Senior UX / UI / Service Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior UX / UI / Service Designer

Company: MLC Life Insurance

Location: Docklands, Victoria, Australia; Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia; North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

Category: User Experience (UX) / Product Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-18

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

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

• Develop comprehensive user journeys, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs to enhance acquisition, onboarding, servicing, retention, and claims processes.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Product, Technology, CX, Marketing, and Operations, to translate business objectives into user-centred design solutions.

• Champion adherence to design systems, accessibility standards (WCAG), and consistent design patterns to ensure scalable and high-quality digital experiences.

• Drive continuous experience improvements through research, usability testing, and journey mapping to uncover user needs and validate design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior UX/UI/Service Designer within an operations-focused context, specifically driving a large-scale digital integration program. The emphasis on "Operations" here pertains to the operational efficiency and user experience of internal and external stakeholders interacting with the company's digital platforms, rather than traditional back-office operations roles. The role requires a blend of strategic design thinking and hands-on execution within a dynamic, agency-style environment.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the end-to-end UX, UI, and service design for a significant digital integration initiative, aiming to consolidate disparate portals into a cohesive and intuitive user experience.

• Design and iterate on wireframes, user flows, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups to optimize critical customer, member, advisor, and partner journeys, including acquisition, onboarding, servicing, retention, and claims.

• Act as a key liaison between Product, Technology, CX, Marketing, and Operations teams, facilitating design discussions and ensuring alignment on user-centred design solutions that meet business objectives.

• Advocate for and implement best practices in design systems, accessibility standards (WCAG), and consistent design patterns to foster scalability, maintainability, and high-quality digital outputs.

• Conduct user research, usability testing, and journey mapping exercises to gain deep insights into user needs, validate design hypotheses, and inform continuous improvement cycles for digital experiences.

• Apply creative and commercial thinking to a diverse range of initiatives, including digital journeys, customer communications, campaign concepts, educational content, RFP responses, and future-state digital propositions.

• Influence the organization's digital evolution by championing human-centred design principles, leading strategic design conversations, and shaping future customer experiences within a rapidly changing and highly regulated financial services environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a senior-level individual contributor role with significant leadership in design strategy and execution. The emphasis on "Operations" in the context of this role refers to the operational efficiency of digital touchpoints and the user experience that underpins them, directly impacting customer service, advisor productivity, and overall business scalability.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While specific educational requirements are not detailed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field is typically expected for senior design roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be considered.

Experience: Minimum of 5-10 years of proven experience in UX, UI, and/or Service Design, with a strong track record of delivering complex digital products, platforms, portals, or customer-facing experiences.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience delivering UX, UI, and/or service design outcomes across complex digital products, platforms, portals or customer-facing experiences, with a portfolio that showcases both strategic thinking and visual creativity.

• Strong expertise in wireframing, prototyping, user flows, information architecture, journey mapping, and user-centred design methodologies, with a passion for creating intuitive and engaging digital experiences.

• Demonstrated ability to lead design initiatives, influence stakeholders, and navigate ambiguity, effectively balancing user needs, business objectives, and delivery requirements in a fast-paced environment.

• Deep understanding of design systems, accessibility standards (WCAG), and digital best practices, with a commitment to creating consistent, scalable, and inclusive experiences.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with a proven ability to work closely with cross-functional teams in agile environments and build strong relationships across business and technology functions. Preferred Skills:

• Experience within agency, consulting, digital transformation, or platform migration environments.

• Exposure to financial services or other highly regulated industries.

• Familiarity with modern design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite).

• Experience in conducting and synthesizing user research and usability testing.

• Understanding of agile development methodologies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements emphasize a blend of strategic design leadership and hands-on execution. The mention of "Operations" in the context of "Operations" in the context of the role implies a need to understand how design impacts operational efficiency and user workflows within the financial services sector.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a range of projects that demonstrate strategic thinking, visual creativity, and a strong understanding of user-centred design principles.

• Projects should highlight experience in delivering UX, UI, and/or service design for complex digital products, platforms, portals, or customer-facing experiences.

• Include examples of wireframes, user flows, prototypes, information architecture, journey maps, and high-fidelity designs.

• Demonstrate ability to work within or contribute to design systems and adhere to accessibility standards (WCAG).

• Showcase experience in balancing user needs, business objectives, and delivery requirements in fast-paced environments. Process Documentation:

• Showcase examples of how you have used journey mapping to uncover user needs and inform design decisions.

• Provide evidence of usability testing methodologies and how findings were translated into design improvements.

