Senior Product Designer – Perpetual Corporate Trust

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer – Perpetual Corporate Trust

Company: Perpetual Limited

Location: 123 Pitt Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-29

Experience Level: Senior (7+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid (2-3+ days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead complex product discovery, experience design, and technical prototyping for regulated digital products within Perpetual Corporate Trust.

• Drive the establishment and evolution of design systems, component libraries, and responsible AI-enabled workflows across product and engineering teams.

• Combine advanced UX craft, technical design acumen, and the strategic application of approved AI-enabled tools to deliver innovative solutions.

• Act as a cornerstone for building a sustainable internal product design capability, retaining valuable product knowledge and intellectual property.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant influence in shaping the product design function. The emphasis on "technical design," "functional software prototypes," and "working with architects and engineers to navigate technical constraints" strongly suggests a need for operations-minded design professionals who can bridge the gap between user needs and technical feasibility, a key aspect of GTM operations. The mention of "regulated digital products" and "financial services solutions" highlights the importance of understanding compliance and risk management within the design process.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead technical design practices encompassing product discovery, journey mapping, user experience design, and rapid product prototyping.

• Translate customer needs and commercial opportunities into well-defined concepts, user flows, and prioritized design hypotheses.

• Create functional, technically credible prototypes that effectively demonstrate user journeys, system behaviors, and data interactions.

• Collaborate closely with architects and engineers to design solutions that rigorously adhere to technical, security, and accessibility requirements.

• Deliver annotated, development-ready designs, comprehensive interaction specifications, clear acceptance guidance, and reusable design assets.

• Establish, maintain, and evolve the product design system, including component libraries and responsible AI-enabled design and prototyping practices.

• Support the Product Team in facilitating client workshops and go-to-market activities, ensuring design alignment with business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a hands-on approach to design execution with a strong focus on technical implementation and collaboration with engineering. The requirement to "deliver annotated, development-ready designs" and "reusable assets" indicates a need for efficient design handoff processes, a critical component of operations for smooth product development cycles. The involvement in "client workshops and go-to-market activities" also points towards a role that interfaces directly with commercial aspects of product delivery.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor degree in Product Design, Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Digital Design, Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related discipline.

• Relevant postgraduate qualification or recognized certification in UX, accessibility, service design, or software development is desirable. Experience:

• Senior product design or UX leadership experience, with a minimum of seven years across product design, UX, service design, design technology, or digital product development. Required Skills:

• Strong capability in product discovery, customer research, concept testing, and workshop facilitation.

• Advanced Figma expertise, including proficiency in components, variables or tokens, libraries, prototyping, and design system administration.

• Demonstrated experience in creating functional or technical prototypes, with a focus beyond purely visual design.

• Confidence and proven ability to work effectively with architects and engineers, understanding technical constraints and translating designs into buildable solutions.

• Practical experience using AI-assisted design, coding, prototyping, or modern product development tools, with sound judgment regarding security, privacy, intellectual property, and quality. Preferred Skills:

• Front-end or full-stack engineering experience.

• Experience designing enterprise software, regulated products, financial services solutions, or data-rich digital products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for "functional or technical prototypes" over "visual designs alone" indicates a need for a designer who understands the operational implications of design choices on development effort and system performance. The preference for engineering experience and familiarity with enterprise/financial products suggests a strategic alignment with business operations and risk management.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase at least one comprehensive case study detailing the end-to-end process of designing a complex, regulated digital product or feature, from initial discovery to development-ready handoff.

• Demonstrate proficiency in creating functional or technical prototypes that illustrate complex user flows, data interactions, and system behaviors, rather than static mockups.

• Include examples of established or evolved design systems, component libraries, and clear documentation on their usage and governance.

• Present evidence of collaboration with engineering and architecture teams, highlighting how technical constraints were navigated and incorporated into the design solutions.

• Highlight the application of AI-enabled design tools, illustrating how they were used responsibly and effectively to enhance the design process or outcomes. Process Documentation:

• Provide examples of how design processes were documented, including user journey maps, service blueprints, and interaction specifications.

• Showcase methodologies for conducting product discovery and customer research, including tools and techniques used for concept testing and validation.

• Illustrate how design systems were managed, including version control, contribution guidelines, and processes for ensuring consistency and scalability.

