Principal Experience Designer

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi; Palmerston North; On-site; NZD 134,000 - 148,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and benefits

5 weeks annual leave

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) seeks a Principal Experience Designer on a fixed-term parental leave cover until end of April 2027. The role leads human-centred design across a large transformation programme, driving research through to detailed product design and ensuring accessible, customer-focused outcomes.

You will influence senior leaders, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and help elevate design capabilities across the organisation including the Design System and CoE.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading human-centred design for products and/or services.
• Demonstrated expertise in product strategy, helping shape roadmaps and deliver meaningful customer experiences.
• Strong communication skills to articulate design decisions confidently and influence senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor others, enhance internal capabilities, and foster a customer-focused culture.
• Proven experience in leading, influencing and building credibility with stakeholders, internal users and external customers.
• Proven experience of navigating ambiguous environments, including adapting to new challenges and working styles.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and pieces of work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong experience working in agile environments, integrating research and design seamlessly within the product development lifecycle.
• Proven experience in leading design operations to enable efficiency (e.g. design systems, libraries and templates).
• Strong proficiency in research and design tools, such as Askable, Miro, Figma, and Adobe Creative Cloud.

Responsibilities

• Lead human-centred design across a range of connected initiatives from research and discovery through to concept ideation, validation and detailed digital product design.
• Influence at a high level, partnering with leaders, stakeholders and cross-functional teams to understand legislative changes and communicate insights.
• Provide design direction across delivery squads, helping teams make informed decisions while maintaining a connected view of the end-to-end customer experience.
• Lift design capability by coaching and mentoring others and championing human-centred design approaches across Waka Kotahi.
• Contribute to the evolution of the Design System, Human-Centred Design Centre of Excellence and Design Community of Practice.

Skills

Human-centred design

CX/UX

Stakeholder influence

Mentoring

Roadmapping

Communication

Leadership

Agile product development

Design operations

Research tools

Tools

Askable

Miro

Figma

Adobe Creative Cloud

Job description

• Fixed term position - parental leave cover until end of April 2027
• Join a passionate customer-focused team
• Lead human-centred design for a large digital transformation programme
• Can be based in Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington or Christchurch

We are looking for a Principal Experience Designer to provide strategic design leadership across a large programme of work, to cover a team member on parental leave until the end of April 2027.

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

In this role, you will lead human-centred design across a range of connected initiatives, working from research and discovery through to concept ideation, validation and detailed digital product design.

Drawing on deep expertise in CX and UX/UI design, you will bring clarity to ambiguity, identify improvements across channels and touchpoints, and ensure solutions are grounded in evidence, aligned with business and technology direction, and deliver accessible and meaningful digital experiences for customers.

A key part of the role is influencing at a high level. You will partner with leaders, stakeholders and cross-functional teams to understand legislative changes, communicate insights and design recommendations, and build shared ownership of customer outcomes. You will also provide design direction across delivery squads, helping teams make informed and pragmatic decisions while maintaining a connected view of the end-to-end customer experience.

As a leading member of the Design Chapter, you will lift design capability by coaching and mentoring others, strengthening our craft, and championing human-centred design approaches across Waka Kotahi. You will contribute to the evolution of our Design System, Human-Centred Design Centre of Excellence and Design Community of Practice, helping create consistent, high-quality design across the organisation.

View the position description. Appointment salary is from $133632 to $148,480 commensurate with skills and experience.

Ko koe tēnei | About you

To Be Successful In This Role, You Will Bring

• Extensive experience leading human-centred design for products and/or services, with a background in design thinking, product design, customer experience and research.
• Demonstrated expertise in product strategy, helping shape roadmaps and deliver meaningful customer experiences.
• Strong communication skills to articulate design decisions confidently and influence senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor others, enhance internal capabilities, and foster a customer-focused culture.
• Proven experience in leading, influencing and building credibility with stakeholders, internal users and external customers.
• Proven experience of navigating ambiguous environments, including adapting to new challenges and working styles.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and pieces of work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong experience working in agile environments, integrating research and design seamlessly within the product development lifecycle.
• Proven experience in leading design operations to enable efficiency (e.g. design systems, libraries and templates).
• Strong proficiency in research and design tools, such as Askable, Miro, Figma, and Adobe Creative Cloud.

Ko wai mātou | About us

At NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) our purpose is transport networks that deliver for people, places and New Zealand. Our Te Aukaha - Digital group helps enable that by providing modern, fit-for-purpose digital, information, and technology services for our people, partners, and customers. We are future-focused, collaborative, and committed to creating better outcomes for Aotearoa.

Ka whiwhi koe i te aha | What you'll get in return

We Offer a Comprehensive Rewards Package Including

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• 5 weeks annual leave
• Flexible working arrangements

Rā Katinga | Applications close:

2 November 2026

For further information, email: [e-mail]

To be considered for this position you must have a legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

Waka Kotahi is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We recognise the importance of diversity and inclusion and are committed to providing a working environment that embraces these values. Please let us know if you need any support or have any access requirements that will help you through the recruitment process.

Please note that we may begin shortlisting as we receive applications. We encourage early applications as we may withdraw the advertising at any time.