Senior Product Designer- Premium Spending

Commonwealth Bank
Full-timeSydney, Australia

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer - Premium Spending

Company: Commonwealth Bank

Location: Eveleigh, NSW, Australia (Sydney Metropolitan Area)

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI Design

Date Posted: 2026-05-19

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (50% Office Attendance Required)

🚀 Role Summary

  • Lead end-to-end product design initiatives for the Premium Spending portfolio, focusing on customer experience excellence and business value.

  • Drive discovery, research, and ideation phases to uncover customer needs and inform product strategy within an agile framework.

  • Translate complex customer requirements and business goals into intuitive, scalable, and visually compelling UX/UI designs.

  • Collaborate cross-functionally with Product Managers, Engineers, and external partners to deliver seamless digital experiences that enhance premium customer propositions.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the primary focus is Product Design, the emphasis on "Premium Spending," "exclusive travel, dining, entertainment and lifestyle benefits," and "partnerships with leading third-party providers and brands" strongly suggests a need for design thinking that integrates external services and complex user journeys. This role requires a Senior Designer capable of strategic influence beyond typical feature design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

  • Lead discovery activities, including customer research, workshops, and co-design sessions, to identify pain points and opportunities within the premium spending ecosystem.

  • Develop user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UX/UI designs, ensuring alignment with the company's design system and brand guidelines.

  • Apply systems thinking and design thinking methodologies to conceptualize and design comprehensive solutions that address both customer needs and operational feasibility.

  • Translate customer insights, user behavior data, and "test and learn" findings into actionable design recommendations for product strategy and roadmap development.

  • Champion customer-centricity and advocate for best-in-class, accessible, and inclusive user experiences throughout the product development lifecycle.

  • Collaborate closely with diverse stakeholders, including Product Managers, Engineers, Content Designers, Accessibility Managers, and Legal/Risk teams, within an agile development environment.

  • Facilitate and actively participate in design critiques, workshops, and agile ceremonies, providing and receiving constructive feedback to drive continuous improvement.

  • Contribute to the evolution and maintenance of the design system to ensure consistency, scalability, and efficiency across digital products.

  • Measure and validate the impact of design solutions post-launch using qualitative and quantitative data to inform iterative improvements.

  • Partner with external providers and brands to integrate their offerings seamlessly into CommBank's premium customer experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility for "shaping the future of premium customer experiences" and "influencing the broader product and design direction" indicates a strategic component to this Senior role, requiring the candidate to act as a design leader and innovator, not just an executor.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's degree in Design (e.g., Graphic Design, Interaction Design, Human-Computer Interaction), or a related field, or equivalent practical experience is generally expected for a Senior Product Designer.

Experience: 5-10 years of demonstrated experience in end-to-end digital product design, with a strong portfolio showcasing complex projects.

Required Skills:

  • Proven experience designing digital products end-to-end within cross-functional, agile product teams.

  • Demonstrated ability to lead discovery and delivery activities, collaborating effectively with customers, product managers, and engineers.

  • Deep understanding and practical application of human-centered design methodologies (e.g., design thinking, user-centered design).

  • Excellent interaction and UI design skills, with a keen eye for detail, craft, and visual aesthetics.

  • Experience designing for complex systems, services, or platforms, rather than isolated features.

  • Strong collaboration and communication skills, adept at both whiteboarding with engineers and presenting strategic concepts to executive stakeholders.

  • Proficiency with modern design and prototyping tools such as Figma and Adobe Creative Suite.

  • Comfort navigating ambiguity and complexity, adept at balancing customer needs with business objectives.

  • Experience with metrics-driven product development, including A/B testing, analyzing usage funnels, and interpreting user behavior data.

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience designing within Financial Services or other regulated industries, with an understanding of lending, credit, or complex application journeys.

  • Exposure to designing AI-powered or conversational experiences, including chat-based interfaces and adaptive flows.

  • Familiarity with design systems management and contribution.

  • A passion for mentoring junior designers and contributing to the growth of design craft within an organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "5-10 years" experience range, coupled with the responsibilities of leading discovery and influencing strategy, positions this as a senior-level role requiring significant autonomy and strategic input. The preference for financial services experience suggests a need for understanding of compliance, data security, and potentially complex user journeys.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Demonstrate end-to-end product design process, from initial problem definition and research through to final design and post-launch iteration.

  • Showcase experience in leading discovery phases, including user research methodologies, problem framing, and opportunity identification.

  • Present case studies that highlight the creation of user flows, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UX/UI designs.

  • Include examples of how you've leveraged user behavior data, A/B testing, or other metrics to inform design decisions and measure impact.

  • Provide evidence of collaboration with cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, Content, etc.) and how you've navigated complex stakeholder landscapes.

Process Documentation:

  • Clearly articulate your approach to user research, including methods used, insights gathered, and how these informed design decisions.

  • Detail your ideation and concept development process, showcasing how you explored multiple solutions and validated hypotheses.

  • Document your workflow for creating wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs, emphasizing user testing and iterative refinement.

  • Explain your methods for ensuring accessibility and inclusivity in your designs.

  • Show how you've contributed to or utilized design systems for consistency and efficiency.

  • Illustrate how you measure and communicate the impact of your design solutions using relevant metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's focus on premium benefits and partnerships, portfolio pieces should ideally showcase user journeys that involve integrating external services or complex decision-making processes, demonstrating an ability to design for holistic customer experiences.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Product Designers in Sydney, Australia, with 5-10 years of experience in a major financial institution, the estimated salary range is AUD $130,000 - $180,000 per annum. This range reflects the seniority of the role, the complexity of the product area, and the cost of living in Sydney.

Benefits:

  • Competitive annual salary within the estimated range.

  • Performance-based bonus opportunities.

  • Comprehensive health insurance, including medical, dental, and optical coverage.

  • Generous paid time off (annual leave, sick leave, and public holidays).

  • Superannuation contributions as per Australian legislative requirements.

  • Access to employee assistance programs for personal and professional support.

  • Opportunities for professional development, including training budgets, workshops, and conference attendance.

  • Potential for employee share plans or other equity incentives.

  • Staff discounts on CommBank products and services.

  • Flexible working arrangements, including hybrid work model.

Working Hours: The standard full-time working hours are approximately 35-40 hours per week. The role operates on a hybrid model, requiring 50% office attendance, typically meaning 2-3 days per week in the Eveleigh office, with flexibility on which days.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on research from Australian job boards and salary benchmarking sites for Senior Product Designer roles in Sydney, considering the financial services industry and the specified experience level. The benefits listed are typical for large Australian corporations like Commonwealth Bank.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Banking & Payments)

Company Size: Large (10,000+ employees)

Founded: 1911

Company Description: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CommBank) is one of the "Big Four" banks in Australia, offering a wide range of financial services including retail, business, and institutional banking, wealth management, and insurance. They are committed to leveraging technology to improve customer experiences and drive innovation in the financial sector.

Team Structure:

  • The role sits within the Cards Premium Spending team, a specialized product group focused on enhancing the value proposition for premium cardholders.

  • The Product Designer will be part of a cross-functional, agile product team, reporting to a Design Lead or Head of Product Design.

Methodology:

  • The team operates within an agile framework, emphasizing iterative development, continuous feedback, and a "test and learn" mindset.

  • Design processes are human-centered, focused on deep customer understanding, empathy, and data-driven decision-making.

  • Collaboration is key, with strong emphasis on cross-functional teamwork, design critiques, and knowledge sharing to drive collective success.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: As a large, established financial institution, CommBank likely has robust processes and a structured approach to product development, with a strong emphasis on compliance, security, and customer trust. The "Premium Spending" focus indicates a strategic drive to capture and retain high-value customers through differentiated offerings.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Product Designer. This level signifies a seasoned professional expected to lead complex design projects independently, mentor junior team members, and significantly influence product strategy and design direction. They are responsible for translating ambiguous problems into well-defined solutions and driving measurable business outcomes.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Design Lead, Head of Product Design, or a Senior Product Manager. They will work within a specific product pod or team, collaborating closely with peers and stakeholders across the business.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer will directly impact revenue and customer loyalty by designing experiences that enhance the value of premium credit card products. This includes driving customer acquisition, retention, and increasing engagement with exclusive benefits, ultimately contributing to the bank's premium market share and profitability. Their work is crucial in differentiating CommBank's offerings in a competitive financial services landscape.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Leadership: Potential to move into a Lead Product Designer, Design Manager, or Head of Design role, overseeing larger teams and strategic initiatives.

  • Specialization: Deepen expertise in areas like financial services design, loyalty programs, partnership integration, or emerging technologies (AI, conversational design).

  • Cross-functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into Product Management, UX Research Lead, or other strategic roles within the bank.

  • Mentorship: Formal and informal opportunities to mentor junior designers, contributing to the growth of the design practice within CommBank.

  • Learning & Development: Access to a learning budget for courses, conferences, and certifications to enhance skills in areas like service design, advanced UX research, or business strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The seniority of this role suggests that growth opportunities will involve increased strategic responsibility, leadership, and potentially specialization in high-impact areas within financial services product design.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model with a requirement for 50% office attendance. This implies a blend of remote work and in-office collaboration.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is Eveleigh, NSW, with potential for interaction or satellite presence in the Sydney CBD Area, as indicated by the derived locations. This suggests access to modern office facilities designed for collaboration.

Workspace Context:

  • The office environment is expected to be collaborative, featuring open-plan workspaces, meeting rooms, and dedicated areas for focused work and team activities.

  • CommBank typically provides employees with access to modern design tools, software, and technology infrastructure to support their work.

  • Opportunities for regular interaction with design peers, product teams, and cross-functional stakeholders will be integral to the daily work experience.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is full-time, with a hybrid arrangement allowing for a balance between remote and in-office work. This structure is designed to support focused design tasks while fostering team collaboration and engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The 50% office attendance means candidates should be comfortable commuting to Eveleigh, NSW, and engaging in face-to-face collaboration on designated office days. This hybrid model aims to balance flexibility with the benefits of in-person teamwork.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  • Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio by a recruiter to assess basic qualifications and experience.

  • Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to delve deeper into your experience, design philosophy, and suitability for the team and role.

  • Design Challenge/Portfolio Presentation: This is a critical stage. You will likely be asked to present your portfolio, walking through 1-2 key case studies that demonstrate your end-to-end design process, problem-solving skills, and impact. Be prepared to discuss your rationale, challenges, and outcomes. A practical design exercise or take-home challenge might also be included.

  • Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with other designers, Product Managers, Engineers, or other key stakeholders to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and cultural fit.

  • Final Interview: Potentially a final interview with a more senior leader to confirm overall fit and discuss role expectations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 projects that best showcase your end-to-end process, particularly those involving complex systems, user research, and measurable impact. Prioritize projects aligned with financial services, premium experiences, or partnership integrations if possible.

  • Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role, your process (research, ideation, design, testing), the challenges you faced, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes (metrics, business impact).

  • Show Your Thinking: Don't just show final screens. Include sketches, wireframes, user flows, research insights, and rationale behind your design decisions. This demonstrates your design thinking process.

  • Highlight Impact: Quantify your achievements wherever possible. Use metrics related to user engagement, conversion rates, customer satisfaction, or business KPIs.

  • Be Prepared to Discuss: Be ready to answer in-depth questions about your design choices, how you handled feedback, and how you collaborated with teams.

Challenge Preparation:

  • Understand the Context: If given a take-home challenge, thoroughly understand the problem statement and any constraints. If it's a live exercise, ask clarifying questions upfront.

  • Focus on Process: For design challenges, demonstrating a structured, human-centered design process is often more important than delivering a perfect final pixel.

  • Think Aloud: During live challenges, articulate your thought process clearly. Explain your assumptions, the trade-offs you're making, and how you're approaching the problem.

  • Prioritize and Scope: Recognize that you may not have time to complete an entire end-to-end process. Focus on demonstrating key aspects of your skills, such as problem framing, ideation, or user flow design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "Premium Spending" and "partnerships" suggests that case studies involving integrations, loyalty programs, or multi-faceted user journeys will be highly relevant. Be ready to discuss how you've designed for complex ecosystems and stakeholder needs.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • Design & Prototyping: Figma (primary), Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator).

  • Collaboration & Workflow: Jira, Confluence (common in agile environments for tracking and documentation).

  • User Research & Testing: Tools like UserTesting.com, Maze, or internal CommBank platforms for usability testing and feedback collection.

Analytics & Reporting:

  • Experience with analytics platforms like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or internal BI tools to understand user behavior and measure product performance.

CRM & Automation:

  • While not a direct user, understanding how design impacts CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) or customer engagement platforms is beneficial for context.

  • Awareness of marketing automation principles and how user journeys connect across different touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is explicitly mentioned and is a critical requirement. Experience with design systems and their implementation within tools like Figma is also highly valued. Understanding how design outputs integrate with engineering workflows and analytics platforms is key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, ensuring that design decisions prioritize user value and experience.

  • Collaboration: Fostering a team environment where open communication, shared learning, and mutual support are paramount. Working effectively across diverse functional teams.

  • Excellence & Craft: Striving for high-quality design execution, attention to detail, and a commitment to best practices in UX/UI design.

  • Innovation & Agility: Embracing a "test and learn" mindset, being adaptable to change, and proactively seeking innovative solutions to complex problems.

  • Impact-Driven: Focusing on delivering tangible business outcomes and measurable improvements through thoughtful design.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-functional Integration: Designers are embedded within agile product teams, working daily with Product Managers, Engineers, Content Designers, and other specialists.

  • Constructive Feedback: A culture of design critiques and peer reviews, where feedback is given and received openly and constructively to elevate the quality of work.

  • Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of insights, best practices, and design patterns across teams and the broader design community within CommBank.

  • Partnership Focus: Actively engaging with external partners to ensure seamless integration and a unified customer experience across different platforms and services.

📝 Enhancement Note: CommBank, as a large financial institution, likely emphasizes integrity, customer trust, and a structured, collaborative approach. The "Premium Spending" team will likely value designs that are both sophisticated and reliable.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Navigating Complex Ecosystems: Designing seamless experiences that integrate CommBank's offerings with third-party travel, dining, and lifestyle partners requires careful consideration of diverse brand guidelines, technical capabilities, and user journeys.

  • Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Effectively managing the expectations and requirements of various internal stakeholders (Product, Legal, Risk, Marketing) and external partners while advocating for the user.

  • Data-Driven Iteration in a Regulated Environment: Leveraging user behavior data and A/B testing to drive improvements within the constraints of financial services regulations.

  • Maintaining Design System Consistency: Ensuring that new features and integrated partner experiences align with CommBank's established design system and brand identity at scale.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Deep Dive into Financial Services Design: Gaining specialized knowledge in the nuances of designing for banking, credit, loyalty programs, and regulated environments.

  • Partnership Integration Design: Developing expertise in designing user experiences that seamlessly blend internal and external service offerings.

  • Advanced UX/UI Techniques: Opportunities to explore and implement cutting-edge design patterns, AI-driven interfaces, or conversational design elements.

  • Leadership Development: Mentoring junior designers, leading design initiatives, and contributing to strategic product discussions.

  • Industry Engagement: Access to learning budgets for conferences, workshops, and courses focused on product design, UX research, and financial technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight the need for a senior designer who can think strategically, manage complexity, and effectively balance user needs with business and regulatory requirements. Growth opportunities are geared towards leadership and specialization within a high-impact area.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • "Describe a time you led the end-to-end design of a complex digital product or feature. What was the problem, your process, and the outcome?" (Focus on demonstrating your full cycle design capability, research, ideation, execution, and impact measurement).

  • "How do you approach integrating third-party services or partner offerings into a user experience? What are the key considerations?" (Prepare to discuss your approach to partnership design, data flow, UX consistency, and user trust).

  • "Walk us through how you've used customer insights and data to inform your design decisions and drive product strategy." (Be ready with specific examples of research, A/B tests, funnel analysis, and how they led to design changes and business results).

Company & Culture Questions:

  • "What interests you about designing for premium spending and customer loyalty at Commonwealth Bank?" (Research CommBank's current premium offerings, competitors, and the financial services landscape).

  • "How do you contribute to fostering a collaborative and customer-centric design culture?" (Prepare examples of your teamwork, feedback style, and advocacy for user needs).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Select Impactful Projects: Choose 2-3 projects that best demonstrate your end-to-end process, strategic thinking, and measurable results. Prioritize projects relevant to complex journeys, partnerships, or financial services if possible.

  • Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your specific role, the user research/discovery phase, your design process (ideation, wireframing, prototyping, UI), key challenges and solutions, and the final outcomes (quantified impact).

  • Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals effectively – sketches, user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups. Explain your design rationale clearly and concisely.

  • Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about your decisions, how you handled feedback, and how you collaborated with other team members.

📝 Enhancement Note: Emphasize how your portfolio projects demonstrate an understanding of complex user journeys, integration of services, and driving engagement through valuable benefits – all key to the "Premium Spending" domain.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

  • Submit your application through the Commonwealth Bank careers portal, ensuring all required fields are completed.

  • Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and portfolio to highlight experience in end-to-end product design, user research, complex system design, and driving measurable impact, especially within financial services or loyalty programs.

  • Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your years of experience, proficiency in design tools (especially Figma), and your ability to collaborate within agile, cross-functional teams. Use keywords from the job description.

  • Portfolio Walkthrough Practice: Rehearse presenting your chosen case studies, focusing on storytelling, articulating your design process, and quantifying results. Be prepared to discuss your rationale and collaboration.

  • Company Research: Understand CommBank's brand, its premium offerings, and its position in the Australian financial market. Research their design system and any public-facing digital products to gain context.

⚠️ 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.


Application Requirements

Proven experience in end-to-end digital product design within cross-functional teams is essential. A deep understanding of human-centered design methodologies and excellent UI design skills are also required.