Job description
Senior service designer
Grade G7
What service designers do
Service designers design the end-to-end journey of a service. This helps a user complete their goal and government deliver a policy intent. In this role, your work may involve the creation of, or change to, transactions, products and content across both digital and offline channels provided by different parts of government.
Role responsibilities
A senior service designer is an experienced designer who works with minimal support and can influence and mentor others.
At this role level, you will:
- work with service managers and programme directors to develop design concepts
- potentially have responsibility across complex services
- help set direction and embed good practice within teams
- make important decisions based on research and understand how this research impacts others
In the Department for Education you will:
- lead the iterative design of complex, user-centred services, adapting based on user feedback, data, and requirements
- utilise both qualitative and quantitative data to make informed design decisions, ensuring services meet the needs of users and align with department objectives
- collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams, providing leadership and guidance to ensure shared goals and successful outcomes
- communicate complex design concepts to stakeholders at all levels, using storytelling, evidence, and design artefacts to influence decision-making and direction
- shape and implement service design strategies that contribute to long-term department objectives
- ensure services are accessible and inclusive, designed to meet the diverse needs of all users, and comply with government standards on accessibility and inclusivity
Skills you need
It is essential that you can demonstrate the following experience in your application and at the interview:
- experience leading complex, user-centred design projects in government or the public sector, applying iterative design principles, and adapting based on user research and feedback
- ability to map complex services and user journeys to ensure clear, actionable insights
- expertise in analysing both qualitative and quantitative data to inform design decisions and interpret user behaviour
- strong experience in facilitating workshops, co-design sessions, managing stakeholder relationships across different levels and be able to articulate complex design concepts and through storytelling, evidence, and design artifacts
- experience ensuring designs are inclusive and meet or exceed accessibility standards
It is desirable if you can demonstrate the following:
- experience applying advanced iterative methodologies such as Lean UX
- proficiency in advanced data analysis tools and techniques to identify opportunities for innovation and improvement
- ability to mentor and coach other team members and designers, fostering a collaborative design culture within teams and across the organisation
- advanced expertise in inclusive design, with a track record of delivering services that meet the needs of diverse users, ensuring full compliance with accessibility standards