• Document the process for design handoff to development, including the types of specifications and assets provided and how feedback was managed.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio demonstrating end-to-end product design lifecycle management, technical prototyping capabilities, and experience with design systems is crucial. The emphasis on collaboration with engineering and adherence to technical constraints underscores the operational aspect of design, where efficiency and feasibility are paramount. The inclusion of AI tool usage in a "responsible" manner highlights the need for designers to be aware of operational risks and governance.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in Sydney, Australia, with 7+ years of experience in financial services or regulated environments, a competitive annual salary range is estimated to be between AUD $150,000 and AUD $200,000. This estimate accounts for the seniority of the role, the specialized industry requirements, and the specific responsibilities outlined.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Working: A flexible approach balancing business, client, and individual needs, with an expectation of 2-3+ days per week in the modern, recently renovated Sydney office.

• Work from Anywhere in Australia: Opportunity to work remotely from any location within Australia for up to one month each year, offering significant work-life flexibility.

• Annual Wellbeing Allowance: An annual allowance provided to empower employees to prioritize their personal wellbeing, fostering a healthy work-life balance.

• Study Support: Financial and logistical support for employees pursuing further education relevant to their career development.

• Professional Development Commitment: Dedicated commitment to supporting continuous professional growth through training, workshops, and other learning opportunities.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week.

• The hybrid work arrangement offers flexibility in structuring the work week, allowing for efficient management of design tasks and collaborative sessions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on research from Australian job boards (e.g., Seek, LinkedIn Salary) and industry salary surveys for Senior Product Designers in Sydney. The range reflects the mid-to-senior level experience required and the specialized nature of the financial services industry. The benefits package emphasizes work-life integration and professional growth, which are key considerations for attracting and retaining talent in operational roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Asset Management, Wealth Management, Corporate Trust) - Perpetual Group operates within a highly regulated sector, requiring a strong emphasis on compliance, security, and risk management. This environment necessitates meticulous attention to detail and a structured approach to product development and design.

Company Size: Perpetual Group is an ASX-listed company, indicating a substantial organizational structure with established processes and a significant market presence. This implies opportunities for impact within a large enterprise while also potentially navigating established corporate workflows.

Founded: Perpetual Group has a long history, established in 1886. This longevity suggests a stable organization with a deep understanding of its markets and a commitment to long-term client relationships, which can influence the pace and nature of innovation within its digital product offerings.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within Perpetual Corporate Trust (PCT), a specialist business unit focused on fiduciary, custody, and digital services.

• The Senior Product Designer will likely be a key individual contributor within the Product team, working closely with Product Managers, Architects, and Engineers.

• The team is focused on moving "more quickly from customer opportunity to validated digital product solutions," suggesting an agile and results-oriented environment.

• Design systems and AI-enabled workflows are being established, indicating a forward-thinking approach to design operations and efficiency. Methodology:

• Data Analysis and Insights: The role requires translating customer needs and commercial opportunities into design hypotheses, underscoring a data-driven approach to product development.

• Workflow Planning and Optimization: Establishing and evolving design systems and AI-enabled practices aims to optimize design workflows and improve efficiency.

• Automation and Efficiency: The use of AI-enabled tools and the creation of reusable assets point to a focus on automation and enhancing efficiency in the design-to-development pipeline.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's industry and long history suggest a culture that values stability, compliance, and client trust. The emphasis on building internal design capabilities and integrating AI points to a strategic initiative to modernize and increase operational efficiency within product development. Understanding the regulated nature of financial services is key to appreciating the operational constraints and requirements of this role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Product Designer role, signifying an individual contributor position with significant autonomy and influence. It requires a deep level of expertise in product discovery, UX craft, and technical design, with the expectation of leading initiatives and mentoring others. The role is pivotal in establishing and scaling the internal product design capability.

Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, a Senior Product Designer typically reports to a Head of Product, Design Lead, or Product Management Lead. They will work closely with cross-functional teams including Product Managers, Architects, Engineers, and potentially stakeholders in compliance and risk.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer will have a direct impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the product development lifecycle. By establishing robust design systems, optimizing workflows, and creating technically credible prototypes, they will enable faster iteration, reduce development rework, and ensure that digital products meet both user needs and stringent regulatory requirements, directly influencing business agility and market responsiveness.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Develop expertise in scaling design systems, implementing AI-enabled design workflows, and managing design operations within a regulated financial services environment.

• Leadership Potential: Opportunity to become the "cornerstone of a sustainable internal product design capability," potentially leading to future leadership roles in design management or product strategy.

• Specialization: Deepen knowledge in enterprise software design, financial services products, and the responsible integration of AI in product development.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain valuable experience collaborating with architects, engineers, and business stakeholders to understand the broader operational and commercial landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a unique opportunity for a designer to shape an emerging design function within a large, established financial institution. The emphasis on process, systems, and AI points to a growth path focused on operational excellence in design.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in a modern, recently renovated office located at 123 Pitt Street, Sydney. This suggests a contemporary workspace designed to support collaboration and productivity.

