Senior Product Designer

Role Overview

As a Senior Product Designer at Vista Group, you will spearhead the creation of innovative, user-focused products that not only meet business goals but also deliver outstanding user experiences. Your role involves guiding product direction, mentoring fellow designers, and promoting design quality throughout the organisation. Your contributions will play a key role in shaping advanced global cinema software solutions, blending creativity, strategic thinking, and expert craftsmanship.

Team Environment

Our dynamic and rapidly expanding Product Design team is at the forefront of developing leading cinema software worldwide. Based in Auckland, our designers collaborate closely with Product Directors, Engineers, and Business Analysts to devise elegant, practical solutions addressing the real challenges cinema operators face. The design team is a vital part of the software development lifecycle, significantly impacting business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the product and design teams to conceptualise and deliver top-tier guest-facing products by deeply understanding Vista’s, client’s business objectives, and user requirements.
• Effectively communicate design ideas to stakeholders, executives, and external partners while managing expectations and negotiating compromises.
• Define measurable success criteria and monitor performance metrics such as usability scores and adoption rates for design projects.
• Ensure design choices align with business goals, end-user needs, and evolving market trends.
• Promote user-centered design philosophies across teams and stakeholders.
• Identify design risks early and propose mitigation strategies within project timelines.
• Ground design decisions in Vista’s objectives and deep client insights, continuously studying competitors and market futures.
• Regularly gather and analyze product usage data to inform design improvements.
• Lead comprehensive design processes including research, ideation, workshops, interaction and visual design phases.
• Create detailed wireframes, prototypes, and interaction flows that clearly convey design intentions.
• Adhere to accessibility standards such as WCAG and apply inclusive design principles throughout the product.
• Work alongside engineering teams to balance technical feasibility with design quality.
• Support quality assurance efforts to verify UX requirements are met.
• Maintain and refine research methodologies and design documentation for consistency and scalability.
• Contribute to the upkeep and expansion of design systems to ensure uniformity and scalability across products.
• Develop clear, precise design documentation and assets prepared for development use.
• Foster a culture of accountability, encouraging early, low-cost failures and shared success metrics.
• Act as an ambassador for design excellence throughout the business and nurture a collaborative environment involving engineering and other departments.
• Inspire the team to deliver high-caliber work and improve efficiency, providing coaching as necessary.
• Guide junior designers by introducing innovative design methods and tools.
• Engage early with cross-functional teams including Marketing, Knowledge Services, and Engineering.
• Stay updated with the latest design trends, tools, and technologies.
• Facilitate workshops, usability tests, and user research to guide design developments.
• Confidently present design proposals and solutions to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Proactively detect design risks and escalate issues appropriately.
• Manage competing priorities to resolve design challenges in a timely manner.

Candidate Profile

• Extensive experience delivering comprehensive UX/UI design solutions.
• A strong product design portfolio demonstrating strategic, user-focused results.
• Deep knowledge of accessibility and inclusive design principles.
• Bachelor’s qualification in design, Human-Computer Interaction, or equivalent professional experience.
• Proven capability to influence product strategy and drive business success through design.
• Independent management of design processes, including requirement definition, project scoping, and task prioritisation.
• Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision.
• Strong understanding of visual design principles including hierarchy, typography, iconography, and layout, with a passion for precise and user-friendly designs.
• Expertise in contemporary design software such as Figma, Sketch, Axure, and Adobe XD; familiarity with collaboration tools like Miro and TFS.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder engagement abilities, capable of clearly explaining complex designs.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.

About Vista Group

Vista Group is a globally recognised leader in cinema software solutions, headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, with over 25 years of history. Our products serve cinemas, distributors, and moviegoers worldwide. We have international offices in major cities including Sydney, Los Angeles, London, Amsterdam, Cape Town, Shanghai, Mexico City, and Kuala Lumpur. The company fosters an innovative, agile, and collaborative culture, employing cutting-edge technologies and earning a reputation as one of New Zealand’s top tech employers.

Core Values and Culture

• One Crew: We thrive as a diverse, connected team across various locations and roles, supporting and collaborating effectively.
• Shine a Light: Open communication and transparency are key; we ask questions and share insights, ensuring no one is left uninformed.
• Make it Happen: We focus on delivery and achieving great outcomes as individuals and teams.
• Chase Great: We continuously challenge ourselves and others to evolve and improve.

Benefits and Work Environment

Joining Vista means being part of a passionate team dedicated to excellence in software and cinematic experiences. The company supports professional growth, skill development, and knowledge sharing. Benefits include:

• A balanced work-life arrangement featuring a 4.5-day workweek.
• Hybrid working model with a requirement of two days per week in the Auckland office.
• Medical and life insurance coverage following the qualifying period.
• Volunteer day, enhanced paid parental leave, and wellness programs.
• A strong emphasis on mentoring and career development.
• Engaging team events such as the Vista Innovation Cup.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

Vista Group is committed to fostering an inclusive environment celebrating diversity. Equal employment opportunities are provided irrespective of gender, age, race, ethnicity, marital status, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion, ethical beliefs, or political opinions, reflected throughout company policies and procedures.