CX and Service Design Manager

About the role

Are you passionate about understanding people, solving complex problems and designing better experiences?

PwC New Zealand's Customer Transformation team sits at the intersection of strategy, service design and technology. We're looking for a Human-Centred Design Manager in Auckland who can bring creativity, curiosity and strong design expertise to help organisations rethink how they engage with and deliver value to their customers and communities.

This is an opportunity for an experienced designer and problem-solver who enjoys both leading engagements and staying close to hands-on design work. You'll work across a variety of public and private sector clients, tackling complex challenges, turning insights into practical solutions and helping bring meaningful change to life.

You'll collaborate with strategists, designers, technologists and business specialists, drawing on PwC's global network while continuing to develop your own expertise and leadership capabilities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead human-centred design and service design engagements, from initial discovery and research through to concept development, prototyping and implementation planning.
• Apply design thinking, customer research and service design methodologies to understand user needs, uncover opportunities and develop practical, innovative solutions.
• Plan and facilitate engaging workshops, stakeholder interviews, co-design sessions and collaborative problem-solving activities.
• Translate complex insights into clear, compelling deliverables, including customer journey maps, service blueprints, experience concepts, prototypes and actionable recommendations.
• Work closely with clients and multidisciplinary teams to connect customer needs with business objectives, operational realities and emerging technology opportunities.
• Manage design workstreams, client relationships, project timelines and deliverable quality, ensuring meaningful outcomes and a positive client experience.
• Support and mentor junior team members, sharing design expertise and contributing to a collaborative, creative and high-performing team culture.
• Contribute to proposals, client conversations and the continued development of PwC's Customer Transformation capabilities.

Skills and experience

• Ideally 6+ years' experience across service design, human-centred design, customer experience, UX, product design, business transformation or related disciplines.
• Broad design experience, with demonstrated technical depth in at least one area such as service design, UX/UI, product design, customer research or design strategy.
• Proven experience applying human-centred design methodologies to complex challenges, with the ability to move confidently from research and problem definition through to solution design.
• Strong practical skills in customer research, journey mapping, service blueprinting, workshop facilitation, co-design and communicating design concepts. Experience with tools such as Miro or Figma would be advantageous.
• Experience leading design projects or workstreams, balancing hands-on delivery with project coordination, stakeholder engagement and quality outcomes.
• Strong facilitation, storytelling and communication skills, with the ability to make complex ideas clear, engaging and actionable for different audiences.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity, challenging assumptions and considering the broader organisational, operational and customer context when developing solutions.
• A collaborative and commercially aware mindset, with the confidence to build trusted client relationships, work across disciplines and contribute to business development opportunities.
• Experience gained in consulting, design agencies, digital product teams or in-house design environments is welcomed. A relevant tertiary qualification in Design, Psychology, Business or a related discipline would be advantageous.

Highlights of working at PwC NZ

• Growth – Global network; leadership development; AI tools and training; formal learning pathways.
• Reputation – PwC is known for shaping tomorrow. Join us and you'll accelerate your career while helping clients and communities solve their most important problems.
• Wellbeing – Life & income protection; Sonder/EAP/Headspace; 15 days' paid sick leave; group-rate health insurance (eligibility applies).
• Flexibility – Flexible working; supportive coaching culture.
• Time off – Purchase up to two extra weeks' annual leave; two recognition days provided each year; annual summer shutdown period.
• Whānau & community – Paid parental leave for all parents with flexible options and financial planning support; inclusive networks; paid volunteering leave.
• Rewards – Discretionary bonus opportunities; generous referral bonuses; retail discounts & deals.

Hit Apply now. To learn how you can grow and shine in your career at PwC, visit our careers site.