About the role

Kernel is growing!!! We’re looking for a Senior Product Designer who’s motivated by impact, not just output. This role is for someone who enjoys solving complex problems, cares deeply about the customer experience, and brings a strong sense of visual craft. You’ll work closely with Armin (Head of Product) and Jade (Senior Product Designer) to shape how people interact with Kernel’s financial tools across our webapp and soon to be launched mobile application!

We’re not just another fintech investment platform. We care deeply about our customers and design experiences that help them feel confident, informed, and in control of their financial future.

This isn’t a role for someone who wants to be handed a brief and left alone. You’ll be expected to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and contribute to product thinking. You’ll move between product and marketing work, help maintain cohesion across the customer journey, and bring a thoughtful, UI-led perspective to everything you touch.

If you’re looking for a place to grow, advocate for design, and work on meaningful problems with a team that values curiosity and collaboration, we’d love to hear from you.

About Kernel

We're a 100% Kiwi owned and operated fintech on a mission to make wealth accessible for every Kiwi. Our investment platform takes the guesswork out of investing – offering KiwiSaver, Managed Funds, US shares & ETFs, and Smart Saver accounts, all in one place with some of the lowest fees in the market.

We're at an exciting stage. Scaling fast, expanding our team of globally experienced financial professionals, and building the foundations for what's next. Our culture is collaborative, hands-on and ambitious – built on trust, innovation and saying it like it is. We value diverse perspectives, empower individuality, and believe the best ideas come from thinking together.

Things move quickly here, and every person plays a key role in shaping our future.

What you’ll do

• Lead design work across Kernel’s product verticals (Invest, KiwiSaver, Savings, and Direct) helping create a cohesive experience that supports Kiwis in managing their money across different goals.

• Collaborate closely with Armin, Jade, engineers, and product managers to shape concepts, define scope, and deliver thoughtful, user-centred solutions.

• Contribute to both product and marketing initiatives, including the mobile app, dashboard transformation, and website design, ensuring consistency across all touchpoints.

• Use customer insights, data tools, and team feedback to inform design decisions and advocate for the best outcomes.

• Help evolve Kernel’s design system, with opportunities to influence both product and brand direction.

• Build strong relationships with users to understand their needs and behaviours, and translate those into meaningful design improvements.

• Bring energy and initiative to the team, facilitating workshops, sharing ideas, and helping others move forward.

• Support a collaborative, inclusive culture and contribute to mentoring as the design team grows.

You’ll be great if you bring

• Experience designing customer-facing products, ideally in a senior or lead capacity, with a clear focus on user outcomes.

• A product mindset, comfortable shaping direction, asking the right questions, and connecting design decisions to business and customer impact.

• High proficiency in Figma, using it across wireframes, prototypes, and design systems with confidence.

• Experience designing for both mobile and web, and an ability to move fluidly between them.

• Ownership of your work from early exploration through delivery and iteration, with a bias toward action and clarity.

• Strong communication skills, you can explain your thinking, collaborate across disciplines, bring others on your journey and contribute to shared understanding.

• Curiosity about customers and the domain, with a drive to improve how people experience financial tools.

• A collaborative approach, with a willingness to share knowledge and help grow the capability of the team.

Bonus things you could bring along to the role

• Experience working in financial services or with regulated products, especially where clarity and trust are central to the user experience.

• A strong interest in personal finance, whether through lived experience, side projects, or a desire to help others feel more confident managing their money.

Why You’ll Love it at Kernel

• Shape investment products in a way no other fintech in New Zealand is approaching, connecting everyday financial goals with intuitive and customer centric design.

• Contribute to a platform trusted by tens of thousands of Kiwis, helping them feel more confident and in control of their money.

• Join a team built on trust, collaboration, and flexibility, where feedback is constructive and everyone has a voice.
• Competitive compensation package

• Flexible hybrid work and support for remote setups

• Health insurance, parental leave top-up, and professional development support

• Extra staff holidays, office snacks, coffee, and a dog-friendly environment

Join our team

Not sure you meet every requirement? We encourage you to apply. We value growth, impact, and mindset just as much as specific experience. If this opportunity sounds like you, send us your cover letter explaining why you’re excited about the role and working at Kernel, along with your CV.

Visit our careers page for more on working at Kernel and follow us on LinkedIn & Instagram. to stay connected.