Lead Service Designer

Co-op Group; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading cooperative organization is seeking a Lead Service Designer in Manchester on a 12-month fixed-term contract. In this role, you'll shape inclusive services while working with product teams. Responsibilities include improving service strategies and leading a service design community. The ideal candidate has experience in agile environments, strong mentorship skills, and the ability to simplify complex information. Enjoy a competitive salary, benefits, and the chance to contribute to a meaningful mission.

Benefits

28 days holiday plus bank holidays

Pension with up to 10% employer contributions

Subsidised onsite gym

30% discount on Co-op products

Early access to pay through Wagestream

Virtual healthcare support

Training and career progression support

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• Experience as a Service Designer in agile environments.
• Track record of mentoring and coaching other designers.
• Ability to simplify complex information.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic improvement of services.
• Collaborate with user researchers to design and test services.
• Create service journey maps to improve user flows.
• Prioritise accessibility in every design decision.

Skills

Service design experience

Mentoring and coaching

Communication skills

Collaboration skills

Job description

Lead Service Designer
Up to £60,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 5)
12-month fixed-term contract/secondment (parental cover)
Manchester city centre (hybrid)

We're open to applications from people who may require flexible working arrangements. You'll have the opportunity to discuss your needs during the interview process and at offer stage.

We're looking for a Lead Service Designer to join our Digital technology & data team on a 12-month fixed-term contract in Manchester. In this role, you'll play a key part in creating services that provide value to our members, working closely with our product teams to make sense of complex systems.

Why this role matters

At Co-op, we're creating digital products and services that make a real difference to our members, customers, and communities. As a Lead Service Designer, you'll shape how our services work end-to-end, making sure they're inclusive and accessible. Your work will help us build fairer, more effective experiences that provide genuine value for our users.

What you'll do

• Lead the strategic and continuous improvement of services used by our customer, colleagues, and members
• Collaborate with user researchers and other design colleagues to research, design, and test the end-to-end service experience
• Create service journey and process maps to visualise and improve user flows
• Adopt a data-informed approach to service design, and encourage others to do the same
• Prioritise accessibility in every design decision
• Collaborate with colleagues across the wider business to improve our ways of working and build a thriving service design community at Co-op

What you'll bring

• Experience as a Service Designer in agile, multi-disciplinary environments
• A track record of mentoring and coaching other designers
• Experience using measurement frameworks to assess service impact
• The ability to use research to understand user behaviour and motivations
• Good communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex information (e.g., insights)
• Good relationship-building and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence and challenge people inclusively

We know some people may hesitate to apply if they don't meet every requirement. At Co-op, we're committed to building diverse and inclusive teams, so if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly, we still encourage you to apply.

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we're owned by our members. And because we're owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you're not just taking a job, you're joining a movement. We're an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we're powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you'll also receive:

• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ)
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands
• Wagestream - early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle-to-work scheme

A place you'll belong

We're building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone, and our support centre is an inclusive environment where all our colleagues can thrive.

If you have a disability, we'll make reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment process. We're also proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme - if you're disabled and you meet the minimum criteria for this job, we'll guarantee you an interview.

Learn more about our recruitment process athttps://jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process

Explore our commitments to diversity, inclusion and wellbeing athttps://jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion-wellbeing