Senior Product Designer, Design Systems - 13 Month Contract

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Auckland, NZL
Hybrid
Cloud • Fintech • Information Technology • Machine Learning • Software
At Xero, we’re here to help you supercharge your business.
The Role

The role / impact

As a Senior Product Designer, you will play a leading role in shaping Xero’s product surfaces at scale through your work on the design system. You will work both independently and collaboratively to deliver high-quality outcomes that achieve business objectives and empower millions of small businesses and their advisors globally.

Your work will focus on translating complex ideas into simple, elegant solutions that consider the wider product portfolio. By partnering with cross-functional teams, you will advocate for user-centred approaches and contribute to a culture of design excellence, ensuring every interaction is impactful and strategically aligned.

The team / how they connect

You will join the Experience Systems team, a group of designers and engineers who build and maintain XUI, Xero’s central design system. The team operates within a new Foundations organisation that brings together AI experience, content design, and prototyping to drive highly visible, high-leverage impact across the entire company. You will stay connected through weekly kick-offs, design crits, and regular collaborative sessions, working in a flexible environment that values asynchronous alignment.

The team is currently working on / Initially, you will focus on

  • Leading the rollout of the New Xero Design Language (XDL) across core product surfaces to create a modern, unified customer experience.

  • Evolving XUI into an AI-ready design system, exploring how tokenised foundations and AI-first patterns unlock new agentic customer experiences.

  • Partnering closely with engineers to design and iterate Figma components and React implementations that help over 150 designers and 1400+ engineers ship cohesive UI at speed.

  • Conducting qualitative and quantitative research to identify patterns and insights that inform the evolution of system-wide foundations like colour, spacing, and grids.

Where and how you can work

This role is a 13-month fixed-term contract based in New Zealand (either Auckland or Wellington). We offer a flexible, hybrid working model with no fixed in-office days, allowing you to work in a way that fits your life while still having regular opportunities to connect with the team in person for offsites and collaboration days.

Here are some of the things we are looking for

  • You bring deep expertise in design systems, including a mastery of Figma components, variables, and documentation for large-scale platforms.

  • A portfolio that showcases your ability to craft elegant interfaces and solve complex, data-heavy UI challenges like dashboards and dense information layouts.

  • Your systems thinking mindset allows you to see connections across journeys and balance when to follow, extend, or evolve existing patterns.

  • You have a track record of partnering effectively with engineers and product managers to make trade-offs and drive alignment on design solutions.

  • A curiosity for emerging technologies shines through in your willingness to explore AI-assisted workflows and agentic UI patterns.

  • You possess strong communication skills, with the ability to tell the story of your design decisions using evidence and customer insights.

Apply even if your experience isn't a perfect match! At Xero, we hire based on your skills, passion, and the unique perspective you can bring to enhance our culture and team.

Xero Compensation & Benefits Highlights

  • Leave & Time Off Breadth The U.S. package lists 21 days of annual leave, 10 days of wellbeing leave, five “Xtra” days, three year‑end company holidays, and a paid volunteer day. Global materials also point to 20+ days of annual leave and additional wellbeing time across regions, indicating broad coverage beyond the U.S.
  • Parental & Family Support Primary caregivers can receive up to 26 weeks of fully paid parental leave, with six weeks of paid partner leave. Family‑forming benefits (e.g., Carrot) and counseling/coaching access for employees and immediate family further strengthen support.
  • Healthcare Strength Medical (Cigna and Kaiser options), dental (Cigna PPO), and vision (VSP) are complemented by life, AD&D, and short/long‑term disability coverage. Modern Health mental‑health support and a funded ThrivePass wellbeing account add depth to the health offering.

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The Company
HQ: Wellington
4,500 Employees
Year Founded: 2006

What We Do

Xero is small business accounting software that provides a platform on which businesses can build a fully integrated solution. It’s designed to make life better for people in small business, their advisors, and communities around the world. Xero minimises tedious admin by automating routine tasks, delivers valuable insights when needed, and brings together business data, trusted advisors, and powerful apps in one intuitive platform. By alleviating pain points, Xero empowers small business owners to supercharge their business, simplifying the complex and freeing up time from manual admin so they can focus on what really matters to build the business they’ve always envisaged.

Why Work With Us

Xero is a human-centric organization where you’ll have a tangible impact on the success of small businesses and their communities, globally. Our team of energised, forward-thinkers work to make life better for our customers and each other every day. We’re also always committed to supporting you with a flexible environment.

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Xero Teams

Xero Offices

Hybrid Workspace

Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.

Join us from home or at one of our beautiful workspaces. Xero has offices in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Singapore, and South Africa.

Typical time on-site: Flexible
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