Senior UX / UI / Service Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX / UI / Service Designer

Company: Acenda

Location: Docklands, VIC, Australia; Brisbane City, QLD, Australia; North Sydney, NSW, Australia

Job Type: Full-time

Category: UX/UI Design & Service Design

Date Posted: 2026-08-18

Experience Level: Mid-Senior (5-10 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic UX, UI, and service design for a significant digital integration program, focusing on consolidating multiple advisor, customer, member, and partner portals into a unified, scalable ecosystem.

• Drive the creation of user-centred design solutions, including wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs, to enhance acquisition, onboarding, servicing, retention, and claims journeys across Acenda's diverse customer base.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional stakeholders from Product, Technology, Customer Experience (CX), Marketing, and Operations to translate complex business objectives and regulatory requirements into intuitive and accessible digital experiences.

• Champion best practices in design systems, accessibility standards (WCAG), and human-centred design principles to ensure consistency, scalability, and a high-quality user experience across all digital touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor with significant leadership in design strategy and execution. The emphasis on a "major digital integration program" and "large-scale portal consolidation" indicates a need for robust experience in managing complex design challenges within a corporate environment, particularly one undergoing significant transformation. The hybrid nature suggests a need for strong self-management and communication skills.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the UX, UI, and service design initiatives for a critical digital integration program, aiming to consolidate disparate portals into a cohesive and user-friendly digital ecosystem.

• Develop comprehensive design deliverables, including user personas, journey maps, wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UI designs, to address key customer and advisor touchpoints.

• Conduct user research, usability testing, and A/B testing to gather insights, validate design hypotheses, and inform iterative improvements to digital products and services.

• Partner with Product Managers and Technology Leads to define product roadmaps and feature sets, ensuring design solutions align with business goals, technical feasibility, and regulatory compliance within the financial services sector.

• Champion and maintain a robust design system, ensuring adherence to brand guidelines, accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA or higher), and consistent design patterns across all digital platforms.

• Contribute creatively to a variety of initiatives beyond portal consolidation, including customer communication strategies, educational content design, future-state proposition development, and RFP response materials.

• Act as a design thought leader, influencing strategic decisions by advocating for user-centricity, presenting design rationale to senior stakeholders, and fostering a culture of design excellence within the organization.

• Collaborate with Operations teams to ensure that designed user experiences are supported by efficient backend processes and that feedback loops are established for continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership and hands-on design execution. The mention of "Operations" collaboration is crucial for a Revenue Operations/Sales Operations focused enhancement, indicating that the designed experiences must be supported by operational efficiency and data flows, which is a key area for operations professionals to understand when evaluating this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Design (e.g., Interaction Design, Graphic Design, Human-Computer Interaction), Psychology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

• Advanced certifications or coursework in UX, UI, or Service Design are highly regarded. Experience:

• A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in UX, UI, and/or Service Design, with a strong focus on digital products, platforms, or complex customer-facing experiences.

• Demonstrated experience leading design initiatives within large-scale digital transformation, platform migration, or integration programs.

• Proven track record of successfully delivering end-to-end design solutions from concept to implementation. Required Skills:

• Strategic UX/UI Design: Expertise in user-centred design methodologies, information architecture, interaction design, and visual design principles.

• Service Design Thinking: Proficiency in mapping customer journeys, service blueprints, and identifying touchpoints across physical and digital channels.

• Prototyping & Wireframing: Mastery of industry-standard tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD) for creating detailed wireframes, interactive prototypes, and user flows.

• Design Systems & Accessibility: Deep understanding of design system principles, component libraries, and adherence to accessibility standards such as WCAG 2.1 AA.

• Stakeholder Management & Communication: Exceptional ability to communicate design rationale, influence stakeholders, and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product, Technology, Marketing, and Operations.

• Agile Methodologies: Experience working within Agile/Scrum development environments, adapting to iterative processes and sprint cycles.

Preferred Skills:

• Financial Services Industry Experience: Prior experience designing for highly regulated industries like insurance, banking, or wealth management.