• Illustrate contributions to or creation of design systems, ensuring consistency and scalability across digital products.

• Demonstrate experience in collaborating with cross-functional teams (Product, Tech, Marketing, Operations) throughout the design process.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are critical for this role, serving as the primary evidence of a candidate's ability to execute complex design tasks and contribute to operational efficiency through user-centric design. The emphasis is on demonstrating a practical, hands-on approach to design within a business context.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior UX/UI/Service Designer in Australia (Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney), with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is typically between AUD $140,000 and AUD $190,000. This range can vary based on specific experience, the complexity of the digital integration program, and the candidate's negotiation skills.

Benefits:

• Hybrid working arrangements, offering flexibility to balance work and personal life.

• Additional lifestyle leave, promoting employee well-being and work-life integration.

• Incentive programs designed to recognize and reward performance.

• Recognition programs to celebrate achievements and contributions.

• An inclusive and people-centred team culture that values diversity and belonging.

• Support for employee well-being through tools, resources, and benefits.

• Opportunity to shape the future of a large financial services organization.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours are expected, likely around 38-40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary range is an estimate based on industry benchmarks for senior design roles in major Australian cities. Benefits are derived directly from the provided text, highlighting MLC Life Insurance's commitment to employee well-being and professional development. The "Operations" aspect of the role implies that efficiency and effective workflow are key, which the hybrid model supports.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (specifically Life Insurance, Wealth Protection, and Retirement Solutions). This is a highly regulated industry that requires a strong focus on compliance, data security, and customer trust.

Company Size: MLC Life Insurance is part of Acenda Group, which is backed by Nippon Life and is described as one of the largest life insurance businesses across Australia and New Zealand, serving over two million customers. This suggests a large, established organization with significant operational scale.

Founded: The company highlights "over 176 years of combined heritage," indicating a long-standing presence and deep expertise in the market.

Team Structure:

• The role operates within a major digital integration program, implying close collaboration with Product Management, Technology/Engineering, Customer Experience (CX), Marketing, and Operations teams.

• The Senior UX/UI/Service Designer will likely work within a dedicated digital transformation or product development team, reporting to a Design Lead, Head of Product, or similar senior role.

• Cross-functional collaboration is a cornerstone of this role, requiring constant interaction with various departments to ensure cohesive and user-centred outcomes. Methodology:

• The role is embedded within a "fast-moving transformation program" and an "agency-style environment," suggesting an agile or hybrid agile approach to project delivery.

• Emphasis is placed on human-centred design, user research, and usability testing to inform design decisions and drive continuous improvement.

• Design systems and accessibility standards are key components of the design methodology to ensure scalability and consistency.

Company Website: mlcinsurance.com.au (implied from domain_derived)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context emphasizes a large, reputable financial services organization undergoing significant digital transformation. The role's success hinges on navigating this complex environment, understanding regulatory constraints, and driving operational efficiency through design.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior level individual contributor role, focused on leading design strategy and execution for critical digital initiatives. It sits at a level where significant autonomy is expected, and the individual is responsible for driving outcomes independently and influencing stakeholders. The "Operations" aspect is about the operational effectiveness of digital services.

Reporting Structure: The Senior UX/UI/Service Designer will likely report to a Design Manager, Head of Product, or a Program Lead within the digital integration program. They will work closely with Product Owners, Business Analysts, Developers, and other cross-functional team members.

Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the operational efficiency and effectiveness of digital platforms used by customers, advisors, and partners. By creating seamless, intuitive, and accessible user experiences, the designer contributes to reduced support costs, increased user adoption, improved customer satisfaction, and enhanced advisor productivity. This directly supports the company's purpose of helping customers live, save, and retire with confidence.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like service design for regulated industries, design system architecture, or advanced accessibility compliance.

• Leadership: Transition into a Design Lead or Managerial role, overseeing a team of designers and guiding design strategy for broader initiatives.

• Strategic Influence: Become a key voice in defining the future digital strategy and customer experience roadmap for MLC Life Insurance and Acenda Group.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain broader business acumen by working across various product lines (retirement, wealth, insurance) and engaging with diverse stakeholder groups.

• Industry Recognition: Contribute to high-profile projects that can enhance personal reputation within the UX/UI and financial services design communities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis frames the role's growth within the context of design leadership and its impact on the company's operational digital strategy. The "Operations" lens focuses on how design contributes to the efficiency and effectiveness of the business's digital touchpoints.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The job posting indicates a hybrid work arrangement, suggesting a blend of remote work and in-office presence. This implies access to office facilities for collaboration, team meetings, and focused work sessions.

