About Acorn PLMS: At Acorn PLMS, we are on a mission to transform the corporate learning experience. Our cutting-edge Performance Learning Management System (PLMS) software is powered by AI and designed to ensure that what people learn directly contributes to their exceptional performance in business. Corporate performance and learning needs a revolution, and Acorn PLMS is the antidote. We are the only solution that guides learners step by step to master the specific capabilities required for their roles, ultimately accelerating organisational performance.

We are open to individuals based in Canberra or Sydney, Australia.

About the role:

We are seeking a Director of Product Design to lead the design strategy and execution for Acorn's SaaS platform. This role will be responsible for creating and executing the product design strategy that aligns with our business goals and enhances the user experience. It includes shaping the user experience across all product touchpoints, managing and growing a team of talented UX and Product Designers, and embedding a design-led culture across the Product organisation. The Director of Product Design will collaborate cross-functionally with Product Management, Engineering, and Customer teams to deliver innovative, scalable solutions that meet user needs and drive business outcomes.

The best part… we use our Acorn software at Acorn. We believe in the power of our Managers and Staff being aligned on the 5 capabilities needed for each role, and the level that we expect for any given role, using our Acorn AI tool to streamline this consistently across our business.

Here are the 5 capabilities for our Director of Product Design to give you an idea of what the role entails:

1. Strategic Product Design – Ability to set and communicate a clear Product design vision aligned with product and business goals

2. Design Systems & Operational Excellence – Experience building scalable design systems and processes that drive quality and efficiency across Product

3. Team Development & People Management – Proven skill in mentoring, coaching, and growing a high-performing team of product and UX designers

4. Cross-functional Collaboration – Strong ability to partner across departments (Product Management, Engineering, Customer Support) to ensure seamless and aligned execution

5. User-Centred Design & Research Acumen – Expertise in applying UX methodologies grounded in data and real user feedback

Responsibilities:

• Product Design Strategy: Define and drive the vision, strategy, and execution of product design across the Acorn PLMS platform, ensuring the platform delivers seamless, intuitive, and high-value user experiences
• Team Management: Lead, mentor, and grow a team of UX and Product Designers. Foster a collaborative, feedback-driven culture focused on delivering impactful product outcomes
• Product Design Excellence: Establish and uphold high standards for user experience, visual design, and accessibility within a SaaS product. Promote a strong design thinking approach
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Product Management and Engineering to ensure seamless integration of design into the product development lifecycle, working in sprints across our Acorn Product Pods
• User Advocacy: Champion the voice of the user in all design decisions. Leverage user research, data, and customer feedback to inform design
• Product Design Operations: Implement scalable processes, tools, and systems to streamline workflows and promote efficiency
• Brand Alignment: Work with Marketing and Brand teams to ensure product design aligns with broader brand strategy

Experience & Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in product design, including 3+ years in a design leadership role, ideally within a B2B SaaS environment
• Strong portfolio demonstrating user-centric, high-impact product design solutions
• Proven experience managing and developing high-performing design teams
• Deep understanding of UX principles, user research, interaction design, and systems thinking
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills
• Experience working in fast-paced, high-growth startups or scale-ups is a plus

Location

We are open to individuals based in Canberra or Sydney, Australia. We are an office-first company, meaning we work from our local offices the majority (if not all) of the time. Please note candidates will need to be in commuting distance to our offices based in the CBD.

Applicants must have full working rights in Australia to be considered for this role. Unfortunately we are unable to provide visa sponsorship at this time.

Why join Acorn PLMS?

• Joining a high-growth SaaS company with global expansion plans
• Opportunity to build and scale Acorn’s Product Design function
• Competitive compensation package
• Work with a passionate and collaborative team committed to performance, learning, and development

Our recruitment process

Acorn is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We aim to ensure that our recruitment process is fair and accessible to everyone and encourage candidates to request any accommodations needed during the application or interview stages.

About Acorn

Acorn is the hub for learning and performance for over 3 million active learners globally. The work you do — whether that’s writing lines of code, designing the layout of a dashboard, or talking to customers — helps real people grow not just professionally, but personally. In the space of 10 years, we’ve grown to a global platform in the heart of many major organisations’ ecosystems.

There’s still so much more to do, and we need people who are keen to help us journey into the next phase on board! And since we’re still growing, there’s so much you can learn on that journey with us. To find out more about life at Acorn, our Values and working with us, check out our website at https://acorn.works and see our Life At Acorn video here! https://youtu.be/2BGUk-n3FrQ?si=U_sS1Y5ZSP0tNtZW

If you're a creative leader who thrives on crafting beautiful, user-centric product experiences and loves mentoring passionate designers, we'd love to hear from you!