User Experience (UX) Designer
š Job Overview
Job Title: User Experience (UX) Designer
Company: Uniting NSW.ACT
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Job Type: Full-time
Category: Design / Digital Experience
Date Posted: April 29, 2026
Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (3-7 years)
Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days remote)
š Role Summary
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Lead UX discovery and design thinking activities to create intuitive, inclusive, and engaging digital experiences across internal and customer-facing platforms.
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Translate insights from user research, interviews, and co-design sessions into actionable deliverables such as personas, journey maps, and future-state experience designs.
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Develop high-fidelity wireframes, interactive prototypes, and contribute to robust design systems to bring ideas to life and ensure design consistency.
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Conduct user research and usability testing to validate design decisions and ensure accessibility and inclusivity are embedded throughout the design process.
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Collaborate closely with developers, product managers, and business stakeholders to influence UX best practices and guide the delivery of digital solutions.
š Enhancement Note: This role sits within the Digital Technology team and offers significant autonomy, requiring the UX Designer to influence outcomes at both strategic and delivery levels. While there are no direct reports, the role involves leading and uplifting UX practices across the organization as a subject matter expert. The emphasis on "not just another UX role" suggests a strategic impact beyond typical design tasks.
š Primary Responsibilities
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Spearhead UX discovery and design thinking initiatives, including facilitating workshops, conducting user interviews, and leading co-design sessions to gather comprehensive user insights.
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Synthesize research findings into strategic UX artifacts such as detailed personas, customer journey maps, and compelling future-state experience visions.
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Design and produce detailed wireframes, interactive prototypes, and contribute to the evolution and maintenance of comprehensive design systems.
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Execute rigorous user research methodologies and usability testing to gather feedback, iterate on designs, and ensure products meet user needs with a strong focus on accessibility and inclusivity standards.
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Foster strong collaborative relationships with cross-functional teams, including developers, product managers, and business stakeholders, to ensure seamless integration of UX principles into product development lifecycles.
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Champion and influence the adoption of UX best practices across multiple projects and digital initiatives, acting as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert.
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Support agile development processes through effective backlog grooming, user story creation, and contribution to product roadmap planning from a user-centric perspective.
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Actively contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the Digital Technology team and the broader organization.
š Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design work and strategic influence. The inclusion of "backlog development, user stories, and roadmap planning" indicates a need for the UX Designer to be deeply integrated with product management and development processes, not just an isolated design function.
š Skills & Qualifications
Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, or a related field is often preferred in UX design roles. Equivalent practical experience will also be highly regarded.
Experience: 3ā7 years of progressive experience in User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design.
Required Skills:
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Demonstrated expertise in UX/UI design principles and methodologies.
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Strong visual design skills with a keen eye for aesthetics and user interface best practices.
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Proficiency in creating detailed wireframes and interactive prototypes to effectively communicate design concepts.
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Experience in developing and maintaining design systems to ensure consistency and scalability across digital products.
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Proven ability to conduct user research, including interviews, surveys, and observational studies.
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Experience in planning and executing usability testing sessions to gather user feedback and validate designs.
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Skilled in design thinking methodologies and facilitating workshops.
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Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to influence outcomes.
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Proficiency with industry-standard design tools such as Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud.
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Familiarity with collaborative tools like Miro or Mural for ideation and workshop facilitation.
Preferred Skills:
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Experience working with Agile development environments.
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Familiarity with enterprise transformation programs and their UX implications.
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Basic understanding of front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to better collaborate with developers.
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Experience with JIRA and Confluence for project management and documentation.
š Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of 3-7 years suggests a mid-level to senior individual contributor role. The emphasis on a "strong portfolio" is critical, and candidates should be prepared to showcase diverse projects that highlight their skills in visual design, prototyping, and design systems.
š Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
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A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a range of UX/UI design projects is mandatory.
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Projects should clearly demonstrate:
- Strong visual design capabilities and aesthetic sensibility.
- The process of creating effective interactive prototypes.
- Contributions to or creation of design systems.
- User research insights and how they informed design decisions.
- Usability testing outcomes and design iterations.
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The portfolio should highlight experience with diverse user groups and a commitment to inclusive design.
Process Documentation:
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Candidates should be able to articulate their design process, from discovery and research through to delivery and iteration.
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Examples of how user insights were translated into tangible design artifacts (personas, journey maps, wireframes, prototypes) are essential.
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Demonstrate an understanding of how to contribute to and leverage design systems for efficiency and consistency.