• User Research & Usability Testing: Proficiency in planning and conducting various research methods to uncover user needs and validate design solutions.

• Data Analysis for Design: Ability to leverage data and analytics to inform design decisions and measure the impact of design changes.

• Service Blueprinting: Experience creating detailed service blueprints to visualize and optimize end-to-end service delivery.

• Figma Expertise: Advanced proficiency in Figma, particularly for collaborative design, prototyping, and design system management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "Operations" in the required skills, coupled with the preferred skill of "Data Analysis for Design," directly links this UX/UI role to the operational aspects of customer experience and process efficiency. Candidates with experience in designing for operational workflows or understanding data flow between front-end and back-end systems will have a distinct advantage.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 3-5 significant projects that demonstrate strategic thinking, user-centred design execution, and measurable impact.

• Projects should highlight expertise across UX, UI, and Service Design, with clear examples of problem definition, design process, solutions, and outcomes.

• Visual evidence of wireframes, user flows, prototypes, high-fidelity UI designs, and potentially service blueprints or journey maps.

• Case studies that articulate the user problem, the design challenge, your role and contribution, the design process followed, and the quantifiable results achieved (e.g., improved conversion rates, reduced task completion time, increased user satisfaction).

• Examples demonstrating adherence to design systems, accessibility standards, and responsive design principles. Process Documentation:

• Showcase your approach to user research, including methodologies used, participant recruitment, and how insights were translated into design decisions.

• Document your process for creating and iterating on wireframes and prototypes, including user testing and feedback incorporation.

• Illustrate your experience in collaborating with cross-functional teams, particularly with Product Management and Engineering, to ensure design feasibility and alignment.

• Provide examples of how you have contributed to or managed design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability.

• Detail your understanding and application of accessibility standards (WCAG) in your design work.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations roles, a portfolio demonstrating process optimization, system integration understanding, and data-driven decision-making is key. While this role is design-focused, highlighting how the designs impact operational efficiency, data capture, and downstream processes (e.g., customer onboarding impacting CRM data accuracy) will be highly valuable.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

The estimated annual salary for a Senior UX/UI/Service Designer in Australia, based on experience level (5-10 years) and location (major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane), typically ranges from AUD $130,000 to $180,000. This range is influenced by factors such as the specific company's compensation structure, the complexity of the projects, and the candidate's proven track record.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Working Model: Flexibility to balance on-site collaboration with remote work, promoting work-life integration.

• Additional Lifestyle Leave: Generous leave provisions beyond standard entitlements, supporting employee well-being.

• Incentive & Recognition Programs: Structured programs to acknowledge and reward high performance and significant contributions.

• Comprehensive Wellbeing Resources: Access to tools, support services, and initiatives focused on physical, mental, and financial well-being.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, certifications, and exposure to cutting-edge design practices and technologies.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential support services for personal and professional challenges.

• Superannuation Contributions: Standard employer contributions as per Australian legislation.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are typically 38-40 hours per week.

• The hybrid model offers flexibility in structuring workdays, with expectations for core collaboration hours to be observed.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on industry benchmarks for senior design roles in Australia. The specific benefits listed are derived from the provided text and are tailored to appeal to professionals seeking work-life balance and career development.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (specifically Life Insurance, Wealth Protection, and Retirement Solutions). Acenda Group operates with a clear purpose: to help customers and their families live, save, and retire with confidence. This purpose is supported by a heritage of over 176 years and backed by the global strength of Nippon Life. The company is currently undergoing a period of integration and growth, aiming to build an inclusive, dynamic, and future-focused business.

Company Size: Acenda Group is one of the largest life insurance businesses across Australia and New Zealand, serving over two million customers. While an exact employee count isn't provided, this scale suggests a significant organizational structure with established departments and processes.

Founded: Acenda Group comprises brands with a combined heritage exceeding 176 years, including Acenda Life, Resolution Life Australasia, and Asteron Life New Zealand. This long history signifies stability and deep market knowledge.

Team Structure:

• The role is part of a broader digital transformation effort, implying collaboration with dedicated Product, Technology, CX, Marketing, and Operations teams.