Office Location(s): The primary office is in Sydney, Australia. The company also has operations in Singapore, though this role is specified for Sydney.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid work model (2-3+ days in office) is designed to foster collaboration. The role requires close interaction with architects, engineers, and product managers, necessitating an environment conducive to brainstorming, feedback sessions, and design reviews.

• Operations Tools and Technology: Employees will have access to modern design tools, including advanced Figma capabilities, and approved AI-enabled design and development platforms. This environment supports efficient workflow and innovation.

• Team Interaction: The role involves facilitating client workshops and working closely with internal product teams, providing ample opportunities for interaction and cross-functional engagement.

Work Schedule:

• A standard full-time work schedule is expected, with flexibility offered through the hybrid model and the "work from anywhere in Australia" policy. This allows for effective management of design tasks, prototyping, and collaborative sessions while accommodating personal needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work environment and emphasis on collaboration are key aspects of the operational setup for this role, aiming to balance focused design work with team synergy. The provision of modern tools is essential for efficient execution of design and prototyping responsibilities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of application, resume, and portfolio to assess alignment with experience and skill requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion about your background, experience, and approach to product design, discovery, and technical prototyping. Be prepared to elaborate on your senior-level experience and leadership potential.

• Technical/Design Assessment: This may involve a portfolio presentation where you walk through key projects, explaining your process, decisions, and outcomes. A practical design challenge or case study related to prototyping or design system development might also be part of this stage.

• Cross-functional Interview: Meet with architects, engineers, and product managers to assess your collaboration style, technical understanding, and ability to navigate constraints.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss cultural fit and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Process, Not Just Polish: Clearly articulate your design process, from problem definition and research through to prototyping and handoff. Emphasize how you translated customer needs and commercial opportunities into solutions.

• Showcase Technical Prototyping: Prioritize examples where you built functional or technically credible prototypes that demonstrate user flows, data interactions, and system behaviors. Explain the tools and techniques used.

• Highlight Design System Contributions: If you have experience building or managing design systems, component libraries, or design tokens, showcase this work. Explain the impact on efficiency and consistency.

• Demonstrate Collaboration: Include examples of how you partnered with engineers and architects, illustrating how you understood and addressed technical constraints.

• Address AI Tool Usage: If applicable, detail your experience with AI-enabled design tools, emphasizing responsible usage, security considerations, and quality outcomes.

Challenge Preparation:

• Prototyping Skills: Be ready to demonstrate your ability to create functional prototypes in Figma or other relevant tools, potentially simulating complex interactions or data flows.

• Design System Thinking: Prepare to discuss how you would approach building or evolving a design system for an enterprise-level product in a regulated environment.

• Problem-Solving: Anticipate questions about how you would approach a complex product discovery challenge or translate ambiguous requirements into concrete design solutions.

• Technical Acumen: Brush up on your understanding of front-end development concepts and how to effectively communicate with engineers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely heavily scrutinize your portfolio for evidence of technical prototyping and design system expertise. Be prepared to articulate your design process with a focus on operational efficiency and collaboration with technical teams.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Advanced expertise is explicitly required, including proficiency in components, variables/tokens, libraries, prototyping, and design system administration. This is the central tool for design execution.

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma's native capabilities, familiarity with other functional prototyping tools may be beneficial.

• AI-Enabled Design & Development Tools: Practical experience with approved AI tools for design assistance, coding, prototyping, or product development is expected. Specific tools will depend on company approval, but candidates should demonstrate an understanding of their capabilities and responsible usage.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary focus of the role, an understanding of how design impacts user behavior and system performance metrics would be advantageous. Familiarity with analytics platforms used for product performance tracking (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude) could be helpful for informing design decisions. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly within the scope of this design role, but an awareness of how designs integrate into broader CRM or automation workflows within financial services could be beneficial for understanding the end-to-end product ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable. The emphasis on "approved AI enabled design and development platforms" suggests the company is strategically adopting AI, and candidates with experience in this area will be highly valued. Understanding the constraints and requirements of enterprise software design is also key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Stretch: Encouraging employees to push boundaries and take on challenging tasks, fostering innovation and continuous improvement in design processes and solutions.

• Own it: Promoting accountability and ownership of design outcomes, from initial concept to successful implementation, aligning with the goal of building a sustainable internal design capability.

• Make an impact: Focusing on delivering tangible results that benefit clients and the business, emphasizing the importance of design in driving business objectives and customer success within regulated environments.

• Data-Driven Approach: Utilizing customer research and commercial opportunities to inform design hypotheses and validate solutions, ensuring that design decisions are grounded in evidence.