Office Location(s): The role is available in Docklands (Victoria), Brisbane City (Queensland), and North Sydney (New South Wales), Australia. This offers flexibility for candidates located in or willing to relocate to these major metropolitan areas.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and emphasis on cross-functional collaboration suggest a dynamic office environment designed to foster teamwork, brainstorming, and knowledge sharing.

• Tools & Technology: While not explicitly stated, a senior design role in a digital integration program would typically have access to industry-standard design and prototyping software (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite) and collaboration tools.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with design peers, product teams, and stakeholders, both virtually and in person, to drive project momentum and ensure alignment.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 38-40 hours/week) with flexibility provided through the hybrid work arrangement, allowing for effective management of design processes and data analysis alongside personal commitments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment description focuses on the practicalities of a hybrid role within a large organization, emphasizing collaboration and the tools necessary for effective design operations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your application, resume, and portfolio to assess foundational skills and experience.

• Hiring Manager/Team Interview: A discussion focused on your experience, design philosophy, and approach to complex problems. Expect questions about your portfolio projects.

• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be asked to complete a design exercise or present a detailed case study from your portfolio, focusing on problem-solving, strategic thinking, and your design process. This will likely assess your ability to handle integration challenges and stakeholder management.

• Cross-functional Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with Product, Technology, CX, and potentially Operations leaders to evaluate collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to align design with business objectives.

• Final Interview: A discussion with senior leadership to assess cultural fit, strategic impact, and overall suitability for the role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase your UX, UI, and Service Design capabilities, particularly those involving complex digital platforms, integration, or transformation.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem statement, your role and responsibilities, the design process you followed (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), the solutions you developed, and the measurable impact or outcomes achieved.

• Highlight Operations Impact: For this role, emphasize how your designs improved user efficiency, simplified complex processes, or contributed to operational goals (e.g., reduced error rates, increased task completion speed).

• Showcase Systems Thinking: Demonstrate your understanding of design systems, accessibility (WCAG), and how you ensure consistency and scalability across digital touchpoints.

• Be Prepared to Discuss: Be ready to elaborate on your design decisions, rationale, and how you navigated challenges, including stakeholder feedback and technical constraints.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: If given a design challenge, focus on understanding the business context, user needs, and any operational constraints provided.

• Focus on Process: Clearly outline your approach, even if you cannot complete a full design. Demonstrate your problem-solving methodology, ideation techniques, and how you would validate your solutions.

• Prioritize & Justify: Be prepared to justify your design decisions, prioritize features, and explain how your proposed solutions align with business objectives and user needs.

• Communication is Key: Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely, as if presenting to a mixed audience of designers, product managers, and business stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice tailored to a senior design role within a digital integration context, emphasizing the importance of demonstrating process, impact, and strategic thinking, especially concerning operational efficiency through design.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, XD), InVision, Axure RP. Proficiency in at least one major design tool is essential, with Figma being a strong industry standard.

• Collaboration & Workflow: Jira, Confluence, Trello (for Agile project management and documentation).

• User Research & Testing: UserTesting.com, Optimal Workshop, Maze, Qualtrics, or similar platforms for conducting usability studies and gathering user feedback.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics (for understanding user behaviour on digital platforms).

• Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI (useful for presenting research findings and impact metrics to stakeholders).

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding how CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms impact user journeys and data flow can be beneficial for holistic service design.

📝 Enhancement Note: This list includes industry-standard tools for UX/UI and Service Design, reflecting the technologies likely to be used in a digital transformation program. The focus is on tools that facilitate design creation, collaboration, user research, and the demonstration of impact, all crucial for operational efficiency in design.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and serving the needs of customers, members, advisors, and partners through thoughtful design.

• Collaboration: Fostering strong partnerships across Product, Technology, Marketing, and Operations to achieve shared goals and deliver integrated solutions.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: Embracing change, seeking new ways to enhance experiences, and constantly iterating based on feedback and data.

• Integrity & Trust: Upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and design practice, especially within a regulated financial services environment.

• Efficiency & Scalability: Designing solutions that are not only user-friendly but also operationally efficient and scalable across the Acenda Group.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Actively engaging with diverse teams to ensure design solutions are technically feasible, commercially viable, and aligned with business strategy.

• Agile & Iterative: Working within agile frameworks, embracing iterative design processes, and providing timely feedback and design assets.

