiences. Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your research methodologies and how you gathered and synthesized user insights.

• Detail your approach to ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.

• Explain how you collaborated with Product Managers and Engineers throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Provide evidence of how your designs achieved measurable impact on customer outcomes or business objectives.

• Illustrate your ability to facilitate discussions, challenge assumptions, and influence stakeholders effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, as it will be the primary means of assessing a candidate's ability to handle the strategic and collaborative aspects of the job. The emphasis on "shaping strategy" and "influencing stakeholders" means candidates should select case studies that highlight these capabilities, not just polished final UIs.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: AUD $140,000 - $180,000 per annum (estimated).

📝 Enhancement Note: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in Melbourne, Australia, with 5-10 years of experience in the FinTech/Financial Services sector, a competitive salary range is estimated between AUD $140,000 and $180,000. This estimation considers the cost of living in Melbourne, the company's industry, and the senior nature of the role. Actual compensation will depend on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and interview performance.

Benefits:

• Growth & Development:

  • Further education and training opportunities.
  • Strong support for internal mobility and career advancement.
  • Recognition as one of Australia's top 5 companies for Career Development (endorsed by WORK180).

• Work-Life Balance & Flexibility:

  • Hybrid work model with 2 days in the office per fortnight.
  • Modern, thoughtfully designed office spaces.
  • End-of-trip amenities and daily breakfast provided in the Melbourne office.

• Wellness & Wellbeing:

  • Paid parental leave.
  • Fully funded school holiday program.
  • CU Health (virtual healthcare).
  • Income protection.
  • Flu shots.
  • Wellness weeks.
  • Retail discounts.
  • Financial wellbeing services.

• Culture & Community:

  • Vibrant social events, trivia nights, and corporate sports.

  • Employee Resource Groups (LGBTQIA+, DAWN, Culture Group, Carers Group).

  • Paid volunteering opportunities and involvement in the Netwealth Impact Group.

  • Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with certifications from WORK180, Family Friendly Workplaces, and Great Places to Work. Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are expected, with flexibility offered through the hybrid work arrangement. The role involves approximately 40 hours per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: Netwealth emphasizes a holistic approach to employee well-being, offering a comprehensive benefits package that extends beyond typical offerings to include significant support for family, wellness, and community engagement. The recognition from WORK180 and Great Places to Work underscores their commitment to creating a supportive and growth-oriented environment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Technology (FinTech) / Wealth Management. Netwealth is a leading innovator in Australia's wealth platform space, providing technology solutions for financial advisors and investors. The company operates in a highly regulated and competitive market, requiring agility and a focus on customer-centric solutions.

Company Size: The provided data does not explicitly state the company size, but the description of building an internal Product Design team from the ground up suggests a growing, dynamic organization that is investing strategically in its capabilities. It is likely a medium to large enterprise given its market position.

Founded: 1999. Netwealth has a long-standing history in the Australian financial sector, evolving from its inception to become a recognized innovator. This history suggests a company that can balance established practices with a forward-thinking approach, particularly in adopting new technologies and design methodologies.

Team Structure:

• The Product Design team is a relatively new, but strategically important, internal function.

• The Senior Product Designer will be part of a "product trio" model, working closely with a Product Manager and Engineers on specific product initiatives.

• This role implies collaboration with other designers, Product Managers, Engineers, and potentially marketing, sales, and customer support teams.

• The reporting structure likely involves a Head of Design or Product Lead, with opportunities to influence the team's direction. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using evidence, customer insight, and experimentation to guide product development.

• Agile Development: Collaboration within product trios suggests an agile or iterative development process.

• User-Centricity: A core tenet of the role is understanding and improving the working lives of financial advisors and investors.

• Innovation & Agility: The company culture values challenging the status quo, moving fast, and staying agile.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Netwealth's focus on innovation within the wealth management sector means this role is ideal for designers who are comfortable with complex financial products and can translate that complexity into user-friendly interfaces. The recent establishment of an internal design team suggests an exciting opportunity to shape processes and culture.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, signifying a high level of individual contribution and expertise. It's a position for someone who can lead design initiatives, mentor others, and significantly influence product strategy. It sits above a standard Product Designer and below a Design Lead or Manager.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product Design or a similar leadership role. They will work within product-focused "trios" alongside Product Managers and Engineers, indicating a collaborative and cross-functional reporting dynamic for project work.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the usability and effectiveness of Netwealth's platform, which serves financial advisors and investors. By improving user experiences, this role can drive user adoption, increase efficiency for advisors, enhance client satisfaction, and ultimately contribute to Netwealth's market competitiveness and revenue growth. The emphasis on "shaping product strategy" means the impact extends beyond design execution to influencing business direction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Opportunity to take on more strategic leadership responsibilities within the growing design team, potentially mentoring junior designers or leading specific design streams.

