Let's Write Africa's Story Together!
Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this.
Job Description
At OM Bank, we strive to attract great people who are passionate about coming together for a higher purpose- building something unique and aspirational, always aiming to be the best they can be. We are rooted in our purpose of inspiring and enabling our customers to grow and sustain their prosperity.
The Head of User Experience (UX) is accountable for defining, scaling, and embedding a high-quality, customer-centred UX capability for the bank’s digital banking app.
This role owns the UX vision, standards, and delivery quality across product squads, while enabling designers, researchers, and writers to operate efficiently and collaboratively within a regulated, fast-moving environment.
The Head of UX is both a strategic leader and a hands-on practitioner. They partner closely with Product, Technology and stakeholders to align on the customer needs, business goals, and delivery realities.
Success in this role is measured by measurable improvements in customer experience, delivery quality, team maturity, and organisational trust in UX.
KEY RESULT AREAS
1. UX strategy and vision
- Define and evolve the bank’s UX vision and design principles aligned to business strategy and brand.
- Translate strategy into clear, actionable UX standards, frameworks, and ways of work.
- Ensure UX contributes directly to customer outcomes, conversion, retention, and satisfaction.
KRAs
- UX vision and principles adopted consistently in all designs.
- Clear link between UX initiatives and business outcomes.
- Executive alignment and sponsorship of UX direction.
2. UX delivery and quality
- Ensure a high-quality of UX delivery across the app’s customer journeys.
- Uphold, govern and improve design quality standards, including usability, accessibility, and consistency.
- Balance discovery, validation, and delivery within agile constraints.
KRAs
- Improved usability, accessibility, and customer satisfaction metrics.
- Reduced rework and late-stage design issues.
- Consistent experience across platforms and products.
3. Team leadership and capability building
- Lead and grow a multidisciplinary UX Chapter (design, research, UX writing, illustration, etc.).
- Build a strong culture of craft excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Define clear role expectations, career paths, and performance frameworks.
KRAs
- High team engagement and retention
- Demonstrable growth in individual and team capability
- Clear performance metrics and development plans in place
4. Cross-functional collaboration and influence
- Act as a senior UX voice in product and delivery forums.
- Partner with Product Owners, Engineering Leads, and Data teams to shape solutions early.
- Influence stakeholders through evidence-based thinking rather than opinion.
KRAs
- Get UX involved early in key initiatives.
- Strong working relationships across Product, Tech, and Business.
- Reduced stakeholder conflict around UX decisions.
5. Research, insights, and customer advocacy
- Establish scalable research and insight practices that inform decision-making.
- Ensure customer evidence is visible, trusted, and used across teams.
- Balance qualitative and quantitative insights responsibly.
KRAs
- Regular, actionable customer insights that inform roadmaps and design decisions.
- Improved confidence in product decisions
- Reduced reliance on assumptions and opinions
6. Governance, risk, and compliance alignment
- Ensure all UX practices and designers comply with regulatory, legal, and accessibility requirements.
- Define governance models that enable speed without compromising quality.
- Work closely with the Compliance, Risk, and Legal teams.
KRAs
- UX processes aligned to regulatory expectations.
- Minimal late compliance-driven design changes.
- Clear design governance without unnecessary bureaucracy.
ROLE REQUIREMENTS
- 10+ years experience in UX, Product Design, or related disciplines.
- 5+ years in a senior UX leadership role.
- Experience building and leading UX teams in complex, regulated environments.
- Strong background in digital product design (mobile and web).
- Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and executives.
- Experience working within agile, cross-functional delivery models.
- Strong understanding of accessibility standards and inclusive design.
- Financial services or fintech experience preferred.
Leadership and people management
- Leads with clarity, empathy, and accountability.
- Coaches rather than directs, while setting high standards.
- Comfortable making and standing by difficult decisions.
- Promotes extreme ownership and accountability with the aim of working autonomously.
Strategic thinking
- Connects customer needs to business outcomes.
- Thinks systemically across journeys, platforms, and teams.
- Prioritises effectively in complex environments.
Communication and influence
- Communicates clearly with both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Influences through evidence, logic, and calm authority.
- Handles conflict constructively.
Craft and quality mindset
- Deep understanding of UX craft, even when not hands-on daily.
- Sets quality bars and holds teams accountable to them.
- Balances speed with thoughtfulness.
Skills
Action Planning, Adaptive Thinking, Agile Project Management, Commercial Acumen, Customer Service, Data Compilation, Evaluating Information, Executing Plans, Financial Acumen, Market Analysis, Market Research Analysis, Negotiation, Policies & Procedures, Strengthening Customer Relationships, Workflow Management
Competencies
Balances Stakeholders
Builds Effective Teams
Business Insight
Communicates Effectively
Customer Focus
Drives Vision and Purpose
Ensures Accountability
Manages Complexity
Education
NQF Level 7 - Degree, Advance Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate or equivalent
Closing Date
25 June 2026 , 23:59
The appointment will be made from the designated group in line with the Employment Equity Plan of Old Mutual South Africa and the specific business unit in question.
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