• Efficiency and Optimization: A strong emphasis on process optimization, through design systems and AI-enabled tools, to ensure efficient product development cycles.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close collaboration with Product Managers, Architects, and Engineers is essential to ensure designs are technically feasible, secure, and meet regulatory compliance.

• Process Review and Feedback: A culture that encourages constructive feedback on designs, prototypes, and design system components to refine solutions and improve processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively sharing design best practices, learnings from AI tool usage, and insights from customer research to elevate the design capability within the team and organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's stated organizational behaviors (Stretch, Own it, Make an impact) suggest a proactive, results-oriented culture. For a Senior Product Designer, this translates to taking initiative in defining and improving design processes and contributing significantly to product success.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Designing for Regulated Environments: Navigating complex compliance, security, and legal requirements inherent in financial services products, ensuring designs are both user-friendly and fully compliant.

• Balancing Innovation with Stability: Introducing new technologies and AI-enabled tools while maintaining the stability and security of enterprise-level financial products.

• Establishing a New Design Capability: Being a foundational member in building and scaling an internal product design function, which may involve defining processes, advocating for design best practices, and mentoring junior team members.

• Integrating AI Responsibly: Ensuring the ethical, secure, and effective use of AI-enabled design and development tools, managing potential risks related to IP, privacy, and quality.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in design operations, including the strategic implementation of design systems, scaling design processes, and managing the adoption of new technologies like AI.

• Industry Specialization: Gain in-depth knowledge of the corporate trust, wealth management, and asset management sectors within financial services.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to lead design initiatives, mentor other designers, and potentially influence the strategic direction of product design within Perpetual Corporate Trust.

• AI in Design: Become a subject matter expert in leveraging AI tools for design and development in a practical, secure, and compliant manner.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents a significant opportunity for growth by tackling complex challenges in a regulated industry and contributing to the foundational development of a design function. The focus on AI integration offers a chance to stay at the forefront of design technology.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the discovery and prototyping process for a complex, regulated digital product. What were the key challenges, and how did you ensure technical feasibility and compliance?" (Focus on your process, stakeholder management, and ability to bridge design and engineering.)

• "How would you approach establishing a product design system for a new initiative within Perpetual Corporate Trust, considering our regulated environment and the need for AI-enabled workflows?" (Prepare to discuss your methodology for system design, component libraries, and governance.)

• "Share an example of a functional or technical prototype you created. What problem did it solve, what tools did you use, and how did it inform the development process?" (Be ready to demonstrate your prototyping skills and articulate the impact.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do you see the 'Stretch, Own it, Make an impact' behaviors influencing your approach to product design at Perpetual?" (Research the behaviors and relate them to your work style and operational contributions.)

• "What are your thoughts on the responsible use of AI in design and development, particularly within the financial services industry?" (Demonstrate awareness of ethical considerations, security, and quality.)

• "How would you collaborate with architects and engineers to ensure your designs are buildable and meet stringent technical and security requirements?" (Highlight your communication and problem-solving skills in cross-functional settings.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio around 2-3 key projects that best showcase your senior-level capabilities, focusing on technical prototyping, design systems, and collaboration with engineering.

• Narrative is Key: For each project, tell a story: the problem, your role, the process (discovery, design, prototyping, collaboration), the solution, and the impact (quantifiable if possible).

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively, but ensure your verbal explanation highlights the why behind your decisions and the operational considerations you addressed.

• Technical Depth: Be prepared to discuss the technical aspects of your prototypes and designs, and how you worked with engineers to overcome challenges.

• AI Integration: If you have relevant examples, clearly explain how you integrated AI tools and the benefits or considerations thereof.

📝 Enhancement Note: Emphasize your ability to translate complex requirements into technically sound, user-centered designs, and your experience in building scalable design processes and systems. Your preparation should focus on demonstrating both your creative UX skills and your operational understanding of product development in a regulated industry.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your most impactful projects that highlight your senior-level experience in product discovery, technical prototyping, and design system development. Ensure these projects demonstrate your ability to work within regulated environments and collaborate effectively with engineering teams.

• Optimize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to emphasize your 7+ years of experience, advanced Figma proficiency, experience with functional prototyping, and any background in enterprise software, financial services, or AI-enabled tools. Quantify your achievements where possible.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice walking through your portfolio projects, focusing on your process, technical considerations, and collaborative approach. Be ready to discuss how you would contribute to building Perpetual's internal design capability.

• Research Perpetual: Understand Perpetual Corporate Trust's role within the broader Perpetual Group, its focus on fiduciary, custody, and digital services, and the importance of compliance and security in its operations.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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