Senior UX Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX Designer

Company: Telstra

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Job Type: Full time, Temporary (12-month fixed-term)

Category: Digital Experience / Product Design

Date Posted: 2026-09-29

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead design initiatives across the full product lifecycle, from discovery and research through to delivery and continuous improvement, within the Digital Experience Chapter.

• Partner with cross-functional product teams to solve complex customer problems and shape connected digital experiences that deliver meaningful outcomes for customers and the business.

• Utilize customer research, behavioral data, feedback, and experimentation to guide decisions and translate insights into intuitive, accessible, and effective digital solutions.

• Apply systems thinking across end-to-end customer journeys, interconnected experiences, and the broader product ecosystem to influence product direction and roadmap discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is a Senior UX Designer, but the description extensively uses "Senior Product Designer." For clarity and ATS optimization, both terms are integrated, emphasizing the product lifecycle and customer journey focus typical of senior product design roles. The fixed-term nature is a critical detail for candidates.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead design initiatives within assigned product areas, overseeing the entire product lifecycle from initial concept to post-launch optimization.

• Partner closely with cross-functional teams, including product managers, engineers, and researchers, to define problem spaces and co-create solutions.

• Plan, conduct, and synthesize customer research, usability testing, and feedback to generate actionable insights that inform design decisions.

• Translate complex customer needs and business requirements into intuitive, accessible, and visually compelling digital experiences across various touchpoints.

• Apply systems thinking to map and optimize end-to-end customer journeys, ensuring consistency and seamless interaction across the product ecosystem.

• Influence product strategy, roadmap prioritization, and feature development through evidence-based recommendations derived from research and data analysis.

• Facilitate productive workshops, design critiques, and stakeholder alignment sessions to ensure shared understanding and buy-in.

• Contribute to the development, maintenance, and evolution of design systems to ensure scalable, consistent, and accessible user experiences.

• Define and track key design metrics, leveraging customer feedback, behavioral data, and business outcomes to measure the effectiveness of design solutions and identify areas for improvement.

• Navigate ambiguity, manage trade-offs, and balance competing priorities (customer needs, business goals, technical constraints) to deliver optimal solutions.

• Support the growth and maturity of the design practice through knowledge sharing, informal mentoring of junior designers, and advocacy for customer-centered design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are expanded from the original description to provide more detailed actions and context relevant to a senior-level operations-adjacent design role focused on product and customer experience. Emphasis is placed on research, data utilization, systems thinking, and influencing product strategy, which are key for senior operations-focused design roles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in HCI, Design, Psychology, Computer Science, or a related field is often preferred for senior design roles. Equivalent practical experience will be strongly considered.

Experience: Minimum of 5-10 years of demonstrable experience in UX/Product Design, with a proven track record of designing and delivering successful digital products and experiences.

Required Skills:

• Product Design Craft: Proven ability to design intuitive, accessible, and effective digital experiences across the full product lifecycle, from discovery to delivery.

• Systems Thinking: Demonstrated experience in designing across end-to-end customer journeys and understanding interconnected experiences within a broader product ecosystem.

• Customer Research & Insights: Proficiency in planning, conducting, and synthesizing customer research (e.g., interviews, surveys, usability testing) and leveraging behavioral data, feedback, and experimentation tools (e.g., analytics, A/B testing platforms) to generate actionable insights.

• Workshop Facilitation & Collaboration: Experience facilitating workshops, design critiques, and stakeholder alignment sessions, fostering effective collaboration within cross-functional agile product teams.

• Influencing & Strategy: Ability to influence product direction, roadmap discussions, and prioritization through compelling, evidence-based recommendations and articulation of measurable customer and business outcomes.

• Design Systems: Experience working with, contributing to, and advocating for the use of design systems to ensure consistency, scalability, and accessibility.

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify opportunities and navigate ambiguity in complex environments.

• Communication & Stakeholder Management: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage stakeholders effectively and collaborate with diverse teams.

• Metrics & Continuous Improvement: Experience in evaluating design effectiveness using customer, behavioral, and business metrics to drive continuous improvement.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing native mobile applications (iOS/Android).

• Familiarity with AI-enabled tools for design, research, or workflow optimization.

• Confidence in using behavioral data, experimentation, and customer feedback to validate opportunities and solutions.

• Experience in informal mentoring or coaching of junior designers, with a passion for fostering design talent.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills are mapped directly from the "Essential" and "Highly desirable" sections of the job description, rephrased for clarity and to incorporate relevant operations and ATS keywords. The "Systems and Tools" section in the original description was a mix of skills and experience, so it's been broken down into more specific skill categories.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase end-to-end product design projects, demonstrating your involvement from initial concept and research through to delivery and iteration.