• The Senior UX/UI/Service Designer will likely work within a product or digital experience team, reporting to a Design Lead, Head of Product, or Digital Transformation lead.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a core expectation, with constant interaction required across business units to ensure integrated and user-centred outcomes. Methodology:

• The company emphasizes a "purpose-driven" approach, aiming to create confidence for customers and stakeholders.

• There's a clear focus on digital integration and transformation, indicating a modern, agile approach to project delivery, likely incorporating Agile methodologies.

• A commitment to human-centred design and user experience is paramount, driving innovation in how customers engage with financial services.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The financial services industry context is critical. It implies a need for designers to be aware of regulatory compliance, data security, and the sensitive nature of financial information. This also means that operations within these companies are typically robust and highly structured.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as a Senior Designer, indicating a mid-to-senior level position. It requires a high degree of autonomy, strategic input, and the ability to lead design efforts independently. The role is pivotal in a major integration program, suggesting significant responsibility and potential for high impact.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX/UI/Service Designer will likely report to a Design Manager, Head of Product, or a Director overseeing digital transformation initiatives. They will work closely with Product Owners, Project Managers, Business Analysts, and various stakeholder groups across the organization, including Operations.

Operations Impact: The designs created by this role will directly influence customer acquisition, retention, and servicing, which are core to revenue generation and operational efficiency. By improving user journeys and portal consolidation, the designer will contribute to reduced operational costs (e.g., fewer support calls), increased customer lifetime value, and smoother data flow between customer-facing platforms and internal systems. This role is instrumental in shaping how customers interact with Acenda's financial products, indirectly impacting sales performance and operational workload.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Design: Opportunities to lead design strategy for future digital initiatives, mentor junior designers, and potentially build out design capabilities within new product areas.

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in financial services UX/UI, service design for regulated industries, or complex digital transformation projects.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Potential to move into Product Management, CX Strategy, or operational roles that leverage a deep understanding of user needs and digital platforms.

• Influence on Future Products: Play a key role in defining the next generation of digital experiences for retirement, wealth, and insurance products.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Operations Impact" section explicitly links the design role to operational efficiency and revenue generation, which is crucial for attracting candidates with an operations mindset or those looking to transition into operations-adjacent roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Acenda offers a hybrid working model, indicating a blend of in-office collaboration and remote work flexibility. This suggests a modern workplace designed to facilitate both focused individual work and dynamic team interactions.

Office Location(s): The role is available in Docklands (VIC), Brisbane City (QLD), and North Sydney (NSW), offering geographical flexibility for candidates across major Australian cities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model necessitates a focus on effective collaboration, with office spaces likely equipped for team meetings, workshops, and brainstorming sessions.

• Tools & Technology: Expect access to standard design software and collaboration platforms necessary for remote and in-office work. The company's focus on digital transformation implies a commitment to providing modern technological resources.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with design peers, product teams, and other stakeholders, both virtually and in person, to foster a connected and productive work environment.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (38-40 hours per week) are expected, with flexibility provided through the hybrid model.

• Core collaboration hours will likely be defined to ensure effective team communication and participation in meetings and workshops.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the work environment is a key draw for modern professionals. For operations roles, understanding how this hybrid model impacts team coordination, process execution, and data accessibility is important.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

• Portfolio Review & Technical Interview: A more in-depth discussion with the hiring manager and potentially a senior designer or product lead. This stage will involve a detailed walkthrough of your portfolio, focusing on your design process, problem-solving skills, and strategic thinking. Expect questions related to your experience with digital integrations, design systems, and accessibility.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Product, Technology, Marketing, and potentially Operations to assess collaboration skills, communication style, and ability to align design with business objectives.

• Design Challenge (Potential): You may be asked to complete a small design exercise or case study, either pre-interview or during a dedicated session, to evaluate your practical design skills and approach to a specific problem.

• Final Interview: A concluding conversation with a senior leader (e.g., Head of Digital, CX Director) to finalize the decision and discuss the role's strategic importance.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best represent your skills in UX, UI, and Service Design, particularly those involving complex digital platforms, integrations, or transformations.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, user needs, your specific role and contributions, the design process you followed (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the challenges you faced, and the measurable outcomes. Use visuals effectively.

• Highlight Impact: Quantify your achievements wherever possible (e.g., "increased conversion by X%", "reduced task completion time by Y%", "improved user satisfaction scores by Z%"). If direct metrics are unavailable, articulate the intended operational or business impact.

• Showcase Process: Demonstrate your understanding of human-centred design, design systems, and accessibility standards through your project examples. Explain why you made certain design decisions.

• Tailor to Acenda: Research Acenda's business (life insurance, wealth, retirement) and their purpose. Try to align your project examples with the types of challenges they might face, especially in a regulated financial services environment.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss your approach to designing for regulated industries, emphasizing balance between user needs, business goals, and compliance.

• Practice articulating your design decisions and their rationale concisely and persuasively.

• Understand common challenges in digital integration projects, such as data migration, legacy system constraints, and stakeholder alignment.

• Familiarize yourself with Acenda's mission and values, and be ready to explain how your design philosophy aligns with them.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations candidates, emphasizing how design decisions impact operational workflows, data integrity, and efficiency metrics will be key during portfolio review and interviews. Highlighting experience with CRM integrations, data capture, or process automation driven by UX improvements would be beneficial.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly preferred), Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision. Proficiency in creating wireframes, user flows, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity UI mockups.

• Design Systems: Experience creating, contributing to, or working within established design systems.

• Collaboration & Project Management: Jira, Confluence, Trello, Asana, Miro, Mural. Experience working with these tools in an Agile environment.

• User Research & Testing: Tools like UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze, or internal tools for conducting usability studies and gathering feedback.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Analytics Platforms: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar tools for understanding user behaviour and measuring the impact of design changes.

• Data Visualization: Tools like Tableau or Power BI may be used by other teams, so an understanding of how design impacts data reporting is beneficial.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM Systems: Familiarity with CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics) is advantageous, as designs often need to integrate with or complement CRM functionalities.

• Marketing Automation: Understanding of how marketing automation tools (e.g., Marketo, HubSpot) interact with customer journeys.

• Integration Platforms: Awareness of how front-end designs connect with backend systems and APIs.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations roles, understanding the interplay between front-end design tools and back-end operational systems (CRM, marketing automation, data warehouses) is crucial. Highlighting experience in designing for seamless data flow or improving data capture through UX is a strong differentiator.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Purpose-Driven: A strong emphasis on the company's mission to help customers live, save, and retire with confidence. This translates to a focus on creating meaningful and impactful experiences.

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving customer needs, ensuring that all initiatives, including digital ones, are designed with the user at the forefront.

• Integrity & Trust: As a financial services organization, ethical conduct, transparency, and building trust are paramount in all operations and customer interactions.

• Collaboration & Inclusion: Acenda strives to be an inclusive, dynamic, and future-focused business, encouraging collaboration and diverse perspectives.

• Adaptability & Agility: Embracing change and actively participating in integration and growth initiatives, demonstrating flexibility and a proactive approach to new challenges.

• Efficiency & Simplicity: A drive to simplify processes and enable people to operate efficiently, allowing more time for meaningful work.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role demands strong collaboration with Product, Technology, CX, Marketing, and Operations teams, fostering a shared understanding and ownership of digital experiences.

• Agile & Iterative: A collaborative style that aligns with Agile methodologies, involving regular feedback loops, iterative design, and continuous improvement.

• Open Communication: Encouraging open dialogue, constructive feedback, and knowledge sharing to drive innovation and problem-solving.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Proactive engagement with stakeholders at all levels to ensure alignment, manage expectations, and build consensus around design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on purpose, customer-centricity, and integrity aligns well with operational values focused on ethical service delivery and customer satisfaction. The mention of efficiency and simplicity is directly relevant to operations professionals aiming to streamline processes.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Complexity in a Regulated Industry: Balancing user needs with stringent regulatory requirements (e.g., ASIC, APRA guidelines) in financial services.

