Principal Designer

About the Role

Join Zip's Product Design team in Sydney to lead the creation of impactful product experiences used by millions. As a Principal Designer, you will provide senior individual contributor design leadership across multiple product areas, influencing strategy and design direction without formal people management duties. You’ll merge deep customer insight and strong design skills to build intuitive, accessible financial products, shaping the future of customer interaction through thoughtful application of AI and emerging technologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Head end-to-end design efforts for complex projects across various product domains, from discovery to delivery.
• Craft detailed visual designs, sophisticated interaction models, and swift prototypes to drive product development forward.
• Translate customer research and insights into intuitive solutions that meet meaningful user needs and align with product strategy.
• Collaborate closely with Product and Engineering leadership to balance user requirements, business objectives, and technical constraints.
• Elevate design excellence by advancing Zip's design system, accessibility standards, experience principles, and overall visual quality.
• Adopt a player-coach approach by mentoring design peers, leading craft reviews, and setting high design standards through direct involvement.
• Persuade and align stakeholders across disciplines via effective storytelling, strategic thinking, and customer-centric insights.
• Investigate and apply AI-powered experiences and emerging interaction technologies to enhance intelligent, user-centered solutions.
• Contribute to enriching Zip's design culture, ensuring innovation, consistency, and quality at every customer touchpoint.

Desired Profile

• Proven, extensive experience in leading intricate design initiatives for customer-facing digital products, preferably within fintech, payments, or similarly scaled tech environments.
• Advanced capabilities in product, interaction, and visual design, including scalable design systems, accessibility, motion design, and polished visual execution demonstrated by a strong portfolio.
• A collaborative player-coach mindset passionate about shaping product direction while being hands-on and mentoring fellow designers.
• Exceptional at managing stakeholders and articulating design ideas through storytelling to influence diverse teams including Product, Engineering, and business leadership.
• Experience exploring AI-enabled designs, intelligent automation, and novel interaction patterns with a flexible, continuous learning attitude.
• Strong systems thinking aptitude, simplifying complex challenges into clear, human-centered experiences.
• An openness to adopting AI and innovative tools for growth and adaptation.
• Ability to identify and manage risks effectively, demonstrating leadership responsibility irrespective of direct people management.

Working at Zip

• Hybrid work arrangement based at the Sydney office.
• 25 days annual paid leave including birthday leave and quarterly wellbeing days.
• Generous parental leave policies: 16 weeks paid primary carer leave and 4 weeks for supporting carers.
• Supportive family policies including miscarriage bereavement leave and domestic violence leave.
• Extensive mental health and wellness programs with $299 annual wellbeing allowance, family-inclusive Employee Assistance Program access, discounted private health insurance, and fitness discounts.
• Two days paid volunteering leave annually.
• Access to lifestyle and wellbeing savings through benefits hubs and novated leasing options.
• Fee-free Zip products and discounts with Zip merchant partners in Australia.
• Social events, exceptional workspaces with complimentary daily breakfast and weekly lunches in Sydney and Melbourne offices.

Diversity & Inclusion

Zip is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that embraces diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We ensure accessible recruitment to provide equitable opportunities for all applicants and encourage candidates to request any necessary accommodations.

About Zip Co Limited

Zip Co Limited is a leading digital financial services company operating primarily in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. We specialize in point-of-sale credit and digital payment solutions connecting millions of consumers and merchants worldwide. Our culture is underpinned by core values emphasizing customer focus, accountability, collaboration, and innovation.