• Highlight projects that illustrate your ability to design across complex, interconnected customer journeys rather than isolated features.

• Include case studies that detail your research methodologies, synthesis of insights, and how these informed your design decisions.

• Present examples of your work with design systems, demonstrating contributions to or utilization of design system components for consistency and scalability.

• Demonstrate your ability to articulate measurable customer and business outcomes achieved through your design solutions, supported by data or evidence. Process Documentation:

• Detail your approach to planning and conducting customer research, including the tools and methods used.

• Illustrate your process for translating insights into tangible design artifacts (wireframes, prototypes, user flows).

• Explain how you facilitate workshops and stakeholder alignment to gather feedback and build consensus.

• Showcase how you measure the effectiveness of design solutions post-launch and use that data for continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is created to explicitly address portfolio requirements, which are crucial for design roles, especially at the senior level. It focuses on demonstrating the entire design process, from research to impact measurement, aligning with the responsibilities outlined in the role.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given this is a Senior UX Designer role in Melbourne, Australia, and a 12-month fixed-term contract, the estimated annual salary range is AUD $120,000 - $160,000. This range is based on industry benchmarks for senior design professionals in major Australian cities, considering Telstra's position as a large telecommunications company.

Benefits:

• Flexible Work Arrangements: Telstra offers flexible work options, allowing employees to discuss what flexibility means to them.

• Inclusive Workplace Culture: A commitment to a welcoming and inclusive community where everyone is respected, valued, and celebrated, with zero tolerance for harassment.

• Career Development: Opportunities for informal mentoring, knowledge sharing, and contributing to the growth of the design practice.

• Comprehensive Benefits Package: While not explicitly detailed, large organizations like Telstra typically offer competitive benefits including superannuation (Australian retirement savings), health and wellness programs, and potential for performance-based bonuses.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are expected, typically around 40 hours per week. The role emphasizes flexibility, suggesting a focus on outcomes rather than strict adherence to hours, common in agile environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on location (Melbourne, Australia), role seniority, and industry standards for a Senior UX Designer. Benefits are extracted from the job description and augmented with typical offerings from large corporations like Telstra. The working hours are based on the provided AI data.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Telecommunications and Digital Services. Belong, as a brand backed by Telstra, focuses on providing simple, affordable, and connected digital experiences, particularly in home internet and mobile services. This industry context implies a need for user-centric design that simplifies complex technological offerings.

Company Size: Telstra is a large, publicly listed telecommunications company, employing tens of thousands of people globally. Belong, as a sub-brand, operates within this structure, likely offering a more agile, startup-like environment within a larger corporate framework. This combination means access to resources and stability, coupled with the potential for innovative, fast-paced project work.

Founded: Telstra's origins date back to the Australian government's Postmaster-General's Department, with the modern Telstra Corporation formed in 1991. Belong was launched by Telstra in 2013. This history suggests a company with deep roots in Australian telecommunications, now evolving rapidly in the digital space.

Team Structure:

• The role sits within the "Digital Experience Chapter," indicating a community of practice for designers.

• Designers work within multiple "product teams," suggesting a matrixed structure where designers are embedded in agile, cross-functional squads focused on specific product areas.

• This structure fosters deep collaboration within product teams while allowing for shared learning and standards across the broader design chapter. Methodology:

• Customer-Centric Design: The core philosophy is to prioritize customer needs and participation in the digital world.

• Agile Product Development: Working within cross-functional agile teams implies iterative development, continuous feedback loops, and adaptability.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using customer research, behavioral data, and experimentation to inform design and product strategy.

• Systems Thinking: A deliberate approach to understanding and designing for interconnected experiences and broader ecosystems.

Company Website: https://www.telstra.com.au/ (Telstra) & https://www.belong.com.au/ (Belong)

📝 Enhancement Note: Company context is derived from the "About Belong" and "Backed by Telstra" sections, highlighting the relationship and operational environment. The team structure and methodology are inferred from terms like "Digital Experience Chapter" and "cross-functional product teams" operating in an agile manner.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior UX Designer role, indicating a mid-to-senior level position within the design discipline. It requires significant autonomy, leadership in design initiatives, and the ability to mentor others. The focus is on influencing product direction and solving complex problems, moving beyond execution to strategic contribution.

Reporting Structure: While embedded in cross-functional product teams, the Senior UX Designer likely reports formally to a Design Lead, Chapter Lead, or Head of UX/Product Design within the Digital Experience Chapter. This provides both product-specific collaboration and discipline-specific guidance and career development.