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Ability to collaborate within an Agile framework, including contributing to user stories and backlog refinement.
š Enhancement Note: The portfolio is a critical component of the application. It should not just present final designs but also the thought process, user-centered methodologies, and problem-solving approaches used. The emphasis on "design systems" suggests the company values scalable and consistent design solutions.
šµ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a UX Designer with 3-7 years of experience in Sydney, Australia, the estimated annual salary range is AUD $90,000 - $130,000. This range considers the cost of living in Sydney and the competitive market for experienced UX professionals.
Benefits:
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Meaningful Work: Contribute to a rewarding career within a leading human services organization focused on social impact.
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Tax-Free Salary Packaging: Access up to $18,550 annually in tax-free benefits, enhancing overall compensation.
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Wellbeing Support: Utilize the Fitness Passport program to support personal health and fitness.
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Employee Discounts: Enjoy exclusive savings through the U Rewards program.
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Hybrid Work Model: Benefit from a flexible work arrangement with 3 days in the office and 2 days remote.
Working Hours: The role is full-time, typically around 38-40 hours per week, with a hybrid arrangement allowing for flexibility.
š Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on market data for Sydney. Actual compensation will be determined by the candidate's experience, skills, and the company's compensation structure. The listed benefits, particularly salary packaging, are significant advantages for non-profit roles in Australia.
šÆ Team & Company Context
š¢ Company Culture
Industry: Human Services / Social Services / Non-Profit. Uniting NSW.ACT is a significant provider of aged care, disability services, community services, chaplaincy, and advocacy.
Company Size: Uniting is a large organization, suggesting a structured environment with opportunities for diverse projects and career development. The exact employee count isn't specified, but it's likely in the thousands, given its scope.
Founded: Uniting has a long history, originating from the Uniting Church. This implies a strong mission-driven culture and a commitment to social justice.
Team Structure:
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The UX Designer will be part of the Digital Technology team, indicating a focus on leveraging technology to enhance services and operations.
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This role operates with a high degree of autonomy, suggesting a flat or matrixed organizational structure where individual contributors can have significant impact.
Methodology:
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The role emphasizes user-centered design, design thinking, and Agile methodologies, indicating a modern and iterative approach to digital product development.
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A commitment to continuous improvement and innovation suggests an environment that welcomes new ideas and process enhancements.
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The focus on inclusivity and accessibility points to a thoughtful and ethical approach to design.
Company Website: https://www.uniting.org/
š Enhancement Note: Uniting's mission-driven nature is a key cultural aspect. Candidates should be motivated by social impact and community service, aligning with the organization's values. The hybrid model and focus on digital transformation suggest a forward-thinking approach within a traditional sector.
š Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-to-senior level individual contributor. It requires significant autonomy, stakeholder influence, and expertise in UX/UI design. It's a key role for embedding user-centered practices across the organization.
Reporting Structure: The UX Designer will sit within the Digital Technology team. While they won't have direct reports, they are expected to lead and uplift UX practice, acting as a subject matter expert. This suggests reporting to a Digital Technology Lead, Head of Digital, or similar role.
Operations Impact: The UX Designer's work will directly impact the usability and effectiveness of both internal tools and customer-facing platforms, which are critical for service delivery, operational efficiency, and stakeholder satisfaction in the human services sector. Their designs will help "inspire people, enliven communities, and confront injustice" by making essential services more accessible and user-friendly.
Growth Opportunities:
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Leadership in Practice: Grow into a more senior or lead UX role, potentially mentoring junior designers or leading UX strategy for larger initiatives.
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Domain Expertise: Develop deep understanding of the human services sector, applying UX principles to unique challenges in aged care, disability, and community support.
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Cross-Functional Influence: Expand influence across different departments and programs, driving digital transformation and user-centricity throughout the organization.
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Skill Development: Opportunities to refine skills in areas like service design, accessibility auditing, and UX strategy through project work and potential training.
š Enhancement Note: The role offers a unique opportunity to apply design expertise in a sector with profound social impact. Growth potential lies in deepening expertise, expanding influence, and potentially moving into leadership roles within the digital or broader organizational structure.
š Work Environment
Office Type: The role is hybrid, requiring 3 days per week in the Sydney CBD office and allowing 2 days for remote work. This suggests a mix of in-person collaboration and focused individual work.
Office Location(s): Pitt Street, Sydney CBD. This central location offers good accessibility via public transport.