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in FinTech product design, user research methodologies, or strategic product development.

• Cross-Functional Advancement: Potential to move into product management roles or contribute more broadly to product strategy and innovation within the company.

• Influence on Design Function: Contribute to the evolution and definition of design processes, standards, and culture within Netwealth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "building from the ground up" aspect of the design team presents a significant growth opportunity. A successful Senior Product Designer here will not only excel in their design craft but also contribute to establishing best practices and shaping the future of design at Netwealth.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is hybrid, requiring presence in a modern, thoughtfully designed office space in Melbourne. These spaces are equipped with contemporary facilities to support comfort and collaboration.

Office Location(s): Melbourne CBD, Victoria, Australia. Specific details about the office address are not provided, but Melbourne CBD locations typically offer good accessibility via public transport and are central to business hubs.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Designed to foster interaction between team members, with opportunities for in-person collaboration within product trios and across design and product teams.

• Tools and Technology: Access to modern design tools and technologies necessary for effective product design and research.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities to connect with colleagues through structured work, social events, and informal interactions. The office setting is intended to facilitate this.

Work Schedule: A hybrid model is in place, with employees expected to be in the office for 2 days each fortnight. This offers a balance between focused remote work and collaborative in-office time. Standard full-time working hours apply.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is designed to offer flexibility while maintaining the benefits of in-person collaboration. The emphasis on "thoughtfully designed spaces" suggests Netwealth invests in creating an environment conducive to creativity and productivity for its employees.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, focusing on your resume and portfolio to assess alignment with the role's requirements, particularly experience in product strategy and discovery.

• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: A session where you will present selected case studies from your portfolio, detailing your process, decision-making, and impact. Expect in-depth questions about your approach to problem-solving, user research, and stakeholder management.

• Product Trio / Team Interviews: Meetings with potential colleagues, including Product Managers, Engineers, and other Designers. These interviews will assess your collaboration style, technical skills, and cultural fit. You may be asked to discuss how you would approach specific design challenges.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A final conversation with the hiring manager to discuss your career aspirations, leadership potential, and overall fit within the team and company.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 case studies that best demonstrate your experience in product discovery, strategy shaping, and influencing stakeholders. Prioritize projects where you led the design process from inception to measurable outcomes.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Clearly articulate the problem, your process, the challenges faced, your specific contributions, the rationale behind your design decisions, and the resulting impact (quantified where possible).

• Highlight Ambiguity & Influence: Include examples of how you navigated unclear requirements or ambiguous problems and how you effectively communicated and influenced decisions with diverse groups.

• Detail Your Role: Be explicit about your responsibilities within each project, especially if you worked in a team.

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design philosophy, how you handle feedback, your collaboration with engineers and PMs, and your approach to mentoring.

Challenge Preparation:

• Problem Framing: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a hypothetical design challenge related to wealth management or financial advice, focusing on the discovery and strategy phases.

• Process Articulation: Practice explaining your design process concisely and effectively, using your portfolio as a reference.

• Stakeholder Scenarios: Prepare responses for scenarios involving conflicting stakeholder opinions or difficult feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily scrutinize your ability to operate strategically and collaboratively. Your portfolio should be tailored to showcase these specific skills, and you should be prepared to discuss your thought process and impact in detail.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, as it's an industry standard for collaborative design), Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite.

• User Research & Testing: Tools for conducting interviews, surveys, and usability tests (e.g., UserTesting.com, Maze, Hotjar, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms).

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Slack, Asana, Trello.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics: Tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel, or similar platforms for tracking user behavior and product performance.

• Data Visualization: Potentially tools like Tableau or Power BI for creating dashboards and reports, though this may be managed by dedicated analysts.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a primary focus for a Product Designer, familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can provide context for user journeys and business processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is not purely technical, proficiency in modern design and prototyping tools like Figma is essential. Familiarity with analytics tools will be beneficial for understanding user behavior and measuring design impact. The company likely uses a standard suite of collaboration and project management tools common in tech environments.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Curiosity: A drive to understand user needs, market dynamics, and technological possibilities.