Operations Impact: The role directly impacts the customer experience of Belong's digital products, influencing customer acquisition, retention, satisfaction, and ultimately, business growth through simplified and effective digital services. By improving user journeys and making digital participation easier, the designer contributes to Belong's purpose and Telstra's broader digital strategy.

Growth Opportunities:

• Design Leadership: Potential to grow into Lead Product Designer roles, managing larger product areas or teams, or specializing further in areas like UX research strategy or design operations.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Deepen understanding of product management, engineering, and business strategy through close collaboration, potentially leading to hybrid roles or product ownership.

• Mentorship & Practice Development: Opportunity to formally or informally mentor junior designers, contribute to design system evolution, and influence design best practices within the organization.

• Specialization: Develop expertise in specific areas such as accessibility, mobile design, or leveraging emerging technologies like AI within design workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section interprets the "Senior" title and the described responsibilities to outline career progression and impact, framing it within the context of operations-adjacent roles where design directly influences business outcomes.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is designated as Hybrid, indicating a blend of remote work and in-office presence. Telstra is known for its flexible work policies. The office in Melbourne is likely a modern, collaborative workspace designed to support team interaction and focused work.

Office Location(s): The primary office location mentioned is 242 Exhibition St, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. This central Melbourne location offers accessibility via public transport and is within a vibrant business district.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office environment likely includes meeting rooms, brainstorming areas, and open-plan spaces designed to facilitate teamwork and knowledge sharing among cross-functional teams.

• Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, reliable internet, and potentially specialized hardware or software for design and research activities.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for spontaneous discussions, formal design critiques, and team-building activities with colleagues from both the product team and the wider Digital Experience Chapter.

Work Schedule: While a standard 40-hour week is implied for full-time employment, the hybrid nature and Telstra's flexible work policy suggest adaptability. The focus will be on delivering high-quality design work and meeting project milestones, with flexibility in how and when those hours are structured, provided collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: Based on the "Hybrid" remote status and the Melbourne location, this section describes a typical modern office environment for a large tech/telecom company, emphasizing collaboration and flexibility.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or hiring manager will review your application and portfolio. Expect a brief call to discuss your experience and fit.

• Portfolio Presentation & Deep Dive: You will likely be asked to present selected case studies from your portfolio, detailing your process, problem-solving approach, and impact. This is a critical stage to showcase your senior-level capabilities.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Interviews with members of the product team (Product Managers, Engineers, potentially other Designers) to assess collaboration skills, technical understanding, and problem-solving abilities.

• Design Chapter/Leadership Interview: A session with senior designers or design leadership to evaluate your design craft, systems thinking, mentorship potential, and alignment with the design practice's values.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a more senior leader to discuss strategic alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 2-3 strong case studies that best demonstrate your end-to-end product design process, systems thinking, and ability to drive measurable outcomes. Prioritize projects that align with complex customer journeys and digital service design.

• Structure Your Narratives: For each case study, clearly articulate: The Problem (business and customer), Your Role & Responsibilities, The Process (research, ideation, design, testing), The Solution (key design artifacts), and The Impact (metrics, learnings, and business outcomes).

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Include visuals of your work (wireframes, user flows, prototypes, final UI) but focus on explaining the why behind your decisions.

• Highlight Systems Thinking: Explicitly demonstrate how you considered the broader ecosystem, interconnected journeys, and design system implications in your projects.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use data and metrics to showcase the success of your designs. Explain how you measured effectiveness.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Be prepared for a take-home design challenge or a live design exercise. This will likely involve a complex problem statement requiring you to demonstrate your research, ideation, and solutioning skills.

• Systems Thinking Focus: The challenge may assess your ability to think holistically about a user journey or a product ecosystem.

• Presentation & Articulation: Practice articulating your thought process clearly and concisely, explaining your design choices and trade-offs, as if presenting to a cross-functional team.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice on preparing for the interview and portfolio review process, tailored to a senior design role with an emphasis on product lifecycle, systems thinking, and data-driven outcomes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, industry standard), Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision.

• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, Hotjar, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, or similar platforms for usability testing, feedback collection, and surveys.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Asana, Trello, Slack for agile team workflows and communication.

• Design Systems: Tools for managing and contributing to design systems (e.g., Storybook, Zeroheight integrations).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web/App Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel for tracking user behavior and key metrics.

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI, Looker (or internal Telstra tools) for reporting and dashboard creation.

• Experimentation Platforms: Optimizely, VWO, or similar for A/B testing and conversion rate optimization.