Workspace Context:
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The office environment is likely to be collaborative, facilitating interaction with developers, product managers, and business stakeholders.
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Expect access to standard office technologies and potentially dedicated design resources.
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The hybrid model allows for focused work at home, balancing personal productivity with team interaction.
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The role's emphasis on influencing UX practices implies a culture that values design input and collaboration.
Work Schedule: Standard full-time working hours (approx. 38-40 hours/week) with the flexibility of a hybrid model. This allows for planning around design sprints, workshops, and personal commitments.
š Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role balances the benefits of office-based collaboration with the flexibility of remote work, which is common in modern tech and design roles. Candidates should be comfortable with this blended approach.
š Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
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Initial Screening: A review of your CV and cover letter, focusing on experience and alignment with role requirements. Your portfolio will be a key element here.
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Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Likely to involve presenting selected projects from your portfolio, discussing your process, design decisions, and the impact of your work. Be prepared to articulate your approach to user research, prototyping, and design systems.
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Stakeholder/Team Interviews: Conversations with potential colleagues (developers, product managers) and hiring manager (Louise Massie) to assess technical skills, collaboration style, and cultural fit. Expect behavioral questions and scenario-based questions related to UX challenges.
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Technical/Design Exercise (Potential): Some roles may include a short design exercise or case study to assess problem-solving skills and design thinking in a practical context.
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Final Interview: May involve senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment and overall fit.
Portfolio Review Tips:
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Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best showcase the required skills (visual design, prototyping, design systems, user research, accessibility).
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Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the problem, your role, the process you followed, the challenges you faced, your solutions, and the measurable outcomes or impact. Use visuals effectively.
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Highlight UX Process: Emphasize your user-centered approach, research methodologies, and how you translated insights into design decisions.
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Showcase Design Systems & Accessibility: Explicitly demonstrate your experience with design systems and how you ensured designs were accessible and inclusive.
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Prepare for Q&A: Be ready to answer detailed questions about your choices, trade-offs, and how you collaborated with teams.
Challenge Preparation:
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Design Thinking: Be prepared to discuss how you apply design thinking principles to solve user problems.
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Problem Solving: Anticipate questions about how you would approach a specific UX challenge relevant to the human services sector.
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Stakeholder Management: Practice articulating how you would manage differing opinions or priorities among stakeholders.
š Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount. Candidates should prepare a digital portfolio that is easily accessible and clearly showcases their best work, with a strong emphasis on process and outcomes. The interview will likely focus on how the candidate can apply their skills to Uniting's specific context.
š Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
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Figma: Essential for wireframing, prototyping, and collaborative design. Expect to use it extensively for creating UI elements, interactive prototypes, and contributing to design systems.
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Adobe Creative Cloud: A suite of tools likely used for graphic design, image editing, and potentially other visual asset creation (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator).
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Miro / Mural: Collaboration platforms crucial for virtual workshops, brainstorming, user journey mapping, and affinity diagramming.
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JIRA / Confluence: Project management and documentation tools commonly used in Agile environments. Understanding how to contribute to user stories and documentation within these platforms will be beneficial.
Analytics & Reporting: While not explicitly mentioned as a primary tool for the UX Designer, familiarity with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics) and how to interpret user data to inform design decisions would be advantageous.
CRM & Automation: Not directly relevant to this UX role, but understanding how digital platforms integrate with backend systems is always a plus.
š Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is a must-have. Experience with collaborative tools like Miro/Mural is also highly valued for remote and hybrid work environments. Familiarity with JIRA/Confluence is expected given the Agile context.
š„ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
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Compassionate, Respectful, Imaginative, Bold: These are Uniting's core values. The UX Designer should embody these by creating empathetic designs, respecting user needs, thinking creatively, and being proactive in driving change.
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Inclusion and Diversity: A strong emphasis on creating safe, respectful, and inclusive environments for all users and colleagues. Designs must reflect this commitment.
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Community and Social Justice: A deep connection to the organization's purpose of serving communities and confronting injustice. Designs should aim to make services more accessible and equitable.
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Continuous Improvement and Innovation: A culture that encourages proactive contribution, new ideas, and iterative refinement of processes and products.
Collaboration Style:
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Cross-functional Integration: Working closely with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to ensure seamless product delivery.
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User-Centric Focus: Embedding user needs and feedback into all stages of the design and development process.
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Influence Without Authority: Leading UX practice and advocating for user needs effectively, even without direct managerial power.