• Optimism: A positive outlook and belief in the ability to solve complex problems and create meaningful change.

• Courage: Willingness to challenge the status quo, voice opinions, and take calculated risks.

• Authenticity: Encouraging individuals to be themselves and bring their genuine perspectives to work.

• Agility: The ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities, embrace new ideas, and move with speed.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with others, sharing knowledge, and valuing diverse contributions.

• Impact: A focus on delivering tangible results and making a positive difference for clients and the business.

Collaboration Style:

• Product Trio Focused: Close, integrated working relationships with Product Managers and Engineers, fostering shared ownership of product outcomes.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Engaging with various departments to gather insights, align on strategy, and ensure successful product delivery.

• Open Feedback Culture: Encouraging constructive feedback loops among designers and with other teams to drive continuous improvement.

• Knowledge Sharing: Active participation in design reviews, sharing best practices, and contributing to the collective learning of the design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: Netwealth's stated values of curiosity, optimism, and courage, combined with agility and collaboration, suggest a dynamic and forward-thinking work environment. Designers are expected to be proactive problem-solvers who can work effectively in cross-functional teams and contribute to a culture of innovation.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: The role explicitly mentions working in ambiguity and helping teams find clarity. This requires strong problem-framing skills and the ability to define structure where none exists.

• Influencing Stakeholders: Effectively communicating design rationale and influencing decisions among diverse stakeholders, including those with potentially different priorities or less design-centric perspectives.

• Balancing User Needs with Business Goals: Ensuring that user-centric design solutions are also viable and aligned with Netwealth's strategic objectives in the FinTech space.

• Evolution of a New Design Function: Contributing to the establishment and growth of an internal design team, which may involve defining processes, advocating for design, and shaping team culture.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Strategic Design Leadership: Developing skills in product strategy, opportunity framing, and influencing business direction.

• FinTech Domain Expertise: Deepening knowledge of wealth management, financial advisory workflows, and the specific challenges within the financial services industry.

• Mentorship & Coaching: Gaining experience in mentoring other designers and contributing to their professional growth.

• Process Improvement: Playing a key role in refining and optimizing design processes within a growing internal team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for senior roles in growing functions within established companies. Overcoming these challenges will provide significant opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the discovery phase for a complex digital product. What was your process, what did you learn, and how did it shape the product strategy?"

• "How do you approach influencing stakeholders who may have different priorities or a less user-centric perspective?"

• "Tell me about a situation where you had to turn complexity into a simple and intuitive user experience. What was the challenge and your solution?"

• "How do you measure the success of your design work, and what metrics do you focus on?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Netwealth and the wealth management industry?"

• "How do you see yourself contributing to a newly established internal design team?"

• "Describe your ideal collaboration with a Product Manager and Engineers."

• "How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback on your designs?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, follow a clear story arc: Problem -> Your Role -> Process & Methods -> Key Decisions & Rationale -> Solution -> Impact & Learnings.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, present data and metrics that demonstrate the positive outcomes of your design work (e.g., increased conversion rates, reduced task completion time, improved user satisfaction scores).

• Highlight Strategic Contributions: Emphasize instances where you shaped product strategy, identified new opportunities, or influenced the product roadmap.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Explain how you worked with Product Managers and Engineers, and how you managed stakeholder expectations.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions that probe your decision-making process, your assumptions, and your understanding of the user and business context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, research acumen, and the ability to influence. Your portfolio should be a narrative of your problem-solving process and impact, not just a showcase of final visuals.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on Ashby HQ.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight your 5+ years of digital product design experience, with specific emphasis on user research, product strategy, interaction design, and stakeholder management. Use keywords from the job description.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 compelling case studies that showcase your end-to-end design process, focusing on how you've shaped strategy, handled complexity, and driven measurable user and business impact. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates your role and contributions.

• Prepare for Portfolio Presentation: Practice presenting your case studies concisely, focusing on your problem-solving approach, decision-making rationale, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss how you'd tackle design challenges in the FinTech space.

• Research Netwealth: Familiarize yourself with Netwealth's platform, their position in the wealth management market, and their company culture and values to articulate your interest and fit.

⚠️ 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.