Senior User Experience (UX) Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior User Experience (UX) Designer

Company: Vacances Air Canada Vacations / Air Canada Rouge

Location: Montréal, QC, Canada

Job Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Category: Digital Product & Design / E-Commerce Operations

Date Posted: August 05, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (4 days in office, 1 day remote)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end UX design process for strategic product initiatives within the E-Commerce department, from discovery and research through to implementation, focusing on enhancing customer-centric digital experiences.

• Develop and define comprehensive user experience strategies that effectively align customer needs with overarching business objectives and the product vision for Air Canada Vacations' booking platform.

• Drive the adoption, governance, and evolution of the organization's design system, ensuring consistency, scalability, and adherence to UX standards across all digital touchpoints.

• Conduct in-depth UX audits and experience benchmarking against industry leaders to identify usability issues, conversion barriers, and opportunities for continuous improvement in the online travel booking journey.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the E-Commerce department, indicating a strong focus on the digital customer journey and revenue generation through online channels. The emphasis on "operations" here pertains to the operationalization of design principles, process efficiency in design delivery, and the systematic management of the user experience for a high-volume transactional platform.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the complete UX design lifecycle for key product initiatives, encompassing user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, user testing, and design handoff to development teams.

• Craft detailed user flows, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups that clearly articulate complex user journeys across the entire travel booking lifecycle (search, browsing, booking, payment, post-booking).

• Leverage user behavioral analytics, customer feedback, and UX research findings to inform design decisions and identify key areas for optimization within the digital commerce platform.

• Conduct rigorous UX audits using industry frameworks, heuristic evaluation, and accessibility standards (WCAG) to pinpoint usability issues and recommend actionable improvements.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers to define product requirements, prioritize design initiatives, and influence product roadmaps through a strong user-centered perspective.

• Facilitate design reviews, workshops, and stakeholder presentations, effectively communicating design rationale and influencing decision-making across technical and non-technical audiences.

• Mentor and provide guidance to other designers through constructive feedback, design critiques, and knowledge sharing to elevate the overall performance and skill set of the design team.

• Champion accessibility, usability, and best-in-class UX practices across the organization, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and design excellence.

• Partner with architects and developers to ensure design feasibility, quality, and consistency throughout the implementation phase.

• Monitor industry trends in digital commerce and online travel to inform product innovation and maintain a competitive edge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic leadership component for a Senior UX Designer, emphasizing not just execution but also strategy definition, team mentorship, and cross-functional influence, typical of senior roles in established e-commerce environments.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Cognitive Science, or a related discipline, OR an equivalent combination of education and professional experience. Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in User Experience Design.

• Demonstrated success designing complex digital products, particularly within the travel, hospitality, tourism, or online booking industry.

• Proven track record of leading end-to-end UX initiatives for customer-facing web applications.

• Extensive experience designing complex e-commerce experiences and optimizing multi-step transactional journeys.

• Experience working within Agile product development environments and collaborating effectively with cross-functional product teams.

• Experience mentoring designers and contributing to the growth and maturity of a Product Design organization. Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency with Figma, including extensive experience creating, maintaining, and governing scalable component libraries.

• Demonstrated expertise in user research methodologies, usability testing, information architecture, and interaction design.

• Strong portfolio showcasing strategic thinking, user-centered design methodology, and measurable business outcomes.

• Deep understanding of responsive design principles, accessibility standards (WCAG), and inclusive design practices.

• Excellent communication, presentation, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence decisions across technical and non-technical audiences.

• Ability to balance customer needs, business priorities, technical constraints, and delivery timelines.

• Experience with AI-assisted design tools such as Figma Make to accelerate ideation, prototyping, and design exploration. Preferred Skills:

• Experience creating, contributing to, and evolving enterprise design systems, ensuring consistency across multiple products and teams.

• Experience conducting UX audits using industry frameworks and heuristic evaluation principles.

• Familiarity with the online travel industry's unique user journey challenges and opportunities.

• Experience in customer journey mapping and service design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Figma, component libraries, AI-assisted design tools, and design systems indicates a need for candidates who can contribute to operationalizing design at scale and maintaining efficiency in the design process.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A strong portfolio is mandatory, demonstrating strategic thinking, user-centered design methodology, and measurable business outcomes.

• Showcase end-to-end UX design process for complex digital products, particularly within e-commerce or the travel industry.