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Open Communication: Clear and transparent communication is essential for bridging gaps between technical and non-technical teams, and for articulating design rationale.
š Enhancement Note: Candidates should demonstrate how their personal values and work style align with Uniting's core values, particularly compassion, inclusion, and a commitment to social impact. The ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams is crucial.
ā” Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
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Balancing User Needs with Business/Organizational Constraints: In a non-profit sector, resources may be limited, requiring creative solutions that meet user needs within practical constraints.
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Driving Adoption of UX Best Practices: Influencing stakeholders across various departments to prioritize and integrate user-centered design principles requires strong communication and advocacy skills.
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Designing for Diverse User Groups: Catering to a wide range of users with varying digital literacy, accessibility needs, and backgrounds presents a complex design challenge.
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Navigating Legacy Systems or Technical Debt: Potential for working with older systems or undergoing digital transformation, requiring strategic design thinking to improve user experience incrementally.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
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Specialization in Social Impact Design: Deepen expertise in designing for the unique needs of users in aged care, disability services, and community support.
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Leadership in UX Practice: Take on more responsibility for UX strategy, mentoring, and establishing design standards within the organization.
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Agile & Transformation Project Experience: Gain significant experience in large-scale digital transformation initiatives and Agile methodologies.
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Accessibility Expertise: Become a go-to expert for accessibility and inclusive design within the organization.
š Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to the sector and the role's scope, offering significant learning opportunities. Candidates who are adaptable, resilient, and passionate about social impact will thrive.
š” Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
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"How would you approach the initial discovery phase for a new internal platform aimed at improving case management for social workers?" (Focus on user research, stakeholder interviews, workshop facilitation).
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"Describe a time you had to influence stakeholders who were resistant to UX recommendations. What was your strategy, and what was the outcome?" (Demonstrate communication, negotiation, and advocacy skills).
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"How would you ensure that designs for a new customer-facing portal are accessible to users with disabilities and those with lower digital literacy?" (Highlight accessibility standards, user testing with diverse groups).
Company & Culture Questions:
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"What interests you about working for a human services organization like Uniting, specifically in a UX role?" (Connect personal values to Uniting's mission).
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"How do you embody Uniting's values of Compassionate, Respectful, Imaginative, and Bold in your design work?" (Provide specific examples).
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
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Structure: For each project, clearly define the problem, your specific role and contributions, the design process (research, ideation, prototyping, testing), key decisions and rationale, and the final outcomes/impact.
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Visuals: Use high-quality mockups, interactive prototypes (if possible), and diagrams (personas, journey maps) to illustrate your work.
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Storytelling: Frame your projects as narratives that highlight your problem-solving skills and user-centric approach.
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Conciseness: Be prepared to present your key projects within a defined timeframe, focusing on the most impactful elements.
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Q&A Readiness: Anticipate questions about your design choices, trade-offs, challenges, and how you would apply your experience to Uniting's context.
š Enhancement Note: Prepare specific examples that align with Uniting's mission and values. Practice articulating your design process and the impact of your work clearly and concisely. The interview will likely assess not just your technical skills but also your cultural fit and passion for the organization's purpose.
š Application Steps
To apply for this User Experience Designer position:
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Submit Your Application: Apply through the official job advertisement platform (Dayforce) to ensure accurate tracking. Do not send direct applications or emails to the contact person unless specifically instructed.
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Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Tailor your cover letter to Uniting NSW.ACT, highlighting your passion for their mission and how your UX skills can contribute to their goals. Specifically address your experience with inclusive design and working with diverse user groups.
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Prepare Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio is up-to-date, easily accessible (e.g., via a link), and clearly showcases 3-5 of your strongest projects. Focus on projects demonstrating visual design, prototyping, design systems, user research, and accessibility. Be ready to articulate your process and outcomes for each.
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Optimize Your CV: Highlight relevant keywords such as UX/UI Design, Design Thinking, User Research, Prototyping, Figma, Accessibility, and Stakeholder Engagement. Quantify achievements where possible.
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Research Uniting: Familiarize yourself with Uniting's mission, values, services, and recent initiatives. Understand how UX can support their work in the human services sector.
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Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio projects, focusing on clear communication, storytelling, and addressing potential interview questions related to your experience and approach.
ā ļø Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions. The closing date is Friday, May 15, 2026.
Application Requirements
Candidates must have 3ā7 years of experience in UX/UI design with a strong portfolio demonstrating visual design and prototyping skills. Proficiency in tools like Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Jira is required, along with the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments.