Director Experience, Financial Services Australia

We seek a visionary and hands-on Experience Design Leader working with our Financial Services clients to create meaningful and impactful human-centered experiences, drive innovation, enhance our product offerings, and play a lead role in integrating Gen AI technologies.

You will take a national role collaborating with the Industry Leads, Client Partners and Marketing to build our profile in market and generate awareness of Publicis Sapient as a trusted leader in Customer Experience through go to market activity and thought leadership. You will co-develop propositions and build a pipeline and portfolio of transformational Experience work spanning Digital Product Design, Platform implementations, Service Design and Technology Modernisations.

Given our ambition to become a recognised transformation partner for experience innovation, we are looking to expand our Experience offering within Financial Services. You will play a key role in helping to position Publicis Sapient Experience Services within the sector, working alongside Engineering, Strategy, Data and AI capability leads, as well as a secondary role in supporting our Insurance and Superannuation clients from a project perspective You will nurture positive client relationships with existing and target clients as well as new entrants with a digital attacker / next gen banking proposition.

As a senior leader in the Experience Capability Group, you will support capability and culture building initiatives, operations and play a key role in mentoring and inspiring the team.

Your impact with clients

• You provide design leadership and advisory services to clients that bring together market leading Experience transformation services in the context of the Financial Services business and market context
• You bring an insightful understanding of our client’s needs and frame opportunities for competitive advantage, including in the strategy and design of Gen AI-powered products and features
• You passionately advocate for excellence in brand, customer experience and design, both internally and with clients when addressing challenges and opportunities front stage customer as well as backstage colleague experiences
• You engage board and management level stakeholders in regular dialogue about Design and Customer Experience, helping them identify opportunities, see and address challenges and make informed decisions about their transformation priorities
• You can shape propositions, deals and see them through to delivering outcomes.
• You are confident in managing complex client engagements and stakeholder environments and relationships, a confident and articulate communicator
• You guide executive level in understanding application of design methods, product roadmaps and strategies, facilitate workshops and co-creation with executive participants to drive consensus and action

Your impact in the market

• You proactively build our profile in market, developing thought leadership and generating awareness of Experience   innovation and digital transformation at Publicis Sapient

• Collaborate and partner with the FS industry lead, client partners and other capability leads to position
• Experience Services, our Gen AI capabilities and related technologies with key clients/accounts, originating and responding to opportunities within current, target and prospect clients

Your impact with teams

• A natural team leader, you are able to galvanise and coach teams to pitch, win and deliver programs of work together beyond expectations
• As a senior leader within the Experience capability, build a high-performing team of experience designers and be hands-on in exploring future opportunities.
•  Foster a culture of innovation, continuous learning, and craft excellence.
• Continuously improve design processes to enhance efficiency and product quality.
• A big picture thinker, you collaborate with Engineering, Product and Strategy & Consulting leads to define cross-disciplinary approaches to solving client challenges leveraging the breadth of our capabilities
• You can run a structured and creative process to define a target state vision, product strategies and roadmaps, concepts and solutions that address client and customer needs
• You foster and demonstrate inclusive language and behaviours within the capability group, industry group and broader team, encouraging diversity of thought across the board
• Provide oversight and governance on large, complex projects/programs of work, to ensure highest quality Experience practise standards are adhered to
• Ensure a high standard for all aspects of Experience service delivery
• Supports the Experience Capability Leads in strategic growth initiatives, forecasting demand and recruiting talent
•  Inspire, guide, advise and manage direct reports and the broader team to develop and strengthen talent
• You apply a growth mindset, are open to feedback, responsive to others, demonstrate a love of learning, resilience and adaptive to change

The ideal candidate will have strong networks and domain expertise in Financial Services, with additional exposure to industries such as retail and insurance considered a valuable asset. They will have a proven track record of shaping and securing successful Experience propositions and deals, demonstrating both strategic thinking and commercial acumen.

Expertise in one or more core Experience crafts—such as Service Design, Product Design, or Design Research—is essential, along with a solid understanding of how these disciplines intersect to deliver holistic solutions. Experience in developing AI propositions and delivering AI-powered products and services is highly regarded, reflecting the evolving nature of digital transformation.

This role requires someone who has led large-scale, Agile, experience-led digital transformation projects from end to end—navigating the problem space, crafting solution concepts, and driving delivery through to scale. Beyond technical capability, we’re looking for a collaborative leader and mentor—someone who brings out the best in others, inspires teams, and contributes meaningfully to a culture of excellence.

As part of our dedication to an inclusive and diverse workforce, Publicis Sapient is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity without regard for race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender, protected veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at hiring@publicis.sapient.com