Product Experience Research and Design Manager

Company Summary

Come work for a company that’s committed to the success of each and every employee. A place where innovators and collaborators come together and build on each other’s talents. Where diversity is welcomed  and celebrated.

FCT provides industry-leading title insurance, default solutions and other real estate related products and services to legal, lending, valuation and real estate professionals across Canada. With FCT, you will have the opportunity to build a meaningful career. Join us as we continue to do exciting work and make a big impact on our colleagues, customers and communities.

Job Summary

We are continually searching for great talent; individuals who possess a deep commitment to the customers and markets we serve. If you would like to join a company that is committed to the success of each employee and offers challenge, purpose and the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally in a team-oriented environment, you'll enjoy a career with us! We understand that fostering a diverse and inclusive environment is critical for the success of our business, and we actively work towards it every day. 

As the Product Experience Research and Design Manager in Residential Lending Solutions (RLS), you will play a critical leadership role in shaping the future of the experiences we deliver across our residential lending products and services. This role is responsible for deeply understanding the residential lending ecosystem, conducting comprehensive user and market research, and designing strategic, innovative, and intuitive product experiences.
You will lead cross functional product design initiatives, drive user experience research programs, facilitate design sprints, and champion experience led transformation across the organization. Your work will inform product strategy, ensure our solutions evolve with market needs, and identify future opportunities — including AI enabled experiences — that position FCT for long term success.

HERE’S HOW YOU’LL CONTRIBUTE:

• Lead and conduct deep qualitative and quantitative research into the residential lending industry, user behaviours, lender and broker workflows, and service delivery models to uncover insights that shape product direction.
• Translate research findings into strategic experience frameworks, design concepts, service blueprints, and actionable recommendations that influence product and business strategy.
• Drive end‑to‑end product experience design, from discovery and ideation through prototyping, validation, refinement, and experience delivery.
• Facilitate cross‑department design sprints, collaborative workshops, and co‑creation sessions to align stakeholders on customer problems, opportunities, and solution directions.
• Partner closely with Product Managers, Engineers, SMEs, Operations, Legal, and other business units to drive experience‑led decision‑making and ensure design integrity throughout execution.
• Develop and maintain experience roadmaps, aligning short‑term design needs with long‑term strategic vision.
• Reimagine existing services and proactively propose new product and service models—including AI‑enabled workflows, automation opportunities, and next‑generation experience concepts.
• Produce high‑fidelity prototypes, journey maps, service models, UX flows, and research artifacts that articulate user needs and experience opportunities clearly.
• Establish and maintain a repository of experience guidelines, design principles, and UX standards for internal teams to follow.
• Evaluate and measure product experiences using qualitative and quantitative UX metrics; ensure learnings shape ongoing design and product improvements.
• Evangelize user‑centered design practices across RLS and lead initiatives that strengthen a culture of experience innovation.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL BRING:

• A dynamic, highly skilled professional background in experience design, service design, and user research within complex product ecosystems — ideally in financial services, lending, or similarly regulated industries.
• 5+ years of experience in product experience, UX research, service design, product design, or related fields.
• Demonstrated excellence in designing and delivering product & user research programs, synthesizing insights, and turning them into strategic recommendations.
• Advanced capability in facilitating design sprints, workshops, and cross-functional innovation sessions.
• Strong expertise in strategic experience design, including journey mapping, service blueprinting, prototyping, and future‑state experience modeling.
• Strong communicator capable of clearly articulating design principles, research insights, and experience strategies to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Experience influencing senior leaders and driving alignment across departments with differing goals.
• Strong understanding of product development practices, including agile, lean, and iterative design.
• Ability to identify AI‑driven opportunities, automation use cases, and future‑forward experience innovations.
• Self‑motivated, proactive, and comfortable working independently while navigating complex organizational environments.
• Exceptional collaboration and relationship‑building skills with internal and external partners.

Total Direct Compensation:

Any pay range is in $CAD

HERE’S WHAT SETS US APART: 

Through mentoring, innovative tools, and a variety of programs that engage and reward, we empower each employee to be great and drive results.

• Comprehensive benefits that include Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) and Wellness Essentials

• Group retirement savings plan with company match

• Paid holidays and generous paid time off

• Hybrid work arrangements

• Paid volunteer opportunities and charitable donation matching

• Employee recognition programs that include referral incentives

• Potential for performance-based incentives 

• The opportunity to participate in our stock purchase plan

• And more!

*As per terms of the employment agreement

The Great Place to Work® Institute has named FCT one of Canada’s Top 50 Best Workplaces, Best Workplaces in Canada for Financial Services & Insurance, Best Workplaces in Canada for Women, Best Workplaces in Canada for Inclusion and Best Workplaces in Canada for Mental Wellness. We’re also one of Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces™ in North America.

By joining us, you will not only be part of an award-winning organization, you will be part of a workforce that is engaged and empowered to succeed.

Thank you for considering FCT. We look forward to meeting you.

In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, a request for accommodation will be accepted as part of FCT’s hiring process.

To avoid any delays in the recruitment process, if you require accommodation to apply, please provide your accommodation needs in advance. You may also be required to submit adequate medical/other documentation to Human Resources to support your request for accommodation.

FCT is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. All recruitment, hiring, placements, transfers, promotions, training, compensation, benefits, discipline, and other terms and conditions of employment will be on the basis of the qualifications of the individual regardless of race, colour, place of origin, ethnic origin, citizenship, handicap (including mental and physical disability), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, creed (religion), marital status, family status (being in a parent/child relationship), age, or any other basis prohibited by the applicable provincial or federal human rights legislation.