Standard Bank Group is a leading Africa-focused financial services group, and an innovative player on the global stage, that offers a variety of career-enhancing opportunities – plus the chance to work alongside some of the sector’s most talented, motivated professionals. Our clients range from individuals, to businesses of all sizes, high net worth families and large multinational corporates and institutions. We’re passionate about creating growth in Africa. Bringing true, meaningful value to our clients and the communities we serve and creating a real sense of purpose for you.

To lead the implementation of the Experience Design (ED) strategy within the area of TPS Transactional Payments, ensuring a seamless end-to-end experience for clients. The role champions design thinking, drives cross-functional collaboration, and takes shared accountability for business outcomes. It also involves mentoring and managing design teams, while contributing to the ongoing evolution of the design practice.

 

We are looking for a senior Head of Experience Design to own and lead the end‑to‑end experience design strategy across a defined portfolio. This role is accountable for delivering seamless, human‑centred digital and service experiences that drive measurable business outcomes, while embedding design thinking across squads, platforms and value streams.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the end‑to‑end usability and experience quality of customer and employee journeys, using data, research and insights to guide trade‑off decisions. 
• Lead and evolve the Experience Design strategy across research, UX, service design, interaction design and content design. 
• Partner closely with Product, Technology, Data, Marketing, Risk and Compliance to align design priorities with business goals and delivery plans. 
• Influence digital product roadmaps and ensure design is embedded throughout the full product lifecycle (discovery through delivery and optimisation). 
• Drive continuous improvement by analysing NPS, customer feedback, analytics and market trends to identify experience gaps and opportunities.
• Champion design governance, standards and reusability, ensuring alignment to brand and group design systems. 
• Provide thought leadership in experience design, research and methodology, particularly in complex or ambiguous problem spaces. 
• Lead, mentor and develop a high‑performing multi‑disciplinary design team, fostering innovation, collaboration and professional growth.
• Manage budgets and resourcing, balancing design ambition with commercial and regulatory constraints. 

What You’ll Bring

• 8+ years’ experience in experience/UX design, including leading and managing senior design teams at scale. 
• Strong background in design strategy, human‑centred design, and enterprise‑scale digital platforms. 
• Proven ability to connect design decisions to business outcomes (growth, NPS, efficiency, shareholder value). 
• Expertise in stakeholder facilitation, influencing senior leaders and navigating complex trade‑offs. 
• Deep understanding of UX research, journey mapping, service design and systems thinking. 
• Tertiary qualification in Information Studies, Informatics, Psychology or a related field (degree preferred). 

Why This Role Matters

This role shapes how customers and employees experience the organisation every day—ensuring experiences are simple, intuitive, inclusive and commercially sound, while setting the standard for design excellence across the enterprise. 

Type of Qualification: Post Graduate Degree
Field of Study: Information Studies, Psychology

Experience Required
Digital & eCommerce, CHNW
Personal and Private Banking
More than 10 years
Experience with regards to managing a team of UX-designers between 7-10, strategy development, strong workshop facilitation with senior stakeholders, as well as developing UX-standards and monitoring adherence to these standards.

Behavioural Competencies:

• Adopting Practical Approaches
• Articulating Information
• Checking Things
• Directing People
• Embracing Change
• Examining Information
• Exploring Possibilities
• Generating Ideas
• Interpreting Data
• Producing Output
• Providing Insights
• Team Working

Technical Competencies:

• Business Acumen (P&C)
• Client Journeys and Personas
• Collaboration
• Creative Problem Solving
• Developing Marketing Insights
• Financial Acumen
• Product and Services Knowledge
• Strategic Alignment & Execution
• Teaming
• Working in a Matrix Structure