CRM & Automation: While not directly a UX Designer's primary tool, familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms (e.g., Marketo, HubSpot) can be beneficial for understanding customer data and journey mapping.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section lists common tools and technologies used by UX/Product Designers in enterprise environments, based on industry standards and the nature of the role described. Emphasis is placed on design software, research tools, and analytics platforms relevant to measuring design impact.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, making digital participation accessible and effortless.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an open environment where ideas are shared, feedback is constructive, and teams work cohesively towards common goals.

• Innovation & Iteration: Encouraging experimentation, learning from failures, and continuously improving digital experiences based on data and insights.

• Impact-Driven: Focusing on delivering tangible outcomes for both customers and the business, with a clear understanding of how design contributes to success.

• Accessibility & Inclusivity: Designing for all users, ensuring digital products are usable and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of ability or background.

Collaboration Style:

• Embedded in Agile Teams: Designers work closely and continuously with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders within cross-functional squads.

• Chapter-Based Learning: Regular interaction with other designers in the Digital Experience Chapter for knowledge sharing, design critiques, and maintaining design standards.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Proactive communication and engagement with a broad range of stakeholders to gather input, present work, and build alignment.

• Feedback-Rich Environment: Encouraging and actively seeking constructive feedback on designs and processes to drive improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: These values and collaboration styles are inferred from the company's stated purpose ("help more Aussies participate in the digital world"), brand positioning (simple, affordable), and the organizational structure (Chapters, cross-functional product teams).

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse Needs: Effectively balancing the needs of a broad customer base (including those less digitally native) with business objectives and technical constraints.

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working within a large organization and a fast-paced digital environment often involves ambiguity; the ability to create clarity and drive forward is key.

• Influencing Product Strategy: As a Senior Designer, a key challenge is to effectively influence product direction and prioritization, moving beyond execution to strategic partnership.

• Measuring Design Impact: Quantifying the precise impact of design decisions on business metrics can be challenging, requiring strong analytical and data interpretation skills.

• Fixed-Term Contract: Adapting quickly to a new team and project within a 12-month timeframe requires a proactive and efficient approach.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Skills: Opportunities to hone skills in complex problem-solving, systems design, and advanced research methodologies.

• Industry Exposure: Working within a leading telecommunications company provides insight into large-scale digital operations and customer engagement strategies.

• Mentorship: Possibility to mentor junior designers or be mentored by senior leaders within Telstra's design community.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Gaining a deeper understanding of product management, agile development, and business strategy through close collaboration.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges are identified based on the seniority of the role, the industry, and the fixed-term nature. Growth opportunities are linked to the senior level and the potential for learning within a large corporate structure.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex customer problem you solved through design. How did you approach it, what was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on process, systems thinking, and measurable impact.)

• "How do you approach designing for end-to-end customer journeys, and what are the key considerations?" (Emphasize holistic thinking and mapping.)

• "Tell me about a time you had to influence product direction or roadmap prioritization. What evidence did you use, and what was the result?" (Showcase your strategic influence and data-driven approach.)

• "How do you balance customer needs, business goals, and technical constraints when designing a solution?" (Demonstrate your ability to navigate trade-offs.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Belong's mission to help more Aussies participate in the digital world?" (Connect your passion to their purpose.)

• "How would you contribute to the Digital Experience Chapter and foster a collaborative design culture?" (Highlight your mentoring and knowledge-sharing approach.)

• "Based on what you know about Telstra and Belong, what do you see as the biggest UX challenges or opportunities?" (Show your research and strategic thinking.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Frame each case study as a narrative: the challenge, your journey, and the resolution.

• Visuals: Use high-quality visuals of your designs, but ensure they support your narrative, not replace it.

• Process Focus: Clearly articulate your methods, tools, and decision-making rationale at each stage.

• Impact Metrics: Quantify results wherever possible and explain how you measured success.

• Systems Thinking Emphasis: Point out how your work considered broader user journeys and integrated with existing systems or design principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: These interview questions are crafted to probe the core competencies required for a Senior UX Designer role, particularly those related to strategy, collaboration, and impact measurement, as well as assessing cultural fit and understanding of the company's mission.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX Designer position:

• Submit your application through the Telstra Careers portal using the provided link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in end-to-end product design, systems thinking, customer research, and stakeholder management. Use keywords from the job description like "UX Design," "Product Design," "Customer Journeys," and "Agile."

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 impactful projects that demonstrate your senior-level capabilities, focusing on complex problem-solving, your design process, and measurable outcomes. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., via a link on your resume or application).

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on storytelling, your strategic thinking, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your approach to ambiguity and collaboration.

• Research Belong & Telstra: Understand Belong's mission and how it fits within Telstra's broader strategy. Familiarize yourself with their digital products and customer communication.

⚠️ 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.