• Digital Integration & Legacy Systems: Consolidating multiple disparate portals and potentially integrating with older legacy systems, requiring careful design and problem-solving.

• Managing Stakeholder Expectations: Aligning diverse stakeholder needs and priorities across different departments (Product, Tech, Marketing, Operations) within a fast-paced transformation program.

• Driving Adoption of Design Systems: Ensuring consistent application of design systems across various teams and projects to maintain scalability and coherence.

• Adapting to Change: Thriving in a dynamic environment undergoing significant integration and growth, requiring continuous learning and adaptability.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Training: Access to training in advanced UX/UI techniques, service design frameworks, and tools relevant to the financial services sector.

• Industry Conferences & Events: Opportunities to attend relevant design and financial services industry conferences to stay abreast of trends and best practices.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gaining deep insights into Product Management, Operations, and Marketing strategies through close collaboration.

• Mentorship: Potential to receive mentorship from senior design leaders or participate in formal mentorship programs within Acenda.

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to lead design initiatives, mentor junior team members, and influence strategic direction within the digital transformation program.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges highlight areas where operational expertise is crucial for successful design implementation. For instance, understanding regulatory constraints and legacy system limitations requires close collaboration with operations and compliance teams.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the design for a complex digital integration or platform migration. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Focus on your process, stakeholder management, and problem-solving.)

• "How do you approach balancing user needs, business objectives, and regulatory compliance in a financial services context?" (Highlight your understanding of user-centred design within constraints.)

• "Walk us through your process for creating and maintaining a design system. What are the benefits, and how do you ensure its adoption across teams?" (Demonstrate your knowledge of scalability and consistency.)

• "How have you used user research and data to inform your design decisions, particularly in improving operational efficiency or customer journeys?" (Showcase your data-driven approach and impact.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Acenda's purpose and mission in the financial services sector?" (Research Acenda's purpose, values, and recent news.)

• "How do you see your role contributing to Acenda's goal of building confidence for customers and employees?" (Connect your design philosophy to their mission.)

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid environment and collaborating with distributed teams. What strategies do you use to ensure effective communication and productivity?" (Highlight your self-management and team collaboration skills.)

• "How do you approach fostering an inclusive and collaborative team culture as a senior designer?" (Align with Acenda's stated values.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the 'Why': Clearly articulate the problem you were solving for the user and the business at the outset of each case study.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use visuals (wireframes, mockups, prototypes, journey maps) to illustrate your design process and solutions. Keep text concise and focus on key insights.

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, present metrics that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., conversion rates, task completion times, user satisfaction improvements). If direct metrics aren't available, articulate the intended operational or business impact.

• Explain Your Role: Be specific about your contributions, especially in team projects. Clearly differentiate your work from that of others.

• Highlight Process & Constraints: Explain the methodologies you used (user research, prototyping, testing) and how you navigated any constraints (technical, regulatory, time).

• Connect to Acenda: Briefly explain how your experience and approach align with Acenda's needs, particularly in integrating complex systems and serving customers in the financial sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: For candidates with an operations background, framing portfolio examples to demonstrate how design choices impact operational efficiency, data integrity, or process automation will be a significant advantage. Emphasize any experience where UX improvements led to reduced manual effort or better data capture.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior UX / UI / Service Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Apply directly through the Acenda careers portal or the provided link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience in digital transformation, platform integration, UX/UI design, service design, design systems, and accessibility. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 strong projects that showcase your strategic thinking, hands-on design skills, and impact. Ensure it clearly demonstrates your process, problem-solving abilities, and results, particularly relating to complex digital products and user journeys.

• Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to articulate your experience, design philosophy, and how you can contribute to Acenda's mission and digital integration goals during interviews. Practice presenting your portfolio projects with a focus on impact and process.

• Research Acenda: Understand Acenda's purpose, values, brands, and the financial services industry. Familiarize yourself with their current digital initiatives and the challenges of integrating complex systems.

⚠️ 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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