Lead Experience Designer

About the Role

We are seeking a Lead Experience Designer to join our Auckland-based team and craft memorable, impactful experiences that go beyond traditional screen design. This role suits someone who integrates human behavior, branding, technology, and interaction to develop experiences that are not only intuitive but truly engaging and distinctive.

You will collaborate across brands, campaigns, products, and digital experiences, partnering closely with Creative, Strategy, Production, Technology, and Account teams. Your mission will be to transform ambitious concepts into tangible experiences.

Champion the discipline of experience design within our agency by influencing early project thinking, challenging briefs, posing insightful questions, and recognizing that the best solutions sometimes transcend additional screens and instead present better ideas.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead experience design initiatives for websites, digital products, platforms, campaigns, and emerging digital experiences.
• Convert business, brand, and audience challenges into well-defined experience opportunities.
• Define user journeys, interaction models, information architecture, and design experiences from initial ideation through to final delivery.
• Create wireframes, prototypes, high-fidelity designs, and design systems that embody the creative vision.
• Collaborate with Creative and Strategy teams to align brand perspectives with user experience design.
• Critically evaluate briefs and inject experience design insight from project inception.
• Present and clearly articulate design concepts and rationale to clients and internal teams.
• Balance and reconcile user needs with brand, business goals, technical constraints, and creative demands.
• Contribute to the establishment and evolution of UX, UI, and experience design methodologies within the agency.
• Develop and maintain digital style guides and design systems to ensure coherent, scalable, and valuable work.
• Identify and leverage new technologies, tools, and user behaviors to enhance experience quality.
• Mentor junior designers, fostering their skill development and confidence growth.
• Engage collaboratively across different agency disciplines and projects as necessary.
• Ensure project momentum by upholding timelines, budgets, and high creative standards.

Qualifications and Experience

• At least 5 years of experience in UX, UI, digital, or experience design, preferably within an agency or studio environment.
• Profound knowledge of UX principles with proven application in real-world projects.
• Excellent visual design sensibility with experience in digital craftsmanship.
• Proficiency in defining user journeys, interaction frameworks, information architecture, and design systems.
• Ability to seamlessly navigate between strategic thinking, conceptualization, interaction design, and execution phases.
• Strong understanding of digital platform capabilities and limitations across web, mobile, applications, social media, and emerging technologies.
• Advanced skills in Figma, along with Adobe Creative Cloud tools such as Photoshop and Illustrator.
• Experience effectively communicating design concepts to clients and cross-functional teams.
• Capability to simplify complex challenges into straightforward, user-friendly experiences.
• Keen curiosity regarding evolving technologies, tools, platforms, and innovative working methodologies.
• Bonus: Experience in prototyping, motion design, website, or product design.

Personal Attributes

We value candidates who are curious, collaborative, and ambitious. Ideal individuals see the overarching vision but also care deeply about detail and know when each is vital.

About McCann NZ

In 2026, three major New Zealand agencies — FCB, Clemenger, and DDB — will unite to form McCann NZ, merging decades of award-winning creativity and cultural impact. This merger brings together exceptional talent behind some of New Zealand’s most revered brands, setting a new benchmark for creative excellence nationwide.

Joining McCann NZ means working alongside some of the industry’s top professionals and gaining opportunities for accelerated career growth and outstanding creative output within a lively, supportive, and grounded environment based in our Grey Lynn office.

We embrace diversity and value each individual’s unique contribution to our dynamic and vibrant culture.

Application

If this opportunity excites you, please send your CV and a cover letter outlining notable projects you’ve led, experiences you have shaped, and your vision for the future of experience design. We prioritize your thought process and creativity over a checklist of qualifications.