• Include case studies that detail problem definition, user research insights, design solutions (wireframes, prototypes, final UI), and quantifiable results (e.g., conversion rate improvements, task completion rates, user satisfaction scores).

• Highlight experience with optimizing multi-step transactional journeys and complex e-commerce flows.

• Demonstrate expertise in creating and maintaining scalable component libraries and contributing to design systems. Process Documentation:

• Portfolio pieces should clearly articulate the design process followed, including user research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, and collaboration with development teams.

• Evidence of applying accessibility standards (WCAG) and inclusive design principles in the design process.

• Examples of how user behavioral analytics and customer feedback were used to inform and validate design decisions.

• Documentation of experience working within Agile development environments, including collaboration with Product Managers and Developers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are critical for this role, emphasizing not just visual design but the entire process, strategic thinking, and quantifiable impact, which are key operational metrics for design effectiveness.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for a Senior UX Designer in Montréal, QC, with 5-10 years of experience in e-commerce and travel, the estimated salary range is CAD $95,000 - $130,000 annually. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and the outcome of the interview process. Benefits:

• Generous Employee Travel Program: Eligibility for travel privileges for oneself and eligible persons after 6 months of service.

• Comprehensive Health & Dental Benefits: A wide variety of benefit plans for employees and their families.

• Training and Development Opportunities: Access to tools and resources to support professional growth and skill enhancement.

• Hybrid Work Model: Flexibility with 1 day of remote work per week.

• Paid Time Off: Details typically align with industry standards for permanent, full-time employees.

• Retirement Savings Plans: Potential for employer-matched contributions or other retirement savings programs.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work hours are approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid model allows for 1 day of remote work, with a corporate mandate of 4 days in the office (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, plus one additional chosen day).

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on typical compensation for senior-level UX design roles in major Canadian tech hubs, adjusted for the specific industry (travel e-commerce) and required experience level. Benefits are detailed as provided in the job description, with common additions for permanent roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Travel & Tourism / E-Commerce

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Air Canada is a major airline, and its vacation division is a significant player in the tour operator market).

Founded: Air Canada Vacations has a history spanning over 50 years, building on the legacy of Air Canada.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the E-Commerce department, specifically on the Digital Product and Design team.

• This team likely comprises Product Managers, UX Researchers, UI Designers, and Senior UX Designers, working closely with front-end and back-end development teams.

• As a Senior UX Designer, you will be an individual contributor but expected to mentor junior designers and collaborate extensively with product owners and business stakeholders.

• Cross-functional collaboration is key, involving partnerships with Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, and IT departments to ensure a cohesive customer experience. Methodology:

• The team operates within an Agile product development environment, necessitating iterative design processes, rapid prototyping, and close collaboration with development sprints.

• A strong emphasis is placed on user-centered design, supported by user research, analytics, and continuous feedback loops.

• Design Systems and component libraries are critical for ensuring consistency and efficiency in design and development across the platform.

• Data-driven decision-making is paramount, utilizing user analytics, A/B testing, and performance metrics to inform design strategies.

Company Website: https://www.aircanadavacations.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on "making dreams travel" suggests a customer-centric culture. The E-Commerce department's role in this is crucial for translating that vision into a seamless and engaging digital experience.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor / Design Lead

This role represents a significant step up from a mid-level UX Designer. As a Senior UX Designer, you are expected to not only execute design tasks but also to lead design strategy for major product initiatives, mentor junior team members, and influence product direction. Your responsibilities extend to driving process improvements within the design team and advocating for user-centricity across the organization.

Reporting Structure:

• Typically, a Senior UX Designer reports to a UX Design Manager, Head of Product Design, or Director of Digital Product.

• You will work closely with Product Managers and Engineering Leads on specific product squads or initiatives. Operations Impact:

• The Senior UX Designer's impact is directly tied to the effectiveness and efficiency of the digital booking platform. By improving usability, conversion rates, and customer satisfaction, this role directly contributes to revenue generation and customer loyalty for Air Canada Vacations.

• Strategic UX decisions can significantly influence customer acquisition costs, average order value, and repeat business, making this a critical role for the company's e-commerce operations. Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Progression: Potential to move into a UX Design Lead, Managerial role, or specialize in a specific area like Design Systems or UX Research leadership.

• Domain Expertise: Deepen knowledge within the travel and e-commerce industry, becoming a subject matter expert in online booking experiences.

• Strategic Influence: Increased involvement in product strategy, roadmap planning, and cross-departmental initiatives.

• Mentorship & Training: Formalize mentorship responsibilities and contribute to the development of design talent within the organization.

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to focus on emerging areas like AI in design, advanced analytics for UX, or complex personalization strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers significant growth potential, moving beyond execution to strategic leadership and mentorship, which are key career progression paths for experienced operations and design professionals.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid Work Model

• The company mandates 4 days in the office per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, plus one additional chosen day) and 1 day working from home. This suggests an emphasis on in-person collaboration, team building, and leveraging office resources, while still offering some flexibility. Office Location(s):

• Montréal, QC, Canada. Specific office details (e.g., accessibility, amenities) would typically be available upon request or during the interview process. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model encourages face-to-face interaction, fostering a dynamic environment for brainstorming, design critiques, and cross-functional team alignment.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design tools like Figma, potentially with advanced features like Figma Make, and other collaborative software. The company likely provides necessary hardware and software licenses.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities to connect with UX researchers, UI designers, product managers, developers, and other stakeholders, facilitating knowledge sharing and integrated workflow.

Work Schedule:

• Standard business hours, with the hybrid model providing flexibility on the remote work day. The emphasis on collaboration during office days suggests that core working hours will be aligned with team availability.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a significant aspect of the work environment, balancing the need for in-office collaboration with employee flexibility. This requires strong self-management and communication skills from operations professionals.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review & Design Challenge: Presentation of your portfolio, followed by a potential design challenge or case study discussion related to e-commerce or travel booking experiences. This assesses your strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and design process.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion about your experience, leadership capabilities, mentorship approach, and alignment with the team's needs.

• Cross-Functional Interviews: Meetings with Product Managers, Developers, or other key stakeholders to evaluate collaboration skills and understanding of the product development lifecycle.

• Final Round: Potentially a discussion with senior leadership or a final Q&A session.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your senior-level UX skills, e-commerce experience, and ability to drive business outcomes.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the design process, the challenges faced, the solutions you implemented, and the measurable results. Use visuals effectively (user flows, wireframes, prototypes, final designs).

• Highlight Process & Strategy: Emphasize your strategic thinking, user research methodology, and how you translated insights into design decisions. Showcase your understanding of e-commerce optimization and user journeys.

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your experience with Figma, component libraries, design systems, and AI-assisted design tools.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the positive impact of your designs on business goals (e.g., conversion rates, engagement, task success).

• Tailor to Air Canada Vacations: Research their current platform, identify potential areas for improvement, and be prepared to discuss how your skills can address their specific challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

• Anticipate challenges that involve designing a feature for a travel booking platform, optimizing a complex checkout flow, or conducting a UX audit of an existing interface.

• Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, explaining your rationale for design decisions.

• Be prepared to discuss trade-offs between user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and potential design challenges highlights the practical, results-oriented nature of this role, requiring candidates to demonstrate their ability to solve real-world business problems through design.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Advanced proficiency required for wireframing, prototyping, high-fidelity design, and component library management.

• AI-Assisted Design Tools (e.g., Figma Make): Experience or willingness to learn and leverage these tools for accelerated design processes.

• Prototyping Tools: Figma's prototyping capabilities, or potentially others like InVision, Adobe XD (though Figma is specified as primary).

• Design System Management Tools: Experience with tools or platforms used to manage and govern design systems.

Analytics & Reporting:

• User Behavioral Analytics Tools: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar platforms to understand user behavior on the website.

• Data Visualization Tools: Experience interpreting data from dashboards and reporting tools to inform design decisions.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a UX tool, understanding how CRM data and marketing automation might influence user journeys and personalization can be beneficial. Collaboration & Project Management:

• Agile Project Management Tools: Jira, Confluence, or similar tools for tracking design tasks and collaborating with development teams.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma and AI-assisted design tools like Figma Make points to a modern, efficiency-focused design workflow. Understanding analytics tools is crucial for data-informed design.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of travelers, ensuring every digital interaction is positive and efficient.

• Design Excellence & Innovation: Striving for high-quality, intuitive, and aesthetically pleasing designs that push the boundaries of the online travel experience.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively across departments to achieve shared goals, fostering an environment of mutual respect and open communication.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing analytics, research, and testing to validate design choices and measure their impact on business objectives.

• Continuous Improvement: A proactive approach to identifying areas for enhancement, embracing feedback, and iterating on designs to optimize performance.