• Open Communication: Encouraging open dialogue, constructive feedback, and knowledge sharing to collectively build better experiences.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Utilizing research, analytics, and user feedback to guide design choices and demonstrate the impact of design interventions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture and values described are typical for a modern, customer-focused organization undergoing digital transformation. The emphasis on "Operations" ties into efficiency, scalability, and the practical application of design principles to improve business processes and user workflows.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating a Complex Regulatory Environment: Designing within strict compliance and regulatory frameworks requires careful consideration of constraints while still aiming for user-centricity.

• Integrating Disparate Systems: Consolidating multiple legacy portals and systems into a unified experience presents significant technical and design challenges.

• Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Managing competing priorities and perspectives from various departments (Product, Tech, Marketing, Operations, Legal) requires strong negotiation and communication skills.

• Driving Change in a Large Organization: Influencing established processes and advocating for new design approaches within a large, traditional financial institution can be demanding.

• Maintaining Pace in a Fast-Moving Program: The need for rapid delivery within the first six months requires efficient design processes and the ability to adapt quickly to evolving requirements.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Financial Services Design: Gain in-depth expertise in designing for insurance, wealth, and retirement products within a regulated context.

• Large-Scale Digital Transformation: Contribute to and learn from a major integration program, understanding the complexities of platform consolidation and change management.

• Advanced Design System Development: Potentially contribute to or influence the evolution of robust design systems for a large enterprise.

• Service Design Mastery: Hone service design skills by mapping and improving complex end-to-end customer journeys across multiple touchpoints.

• Leadership and Mentorship: Develop leadership capabilities by guiding design efforts and mentoring junior designers or team members.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section highlights the inherent complexities of the role within a large, regulated industry and a significant transformation program, framing them as opportunities for professional development and skill enhancement, particularly in areas relevant to operational efficiency and strategic design.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led the UX/UI/Service Design for a complex digital integration or platform consolidation. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them to deliver a unified user experience?" (Focus on process, stakeholder management, and operational impact).

• "How do you approach balancing user needs with business objectives and regulatory requirements in a financial services context? Provide an example from your portfolio." (Highlight your strategic thinking and ability to navigate constraints).

• "Walk us through a user journey you've mapped or redesigned. What insights did you gain, and how did your design interventions improve the user experience and/or operational efficiency?" (Demonstrate your journey mapping skills and focus on measurable outcomes). Company & Culture Questions:

• "Based on your understanding of MLC Life Insurance and Acenda Group, what do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for user experience in the life insurance and wealth management sector?" (Showcase your research and industry awareness).

• "How would you contribute to our inclusive and people-centred culture, particularly within a hybrid work environment?" (Demonstrate your understanding of collaboration and team dynamics).

• "How do you ensure your design work aligns with business goals and drives tangible results, such as improved customer satisfaction or operational efficiency?" (Connect your design work to business value and operational impact). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your presentation logically: Introduction (problem), Your Role, Process (research, ideation, design), Solution (key screens/flows), Outcomes (metrics, learnings), and Future Considerations.

• Quantify Your Impact: Whenever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs. Highlight improvements in task completion rates, user satisfaction scores, reduction in support queries, or efficiency gains.

• Emphasize Collaboration: Clearly articulate how you worked with cross-functional teams (Product, Tech, Marketing, Operations) and how your designs addressed their needs and constraints.

• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Prepare to answer detailed questions about your design decisions, the rationale behind them, and how you would adapt your solutions given specific feedback or constraints.

• Showcase Service Design Thinking: For this role, be prepared to discuss how your UX/UI work fits into the broader service ecosystem and contributes to the overall customer experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This preparation guide focuses on how to articulate your experience, process, and impact in a way that resonates with the specific needs of this senior design role, emphasizing the integration, operational efficiency, and stakeholder collaboration aspects.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused design position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the MLC Life Insurance careers portal.

• Tailor your Resume: Highlight experience in UX/UI/Service Design for complex digital platforms, integration projects, and regulated industries. Quantify achievements with metrics related to user experience improvements or operational efficiencies gained.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select projects that best demonstrate your end-to-end design process, strategic thinking, visual execution, and experience with design systems and accessibility. Ensure it clearly showcases your work on complex digital products and your ability to impact user journeys and operational workflows.

• Prepare Your Presentation: Practice presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on articulating the problem, your process, your solutions, and the measurable impact. Be ready to discuss how your designs contribute to operational efficiency and user satisfaction.

• Research MLC Life Insurance: Understand their purpose, brands (Acenda Life, Resolution Life Australasia, Asteron Life NZ), market position, and recent digital initiatives. Familiarize yourself with the financial services industry and its regulatory landscape.

⚠️ 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.