• Efficiency & Scalability: Designing solutions that are not only effective but also maintainable, scalable, and efficient to implement and manage.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Active participation in Agile teams, working closely with Product Managers, Developers, UX Researchers, and other stakeholders to ensure alignment and seamless execution.

• Design Critiques & Feedback: A culture that values constructive feedback and open dialogue during design reviews and workshops to elevate the quality of work.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, insights, and learnings across the design and product teams to foster collective growth.

• Agile Mindset: Embracing iterative development, flexibility, and adaptability to changing requirements and priorities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values emphasize a blend of creative excellence with operational efficiency, crucial for a large-scale e-commerce platform in a competitive industry.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Effectively managing diverse requirements from various business units (e.g., sales, marketing, operations) while prioritizing user needs and technical feasibility.

• Complex Transactional Flows: Designing intuitive experiences for multi-step processes like booking flights, hotels, and vacation packages, which can be intricate and prone to user error.

• Evolving Digital Landscape: Keeping pace with rapid technological advancements, changing customer expectations, and competitive pressures in the online travel and e-commerce sectors.

• Design System Governance: Ensuring consistent adoption and evolution of the design system across multiple product teams and initiatives, which can be challenging in a large organization.

• Mentoring and Up-skilling: Effectively guiding and developing junior designers while managing your own senior-level responsibilities.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced UX Methodologies: Opportunity to explore and implement cutting-edge UX research and design techniques.

• Industry Conferences & Certifications: Support for attending relevant industry events (e.g., UXPA, Nielsen Norman Group) and pursuing certifications in specialized UX areas.

• Cross-Disciplinary Exposure: Gaining deeper insights into the operational, marketing, and business aspects of the travel industry through close collaboration.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to take on project leadership roles, mentor emerging talent, and contribute to the strategic direction of the design organization.

• AI in Design Exploration: Becoming proficient in leveraging AI tools to enhance design workflows and explore new creative possibilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers substantial opportunities for professional development by tackling complex design problems and contributing to the strategic evolution of a major digital platform.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the UX strategy for a complex product initiative. What was your process, and what were the key outcomes?" (Focus on strategic thinking, process, and measurable results.)

• "How do you balance competing stakeholder demands with user needs and technical constraints in a fast-paced Agile environment?" (Highlight your negotiation, prioritization, and collaboration skills.)

• "Walk us through a challenging e-commerce conversion funnel optimization you designed. What were the issues, your solutions, and the impact?" (Prepare a detailed case study from your portfolio.)

• "How do you approach conducting a UX audit on an existing digital product? What frameworks do you use, and how do you present your findings?" (Demonstrate your analytical and evaluative skills.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Air Canada Vacations and the travel industry? How do you see your UX expertise contributing to our mission?" (Research the company's brand, values, and recent initiatives.)

• "Describe your experience mentoring junior designers. What is your approach to providing feedback and fostering growth?" (Showcase your leadership and team development capabilities.)

• "How do you ensure accessibility and inclusive design are integrated into your workflow from the beginning of a project?" (Emphasize your commitment to WCAG and ethical design practices.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Begin with a brief overview of your career and key strengths. For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, key decisions, challenges, solutions, and quantifiable results.

• Storytelling: Frame your projects as narratives that highlight your problem-solving skills and impact. Use visuals effectively to illustrate your points.

• Interactivity: Be prepared to navigate through your interactive prototypes or Figma files to demonstrate your design execution and user flows.

• Q&A Readiness: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs, and how you would apply your experience to Air Canada Vacations' specific challenges.

• Focus on Seniority: Emphasize your strategic contributions, leadership, and ability to influence beyond just design execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: Tailoring your preparation to the company's industry (travel e-commerce) and the specific requirements (Figma, design systems, AI tools, mentorship) will be key to success.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior User Experience (UX) Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Utilize the provided link on the Dayforce careers portal.

• Tailor Your Resume: Ensure your resume clearly highlights your 5+ years of relevant UX experience, specific accomplishments in e-commerce and the travel industry, and proficiency with Figma and design systems. Use keywords from the job description.

• Prepare Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest case studies that demonstrate your end-to-end UX process, strategic thinking, and measurable impact, especially in complex transactional or e-commerce environments. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., a dedicated website or PDF).

• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio, focusing on clear storytelling, highlighting your strategic contributions, and articulating your design rationale. Be ready to discuss specific projects in detail.

• Research Air Canada Vacations: Understand their business, target audience, current digital offerings, and any recent industry news to tailor your responses and demonstrate genuine interest.

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

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